Endless Love

three

"So tell me about yourself" Prince Leo smiles, offering his arm for Katerina to loop through. She loops her arm softly through his, as they walk around outside.

She wanted to feel the breeze against her skin while she talked to him. She wanted to share part of her interests with him.

"I love the outdoors" Katerina starts. "Animals, reading and I hope one day to find a man who loves me"

Prince Leo nods thoughtfully. Stopping them in their tracks as they appear in-front of a lake. "Not everyone can fall in love. That's rare in marriages like these."

Katerina looks across the lake, watching the sun beam off of it. "I want to have that rare love." She starts, turning her body to him. "Although I'm sure that's asking for too much, seeing as I can't offer as much."

Prince Leo shuffles to his other foot and clears his throat before placing a small hand on her elbow. "I want to marry for love too. But you are right, you offer nearly nothing."

"Is that a problem?" She asks.

"It's not ideal. Of course an alliance with Scotland will come of it, but what more of our marriage can you provide?" He removes his hand harshly, almost like she burnt him.

He is a handsome man. Dark brown hair and a beard that's fully grown. His eyes are a dark brown but no match for Bash's beautiful green ones and his words are harsh but he is blunt and sometimes that's good in a King. Is he the one for her? No. But she continues to talk to him, showing him that she can provide enough.

"A loving marriage is better than a loveless , miserable marriage" She speaks. "I believe a strong relationship can help. I also know my way around politics"

Prince Leo smiles softly. "Princess Katerina, please don't take this the wrong way. But you won't find a marriage filled with love and devotion."

"So are you saying if we were to marry and someone caught your interest that you will give in to such tendencies?" Katerina's stomach twists and turns. This is an end result, this is a make or break topic for her.

He pauses, looking thoughtfully. "If I wasn't being fulfilled and my wife, my queen could offer nothing. Then maybe"

"Why did you come here?" She questions. "I only see that Im clearly the opposite of you."

"I wanted to provide you with a choice, lovely Katerina. You are gorgeous, but can you truthfully live up to becoming a queen?"

"I believe I could." She says softly. "But I also want to stay true to myself, Prince Leo."

-🥀-

The stables were quite as she waited for her horse. Tears prickled her eyes as she goes over the conversation with Prince Leo. He was handsome, but harsh. His words stung and her heart felt like a weight in her chest.

She sat against the wall, just in the grass. The breeze running through her hair as she gathered herself up. She believes she could be a queen, but she also has a standard and that level of disrespect especially to her, well she couldn't imagine the way he treats servants.

She saw Bash walking up, holding her horse on the reign. She got up, dusting herself off before walking over to him.

Bash watched her get up, her puffy red eyes and her sad expression made his heart hurt. He rushed over to her, placing his hand on her cheek, he took his thumb and wiped the tears away.

"What happened, my beautiful Katerina?" He held on to her horse but still his other hand was on her, wiping the tears.

"He was rather harsh. Said I won't be a good queen, and that marrying for love is rare." She sniffles. "I get it Bash, not everyone can marry for love, but I want too"

Bash wanted to run over to the Prince and talk to him. Sit him down and call him words that aren't allowed. How can he be so blind to ignore this gorgeous women?

"Katerina, take a deep breathe" He sucks in a breathe with her and breathes out. "You are gorgeous, you are strong and you will be a great Queen someday. You will also marry for love. Don't let anyone ever put you down like that" He wiped the last of her tears and within seconds she pulls him into a hug.

He eases into it, leaning his head on top of hers, seeing as he towers over her, and his one available hand grips around her waist tightly. He takes in the moment, the feeling of her arms tightly wrapped around him, her head against his chest and the warmth her body gives off.

Once she pulls away , there faces are inches apart. Part of him wants to kiss her, show her affection, let her know how irresistible she is, but he pulls away slowly.

She wanted him to kiss her. She stared purposely at him, not moving for a kiss. His words sunk into her brain and in that moment she wanted her first kiss to be from him.

She wanted to laugh at how pathetic she is. First kiss? Plenty of people probably had one, but she was waiting, waiting for the one. She watches him look at her lips, and he loses his breathe only for a moment before pulling away.

"Come on princess, let's ride"