Her Royal Pen Pal

Chapter 3 [The Unusual Proposal]

(Copyright) © 2011 Candle_Ice

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[A/N: the house at the side is Elise's house...it's GORGEOUS!!! In real life It's Baxter House, a college house... but i love the design so i wanted to use it in the story...and i can't really describe it...so i decided to just show u!!! NO, i don't live there! i wished i did though... ] 

Chapter 3

 Leonidas paced the living room, wall to wall. When he had discovered Elise had disappeared on him, he felt both anger and admiration towards her. Right now he didn't know which one he was feeling more of. No one had ever dared to defy his order or request. 

Looking around the living room, he felt a sense of calm envelope him. The house was not as big as the palace, but it was a huge home. Three floors and judging by the size of the living room, it appeared as having very spacious rooms. 

He saw the mantle filled with pictures of various family members doing various activities. Due to the demanding nature of growing up in the royal family, he never got to experience any real family activity. He picked up one of the framed photographs and stared at it. It showed 5 children and two parents laughing at the camera, at what looked like a picnic. The joys on their faces evident, and he felt a little jealous that he and his siblings never got to experience any of that. Leonidas placed the picture back on the mantle and turned in time to see Elise come stand in the entry way to the living room.

This was the first time he ever saw her face to face, except for earlier that afternoon in the meeting. She was beautiful. All anger was replaced by attraction as he thought of the joys it would entail, if she was his wife.

Curtsying towards him, she surprised him by the action, he thought she’d just let him have it, but after all he was the Prince. She then talked: 

"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know who you were, and you lied to me anyway, while goading me to express my dislike of 'Prince Leonidas' sex-ploits.' So you can't arrest me!" She said in a rush.

Taken aback, Leonidas, asked, "You think I'm here to arrest you?"

"Well... aren't you?"

Laughing, he felt at ease with her, "No my dear, I'm not here to arrest you."

Sighing with visible relief, Elise walked into the room. "If I may so bold as to ask His Highness, why are you here, in my living room?" 

Her timid use of his title was laced with a hint of venom. That was the girl he knew, well, the girl he chatted with. Biting back a smile Leonidas sat down on the sofa and indicated for her sit beside him. She took the seat opposite him. 

"Elise, I'm here to meet the girl, who so passionately, spoke of changing the future of Elyria."

"Hmm, with all due respect, your Highness, that still doesn't explain why you showed up at the meeting and what you're doing here in my home."

"But you invited me to the meeting." Leonidas reminded her.

"I invited 'prince_charming01' to the meeting, but he turned out to be you, and I don't recall inviting neither Prince__charming01 nor you to my home" She replied vehemently, adding belatedly, a cold, "your highness."

"Call Me Leonidas, 'your highness' is so formal, and we're friends, are we not ellie_belle?"

"Well, Leonidas, I don't think we are friends. Friends don't lie to each other."

"If I had told you who I was, would you have believed me," seeing the answer of 'no' on her face, he continued,” you certainly wouldn't have spoken so freely against me, if you did."

"I'm sorr--"

"Elise... Quit apologising. What you said, is what everyone was thinking, and I've read far worst in the tabloids."

"Speaking of tabloids, you do realize that the entire country will be speculating as to why you were at the University today, and reporters will find out from students that I supposedly invited you to a meeting and you came. Now they'll wonder how we know each other."

"No worries about that," Leonidas waved a hand in the air, "We'll come out officially as a couple by my grandfather's ball this Saturday. In the mean time, we'll go to dinner and other places while getting to know each other better, have our pictures taken,--"

"Wait, what’d you mean by 'couple?' A couple of what?" She asked cautiously.

 "A couple, you know, two people dating. Come on, Elise! Then at the ball, we'll announce our engagement--"

"Engagement?" she shrieked.

"Why, yes. I think you'd make the perfect future Queen of Elyria-- Elise?...Elise?"

Leonidas rushed over to her and caught her before she hit the floor. Never in his life, has he ever suggested matrimony to another, but he never figured when he did, she would faint!