Her Royal Highness, Leonor: The Years Later

The Heart, Reassured

Phillipa 

The rehearsals for the play has been continuously improving after that dry run, and often times Cecil has asked me for help on her scripts, as she says I do get her clarity on how the character's lines can be delivered with meaning, since I am the one who has written it. 

The routine has been pretty normal for the next following days, and always on Friday, we rehearse it, and Lucas seemed to have increasingly get satisfied with the improvement the actors has done since the last formal rehearsal. 

As part of the team, I know how hard it is to write something from one's imagine, let alone act it out – as an actor, as Josie and other cast has told me a couple of times, you have to step into the character's world and make sure you leave yourself behind when the curtain starts opening.

I was grateful that during those one on one's with Cecil and her script, she never made a comment or open about having to talk me through how I and the princess has met and how everything has come to what they are today.

I was beyond grateful, nor just for Cecil's promise, but also at how professional she stays within the boundaries of theater conversations to that of a personal one.

But just one day, the conversation just slipped out of nowhere, we were alone in the backstage, while others were immersed in their own corners, memorizing the lines, making sure the blockings are going to be followed as necessary – and she asked me when was the last time I saw the Princess.

I inhaled a deep breath, surprised, taken aback by this sudden intrigue. 

I cleared my throat. "No nos hemos visto desde ese día en tu... cafetería."

(TL: "We haven't seen each other since that day in your...coffee shop.")

She nodded, pursing her lips, her eyes glued to the script resting in her lap. "I figured it must be hard."

I look at her across the distance, unsure of what to answer with her remark.

She looked up to me, and let out a sigh. "O sea...estar enamorado de alguien con quien no puedes estarlo aunque estés prácticamente a una hora de distancia el uno del otro."

(TL: I mean... being in love with someone you can't be even though you're practically an hour away from each other.")

I held her stare. When I feel the sadness start taking over me being reminded of the recent struggle of not seeing the Princess, I slumped my shoulders and anxiously tug at the copy of the script I was holding in my lap, too.

"I'd rather know she's an hour away than risk her to be seen with me." I take off my eyeglass and sort of mulled over the thought. I remained silent after, not adding another thought.

"You're not a risk to the Princess." Cecil whispered. "Your feelings aren't a risk..you care about her so much you'd rather choose to love her from the distance than have her be..." 

She inhaled a deep breath, as if assessing if she'd say the word, in case, I might be hurt, which I don't think I will, anymore.

"...than have the whole country criticized her because of me." I finished her thought.

Cecil shakes her head lightly, and sets aside the script and face me. There was a vulnerability in her eyes, and she reach out to my caress my hands.

We look out at each other through the silence.