Her Royal Highness, Leonor: The Years Later

The Midnight Rendezvous

Zarzuela Palace

Phillipa

The lights quickly brighten the room, Sofia's mouth opened at the sight of me and the princess together. I immediately stand up, suddenly guilty - knowing we just kissed.

Sofia looks back on the hallway, and quickly closed the door and goes back to Leonor's bedside. She looks at me and the Princess back and forth.

"Phillipa, how did you get in here?" The infanta asks.

"Aurelia helped me, I'm so sorry— "
"And what are you two doing in the dark?"

Leonor stands up, softly laughing. "Sofia, por favor, we're not doing anything, I just forgot to turn on the light."

Sofia looks back at me.

I straightened my shoulder. "I wouldn't do anything that your sister - I mean, the Princess wouldn't allow me to." I remember the kiss we just had, and uncontrollably, it warms my cheeks so much, I suddenly warm inside, along with my increasing heartbeat.

How can I be so impulsive, kissing Leonor like that.

We all look at each other for a couple of seconds before Sofia breaks into a laugh, her chest moving along with the sound of her laughter filling the room.

"You both look so guilty, I can't even." Sofia says, still laughing. "Phillipa, por favor, puedes respirar ahora, te ves tan roja." (TL: "Phillipa, please, you can breath now, you look so red.")

Sofia then broke into another uncontrollable laughter.

I finally released the amount of breath I was holding, and ran a hand through my forehead. Leonor did the same, pursing her lips. I stood sill, not knowing whether I should sit beside the Princess or stay where I am.

Leonor looks back at me, and seeing a glimpse of uncertainty in her eyes, I know she's also unsure how to act - this is the first time we're going to be in front of her sister—with Infanta knowing we're together.

I take a quick peek on the window, and I was suddenly reminded of the impulsiveness I just took tonight just to see the Princess.

"I think I should go now." I whispered to Leonor,

Leonor's eyes softens. "Will you be fine?"

"Of course."

"Okay, now don't be silly, Phillipa, Hermana." Sofia later says, and to my surprise, she gently push me back into sitting beside Leonor. "Let's talk for a little while, I'm not sleepy yet." She gets the table chair from Leonor's study table and face us, her elbows resting on the chair turned around. Sofia's eyes turned teasing, a smile in her lips.

"So did you two really do something in the dark before I came in?"

"Sofia." Leonor's voice came stern. I cleared my throat.

Sofia again burst into a laugh, her palm in her mouth, trying to not laugh out loud. "Hermanita, te ves tan roja" (TL: "Hermanita, you look so red.")

To my surprise, Leonor caught a small pillow from behind and threw it on Sofia, which the Infanta giddily caught. I look back on Leonor, and just as I was—her face really was red.

"No pensé haber visto a dos personas convertirse en tomates tan rojos."

(TL: "I didn't think I've seen two people turning into tomato being so red.") Sofia continues to say within her laughter, and she caught up into a cough, which she excuses herself to drink a glass of water by Leonor's study table.