In the kingdom of Clovendale, Princess Isadora is suffocated by the weight of royal expectations and a future sealed by an arranged marriage. Desperate for freedom, she regularly escapes to a nearby village, this is where she meets Gabriel-a commone...
I stood at the edge of the grand hall, listening to the chattering of the palace servants. They were all giggling, exchanging stories about Prince Julian from the Kingdom of Astoria, a talk of the town war-hero. One of them even swooned dramatically, her hands clutching her chest as she recounted how he was said to be as skilled with his sword as he was handsome. The excitement in the air was undeniable, and for a moment, I felt like I was standing on the sidelines of my own life, watching a tale unfold that had nothing to do with me.
But it did have everything to do with me.
I heard the steady footfalls of the butler approaching. His voice rang out with formality, cutting through the chatter: "Prince Julian, meet... Princess Isadora."
The grand doors swung open, and I was finally announced. I took a deep breath, my pulse quickening, and stepped forward. The eyes of the court turned to me as I descended the stairs, each step feeling heavier than the last. Then, I saw him. Prince Julian.
He was tall, his presence commanding, and his expression intense as he watched me walk toward him. His eyes never left mine, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause. There was no rush of anxiety, no frantic flutter in my chest. My heart felt calm, steady. It wasn't the wild whirlwind that I'd experienced with Gabriel. This was different, quieter, but no less powerful.
I felt a twinge of guilt as Gabriel's name crossed my mind, but I shook it off. Not now, I reminded myself.
Julian stepped forward as I reached the bottom of the stairs, bowing slightly. His eyes reminded me of the ocean. Not some calm one. But an ocean where its rough and vast. The way he's staring at me feels like I may drown in his eyes. Actually no. It seems as if I exceptionally would be able to be in the middle of such an ocean, but I'd be completely safe..."Mon Coeur Est Tien," he said, his voice rich and deep. Swiftly he grabs my hand and kisses it. I giggle just a bit. Then in a millisecond,back to reality. "Mon Coeur Est Tien?" I say in a broken accent.
I blinked, tilting my head slightly in confusion. "Sorry, what language is that? I'm not exactly consumed with the knowledge of languages." I gave him an awkward smile. "Not even bilingual?" Prince Julian questions. "Nope..." I muttered.
His brows furrowed in surprise. "You haven't traveled? Princess?"
I shook my head. "No. Just here, The Kingdom of Clovendale. I've been here my whole life."
Julian looked at me for a moment longer, his surprise fading into something softer. "Well," he began, "Not to worry Princess Isadora, I'll make sure you'll have a chance to experience the world. By then, you'll know more languages than I." he winks playfully.
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? And how many languages do you know exactly? French? Spanish? Arabic even?" I tease.
He chuckled softly. "You name it," he replied, his eyes sparkling with something genuine. Despite the stories, despite his reputation, there was something disarmingly sweet about him. He wasn't just the war hero I had imagined. He was... something more.
And as we stood there, the court watching, our exchange felt like the beginning of something unexpected.
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—————————————————————————— AUTHOR'S NOTE*** (Mon Coeur Est Tien: translate from French to English)
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