A Forbidden Royal Love

Chapter VI: Marina Goodbye

Ileana's POV:

We were here, the time was now. The footman opened the door and Nicolai stepped out, followed by Mignon, and then me. I clutched the footman's arm so tightly that I was sure it must have left bruises. I looked up and there they were, getting ready to walk up the gangway after saying their last goodbyes. I saw him, well more like his hair, bright red. Then his face. He was nervous, but not in the way I was, a different, exited, confused, hopeful, kind of nervous. I caught his eye and cocked my head, he blinked and then motioned for me to follow him. Suddenly he ducked behind his family and the guards and sneaked of behind a building on the marina. I made quick to follow, keeping my eyes trained on his hair that stuck out like a sore thumb in the crowd. Into an ally way, then he waited for me to catch up.

"This isn't exactly how I wanted to do this but at least we're alone."

" My mind can't process this, it's almost as if once you leave, everything that ever happened between us dies. For me death is suddenly ceasing to exist. I don't want that for us, I wish that we could just make everything stop, and make sure it listens. We can't, I can't," I stopped out of breath, out of words, and out of time.

"I feel the same way, and I know that maybe this thing that I'm going to suggest isn't going to be accepted or acknowledged by our families, but that doesn't matter to me, saving this is all that matters."

Confused, I waited. Hope was seeping through me. Was there a way?

Then he took my hands, and got down on one knee, looking into my eyes, almost pleading with me.

"Ileana, I,"

"Yes!" I leaned down and kissed him. He lifted me into the air and spun me around.

"I love you, someday I will come back and take you to see Russia. And I promise, I'll marry you." He slipped the ring on my finger.

I looked into his deep blue grey eyes and whispered, softly," I know."

It was a beautiful moment. But all moments end.

" Alexei! Alexei Nicholaevitch Romanov!"

His mother was looking for him.

Alexei turned to me, he looked as if he was going to cry. I kissed his cheek and took his hand.

" We must go now, think of me."

"Always." He whispered.

" And I always of you." I paused, " I love you, and I'll wait, as long as it takes."

With that we pushed through the crowd and retuned to our reality.