Be My Princess ✔️

Chapter 15

I was twenty-two when you came to see me.

Since my second proposal, you never sent a letter. But you never sent the ring back either. Sister Tiana and Big Brother never told me what you did with it. They also weren't sure how you really felt about me either. You left us all in limbo, but that was just like you. You did things at your own pace, on your own time, because you needed to do what was right for you.

It had made me anxious, but I waited to hear from you. No answer wasn't a no, but it wasn't a yes either. So I waited every day, hoping that I would receive word from you. But days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months. Before I knew it, an entire year had passed and I never received anything from you.

This was the first time you ever came to Maldonia. You didn't even tell me. You arrived on the day I had an event by the docks. My family and I were to greet some various European and American ambassadors. They were eager to discuss trade and potential alliances, American and British men especially. It was a tedious, but necessary part of being a prince.

Then I saw you wandering about the docks. Your hair stood out to me first; it was long and blonde and blew in the wind as you tried to keep a hold of your hat. It matched your bright pink dress, a little more modest than the flappers you used to wear. I didn't think it was you for a moment, but then I saw your face. You looked confused, a little loss, eyes wandering up and down as if looking for something. Or maybe someone, I didn't know.

But I called out to you. It was undignified for a prince to yell out in public, but in that moment, I could only see you. I had to make sure you were real. And when you turned your head, I bolted towards you as people moved out of the way. Whether it was because I was the prince or they feared of being knocked over, I didn't know. But you saw me and stayed in place, patiently waiting for me with a warm smile on your face.

A million questions spilled out of my mouth. What were you doing here? Why didn't you contact me? Why didn't you or Big Brother or Sister Tiana inform me of your arrival? Had something happened? Was something wrong? Why were you even here in the first place? But you never answered a single one. You just stared at me before giggling and shaking your head.

And before I could ask another question, you stretched up your hands to gently seize my face. Then you kissed me, everyone around us staring. Including myself. Those same soft lips that kissed my cheek when I was eight were now against mine. I couldn't move, almost frozen in time. For a moment, I even thought it was a dream.

I had to pull away out of shock. And that was when I saw the ring on your finger, glistening as the sun reflected off of it. It fit you perfectly, just like I had hoped. Before I could say anything else though, you started to ramble. Apologizes for making me wait for long. That you talked to Big Brother and Sister Tiana and all your friends about this over and over again until they got sick of hearing about it.

You said the ring was beautiful. That I was going to make a fine husband since I was already the perfect prince. Even better than Big Brother could ever hope to be. And you were looking forward to our life together as prince and princess, in love even after we grew old and died.

I could only stutter out why. It made you pause before you smiled and seized my face again. And when you kissed me a second time, I didn't stay still. I kissed back, my hands coming up to hold your hips. You didn't push me away, your arms moving to wrap tightly around my neck. I could only hold your closer, lifting you up off your feet to kiss you harder.

People started cheering and clapping around us, including Father and Mother, falling in love with the show just as much as we had fallen for each other. There were a few murmurs in the crowd since no one knew who you were. But they would. They would very soon.

And when I set you down to your feet to break the kiss, you giggled like you did the first time we met. When I was just a child and you were a beautiful young woman, eager and ready to find your prince even if he was only six and a half. And he had been always ready and willing to grant you your wish.

Then, with that bright smile I had fallen for all those years ago, you said, "You were right, Ralphie; it's never too late to become a princess."