Numb: The Postscript

V. Open

My eyes were sore and red from staring at the blank ceiling for hours and hours. My conscience was congested with thoughts, emotions, and memories.

"A masquerade?!" Noèle's voice was muffled since she was outside dancing with Étienne, "Papa, we must go! Can we bring Hans?!"

"It's Prince Hans, dear," Étienne corrected her.

"Hans is just fine, no need for formalities," I walked outside while tucking in my shirt and buttoning up my waistcoat, "And a masquerade?"

"Yes, and Noèle here would love to go. Princess Anna is throwing it as a public party for the kingdom. It's a monthly celebration for the opening of the gates."

"Sounds fun," Étienne and I engaged in conversation as Noèle fed Aksel carrots, "Don't know if I can go, I mean, I'm still the missing prince..."

"It's a masquerade, Hans! You will be the masked prince," Étienne heartily chuckled, "Heh. No one will know. You get out there, have fun, and live." I nodded after Étienne convinced me to go. He continued, "'Tis in the next three weeks. Don't you worry, I have a friend who sells masks from Royaume. And I could have a seamstress come and get your measurements.

"Thank you, Étienne."

"You're very welcome, boy. Well, I'm off!" Étienne hopped onto the wagon and Aksel led the way. Noèle and I attended to our work as usual.

--

The next few days, the seamstress came. Miss Margrete was her name.

"You're such a handsome young man, and quite chivalrous," she chortled, "The ladies will think of you quite highly, especially when you're wearing what I've got in mind for you."

"Is that so?" I laughed a little, and Miss Margrete winked back.

"Oh, there she is! Come here, darling, I need your measurements!" Miss Margrete called onto Noèle as she walked in. She was twiddling with her fingers as she sheepishly came towards Miss Margrete. I have to admit, she had this pulchritudinous charm that never ceased to astound me. If ever I was in her presence, I become so vulnerable to the point it's discomforting. I've never felt this way before around someone; feeling lost but found, feeling naked but safe, and feeling woe but rapture when I gazed into her eyes that were ablaze as they looked into mine. My chest felt heavy as I thought about this, as if it were weighed down by my inability to comprehend how I feel around Noèle. As if it were a burden upon myself, but I was for sure that it wasn't.

The night when we were so close— yet so far in the aspect that I didn't feel like I was on earth that very moment— kept replaying in my mind. We were both sick like she said she was— lovesick. She was overwhelmed by her feelings, and I had the lack thereof. She had too much of it, and I had too little. It's like we were this puzzle that found its own way to put itself back together. And our problems were, somehow, solved.

I snapped back into reality.

"Swell, just swell! My team of seamstresses will get everything done for you two. Farewell!" Miss Margrete left with our measurements. Noèle grinned ear to ear at me. She couldn't contain all her excitment. I felt excited too, not because of the masquerade, but because I was going with her. With her, I get to experience and explore what freedom from confines feels like. I've been chained to my past, and Noèle unlocked the cuffs that held onto me so tightly.

--

Étienne was still at the plaza at around five in the evening. To past the time, Noèle suggested that we should walk by the creek. We walked, side by side, as we both stared at the ground.

"The ground is very interesting," I spoke kiddingly and looked at Noèle as she was staring at the ground with such concern, "Noèle?"

Noèle was put out of her dozing, "Huh? Oh, uh, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"About?"

"Nothing you should be worried about," she gave me an assuring smile. I no longer questioned her; it wasn't any of my business anyway. She started to roll up her sleeves neatly and her left hand grasped onto the end of her dress. Her right hand held tightly onto mine, and we began to run into the flowing waters of the creek.

"Jump!" she commanded as she giggled. She jumped, but my late reaction caused us to fall into the waters. She was laughing and started to splash around. And I began to do so too. We were having genuine amusement, and all this playfulness reminded me of the time I had with Anna. I tried to reject those memories, only because I made them painful to remember.

We were drenched, and the sun began to set. Noèle let out an obnoxious sigh before she whined jokingly, "Awh, it's getting late..." she squeezed out her dripping hair, "Papa should be coming. We should go."

I agreed, and we waded out of the creek. She began to shiver from the autumn chills, so I just wrapped my arms around her and rubbed her shoulders with my hands. Our shoes squeaked annoyingly from being soaked. The sky was a canvas for watercolor with splashes of orange, pink, and red. Noèle stopped trembling, and I felt her heart palpitations.

"It's nice, isn't it?" she dreamily gazed at the sky.

"The sunset? It's beautiful," I replied, staring at the sky like she was.

"No, not that. Being here with you," Noèle's hands grasped onto my arms that held her tight. I felt my muscles contract suddenly.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I just stopped myself. I thought about how open she was to me. And yet, I was still adamant about keeping my gates closed.

****

Yay, I decided that I would update with two chapters as a Spring Break present! I'm so excited to start the next chapter! I hope you guys are enjoying everything! Happy Easter! ^_~

Thanks y'all! <3