Be My Princess (FanFiction): Summer in Altaria

Chapter 37

Joshua's POV

I shook my head after I had gotten off the phone with Roberto. I wasn't exactly sure what he was thinking, but I got a good idea of his plan.

Once I got back to Dres Van, I immediately looked for Katerina. Wondering if she was still cooped up in her room or if she finally ventured to the gardens-- what used to be her favorite place in the Manor.

To my surprise, she wasn't in her room.

I let my hunch lead me to the gardens.

Again, to my surprise, Katerina was there.

She was sitting at a stone bench next to a bush of roses. Her back was facing to me and her violet hair glistened in the light of the setting sun.

"I'm surprised that you are here," I said before I went to sit down next to her.

"Mm," She nodded.

As if right now cue, Jan walked in with a tea cart. He served us tea and left the cart with the few snacks he had displayed for us.

"Thank you, Jan," Katerina muttered as she took a sip of her cup of tea.

Jan bowed and left us be.

"So, where did you go?" She turned to look at me. Her violet eyes curious. "You were gone all day," She added.

"You noticed?" I took a sip of my cup of tea.

She snorted. "Of course, why wouldn't I?"

I chuckled, "I went to Altaria."

Katerina stiffened when she heard me say Altaria.

"Did you have to go there today?" She asked. Meaning, if I had to go there on "Crown Prince Duty".

I shook my head and sat my tea cup on the tea cart.

"No, but I wanted to know what happened between you and Roberto." I said as I watched her stiffen. "That's why I went to Altaria today."

"You were always impatient," She commented as she nibbled on a finger sandwich.

"You too," I gently elbowed her arm.

"So, I'm guessing you got your answer."

"I did, yes."

"And?" She looked into my eyes, her eyes already watery.

"He still loves you, you know."

Katerina didn't say anything for a while. I was bracing for her to cry, but she didn't.

"If he loves me, then why didn't he fight harder for me?"

"You know how Roberto is, especially with his father," I said. "He was never good with words when it mattered."

"Yeah, no kidding." She let out an exasperated sigh.

As I watched Katerina finish her cup of tea, you could clearly see that she was heartbroken.

Her shoulders were slouched in a sad droop and her eyes held sadness, an emotion she never had shown. Except the day before she had ran away, of course.

Katerina was always a happy person.

"You should give him another chance," I said gently.

"I don't know if I have the will to," She set her empty tea cup on the tea cart.

"Try," I put a hand on her slouched shoulder.

"What are you trying to do?" She looked at me in suspicion.

"What do you mean?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you trying to make me go to Roberto's party? Give him another chance for?"

I smiled. "We both know that you and Roberto belong to each other, even if you can't see it right now."

Katerina didn't say anything. So I took that chance to continue on.

"I see how you looked at Roberto and how he looked at you. Your relationship may have been just beginning, but don't give up on him just yet. Just because someone disapproved of you two being together. So what? People will be people and they will always try and voice out their opinion.

"But that person was Roberto's father," She said gently. "He will never be okay of being with Roberto. Because of what I did five years ago."

"So prove it to him," I set my empty tea cup on the tea cart. "Prove that you are not the Katerina who had ran away from home five years ago. Prove that nothing will stop you from loving his son, the Crown Prince of Altaria."

"I'm not sure if it can be that easy."

"Maybe, but it won't be impossible."

Katerina pursed her lips together.

"That's a start," I said.

"I'll think about," She said finally after a while.

We both sat in the gardens in silence after that, watching the sun set.