Prince Caspian -Jung Yoonoh NCT

16. The Snow Queen

"You've been a long time," Chloe says suspiciously. 

"I was only saying goodnight, and the door stuck..."

I turn away from my reflection in the mirror, aware that I am blushing and not wanting Chloe to see my confusion. 

"How very convenient of the door!" Chloe says drily. 

Her knowing eyes sweep over my flushed face, my swollen lips, my unruly hair - he had buried his face in it, kissing my throat, my shoulders - and I drag my thoughts away to listen to Chloe. Her lips are moving, she is saying something, I must concentrate..."I suppose he kissed you?"

"Well... ," I say, affecting a pathetic attempt of a drawl, while inside, my head is screaming, he kissed me he kissed me oh God he kissed me... "Isn't that the correct way to say thank you for an evening's entertainment?"

"He didn't give me much chance to say mine," Chloe says, rather sulkily. "Well, congratulations, it's obvious he's got a thing for you..." She gives a short, bitter laugh. "I withdraw from the competition. Oh, but aren't you a lucky girl," she bursts out. "A guy like that is one in a million ... and now it's just occurred to me, he's something like the description you gave me of your dream guy ... the one you met and did not expect to see again.. is he - can he possibly be that guy?"

I nod dumbly.

"You have an unfair advantage over me. Did he know that he would meet you here?"

I sit down on the dressing-table stool. 

"Of course he didn't - it was pure chance, and you're jumping to conclusions. There's nothing whatever between him and me. Tomorrow perhaps it'll be your turn. I don't imagine he's over-burdened with fidelity."

Chloe looks surprised. 

"You mean if I could get him away from you, you wouldn't mind?"

"Not in the least - in fact it would be best." 

Chloe is free, but I am not. Over my future looms the shadow of Cousin Mark. Perhaps Caspian is deliberately trying to force me to break my engagement.

"Thanks," Chloe says, brightening up at once. "Since you have given me your blessings, I shall certainly try, though I do not think it will be of much use."

She gets up from the bed where she has been sitting and comes across to me, and leans towards me, gazing into my eyes searchingly. 

I turn my head away. 

"Yiseul," Chloe says gently, "perhaps you are making a mistake? Because I think that you have fallen for him...."

"No," I cry fiercely, "I haven't, and I mustn't."

I clutch her arm. 

"Chloe, if you love me, never let me be alone with him again!"

"Sure, if you say so." 

Chloe looks puzzled, and pats my shoulder.

"I'll take care of him. Good night, Yiseul."

After she has gone, I sit for a long time on the stool, staring out of the window, where the curtains are drawn.

The moonlight has cast a misty, silvery veil over the silence and the stillness.

To fall in love with Caspian Jeong would be a huge mistake. He has no serious intentions, and I must do my best to smother - and quickly - the unwelcome tumult of emotions that he has roused within me. Never again must I be so foolish as to allow myself to be alone with him. Chloe would help and the holiday is mercifully a short one. It is to be hoped that Caspian would remember his neglected forestry. Once our association is over, there would be one more term at school, and then Ravenscrag and Mark Jung. Surely I could manage to discipline my unruly heart and keep out of his way during the brief interlude of this holiday?