The Last Timeline...

0.3 I Broke Our Promise

Prince Benjamin's POV:

     The Carmichael Household has been quiet for the past few days. Maybe it's because I broke off the engagement nearly a week ago.

      "Father, do you think that the Carmichael Household has taken offense at what happened?"

      "Likely. Duke Carmichael hasn't been going to the palace recently. However, I think your mother is the most offended out of all. I believe she would have liked Mara to be your wife."

      "Is that so? Well, I shall have a talk with mother."

      "Be careful, son. She seems to be really upset. "

     Mom is usually in the garden. So I guess I'll go there first.

     "Benjamin, what have you done?" Her voice was low and silent. She's mad. Nope, furious.

      "Pardon?"

      "You have done the most foolish thing when you openly insulted her, cancelled the engagement, and broke the pendant that she gave you."

      "That pendant was useless. Besides, she's just a guilty brat. I delivered justice."

     "Justice? What part of that is justice? She hasn't done anything. She was with me after classes. How could she have time to create those schemes? Tell me, then."

      "She got you wrapped around her finger, mother. I thought she was different, but she was the worst among them all."

      "Worst among them all? What do you mean? Do you think that breaking off your engagement is not a bad thing to do?! If you didn't break the engagement, she would! She told me that she was planning to do so the same day that you dumped her! What kind of selfish brat can do that?!"

      "It's not possible. There is no way that she can! After all, Loralei told me all of her crimes!"

      "You would believe a woman that you've met for barely a semester than your own fiance that has been by your side for over a decade?! Where's your mind?!"

      "Heh. I never loved her. Time doesn't determine one's closeness with another."

      "It does, Benjamin. You haven't been spending time with Mara once that woman came into your life. Time does determine how close you are to someone. Not the amount of time you've known someone, but the amount of time you've spent with a person! There's a difference!"

     Mother and I argued about this in the garden for hours. I was too mad at her to not realize that she had good points... until father summoned us to a meeting.

      "Dear, what has gotten into you? Why were you crying?" Mother approached him and tried to comfort him. Her expression darkened when she read the letter that he handed.

       ...it was the first time... I've seen mother wail so loudly, like she lost her own child, which is saying a lot since I'm an only child.

      "Prince Benjamin... you have made the biggest mistake of your life..." her voice trailed off when she stopped wailing. "Read it..." She hands me the letter while they left to comfort each other about whatever news this letter brought.

To Their Majesties,
     I would like to apologize for my absence in the palace for the past few days. Something... happened.
     When Prince Benjamin annuled the engagement, no one in the household thought that it will change things... but it did.
      I believe that his royal highness isn't the one to blame. In fact, I view that the Carmichael household has the biggest guilt when it comes to it.
     Much to her highness' pain, I would like to inform you that Mara passed away that night...due to suicide.
       It took us several attempts to be collected enough to write this letter.
     Please send a letter of response if we will see your presence in her wake.

Sincerely,
Duke Carmichael
of the Carmichael Dukedome

      My hands trembled when I heard the news. Tears started flowing down my face as I recalled a distant memory.

      It was the time when we were starting to get to know each other.

     "My name is Lady Mara Carmichael of the Carmichael Dukedom. It is a pleasure to meet you once again, your highness," she curtsied towards me.

      "Drop the honorifics. I'm your fiance for crying out loud. We been engaged for a month. I've been seeing you every day. It's too formal."

     "I-is it, your highness?" She tilted her head when she faced me.

     "Yes. Call my Benji. I'll call you Mara, if you like."

      "W-well. Alright, B-benji..." she trailed off as she stuttered in front of me.

      I remembered thinking of it as cute but looking back. She was beautiful...

      More tears started to flow down my face as one particular memory stood out.

     "Mara? What's wrong? You've been out of it for the entire day now."

     "Nothing, Benji. It's just that... I got a nightmare. It's nothing important."

      "It's important to me. If it's affecting the one I love, then it's important to me."

     "Alright. I just had a nightmare that I won't reach eighteen."

     "What?!"

     "I dreamt that I'll die on my seventeenth birthday."

      "By what? Or who?"

      "Several reasons. I died over and over again because of different causes. Murder, assassination, execution... you name it."

       "I'll protect you! We'll both live past eighteen! That's a promise! We'll grow old together." I smiled as I held out my pinky.

      "Pinky promise?"

     "Pinky promise." Our pinkies interlocked and we smiled.

      The next day, she came with two pendants.

      "Benji! Look! I made two pendants! One for you and one for me! We match!" She smiled brightly at me. I took the one she was holding out for me.

      "What's this for?"

      "The promise we made yesterday, so we won't forget. They say that their partner's locket holds their happiest memories for them, so they can be happy. It's a reminder locket."

      I laughed softly. "You come up with the weirdest things. Nonetheless, I'll treasure this locket until we fulfill our promise.

      Heh. To think that her dream was actually a premonition... I cancelled our engagement on her seventeenth birthday.

      Never thought that she would actually cause her own death...

      I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you. I broke our promise.