4 Things I never feel before

I have met a lot of beautiful women before. Some of them even used to not have many things to wear or in Thatch's word 'beautiful, sexy, alluring kind of women'. He used to tease me that I was a child that still needs to grow up when I told him I don't get what is so alluring about them. I never feel attracted to a woman before. There was Makino but to her was more like love to an older sister than a romantic one, she was the one woman that was taking care of us, always nice, gave us clothes and teach us things. She was pretty, for me she was even prettier than that pirate empress Hancock. Sabo has always been teasing and saying that I had had a crush on her but he was wrong. Makino was the first lady who was nice to me (as the other one was Dadan) so it's no wonder that I thought of her as special but it was never romantic love or crush. So, to said that this feeling is foreign will be understandable. Never ever in my life or my next life, I imagined that someday I will fall in love with anyone.

There was never a "type of girl or boy that I like" in my book as they never interest me before, so it was quite a surprise for me to have this feeling towards her. She was so small and young soooo young, much much much much younger than me. Heck, she was two years younger than me in this life which means that she was at least, hmm? I was twenty when I died added to my current age means that she was twenty-seven my junior?. Yeah, too young. She is too young for me. But I want her. Was I always been a... Huh? What was it called again? Isn't a man that like little girls called lolicon? (no way!).

Nah, of course not. I thought they were cute, like that Tama from Wano, but I don't feel like this. How do I explain it, my blood feel like it was rushing to my head? I felt hot like a Mera Mera no mi was burning me. My eyes following her movements and my sense of time stopped when I look into her eyes. Those blue-grey eyes are the most beautiful eyes I saw in the world. Soft pink lips, pale skin, silver hair with a tint of blue at the tip. She is perfect. Well, she is seven so her body is still undeveloped but in a few years, I am sure she will be the most perfect being alive. Yeah, I know I'm biased. This is my first love so I'm allowed to be as biased as I can be. Her voice when she greets me is soft and alluring (yeah Thatch, I finally understand what that word meant). Beautiful. She is beautiful. So beautiful that I want everyone here to know that she is mine.

I hold her gaze and told the people present that "I choose her. She is the one that I want as a fiancee. I choose her to be the one that will be allowed to stay at my side. " Standing up and bowing my head I said, "Honorable Father, I will be really grateful if you allow me to have her as my fiancee, please".

We are currently in a ballroom. My king father is sitting on a chair a bit far at my right side. Along with his butler slash bodyguard slash adviser standing on his left. My stepmother the Lead Lady (not the queen yet because king father still refuses to make her Queen even after my queen mother passed away years ago) Lady Ashleen Fern Rhein sitting behind him with my Big Brother Arren Arch Fern Rhein by her side. Their eyes are wide. So are all the Nobel's that are presents.

"Are you sure my son? Don't you want to give the other ladies chance to introduce themselves to you first before you decide? It will be rude to them if you don't even give them chance, son" my father finally said.

"I understand. I did not dismiss them yet, father. I will still listen to their introduction. After all, even if they are not my fiancee, they will be my colleague in the future. Only for the fiancee candidate, I don't think I will want to have someone else". I answered.

I admit the ladies that both have and going to present themselves to me are all beautiful and fine women? girls?. I'm aware of it but in my eyes, they are all children she is the only interesting one. The only one that somehow even if I am aware that she is a child yet still manage to captive me. There is something different that set her aside from the others. Something in her expressions caught me. Not to mention that I have already been fallen for her.

My father held my gaze and peer deeply into me. I felt as if he was searching something inside me. I put my determined expression and look into his eyes too. He nods satisfied.

"Very well. I allow it". Said, my father. He stands to address every guest presents. Everyone stand firmly to receive his words as he starts.

"Usually" he begins "We will announce the result after a week introduction to let the crown prince harden his resolution and choice. But in this case, it seems that it is not needed. I see that He is confident with his choice and determined to make it real. I, Arkhein Axel Fern Rhein, The 776 King of The Etherheinz Kingdom announced that Lady Kii Fern Wallace, The second daughter of Duke House Wallace as Arzen Ace Fern Rhein's, The Crown Prince of Etherheinz Kingdom, fiancee. The contract will be established with both Royal house and The Wallace house in another occasion in the near future. Lady Kii may take a seat by the prince side to wait for the prince to finish the introduction."

He waits until Kii who looks dazed and lost bows and stands beside me then continue to address the others former fiancee candidates

"I thank you for time and willingness to be candidates. The ladies may continue to introduce themselves to the Prince. It is regrettable that it won't be an introduction for the chance to be The Crown Prince fiancee. I pray may the ladies found other gentlemen that suitable for her". He then spread his arms and bows.

The introduction continues without a hitch after that and finally, it is the time for me and my fiancee to spend the time to get to know each other.

I asked her to take a walk with me after all that ordeal. We're in the garden, sitting under a gazebo. She is so quiet. Too quiet. I don't like it. I want to hear her voice again. As someone that had been chosen as The Crown Prince fiancee, she sure does not look happy. Wait, what if it was not something she wants herself. She is a noble after all, daughters of the noble house usually used to this kind of things. Married to a son from another powerful house for political reasons. This is it, isn't it? She doesn't like me. She just following her family wish. Darn! She even might already have a lover (that's unlikely, Ace. She is seven for heaven's sake. Said the Sabo in my head). Oh well, even if it was true I still want her. I'm a pirate and pirates are selfish (except Luffy, perhaps) I get what I want. If she doesn't love me now then I will just make her love me. How? Let's just think about it later (and now I feel as if the Sabo in my head snorts)ah, whatever.

"I hope it was your own will to be a candidate for my fiancee," I said.

She looks startled for a moment, glances at me and immediately, face redden, lower her gaze again then nodded. "it is" she said softly.

"Hmm, you don't seem to be happy with it though," I said critically

"I am," she said quickly.

"are you?" I pressed.

"I am," she said again, confidently this time.

"Hmm... perhaps if you said it while you look at me, I would believe it"

She hesitates for a moment, then slowly her eyes found mine and I, once again, feel like I'm drowning, my breath seem too fast, I feel like I can gaze at her eyes forever. I peer at her face, her skin, her nose, her cheeks as pink as her lip. Stunning, completely gorgeous. I want to taste it, I want to kiss her. Slowly, painfully slow, I feel drawn closer to her inch by inch, then I saw her lips moving.

"I am," she said clearly "I'm happy to be chosen as your fiancee, Your Highness,"

I blink. What were we talking about again?. Ah, about her feelings being my fiancee or something. Hmm... Since when my memory is as good as a goldfish again? Oh well, focus Ace, focus.

"May I ask you something?"

"Yes, you may, your highness," she replies softly

"First, could you stop calling me your highness? My name is Ace,"

"I cannot possibly..."

"Yes, you can," I cut her "I don't like it when people call me that but I understand that they have to. You're different. You're my fiancee now, I don't want to be called 'your highness' by my own fiancee."

"Then... Arzen-sama..."

"Nope. Call my name. My name"

"I'm being rude but isn't it his highness name?"

"you said 'his highness'"

"ah, I apologize,"

"Nah, no need to apologize. It is my name, but I think I like the name Ace better. So call me Ace,"

"Ace-sama?"

"Absolutely not"

"umm..."

"Ace. Call me Ace"

"Ace-san?"

"Just Ace"

"Ace...-kun"

"Ace"

"Ace-kun"

I look at her in silence. She looks back with nervous eyes, biting her lower lip. I sigh.

"Alright then. I will allow 'Ace-kun'"

"Thank you, his... ah. Ace-kun" she said when she noticed my raised eyebrow.

"The second question is 'who do you want to be a fiancee of?"

She tilts her head "I beg your pardon?"

Cute. She is too cute. No, stop there Ace. This is important.

"Do you want to be The Crown Prince's fiancee or are you willing to be MY fiancee?" I empathize the word 'my' to her.

"Isn't it the same?"

"No, it isn't"

"I afraid that I don't quite understand"

"Right now I might be The Crown Prince but I'm still young, we're still young. We don't know what will happen in the future. Who knows I might be not a Crown Prince anymore by the time we're in the age of marriage."

I held her gaze, solemnly I told her "And if it is The Crown Prince that you want to marry, it might not be me in the end"

"I... see," she said slowly. Her eyes seem lost and looking distant, her mind seems goes somewhere to process what I was saying. I feel something close to a fear grips my heart. Surely it's The Crown Prince that she wants right? After all, she came here to be the Crown Prince's fiancee. I know it's silly and she doesn't really know me. I fear that she wouldn't want me. While I was getting lost in my own self-doubt she seems to find her answers.

"May I know who is, um, who is the one that has chosen me as a fiancee back then?"

I was taken back "it's me," I said

"The Crown Prince?"

"No. Me. Ace. Just me, Ace"

"Then, I would like to be Ace-kun's fiancee," She said with a nod

"and if one day I am not a Crown Prince anymore?"

"I'm still Ace-kun's fiancee... I hope. If Ace-kun still wants me then," I close my eyes and breath slowly. I don't even realize that I've been holding my breath.

I smile down at her. Her shy smile that she gives in returns looks fake but so adorable. I inch closer to her again

"The third question," I said. Hand touching her cheek. I'm aware by now that my heart beats faster and faster. She might hear it. She looks at me, eyes asking...

I found myself saying "May I kiss you?"

She stares, blinks, then her face turns red. "Ki, kiss?! l, l, we... Um, we... Ah still young, I'm seven. His... Ace-kun also said that we're still young. I, um, I, I don't think we're allowed to..." she stutters, eyes blinking, looks at me then down and at me again and down again while her face reddens and redden at every word.

Damn! My heart might burst. Adorable. Cute. Stunning. Beautiful. Alluring. I don't ever think that those words will exist in my dictionary and here I'm and there she is the one that made me think about them. And she just a little girl. I'm already like this when she only a little girl with the undeveloped body of hers. What's gonna happen to me when she grows up? damn, damn, damn, yes Sabo, you're right. I'm smitten and I'm about to do something stupid, something that a boy of my age won't ever think of doing. Oh hey, I maybe have a 9 years old body but I'm not really nine, aren't I? (no Thatch, I'm not a lolicon. I'm not attracted to little girls. I only attracted to Kii. Yes, it just happens that my first love is a seven years old girl. Case closed.)

While my brain busy arguing with people that were not actually there, I held her face. Right here, right then, before my consciousness catching up to me, I kiss her. Slow and deep. I pull her stiffen body closer to me. I can feel her heartbeats. It's beating as fast as mine. Her eyes wide, her cheeks beautifully red as I kiss her lip again and again and again.

"Stay by me," I say. "From now and on I wish you to stay by me, as long as we live in this world and beyond. Stay by me, please."

Her eyes misty, they look older than her age. I was afraid that she was going to cry but she smiled. Softly. The first real smile she gives me.

"Yes, I would love to," she says.

I smile too and kiss her again.