16 It's been a while

As the months passed, they quarreled less and less, and smiled more and more in each other's company. All their secrets were shared. The emperor also noticed the special friendship.

When the prince turned 14, he was given a job that prevented him from seeing the girl for 1 year.

"We need to investigate and, in some cases, remedy corruption movements along the border."

He told the girl at the base of the sycamore tree.

"Then you're not coming back to the capital for a year now?"

Scarlett asked as she sat next to him.

"We have to come back for 1-1 days… but I stay so short that by the time you get up from the estate, I have to leave. Sometimes I will be able to write a letter, but I will not be able to read your answer. "

Jonathan looked sadly in front of him. He was so accustomed to the girl's closeness that 1 year without her seemed like hellish torture.

"I know it!"

She turned enthusiastically and began searching at the base of the tree.

"What are you doing?"

"Found it!"

She smiled at the boy.

"What is this?"

"One day I lost one of my buttons and then I found this…"

There was a small hole in the trunk of the tree, barely 10 inches from the ground.

"And why is that important now?"

"Maybe we can't meet… but here we can leave a message for each other! That will be our secret! "

She stood up with a wide smile on her face. Jonathan liked the idea too, especially the „our secret „ part.

It also happened as discussed. Every time they visited the capital, they left a message in the tree. They enthusiastically went to their common place and happily left with the message in their hands. There were no long letters, just a few sentences of paper note, but this couple said it was enough to make the other support.

When that one year was over and they could finally see each other again, Scarlett only spent half a day choosing her dress in which to stand before the Crown Prince.

The carriage did not even stop at the palace gate, the girl jumped out and ran to the sycamore tree. To her surprise, it wasn't the little boy waiting for her, but an almost grown man. She blushed at the sight of Jonathan. By the time they saw each other, the prince grown a lot, was more muscular, his face more masculine, and his voice got deeper.

"It's been a while… Scarlett."

"I… yes…"

The girl also grew, but the change was not as significant as in Jonathan's. The boy saw that the more masculine look embarrassed Scarlett, and he liked it.

"Let's walk around the lake a bit, I haven't been there for a long time."

"All right."

She concentrated with all her might not to stare at the Crown Prince in front of her. Ever since she received the music box, she had felt it was more than a friendship between the two of them… but now that she had seen Jonathan again after so much time, her heart was pounding so much, that she sincerely hoped the boy would not hear the rhythmic pounding.

"By the way, how are you doing with learning?"

Suddenly the prince turned.

"There are a few more pieces of material I need to review…"

As Scarlett avoided his gaze, it became clear that she had not opened a book in the past year.

"After all… if you fail the exam you can still be my maid, after many years of friendship, I can't let you live on the streets."

He laughed after the sarcastic remark.

"Idiot!"

Scarlett pushed the prince offended.

"Ah!"

However, as the boy backed away from the force of the push, he slipped on a muddy spot and fell into the water. The water of the lake gradually deepened, it was barely 10 inches in the section near the land.

"My God! Jonathan, are you alright?"

Scarlett followed anxiously.

"Help me up!"

The prince stretched out his arm, but when she grabbed it, he suddenly yanked her into the water.

"Agh!"

Scarlett fell into Jonathan's arms, their faces barely a few inches apart as they sat in the shallow water. At first he looked at her with a devilish grimace, then immersed himself in the glittering amber eyes, the coveted floral scents of red hairstrands… and was only aware that he had lost control of his own body, and inadvertently moved towards Scarlett's lips. The girl's eyes widened at first, when the boy's lips suddenly touched hers, but then she closed her eyes and surrendered to the heady kiss.