Chapter 24 - If I don't Give Up

A FEW HOURS BEFORE

"Your Highness, have you asked the Lady yet?" Anton asks the Prince as they are walking past the palace corridors on their way to the Prince's occasional morning stroll. 

The Prince, who was up until this very moment still making up his mind on what to do for his next steps, didn't answer his question.

"But Why?" Anton asks him. Anton is agitated with the situation. They both knew they were running out of time. He's been having something up under his sleeve but making sure the Prince pops the question would make everything move faster.

To prepare a wedding and satisfy the King is their goal. After that, they wish they'd be able to live normally again.

They wanted to maintain the peace they've built these past 48 years.

That is if they choose to live the same life they had after leaving the main palace.

Although they had a great life living away from the pressure and discrimination in the main palace, they still suffered having to deal with the guilt of running away from their duties.

The worst person who has dealt with the same problem was the Prince. He sure wanted to serve his people. But up until this day, he has been a coward to his problem.

And Anton regrets to admit that it was the same reason why the Prince hasn't made his mind yet. He was afraid.

The Prince is a smart and wise man. He can see all the possible consequences in his mind. And he is afraid to risk any of it and he quits trying. That is what led to this situation where they have to wait for him to make his move.

They made it out of the palace. The bright ray of sunlight welcomed their eyes. Going out through the back led them to the palace's garden. A huge field filled with flowers.

"By the way, your Highness, would you like to ride the boat around the lake today?" 

The Prince did not answer the question. But instead, his eyes were fixated on the small figures at the edge of the garden.

With both wearing a hat decorated with massive amounts of flowers, two people walk there side by side. They brought a basket with them and were holding arms In arm into the middle of the garden.

Despite the figures being relatively small, he couldn't miss the huge smile on the lady's face as she mingled with one of his maids. As if they'd known each other for long, they seemed to look extremely close.

And the Lady's genuine smile is a rare sight. Making it almost impossible to look away.

"What is the Lady doing in the garden?" the Prince asked Anton.

Anton fixed his glasses before answering. "Who knows? She could be interested in flowers and wants to come here your Highness."

"Flowers?"

The lady likes flowers? 

"Most Ladies love them, your Highness," Anton replied. He was trying to not make it obvious he didn't do anything about it. "Let us greet them when we get to the tea,"

In the Prince's mind, he has been struggling. Whatever he says or asks the Lady can change her whole life. He has to make sure he makes the right decision.

But he knew nothing about the Lady. He was not in the position to decide whether or not she could do it.

She can always decline if she wants to. But is she worth being asked the question? Should he ask her or put her out of the picture?

--------

While the birds chirp from a distance and the water makes a sound against the bottom of the boat, I was there left silent. For some reason, the question made me frozen.

I was asking myself why he was asking me the question. Does he know me? Is he trying to get something out of me?

I didn't know how to answer the question. Do I answer him truthfully? or come up with a lie just like how I have always been answering questions most of my life?

He sat there with his legs crossed and his arms resting on the armrest while he put the weight of his head onto his hand. His dark red eyes stared at me with a look craving for answers.

'What is the reason behind this question, your Highness?' I asked him.

"I want to know something about you."

Then why didn't he ask me normal questions like what I like and what I don't like?

Why does it have to be a tricky question? Why I live up to this day? 

I didn't let my mind think about it even harder and just signed what came up in my mind.

'I've been through a situation when I had to choose whether I live or not,' I started. 'My father was dead right in front of my eyes. My mother was already dying.'

I made sure not to mention anything that would lead him into thinking I was an Elvian. 

'At that time, I didn't think of myself and just thought about my mother. I wanted her to live and tried to save her. In the end, my mother decided what was going to happen to me. She told me to run away.'

I never thought he'd want more to the story. He sat there in the same position looking as beautiful as he always had been. He stared at me while I told him my story. 

'After that, there were times when I wanted to just die and give up. But during those times, I always remember how my mother wanted me to live. And so I never gave up.' I wanted to cry when I remembered how I almost gave up looking for a way out of the forest. 'I thought I lived only to follow what my mother wanted,'

Only recently when I realize I had the will to survive. And that's how I got here. Because I wanted to live a real life.

'I figured there's more to life than merely just living. That's what I seek. I wanted to learn, I wanted to see things, and I wanted to try a lot of things. In the end, I realized I have to know what happens when I don't give up.'

I didn't realize thinking about it somehow made me smile.

When I realized that there was actually not a chance to be able to fulfill the Mistress' wishes, I immediately thought I was going to die. That I couldn't do what my mother wanted me to do. It was also then that I realized I didn't want to die and give up my life.

And now I am here because I wanted to live.

'I lived up to this day because I wanted to, your Highness.'

"Living doesn't guarantee you would be able to get what you wanted," 

'Then I'd just keep living until then,' 

I hope that answered his question. Maybe it did because he didn't speak for another moment. I turned my back on him thinking the conversation had now ended. 

I was happy with my answers. He was the first person I told about this and it eased my mind to think I was able to tell him that.

I reached for the water with my hands and played with it while the boat continued moving. I never heard anything from the Prince until another minute after, he asked me this.

"Then what is it that you seek that you'd risk living for?"

I looked back at him and stood up from my squat. I started moving my hands to answer as I walked closer to him. 'Books?'

"Not worth it," he gave me a lazy look and rolled his eyes on me.

'I want to try a lot of delicious foods,'

"If I give you those will you accept death?" he asked to me in the most calmest way.

I ignored him.

'I want to learn and see more magic,' 

And he didn't say anything.

Nothing fascinates me more than magic does. I want to see more magic, I want to see more creatures that I have never seen before. I've never seen a fairy, a siren, and a lot of what is written in books.

It's my greatest fantasy in life.

'Also, now that I think about it, marrying is not a bad idea too,'

For a moment, I saw a hint of surprise in his expression. But it instantly fades away.

'Imagine having someone willing to take care of you for the rest of your life,'

I lost mine years ago in the massacre. The only people I thought that was going to love me were my parents. 

'But that's probably not going to happen,' 

I sat down on the chair in front of him leaned against the backrest and closed my eyes.

'Because I signed up being your fake wife and there's no getting away from it,'