The Confession

While Maya still busy with her practice, Nathan slowly headed toward her. He tried to talk to her.

''Maya...'' He slowly approaches behind her.

She stops practicing after hearing his voice from behind. She turned around and faced him. ''What?'' She looks at him intensely.

Nathan was surprised to see her eyes were red. Her face was sullen. ''Are you crying?''

''Not your business! Your highness.'' She looks away.

''Okay, Listen...I want to talk with you. Actually, I want to say sorry. I'm sorry to raise my voice at you before. I admit that I was confused before. I just...I just can't control myself.''

''There's no need to say sorry.'' She said harshly. While inserting her sword into its sheath. She wants to walk away from there but Nathan quickly reached her hand.

He pulls her hand closer to him and brings her to the cottage near their house.

''What are you doing? Please mind your manner, your highness.'' She tried to free her hand from his grip. But he was holding it tightly.

''We need to settle our problem first.''

''Our problem?'' She wondering.

And after a few minutes, they were inside the cottage. ''Why you bring me here?''

''Isn't this your favorite place?''

''Yes, that right. But why?''

''This place was instantly my favorite place too when the first time you bring me to here. And...someone who brings me here also...has been my favorite...'' He slowly said that to her.

Both their eyes gazing at each other.

Maya suddenly feels nervous. She just standing stiffly there. ''Err...your highness...''

''Maya...let me be honest. I don't want to hide this feeling anymore. I just need you in my life...I want you to always be my side. Maya...I'm falling in love with you...''

Once she heard that confesses, her heart pounding speedily. She didn't expect that Nathan to straightly confessed his feeling to her at that time.

Did I'm dreaming? Can I wake up from these dreams?? She thought for a moment.

''Maya? Are you okay?''

''Uh? Oh...I'm okay.''

''So...did you in love with me too?''

''Your highness, are you kidding with me, or did you really serious right now?''

''Do you think I'm joking right now?''

''Can I answer your question later? I just...'' She actually didn't know how to answer him because she was too nervous and obviously she afraid that she doesn't deserve to be with him. After all, he is from the royal family.

''Maya, did you need to think about this when your feeling have the same as me? Why do you need to think about it again?''

Maya just remains silent. She didn't know how to explain her feeling.

''It's okay...maybe I'm just too confident about this feeling. I thought that you have the same feelings as me but it turns out that it just only me. I'm sorry...'' He walks away from there.

Then, in a few seconds, Maya runs toward him and hugs him from the back.

''No! Wait! I...I can give you the answer. Right now.''

''I...I'm falling in love with you too! I admit it. I fall in love with you!'' She said loudly while giving a back hug to him. Nathan smile after hears her answers.

''So...can you let me go?''

''Huh?''

''I want to see your face...'' Then, she slowly loosens the back hug. And Nathan quickly grips her waist while facing each other.

Maya lowering her head as she feels embarrassed. Her heart was beating faster. Nathan still staring at her deeply and slowly he stroke her hair gently.

Without a word, they hugged each other there. After a while, they sit together and talk.

''Your highness...can I asks you something?''

''Sure. But before that, can you just please call my name only?''

''Can I?''

''Dont you call my name when we talk at the top hill before?''

''Oh, did I? Or maybe you heard wrong?''

''I'm really sure you call me by my name. I remember that. Because I always pay attention to every word that comes out of your mouth.''

''Okay. You win. Emm...Nathan? Can I asks you something?''

''Go ahead.'' He smiles broadly and gazes at her.

''What your next plan after this?''

''Um...gonna marry you!''

Maya was startled. She hit a little at his shoulder. ''I'm asking you in serious right now.''

''Okay. I'm serious. Firstly, I really want to marry you. Second, I will plan things with Darius about the Kingdom. Thirdly, I want to talk with my elder brother, Jordan. I maybe just let him be the next King. As his wishes.''

''But, are you sure he can be a good King? He looks like he really hates you. What happens to both of you?''

Nathan makes a deep sighing. ''Actually, I really respect him and love him as my elder brother. He is always good at everything. I really admire his passion for everything. But I dont realized that he was envious of me. I just can't believe that he could do all of this and destroyed his family.''

Maya slowly holding his hand softly. She tried to comfort him. She knows that Nathan was confused and he really needs support beside him right now.

''I think you have to meet with Jordan personally. You can talk slowly with him. Maybe after that, he can open his heart.''

''Yeah, I thought about that too. I hope he can change his mind. I dont care about the other things but I just hope the Kingdom can rebuild again.''

''Umm...why you didn't want to the King?''

''Why you ask me that question?''

''Nothing. I'm just curious...''

''Mmm...I dont know. I just dont like the formal things. I just want to do what I want to do...''

''What you want to do?'' She asks curiously.

He looks at her for a while and smirked.'' What? You dont want to tell me?''

''Secret. If you want to know more about me...be my wife!'' He said and give a smiling wink at her.

''Okay. I'm willing!'' Suddenly Maya tells her true feelings. Nathan was surprised.

''I...I'm ready to be your wife. I dont want to waste time anymore. I just hope I can be by your side.''

When Nathan saw Maya's confidence, he suddenly thought about Maya's late father. He suddenly felt Maya just wanted to keep her father's promise. But, he tried to not thinking about that. He believes that Maya really serious to be with him.

''Nathan, why are you quiet?''

''Nothing. I just...can't believe that you will easily want to be with me.''

''Do you doubt my feeling?''

''No. I believe in you. Come...'' He pulls her into his arms.

Then, just like that their conversation ended. The rest, they just keep within their heart. In fact, Nathan actually still doubt about Maya feeling. He dont knows why he keeps thinking that Maya just agreed to be with him because she promised her late father.

///

On that night, Maya was busy cooking in the kitchen for theirs dinner. When Levi went into the kitchen. He was surprised to see his sister already cook the food. He quickly rubs his eyes to what he really sees as the real.

''What are you doing there? Come here, help me out.'' Maya said at him.

''Sister, what are you doing? Are you okay? Did I do something wrong again?''

''Is it wrong for me to cook?''

''No, I'm just wondering. You didn't ever cook with your own heart. I mean...you cook only when you on moody.''

''Dont worry...starting from today, I will do the cook.''

''Is that really you, Maya??''

''Levi, faster come here. We need to prepare this food quickly. Nathan and Darius will be starving waiting for us.''

''Oh...I think I understand.'' Levi tried to give an evil looking. ''Why did you suddenly call them with their name? Which one did you pick? Or, let me guess! It must be the quiet one right?''

''Levi, just shut up your mouth and go set the dining table.''

Levi just burst out laughter there. He actually knows which one is her sister chooses. And after a few minutes, Darius and Nathan appeared.

All of them take a seat in each chair and ready to start eating. Maya and Nathan just secretly take a glance toward each other. They still didn't tell them about their relationship. But, Darius and Levi are quick-witted.

Even though they didn't tell anything, both Darius and Levi already about them. They just pretended to not know anything until they tell themselves.

After dinner, Nathan, Darius, and Levi were hanging out and chatting outside the yard. They look busy talking with each other and obviously it was men's talk. Maya wonders why inside the house was silent.

She looking around and suddenly hear some noise outside the yard. After saw three of them were together there, she just goes to take a shower.

She straightly goes to the bathroom and takes a shower. After a few minutes, she had finished showering. Then, suddenly she screams out. She just realized that she forget to bring a towel.

At the same time, there was someone in the kitchen. Coincidentally, their kitchen was near the bathroom. When she heard someone near there, she quickly asks for help.

As she thought that was Levi, she asks him to take her towel. And he just does as she said. Then, he gives the towel to her. Maya feels relieved and comes out of the bathroom.

''Aaaahhh! Why...why are you stood here??'' Maya was screaming surprisingly. She didn't expect that was Nathan!

''Actually, I just take a drink just now. Then I heard you asking for help. I think it's really emergency favors.''

''But why you didn't say anything! I mean...''

He slowly comes closer to her and looks at her eyes deeply. ''What you want me to say...?'' He whispering.

''Um...nothing. I want to go to my room.'' She was totally anxious and feel like want to faint there. Nathan just smirked to see her like that.

As soon as she enters her room, she quickly locks her room. She was really nervous and her body feels like a boiling.

Argh! Why should he be there? I thought it Levi! It really embarrassing moment. He already saw me naked! I mean, the half-naked. I still have my towel-covered on my body. She murmured in her room.

///

After the next day, Prince Nathan, Prince Darius, Levi, and Maya wake up early. They were practicing some technique with their swords.

For this time, all of them have to do some practicing with their fighting because they have a plan to go to the kingdom. As they know the rogue still conquer their kingdom, and there was so many a group of rogue.

They need to be more ready physically to fight with all the rogue. When they busy practicing, Maya was pensively standing there with her swords.

Literally, Maya have a dream last night. She tried to ignore the dream but she was thinking it for a few thought. She dont knows why, but she has dreamed about the old woman she meets at the waterfall before with Nathan.

She tried to recall back the meaning of the dream. She dont knows if she has to tell Nathan about that or not. She is afraid that he must not believe what she will be saying.

She was thinking hard not to remember the dream but the things he feared the most are...to lose Nathan. She feels weird about her dream because Nathan looks different inside her dreams.

Not only Nathan, but all the things inside her dream was different! She doesn't know what really the meaning behind her dreams. Why she must dream about that strange dreams.

''Maya...! Maya...!'' Nathan calls her from afar. But Maya didn't hear it and she just going inside the house.

''Levi, what happens to your sister? Did she sick?''

''Sick? My sister will never sick. Dont worry about her, she just doesn't have enough sleep if she likes that.'' Levi said casually.

''Really?'' Nathan felt strange. He can feel that Maya must be hiding something from him.