5 : Engagement

"I'm pretty sure Prince Fraser would be happy to see you, Csille Lauretré."

The shock of realization coursed through me like a bolt of lightning. "This can't be happening! You've got to be kidding me? HOW DID I BECOME THE VILLAINESS CHARACTER OF MY OWN STORY?

Panic surged within me as I grasped with the bizarre circumstances.

I REFUSED! I WANT OUT!

Before I could collect my thoughts, the Queen's voice pierced through my turmoil. ""Oh, there he is. Fraser, come over here. Csille is already bored. Keep her company and catch up," she said, beckoning to a figure in the room.

The door swung open, and Prince Fraser entered the room. It was undeniably him, the real crown prince and the future ruler of the Kingdom of Vrawyth in flesh. He was alive, not just a mere depiction in artwork. And boy, he sure a handsome lad.

Prince Fraser is the same age as Csille, but he towered over me in height. He was dressed in equestrian attire, and he looked absolutely stunning. I couldn't help but admire him, although it did feel a bit inappropriate considering I was already twenty-three years old in the real world.

"Greetings, mother and father. I have just completed my horse riding lesson and decided to pay you a visit. I apologize for the sudden interruption. I was unaware that the Count and Countess were present." The prince offers a slight bow of his head to both of my parents and just looks at me. My parents reciprocated his greeting with equal courtesy.

The queen extended her hand, beckoning Prince Fraser to join her. He approached her, taking a seat directly across from me.

"Fraser, do you remember the Count's daughter, the sole heir of the Lauretré family?" The queen inquired, her gaze shifting between me and the prince.

Prince Fraser nodded in acknowledgment, and I found myself rising from my seat, doing a graceful curtsy before him. "This daughter of the Count of Vrawyth greets the Crown Prince Fraser," my mouth spoke, seemingly independent of my will.

The queen smiled at me and gestured for me to sit down. "You're such a lovely child, Csille. Countess, I envy you. I wish I had a daughter as charming as her," she remarked.

My mother simply smiled in response, and they resumed their conversation on other matters. Meanwhile, Prince Fraser and I remained seated, each lost in our own thoughts.

I glanced at Prince and couldn't help but get lost with his looks. He truly resembles the character I envisioned in my novel. His hair is a deep shade of blue, almost black, complemented by his piercing blue eyes and finely chiseled nose. His appearance is striking, and if he were in the modern world I came from, he could easily pass as a Korean idol.

The prince's gaze falls on me, and I quickly avert my eyes, feeling my heart racing. Perhaps it's because I was caught staring at him.

The silence between the prince and me persists for about an hour before the King shifts his attention to us. He clasps his hands and smiles. "Apologies for leaving you two out of the conversation," the King says, glancing at his son and me once more. "I invited you here, Count and Countess, and you, Csille, for a very important announcement."

The king paused for a moment and glanced at both of my parents. "The Count and I made an agreement long before you two were born," he began. "If one of us had a daughter and the other had a son, then an engagement would be arranged."

Hold on! Are they talking about an engagement? Me? Engaged to the Prince? Oh, I remember now. In my novel, Prince Fraser and Csille were betrothed since childhood. This engagement stems from an agreement between the King and the Count. They've been close since childhood, and the Count played a role in helping the King ascend the throne. So, they made an agreement that their children would be betrothed to each other.

It's the first scene in my novel—the announcement of the engagement.

"To fulfill the agreement, Prince Fraser Astalieu, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Vrawyth, and Csille Lauretré, the sole heir of the noble Lauretré family, will be betrothed to each other. While it's not yet a formal declaration due to your young age, my words hold the weight of truth. The official announcement will take place once Csille comes of age."

I found myself rising to my feet and doing a curtsy. "This daughter of the Count accepts your announcement, your majesty."

Prince Fraser also rises and mutters his acceptance, though his demeanor suggests he doesn't particularly care about the engagement.

According to my novel, Prince Fraser initially showed little interest in the engagement. However, after the announcement, he and Csille developed a close friendship, leading them to be regarded as childhood sweethearts in the Kingdom of Vrawyth.

However, following the novel's timeline, the next scene would likely skip ahead five years to when they are both studying in high school. This raises the question of whether we will be stuck here for years or our story will fast forward to this point in time

"Prince Fraser, will you show Csille around while we discuss some matters?" The Queen's words interrupted my thoughts.

Prince Fraser promptly rose and extended his hand to me. I accepted it and rose from my seat. I bid farewell to both the King and Queen before allowing Fraser to lead me out of the room.

After walking for a minute in silence, we find ourselves outside the palace, strolling through the expansive garden adorned with a variety of beautiful flowers.

"Do you like flowers?" Prince Fraser halts and turns to me, breaking the silence.

I smiled, gazing at the beautiful Iris flower. "I love flowers. They're like works of art. People appreciate them for their beauty. However, they are not just feast on the eyes, they also have depth and stories to tell. Take this Iris, for example. Its captivating color isn't just for show; it symbolizes royalty, wisdom, and respect. Similarly, Prince Fraser, your appearance commands attention. You're known as one of the most handsome children in our kingdom, but you're more than just looks. You exude the qualities of true royalty: maturity, wisdom, and respect for others." Smiling warmly at him, I continued, "And yes, I really do like flowers."

Prince Fraser glanced at me, slightly flustered. "I didn't realize you saw me in that light." He scratched his neck and glanced away. I smiled at him.

I couldn't help but notice how adorable Prince Fraser looked when he blushed. Chuckling inwardly at the thought, I asked, "Why? What did you assume I think of you?"

Prince Fraser shook his head, his pace steady as he walked ahead. I hurried to keep up with him, grateful for his guidance through the expansive garden.

"How about you, Prince Fraser? Do you like flowers?" I inquired, hoping to strike up a conversation since he had fallen silent once more.

Prince Fraser halts his steps, fixing his gaze on me before moving to stand directly in front of me. "I find them appealing," he remarks, meeting my eyes with a steady gaze.

 Surprised by his unexpected comment, I return his gaze, my heart pounding in my chest.

Hey, Prince! I didn't write about this one! How dare you say something that I didn't write!

Prince Fraser reached out as if to pat my head, but instead, he plucked a flower dangling nearby. He held it out to me. "This one," he said with a smile, tucking it behind my ear. "It suits you."

I was taken aback by his gesture. Red tulips. In the language of flowers, they symbolize a declaration of love.

I quickly covered my face. Seriously? My heart fluttering over a nine-year-old boy? Despite my appearance resembling that of a nine-year-old, my level of maturity and thinking capacity far exceeds that of a child.

I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling. Come on, Ysavel, get a grip. He's just a character from your story.

"Csille, are you okay?" I snapped out of my thoughts when I heard Prince Fraser's concerned voice. Oh, boy, don't give me that look. I'm supposed to be your creator. No, that's not possible.

 "I'm okay. I'm just admiring the beauty of the tulips," I replied, pretending to smell the flowers.

Prince Fraser smiled. "There are many beautiful flowers over there. Do you want to see them?"

I nod at him. "Really? Sure, why not?"

Prince Fraser offers his hand to me. I hesitate for a moment before accepting it, and he leads me to explore the other varieties of flowers.  

Why is my fate like this? I time traveled and became the villainess in my own novel. And now my first official hand-holding experience with a guy is with a nine-year-old boy. Worst-case scenario, it's with my male lead character who will end up with the female lead.

"Did you know that flowers have their own language?" Prince Fraser asked me.

I nodded. "I've been into reading these days, and I came across a book about the language of flowers." I looked at the chrysanthemum. "Take, for example, this chrysanthemum. It signifies honesty. That's the same reason why my father loves to give my mother chrysanthemums every day, to signify his honest feelings for her."

"You are really knowledgeable in the language of flowers. I didn't know you're into it," Prince Fraser remarked.

I glanced at Prince Fraser. Of course, I'm knowledgeable. I wrote you as a Prince who loves to express himself through flowers. You often left a flower in secret for Farren, your Royal guard, and the crossdressing Crown Princess Paislee.

I smiled at the Prince and continued to walk. I still don't know how my life would unfold here. Will it fast forward to five years later? I also don't understand why there's a scene like this. I didn't write anything about Prince Fraser and Csille walking in the garden and talking about flowers.

"Do you hate me, Csille?" he suddenly asked.

I stopped in my tracks and looked back at Prince Fraser. Do I hate him? As the writer, I really didn't hate him, but as Csille Lauretré, I still don't know. They grew up together. She was there when he needed someone the most, but he still chooses the Crown Princess in the end.

I shake my head and smile at him. "How could I hate you? This Count's daughter has no reason to do so."

Prince Fraser moved closer to me, his gaze intense. "Please stop with the 'Count's daughter' talk. Right now, you're Csille, not just some noble's daughter. And I'm just Fraser, not a Prince. So, as Fraser, I'm asking you: Do you hate me?"

I met his gaze and smiled. "I could never hate you, Fraser." At least, not yet.

The Prince looked at me for a moment before smiling. "You said it. You don't hate me."

"Why do you ask? What made you think I hate you?" I was surprised by Prince Fraser's question. In my novel, I didn't delve deeply into the relationship between Prince Fraser and Csille.

"I just assumed you might. You were likely surprised about our engagement, and I thought you might not like it and would end up hating me."

"Why would I hate you? We're in the same page here. You didn't know about the engagement either. If anyone's likely not to like it, it's probably you. I just hope you won't end up hating me afterward."

I am certain that you will come to detest Csille in the future. You'll resent her for trying to interfere with your relationship with the Crown Princess Paislee. You'll despise Csille for merely existing.

"Why would I hate you? I would never do that." Prince Fraser takes my other hand and holds it. "How about we make a promise then? Let's promise that we will never hate each other, no matter what."

I stared at our intertwined hands and smiled at him. "Okay, I promise." I just hoped that in the future, Prince Fraser wouldn't hate me so much.