Chapter 10

Blue transparent butterflies were flying everywhere. The scent of the roses hit her nose. A tiny colorless drop hit her nose waking her out of her reverie. Where was the prince? She would drop the fruit basket then get back to the book she had been reading before dosing off while in her room. She had been going over the words she was to say on meeting the prince.

'Your majesty, here is the fruit basket that you sent for.' After that she would turn and leave. Simple, easy, nothing to worry about. However, the prince was nowhere in sight. She searched around in vain that is when panic started setting in. Maybe he had gotten lost.

Should she call the servants? He could not really be lost, could he? But it was a huge park so it was possible. Thoughts of fear and worry were about to make her brain explode. Her nostrils flared as she panted, running around the park in search of the prince. She was careful not to drop the fruit basket even though that was the least of her worries right now. She cared less if the basket fell. If the prince of the Silver kingdom were to get any harm while in their kingdom, it would severe the relationship between the two kingdoms and maybe lead to a massacre. Her father revealed this to her a few nights back before the banquet. She had not wanted to worry her sisters with this kind of information so she kept it to herself.

She searched for him everywhere all in vain. The prince hid behind the bark of a huge tree, he had laughed quietly at her fruitless search but all that changed in a minute when he watched her give up. She slid down the back of a tree and was weeping into her tiny hands in no time.

Crumbling down to the ground, Shinja thought to herself. "What have I done? I should have come as soon as I was called. Maybe then I would have caught up with him. He would not have gotten lost on my watch."

His intention had not been to make her cry so he called out to her. He was discomfited watching her cry.

"Shinja, princess!" She looked up at him in shock.

He knew why her brown eyes shook with shock at the mention of her name. She was surprised by his use of her name. Quad had taken time to find it out at his request. As if on remote, Shinja got off the ground spilling the contents in the fruit basket while at it. She wiped her tears, gathered her skirts to run but was stopped midway by the prince who grabbed her by the arm.

"I am Silver. My name is Silver."

He did not know why he did that but it had seemed to work. She quit fussing. She ceased in her tracks but did not turn to look at him. Her eyes tracked down the fruits that were rolling on the ground. She did not know what the prince would make of her clumsiness so she bent down to pick up what was left. He stooped down to help her. She turned still astonished by what he was doing. She was doing that a lot; being surprised.

Why was he being nice to her? Wasn't he supposed to admonish her? It was her fault that the fruit basket had dropped after all.

He held her hand in place to halt her movements. She was shivering. He had frightened her. He had to do something about it but what? He dabbed at her cheeks wiping away a tear. How had that gotten there? She thought to herself.

"Shinja, look at me please." He looked at her with pleading eyes.

She lifted her eyes but dropped them fast and whispered, "I am so sorry my Lord."

He did not understand why she was apologizing when he remembered the fruits. If she thought that he was angered by them, she was entirely off track about what he had in mind. He watched how her long dark lashes flattered the top of her cheeks. She insisted on not looking at him but he badly wanted her to. What he was about to tell her depended on that. He wanted to see her reaction, it would mean a lot.

"I have something to tell you princess but first you must look into my eyes."

He wanted to see her reaction at what he was about to say to her. It would sound ridiculous but there was no other way to do it. He had no time. Their proximity bothered Shinja but not in the way she thought it would. She was afraid yes but there was also something else there mixed with the fear. She was having a fluttery sensation in her tummy.

The more reason to run away from him, you do not know how to act around him.

Her mind was right. There had not been many encounters between the two of them so these weird feelings she was having in her stomach were uncalled for.

I could be coming up with stomach flu. Yes, that must be it. I should leave this place before I make a fool of myself than I already have.

"Please look into my eyes' he pleaded, "Hey listen, I do not care about the fruits."

"You do not?" as if startled that she had said that, Shinja grabbed her mouth with her hands shaking both of them. She had forgotten the position in which they way. The prince had her hands in his so when she pulled out her hand to hold it over her mouth, the action nearly toppled them over onto the floor.

Careful girl, you are going to leave this place with a concussion. Heavens! What was happening to her?

"Yes Shinja, I do not care about the fruits. Actually, between both of us, I used that as an excuse to have you here with me."

"You what?" Her mind was working a mile per minute, she did not know whether to be flattered or angry by his cunningness so she maintained a blank expression on her face.