14 After hope comes the will...

Williams stared at the woman before him, lily, she had changed a lot.

Her silk, long, blonde hair framed her gentle face.

You look great, he said.

Thanks, you don't look bad either, she replied.

He kept mute searching for what to say next, she noticed and decided to do the talking.

You must be feeling weird, she laughed lightly. I mean, after all, This is sudden and strange. We haven't seen each other since we were teenagers and now we are getting married. Despite her smiling face, he had notice the sadness in it.

Do you want this? He asked.

What does it matter?

Lily.

No, I don't. She said almost in tears. Williams, I am in love with another person.

I thought you wanted this so I was reluctant

to tell you how I really feel.

But Williams...

Lily, we are not kids, our parents can't force us to get married when we are clearly not in love.

Your father?

I am the one getting married not him. Williams said grinning.

She still looked skeptical and Williams tried to reassure her.

Lily, you are my friend, and I do care for you, we would be making a dear mistake if we pretended to accept this.

Don't worry I will fix this, he said hugging her. She felt a wave of peace in an instant in her heart.

... ... ..... ... ..... ... ....

Sebastian was working in the fields that afternoon when he heard a familiar voice.

He looked up to see the chief royal servant.

That was odd, she never came here.

Is anything the matter, he queried.

I was looking for you this morning but you had left early, she said averting the question.

I had a lot to do, so I came here early enough. You know I don't like leaving the work undone. He replied.

Is something wrong? , you never come here to look for me. He asked again.

It's Natalie. She said with a worried face.

What about her? He asked agitated.

Had she done something....

She is so keen in escaping the palace and. I don't know, but you know the implications.

He paused.

I had to tell her about the secret, two of us shares. She said.

I know that, I am not angry about it, I don't blame you, I know Natalie and how she can be very persistent at times.

But I am scared, I keep feeling guilty, what if she tells the prince, that will be disastrous, The old woman said.

She is not stupid.

I know but her unrealistic desire to leave this palace can cause a lot...

Williams grew quiet, surely she didn't know he was also a part of the escapade.

You seem to be fond of her, she said observing him.

She is nice person...

I know, why don't you tell her of all the things that was done to you when you tried escaping.

I wish I could tell you, it is different now, that it was not only one person plan, that is was both of them and they could do it.

That Natalie had set him on a frivolous path, which he couldn't pull away from easily. I wish, I wish....He thought.

But he said nothing afterwards.

You need to stop her Sebastian, she is only inviting trouble .

... .... ... .... ...... ..... .....

Natalie sighed as she put carried the meal, she specially made for Sebastian to the fields, she realized that he was the only person supporting her.

She called him, her guardian angel that her sister had sent from the great beyond.

She didn't have anything to do that evening and she prepared a delicious meal.

Sebastian,give it a rest for a minute, you weren't born to work on fields, she said as she saw him.

Ha, that is funny, because the king would disagree with that, as far as he knows this is my destiny. Sebastian replied.

He also had not expected Natalie. It seems like his life is getting more interesting, he had been getting frequent visits than usual.

The king don't have to decide our fate for us, she glared.

That is why we are trying to change it right, we are trying to drive our fate to the other direction, He said.

Exactly and we are going to do it. She smiled with her teeth enclosed in her slim lips.

What do we have here? He asked pointing to her hands, where she carried the food.

Oh nothing much, I just prepared a meal for you she said.

You cooked for me! He exclaimed like a child just given a present.

Trust me, it's not that good as you make it seem. She said.

I want to taste it first. He said taking the food from her.

Hmm, its delicious, he said after taking a bite.

I don't trust you, you can say it's good even if it's not. She said teasing him.

Well, it is okay for a princess now turn cook. He said.

How do you learn so fast? he asked tossing it aside.

You didn't eat it all, she said frowning.

Oh I don't much.

Then how do you get all the strength to do all this work, I am convinced the food is bad. She said.

Don't be sad, it is the effort that count, I am happy you cooked for me.

Whatever, she said standing up disappointed.

I am going to the palace.

Let me go with you, I am done.

I see.

They left the fields and walked to the palace.

Have you considered what I told you about the chief royal servant helping us, she told him.

No, she won't do it.

Why?

Is that a real question, you are actually asking me that, he said viciously.

You can convince her, can't you, she said not giving up.

I can't Natalie, even if I can, I won't...

You won't, I thought we were in this together. Did something change...

Look Natalie, the old woman has been through a lot. She will never agree. She is the wrong person.

Really? Natalie asked not convinced.

That woman saw what they did to me, when I was caught, she was terrified.

You don't know how traumatizing it is to remind her of it, not even going into it. I will never put her through that.

You just need to convince her, that life in outside here is better than being in here. Natalie said snorting quietly.

What if she doesn't want to be outside the palace, what if she had accepted the life here and wish to be here for the rest of her life? He asked Natalie.

And that is a good thing?

I don't care, if it is a good or bad thing, Natalie. It is safe and that is it. And we can't blame her for making that choice can we. You didn't see what we saw, you have no idea.... He said.

Fine, I am not going to argue with you, it is stupid. She said.

You know I don't mean, some people are just not like you, you have to accept that some people have not the zeal to change their fate. This is now their fate.

..... .... .... .... .... ..... .... .....

Williams sat with his father . Lily was in her room she complained of an headache and she went to rest for the day. Enjoying the evening breeze. Subsequently his father had been tight lips about the marriage.

Williams, is something wrong, you have been your usual self, you haven't said a word this evening. The king said, knowing his son, since he refused to say anything, he knows that trouble was looming.

Father, the marriage?

What about it?

Lily doesn't want it, he said

Really, or you don't, he said grinning at him.

What do you expect father, for us to just accept an arranged marriage just like that, we haven't even seen each other in years, he said raising his voice.

Is that all? his father asked ignoring his protests.

I don't expect you to accept it just like that,but I expect you to know the consequences of this, lily and her family had planned for years...

The same lily, I saw today, please father, she is just as clueless as I.

If you agree, it would be easy to convince her even if I don't believe she actually refused this, she had always been fond of you. The king said.

What! That is the same thing, we are just friends and have no idea that we will be forced to get married without our consent.

Williams said still a grieve.

At least you are not on loggerheads, we will start from there, the king said.

Father, you are not taking this seriously, I believe you should know about the sort of thing already, you were married sometime, didn't you love her....

The king refuse to reply, Williams was just a child, he wouldn't trade words with her.

Of course he had loved his mother, he had love his mother so much that he had decided to accept her and her illegitimate child. But she had been so stubborn, so unbending. She had cost him a lot. she had hated him but he had been willing to give her the world, if only she had not....

No, he didn't want to remember that, it was in the past now, he hated that every time Williams reminded him of her.

What Williams said next brought caught his disturbing thoughts off.

I have someone I want to marry...

What!

Yes father, I am in love with another woman that is not lily.