Second date

"What about you? What are you afraid of?"

"Me?"

"Yes,"

"I'm afraid to leave this place, and I'll be got erased from someone's memory," she replied while looking at the sky above. Duke stared at her face for a moment, but when she looked at him, he averted his gaze.

She smiled. "Your Highness. I think it's getting late now,"

"Ah, I see. You're right. We should head back now," he said, but she shakes her head.

"No... I mean... We should part our ways from here," she said.

"W-Why?"

"I have something else to do," she replied, and he nodded his head and started to walk away from her.

Charlotte walked towards the market and she was smiling all along while looking at the vendors.

"Ms. Do you want to taste this? This is for free," a vendor said to her. She smiled at her, "Okay, I want to try it." the vendor then handed a sample to Charlotte, and she then tasted it.

Her eyes widened while looking at her. "Woah, this is so delicious," she uttered and continue to eat. The vendor was smiling at her. "Thank you you like it," she said to her.

"No... Thank you for sharing how delicious this is," she said to the woman.

After a minute, Charlotte walks back to her room in secret. When she went back to her room, she then saw Elton looking at her with a frown. "So, what how was it?" he asked.

Charlotte pouted her lips. "I don't know. I'm tired of doing this," she said.

"What? T-Tired?" he asked in confusion.

"Yes, why?"

"Hey... I never heard you say that your entire life." he sniffles between his words. "You changed so much," he added, and Charlotte frowned even more while staring at him.

"Did you just cry?" she asked him, and he nodded his head and wiped his tears. "Yes, you never said that you're tired in your entire life, but hearing that from you makes me cry," he uttered.

"Why?"

"Because... You're being honest right now. What you're feeling right now, you're telling me about it, and that makes me happy," he stated.

Charlotte tapped his back, "Stop it already. You're ugly," she uttered, and she looked at her with a frown. "You..." Charlotte immediately chuckles, and he does too. Elton and Luna had been friends for so long, and the bond between them becomes stronger.

Charlotte smiled at him, "Thank you," he stared at her with a frown.

"W-What? What are you thankful for?"

"Thank you for being so kind to me. I'm so thankful to you," she replied with a smile.

Elton was so stunned. He was looking at her, "You... Never said thank you to me even before. Are you okay? Are you feeling unwell?" he asked as he placed his palms on her forehead.

"I'm fine," she said and started to walk back to her bed, and tossed herself.

"You can leave now," Charlotte said to him, and he went out in a hurry and closed the door. Charlotte lets out a deep breath and decided to go to the palace to find the princess. She wanted to finish this mission, and after that, she will think of a way how to get back to her world.

She was dressed up as an assassin right now. She looked at herself in the mirror with a broad smile. "You can do it, Luna," she said to herself and went out from her room.

Charlotte was at the roof as she looked around. She was looking around, and when she was sure that no one was around, she started to walk inside the palace in secret. Charlotte was walking, but someone talked in a distance, causing her to stopped walking and hide in a corner.

"I'll kill the King on the coronation day. Don't worry, I'll do my best to kill him," Charlotte's covered her mouth and her eyes widened while hearing that from someone. When she peeked to see who it was, her eyes widened even more.

"Celine..." she uttered inside her head while looking at how the Princess smirked while holding a knife in her hands. Charlotte frowned and narrowed her eyes while staring at her. She was about to walk when suddenly Duke arrived, and Celine immediately hide the weapon behind her.

"Your Highness. Why are you still awake?" she asked her brother with a smile. "Princess... What about you? Why are you here at this hour?" he asked her, but Celine was still smiling at him.

"I couldn't sleep, Your Highness. I'm sorry, I keep thinking about Mom," she uttered. "It's okay. Don't think too much, okay?" she nodded her head.

Charlotte was still in a corner while listening to their conversation. When she peeked again, she saw Duke was looking at his sister. "Alright. Go to your room now," Celine nods her head and started to walk away from him.

Duke saw someone was looking at them, which caused Charlotte to hide again, and started to walk away from the palace. She was walking away and was about to jump to the roof when someone speaks.

"You're here!" she stopped and turned her back at him.

"Your Highness..." her eyes narrowed while looking at him.

"Where are you? To kill her?" he asked.

She scoffed, "No... I just wanted to see her,"

"What? Why?"

"I'm looking for someone..." she said.

"Who is that someone?" Duke asked.

"It's none of your business, Your Highness. You... You'll regret everything later if you don't want to listen to me," she said with a smirk.

She started to walk, but Duke spoke again, "What's there to regret? I am doing well now." Charlotte turned her back at him, "Best? You've been blinded by someone dearest to you, Your Highness."

"What are you talking about? Who are you referring to? The Princess?" he asked.

"Yes. She will kill your Father. And... you'll regret it later, Your Highness. So, if you want to cooperate with me... I can kill her before she kills the King," she said to Duke.

He frowned, "That's absurd. She's the sweetest princess I know. How can she do that?" Charlotte chuckles. "Sweetest? You're kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not."

"If you keep interfering like this again. I would not hesitate to kill both of you," she threatened and jump to the roof and run away. Duke was looking at her. He was confused. How could she believe an assassin like her between her sister?

"She's crazy!" he uttered and went inside the palace. Duke went back to his room and lay on his bed to rest. He closed his eyes and hoped to see Caroline again tomorrow.

When Charlotte went back to her room, she was panting and took off her mask. "What was that? Did I really write something like that?" she asks herself, but she didn't remember if she had written a plot and scene like that.

"The Princess will kill the King? How can I write something like that?" she asked herself with a sigh of disbelief. She was shaking her head when she tossed herself on the bed, but...

"Urg!" she groaned. It wasn't a mattress. She forget that she was in the '80s. The mattress isn't trending this era as it wasn't invented yet. "That hurts," she said to herself while massaging her head.

She lets out a deep breath. "How can I come back there? Do I still have a reason to go back?" she stood and went towards the window.

Charlotte looked at the sky. "I've been living all alone throughout the years, but... right now... I feel really alone and sad." a single tear rolled down her eyes while staring at the brightest star in the sky.

"I've been living alone... but, right now hits different," she said, shaking her head. "I don't know why I am feeling like this," her voice was soft, almost fragile as if it and her heart would break any minute.

She bowed her head and leaned it on the window. "I hope everything will be fine after this. Luna... The Luna inside me, please help me to go back. I wanted to go back to where I belong," she uttered.

The following day, she opened her eyes with a deep sigh. "I'm going to that date again. I'm not doing it anymore," she said and closed her eyes again, but she heard a knock on the door.

"Luna..." it was a deep voice, she opened her eyes and bit her lower lip knowing that it was Jackson. Charlotte immediately dressed up before she opened the door.

"Master," she uttered and she was about to bow her head, but she received a slap from him, causing her to be stunned.

"How dare you!"

"Master? What are you talking about?" she asked.

"I heard you're dating the Prince. Is it true?" her eyes widened. "How can Elton do this to me," she uttered inside her mind.

"How can an assassin date a prince? What are you thinking? Did he see your face without the mask?" he asked her.

"Master... I'm doing this for my mission to kill the Princess. I was thinking if I can go closer to the Royal Family, I'll be able to kill her," she explained, but Jackson was shaking his head.

"You did the wrong decision, Luna. You should never have an attachment to one of the Royals. You know the rules... No string attached with them. They're our rivals. How can you date him?"

"It's not real, Master. We just pretending. I'm not going to marry him. I... won't have any feelings towards him. What I am doing right now is for my mission. I'm sorry you misunderstood," she said.

"You'll take responsibility if something happens, okay?" Jackson said.

"Yes, Master. I will take responsibility," Jackson then leave her all alone, and she sighed.

Charlotte was about to close the door when Elton blocked it while putting his arms in between. "Wait..." she glared at him. "How can you tell him that?" he frowned.

"What are you talking about?" he asked.

"You told him I'm dating the Prince, right?" he shakes his head.

"No... Why would I?"

"Then... Who told him?"

"I just know that it wasn't me," he said, and Charlotte frowned, and feels confused.

Later that morning, Charlotte was already inside the palace. She didn't get enough sleep as she was crying all night long. Duke was smiling when he saw her, standing in the garden.

"Morning. You're not late today," he said with a broad smile, but when Charlotte faced him, his eyes widened in surprise while looking at her.

"W-What happened to your face?" he asked worriedly.

"I didn't get enough sleep last night, Your Highness. I'm sorry for looking so bad today," she said.

"No... You still look good. Pretty," she looked at him while blinking her eyes. "W-What?"

"You're still pretty. Let's go," Charlotte seemed to be blushing, but she shakes her head. "No string attached, Charlotte! Wake up from your fantasies!" she said to herself and followed the Prince.

"So... Where are we going today?" she asked.

"Let's go where we go yesterday," he said, and she gritted her teeth. "Again?" she asked her, seemed like she didn't want to go back.

"Why? You don't want to go back?"

"Wait... Are you planning to go back there inside those dates?" she asked.

"Yes, why?"

Charlotte scoffed, "I'm getting bored if we keep going back to the same place each day. How unbelievable of you!" she rolled her eyes.

"So, where to? I didn't have any other clues where to go as I've been always inside the palace," he said.

She shakes her head, "You're the worst date ever," she said, and his eyes widened.

"Worst? Why?"

"Forget it. Come with me," she said and grabbed his hand.

Duke was looking at her with a smile on his lips. When Charlotte stopped, Duke looked around and was stunned.

"What is this place?" he asked and looked at her.

"You didn't know about this? Your Highness. This is a small way around from the palace. How could you not know about this? You're a Prince, so you have to know about this place," she said with disappointment.

"It's the Prince!" a man shouted and they all looked at him with a smile on their faces. "Your Highness, thank you for visiting. This is the first time a Royal came in our place," Duke could feel the sadness in the man's voice.

Charlotte looks at him with a smile. "You need to be friends with them. Go," she said to him with a smile. Duke frowned and a man grabbed his hands, and music started to play. Everyone was dancing together with the music, while CHarlotte was laughing all along while looking at Duke who was now dancing with the man who grabbed him a while ago.

"What about you miss? Aren't you dancing?" someone asked her, and she shakes her head, but the woman pushed her to the dance floor. Duke laughed at her, and she clears her throat.

"I guess I'll be dancing too," she uttered and started to dance. Everyone was dancing including Duke and Charlotte. They're both having a fun time together. Happy and wide smiles on their lips became their expression as they danced.

When the music stopped, they were all gasping for breath. "All hail to Prince Duke!" a man shouted, and they all raised their glass and drink the beer.

Charlotte raised her eyebrows at him while smiling. "Come with me," she said and started to walked. Duke was following her, as he was so clueless about the place.

They were in an overview place where they can see the whole village. Duke's eyes widened while looking around the place. "Woah... I didn't know this place exists," he uttered in amazement.

"Because you never had the chance to explore, that's why," she said to her while smiling, and Duke looked at her. "I never meet someone like you, Caroline. You're really different from others," he uttered with a smile.

Charlotte looks at him, but she then averted her gaze with a chuckle. "You're exaggerating it, Your Highness. I'm always like this even to others," she replied.

"I don't. It's the truth."

She chuckles, "Your Highness... Are you loving being a prince?"

"Actually... To be honest, I don't enjoy it."

"R-Really? Why?"

"I'm not happy at all."

The conversation becomes serious. "Is it okay If I ask why?"

"I have no freedom at all," he said.

"What? You said to me that you had everything, right?"

"Yes... But not happiness and freedom," she frowned while looking at him. She was so confused while watching him.

"Ah... I'm sorry," she uttered, but Duke smiled at her.

"It's okay. It's not a big deal," he said.

"But... It sounds like a big deal. I'm sorry," she apologized.

"No... Don't mind it at all,"

She smiled. "You're right. Let's not talk about it anymore. Let's talk about something else,"

"What do you want to know about me?" he asked.

Charlotte was thinking and faced him once she know about what she wanted to ask him. "Uhm... Have you ever fallen in love with someone, thinking that you're not a Prince?"

"That's an interesting question. So, I need to answer that." Duke sighed deeply and started to speak again, "Yes, I did fall in love with someone."

"Who is she? A princess? What does she look like?"

"She was the brightest. I thought I could see her again, but... I don't have the chance," there's a trace of sadness in his eyes while telling her about those things.

"Why? What happened to her?" Duke looked at her with a sigh. "She was married. It was an unrequited love,"

She bit her lower lip, "I'm sorry. I make you feel sad."

"It's okay. So, what about you? Have you ever fallen in love with someone?" he asked.

Charlotte thinks of someone, but no one came to her mind.

"I don't know. I didn't I don't. "

"Why?"

"Ah, Actually... there's a man who was always kind and generous to me. Do you think he liked me? Or I like him?" she asked him.

"Maybe he's attracted to you," he replied.

"Ah, I see." Charlotte was talking about Jason. She then started to feel sad about knowing that she was still not in the place where she belong.

"Why? What's the matter?"

"I feel sad suddenly. I don't know, but being alone is so tiring," she uttered.

Duke's eyes remained fixed at her, but Charlotte still managed to smile, but Duke suddenly grabbed her causing her to surprised and he hugged her so tight.

"It's okay. Everything will be fine. You can tell me what's bothering you," he said in a sincere tone, causing her chest to start pounding so fast. Her eyes were still widened while Duke was hugging her so tight.

"I'm always here for you. Don't forget about it," he said to her before he let go of her.

"What was that? Why are you kind to me?"

"You're sad, and I wanted to comfort you. I never comfort anyone, but you are the first one," he stated.

Charlotte smiled at him, but thinking about what she had been hiding from him, makes her feel guilty. She knew it herself that she couldn't feel that way, but why is she feeling that?

She blinked as her eyes adjusted. She could feel the fastening of her heartbeat while looking at him. "Charlotte... No strings attached," she reminded herself and went back to sanity.

"I think It's getting late. We should head back now," he nodded his head and they went downstairs.

Charlotte was walking downstairs when she could feel she was so tired to take another step. "What's the matter?"

"I think I can't walk anymore," she replied.

Duke smiled and bend down in front of her. She frowned while looking at him. "What are you doing?"

"Hop in," he uttered, and her eyes widened.

"W-What?"

"Come on. I'll carry you,"

To be continued...