The Second Prince

"Young miss, are you there!"

Leone jumped in surprise when she heard the voice of the knights following her.

"I think I have to go now, sir. Thank you for the book. I shall see you next time."

"Yes, go now."

Leone bowed and embraced the book with the invitation card inserted in it. She hastily walked out of the room and met the two guards waiting outside of the gate.

"Young miss, please do not wander anywhere all on your own."

"Sorry. It won't happen again. Can you hold this for me for a second?"

Leone handed the book and climbed over the gate again. The two guards freaked out and assisted Leone down.

"Please don't do this again, miss. If the young master learned of this..."

"He won't if both of you won't tell him. Besides, you don't have a choice since he would also learn you lost sight of me. For the sake of us three, let's keep today's event a secret between us. Do you understand?"

"... Yes, miss."

"Good. Now, let's go back."

Leone and her guards left the vicinity of the library.

Back inside the building, the paper bag with the breakfast in it and the coffee mug was placed at the circular table. The area Leone wiped with her handkerchief was dusty once again as if it had always been like that.

The chandelier swayed when a wind passed by which pushed the door close.

Going outside, the front lawn was unkempt as if nobody touched it. The patio was littered with fallen leaves like how Leone saw it before, with plants uprooted from its flowerbeds and flowers bashed and torn to pieces.

***

Leone has to take a carriage back to the mansion as the sun is already high up. She was welcomed by a flustered maid.

"My lady! My goodness, where have you been?"

"Relax, Mimi. It's not like you to be this restless. I took my usual jog, don't you know it already?"

Leone accepted the towel Mimi brought for her and wiped her sweat. She also accepted the glass of cold drink.

"I know! Anyway, this is not the time to relax! We have to make haste as His Highness the Crown Prince had been waiting for quite some time already!"

"Carlsen? Why so suddenly?"

"It's for you to know, my lady! Now, come on. I have to dress you up real quick."

"Alright. I'll leave it to you, Mimi."

Leone smiled cheerfully and followed after Mimi who was dragging her to her room. She dolled herself up before hastily walking to the garden.

"Greetings to His Highness, Carlsen, the second prince."

Leone bowed and continued to do so until the Prince acknowledge her greetings. Contrary to her expectation, the Prince remained silent and continued to read the book in his hand as if he never heard anything.

Leone bit her lower lip, staring at the floor and at the shoes of the Prince in front of her. She had this incomprehensible feeling ever since they first met three years ago.

When she was fourteen, she had an accident that almost cost her her life. She was unconscious for more than two months. Through the grace of the Deity Dianale, she opened her eyes once more.

She slowly recovered through the great care from the people around her. One time, the family received a royal letter that someone from the royal family will visit their mansion.

She won't know what was actually happening but she had been dressed elegantly and led to the drawing room.

Standing before the window and staring at the garden is a boy about two or three years older than her. His hair the color of pale silvery-blonde glisten under the rays of the sunlight. Noticing her presence, he looked back at her. The pair of golden eyes pierced through her and she shuddered.

Silence permitted the room. She was shocked, it was her first time meeting someone as beautiful as him. She does not know what to say either. Is it right to talk to someone like him?

"I see that you are in good health, but perhaps due to the shock of the incident you quite lost your manners."

"I beg your pardon, Your Highness. The young lady is still recovering from the trauma."

"There's nothing we can do, is there? I expect that this not happen again in the future, especially from someone betrothed to me."

It was a horrible first impression and the start of intensive etiquette lessons. But the second prince never showed himself before her for almost a year until her 15th birthday, her debutante, when their engagement was officially announced.

From then on they will spend time together. But it came to her realization that the young man does not really love nor respect her. He only visits her to attract attention in order to solidify his position to the nobles and his faction, and as consideration for the power of the family name she possesses.

Leone jumped in surprise when the Prince loudly closed the book he was reading.

"Until when will you bow to me, Lady Leone? I can see that you lack self-respect. Don't you think it's unbecoming of my fiancée?"

"Ah, my apologies, your Highness."

"Forget it. Sit down, will you?"

"Thank you."

Leone sat down. The Prince's attendant poured her a cup of tea and placed a slice of cake before her.

She took a spoonful of the cake and ate it. She was surprised but softly chew and swallow it.

"May I ask what cake is this, Sir Dwight?"

"It is Papaya Coconut Crumble Tea Cake, my lady. Is it not perhaps to your taste? I made sure to ask the head maid your favorite. Isn't it Papaya?"

Leone covered her mouth and laughed slightly, taking a sneak glance at the Prince who is watching her closely.

"Yes, that's true. It's my favorite. Thank you for your consideration, your Highness."

Leone forgot how time passed. She was more concerned about how to finish the cake prepared for her.

It was sundown when the Prince finally left. She watched as the carriage exited the gate. She heaved a sigh when the vehicle was no longer in sight.

She only sat the whole afternoon but her energy is drained. She only exchanged a few conversations with the Prince and mostly talked with Sir Dwight but she could not fully relax under the scrutiny of the latter.

She watched the sky in an orange and red hue. The dark clouds gathering not so far threatened another rainy night.

She turned around and momentarily stopped when she suddenly got dizzy. She massaged her temple and slowly headed inside the mansion.

"Are you alright, miss?"

"Yes. I was probably under the sun more than I thought. I will take a quick rest. Call me when dinner is prepared."

"I understand."

Leone lay on the bed, her left forearm covering her eyes. It was another failure meeting with the Prince.

It was the truth that, at first, she was disturbed at the subject of marriage with the second Prince.

It was also the truth that she underwent the etiquette lessons in order to receive an acknowledgment from the Prince, to not shame her family, and be worthy of the titles 'Second Prince's Fiancée', 'Future Crown Princess', 'Esteemed Daughter of Nightingale Duchy'.

She could also not deny that she holds special feelings for the Prince. Despite his silent treatment, it is an undeniable truth that he listens to her talk even though it is not to him but to his personal attendants and knights. It is also the truth that he spends time with her even though they only sit across from each other.

She considered those small things great gestures. She knows she might be deluding herself, that she might be hurt in the future, but it is the foolishness of every girl and the only thing that is true about her. She is proud of it.