Chapter 2 : The Stranger in the Woods

Concerned, the King sent soldiers after him, since he was scared of what Aeras might do to himself. The Mixture of shock and fear made Aileen's knees give up, and he came down slamming on the floor. What he was hiding for years was now out in the open. He feared that his beloved son would do something he'll regret, Aeras was one of the only ones he loved. Just then General entered the room, in hurry, seeing Aileen on the brink of tears.

General: Aileen! What's wrong, where are these guards going? What's wrong with you? Why...Do you look like....this?

Aileen Just stayed there, looking down, eyes wide open, tears coming out while he was gasping for air. Everything happened so quickly Aileen couldn't process it at once.

General: Aileen, I cannot help you if you won't tell me what is wrong. Aileen, Aileen! Are you even listening to me ?!

General turned Aileen around and shook him into reality

General: Aileen! Come on, what is wrong ?! Tell me! Now!

Aileen: It's too late....there...is nothing you can do now.

General: I won't know until you tell me what's wrong Aileen, do you expect me to guess what happened ?! Tell me ?!

Aileen: Aeras...

General: Aeras? What's wrong with Aeras, what happened to him? Did someone try to harm him ?! I won't let them get away with this, I'll go and—

Aileen: No....he...knows the truth.

General: WHAT ?! How much of it does he know ?!

Aileen: That the letters...He waited for every year...hoping they were from his mother, He found out that.....I was the one who wrote them each year and he also ran away, what if he never comes back?

General: Oh my god Aileen *Sigh* at least that's all he knows. Don't worry, I'll come up with something to help you. Now, please stop crying and go wash your face, I'll make sure everything is ok.

Aileen: But...what if....he hates me. No! I don't want him to hate me.

General: I won't let him hate you, I promise. Now please get up and stop being a pathetic mess already. I promise you, I won't let him hate you or let anything happen to your relationship. He is like a nephew to me, so....yeah, if he hates you he'll hate me too because he will guess I knew about all this too and still didn't tell him, and I wouldn't want that haha.

Aileen: Hue, I just.....Thank you.....for everything.

General: Are you stupid, what's up with you saying all this right now ? and also I'll make sure he comes back home safely ok? You just go and wash up and rest, it's already been a lot for you today. Go ahead, and leave everything to me.

Aileen: Ok, I'll trust you with it then...

General: Yeah...Thanks.

Aileen leaves the room to wash up and General left for the stable to get a horse since he was going to search for Aeras. On his way to the stable, he saw a mango tree. A bittersweet smile formed on his face, as he looked at the tree.

General: If only...everything could still be the same.

Meanwhile in the woods...

Stranger: Are you ok? Need any help?

Still cautious of who the stranger might be he just kept looking at them, hoping to get a peek at their face but couldn't since the moonlight was coming from the back of the stranger, completely blocking the view of their face.

Stranger: What are you looking at?

The stranger turned around to see what exactly was that he was trying to see, unknown to the fact that he was trying to see their face. After turning around their gaze finally landed on the moon, they thought that is what he was looking at.

Stranger: Oh, Moon! Yeah, of course, isn't it pretty but today its extra—

Aeras pounced at the stranger from behind, making both of them fall to the ground. The stranger is trapped between Aeras's arms with no space to slip through or escape.

Aeras: What do you want huh? Who are you? Are you here to harm me? Just tell me what u want ?! If you are here to harm me because I'm a prince or because of my killer looks, then better go away and leave me alone, my mood is already bad enough as it is, and it's not easy being me either.

While Aeras was being the typical Aeras, the stranger squirmed underneath him and somehow managed to turn around, lay on their back, and face him.

Stranger: Killer looks, huh? Don't make me laugh and also why would I want to hurt you ? I don't even know you, dummy.

The stranger made an already angry Aeras even angrier. Aeras turned to face the stranger with a look of extreme anger on his face almost clenching his fist to punch this stranger.

Aeras: What ?! What did you jus—

Aeras finally could see what the stranger looked like and this stranger was a girl....and not just any girl. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, he observed her. She had ocean blue eyes, pale skin as soft as a flower petal, tender pink lips, and silver hair as if starlight. His anger suddenly melts away as he just kept looking at her. She was wearing a hood that covered her head and part of her forehead. Curious Aeras tried to remove the hood but she yanked his hand and just looked at him with a look of anger mixed with disgust.

Stranger: HEY!! What do you think you are doing, huh? And get off of me.

Aeras got off her and she gasped for air since she wasn't able to breathe properly with Aeras on top of her. After composing herself, she looked at Aeras, who was still just staring at her.

Stranger: And can u just stop staring at me now? It's bugging me and.....is also...disturbing.

Aeras: oh....huh?....what?....oh.OH, yeah, yeah, sorry. I was just—

Stranger: Save it. It was a mistake asking you if you needed help.

Aeras: Hey wait, who are you? I... don't remember seeing you before.

Stranger: I don't see how it concerns you.

Aeras: It's ok I'll go first, I am—

Stranger: I am not interested in knowing who you are, where you are from, and whatsoever.

Aeras: I'm Prince Aeras of Erlia and it—

Stranger: Did you not hear me? I'm not interested in knowing anything about you.

Aeras: It's nice to make your acquaintance.

Stranger : *sigh* Whatever. By the way, do you torment everyone you "acquaint" with this way?

Aeras: I don't know if I'll call it tormenting since they all seem happy to make my acquaintance and they always smile.

Stranger: Well....do all these people know you are a Prince?

Aeras: Yeah...I'm pretty famous you see.

Stranger : *sigh* Well of course they HAVE to smile...You are a Prince and they cannot afford to get on your bad side or make you angry. They don't smile because they are happy to make your acquaintance but because they wanna save their necks.

Aeras: Then...why don't you do the same?

Stranger: Because I won't ever see you again and also I don't care.

Aeras just looked at her in awe of how bold and strong she was even tho she looked like a fragile flower, and he didn't realize until now due to his anger how sweet her voice was even though her words were sharp enough to cut through anything. He was starting to get more and more interested in this "stranger".

Aeras: At least tell me your name.

Stranger: No!

Aeras: Come on, where are YOUR manners? When someone tells you their name shouldn't you too, in return, tell them your name?

Stranger: But I never asked for yours in the first place, so I'm not obliged to tell you mine.

Aeras: Alright then, you asked me if I needed your help right? Then help me by telling me just your name.

Stranger: No.

Aeras: Well then, I have no option but to secretly follow you without you knowing or even noticing me.

Stranger: What are you, a pervert?

Aeras: It's your call, what is it then?

Aeras obviously was joking, he wasn't gonna follow her either way, he just wanted to tease her a bit. She looked like she didn't know what to do, she looked confused. After a few minutes, Aeras thought it was enough and that he should let her go since it was getting dark and he decided to tell her that he was teasing her and just then.

Aeras: Hey! I was Jock—

Stranger (in low voice) : *Athoos*

Aeras (confused): Huh?

Stranger: It's Athoos! My name is Athoos! Happy ?! Just.....don't follow me

Aeras: Uhhhh....haha yeah, by the way, I was joking. I wasn't gonna follow you either way.

Athoos: WHAT!!! You tricked me!!!

Aeras: No, I was just gonna tell you that I was joking since you looked so concerned and were thinking about what to do really hard, but you told me your name before I could do that.

Athoos : *sigh* Ugh, great, but still don't you dare follow me!!

Aeras: Ok

Aeras kept his right hand on his heart.

Aeras: Promise.

Athoos turned around and started running and slowly she could no longer be seen. Aeras just stood there looking in the direction she went in. Suddenly guards came running towards Aeras from deep within the woods.

Guard 1: See *huff* I told you *huff* I heard something.

Guard 2: Yeah, Yeah *huff* At least we *huff* found *huff* him.

Guard 1: Prince?

Aeras was still looking in the direction Athoos ran off to.

Gaurd 1: Prince is something wrong?

Aeras finally looked towards the guards and had an expression no one could really comprehend. His expressions were as if something interesting happened to him.

Guard 1: Prince are you sure you are ok? Are you hurt anywhere? Looks like something happened.

Aeras: Yeah....something.....interesting did happen.

Guard 2: What? What happened prince?

Aeras once again looked in the direction in which Athoos ran. While looking in that direction he couldn't help but think of her and soon his expression became tender, warm and displayed extreme fondness, with a wide smile on his face

Aeras: Athoos happened...

****End Chapter 2****