Chapter Three: The Apple tree.

Elizabeth made her way hastily towards the garden located in close proximity to the kitchen. As she quickened her stride, her heart began to race and an overwhelming sense of elation filled her. With one hand, she gripped on to the staircase while using the other to lift her floor-length dress.

As soon as Aurora, her slave girl, informed her that Nicholas had made it to their clandestine meeting spot, she sprang out of her large bed eagerly. With utmost haste, Elizabeth bolted out of her chambers. " Be careful, My lady, "Aurora had cautioned her. " The Queen is awake."

Elizabeth's joy was so overwhelming that she did not have any concerns at the moment. What she desired most was to embrace her beloved and shower him with kisses since they had been apart for a month.

He went on a daring expedition with a group of adventures, however, he assured her that he would come back on August 9th, one month from the day he left. And true to his words, he did.

Having instructed her slave girl to check the garden every ten minutes, she patiently endured several agonizing hours of waiting in anticipation of seeing him. " My lady, I don't think he's arrived yet," Aurora had expressed in exhaustion. " I just inspected the garden a few moments ago."

With a deep exhalation, she had slumped onto her spacious bed. She was experiencing a strong and persistent longing for Nicholas. Although she did not mind coming off as desperate towards her slave girl, she knew it was crucial to be careful as any suspicious behavior could lead to her being discovered. If her Parents discovered this, it could result in significant consequences for her.

At the age of 19, Elizabeth was not only extraordinarily smart, but also exceptionally beautiful. She had a slender build and stood at an impressive height of 5 ft 9 inches. Her eyes were as bright as the sky, shining with a deep blue hue, and her skin was pale, which emphasized the beauty of her luscious, red lips.

She possessed an admirable balance of compassion and spunk. With the expectation of reciprocal treatment, she valued the importance of showing respect to others. Her resolute personality was apparent to everyone, including her parents.

Despite being a kind ruler, Theodore Williams, who was the King of the land of "Vitalis," was adamantly opposed to his daughter marrying a commoner, and that was exactly who Nicholas was.

Amelia, her mother, held the same opinions as her father. She tended to share his viewpoints and consistently backed him up.

Her brother, Arthur, possessed a contrasting attitude; exhibiting more flexibility and a more compassionate outlook towards the world.

He was an attractive young man, standing at a height exceeding 6 feet and 1 inch, with short black hair. His physique showcased a chiseled midsection and a well-built body.

He knew about his sister Elizabeth's clandestine relationship with Nicholas, but chose to keep it confidential.

He had immense affection towards his younger sister. Despite only a two-year age difference, he consistently made her feel small as she felt like he always treated her like a child.

For some time now, Elizabeth and Nicholas have been meeting secretly by an apple tree located in the garden behind the kitchen of the palace.

Now, Elizabeth eagerly rushed towards her beloved when she spotted him standing by the apple tree. He embraced her tightly for a few minutes before breaking off the hug.

"I've missed you so much, my love," he commented warmly. "It was a torturous month without you."

Elizabeth's face lit up with a big smile as she expressed, "I've missed you so much also, my love."

They passionately kissed with hearts full of joy, expressing their intense longing for one another.

They embraced and lavished each other with attention while sharing updates on their activities over the past month.

After some minutes, their attention was quickly diverted as Aurora rapidly approached them. "My lady. The Queen..." she announced out of breath.

"Calm down!" urged Elizabeth. "Now tell me what's going on."

"The queen is searching for you," Aurora panicked. "She's employed the guards to scour every area in the palace in search of you."

With a sudden surge of energy, Elizabeth stood up abruptly and rapidly searched around in a panicky manner. "Please, Nicholas, you must go immediately," she insisted urgently.

As they discreetly walked for a brief moment, they suddenly spotted the guards approaching the garden, causing them to hold their breath and their hearts to race.

"Oh my God," Elizabeth cried to herself. "We're done for."