Rubiella's heart pounded loudly. She could her own heart beating in her ears.

Hansel gave her a gentle smile and opened the small black box.

Oh.

Rubiella's eyes opened wide in surprise.

It wasn't a ring which she had expected. But it was the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen in her life. The pendant was shaped into a heart with gold and in its center were two gems - an emerald and a ruby. Rubiella smiled. The emerald was a vivid dark green just like his eyes and the ruby obviously symbolized her. At the bottom of the two gems was a small diamond. Diamonds were very expensive because the closest diamond mine was five kingdoms away thus making it a very expensive and rare commodity.

"You have my heart, my lady," Hansel said.

Rubiella couldn't help but smile widely.

"This is so beautiful. How much does this cost?!" Rubiella exclaimed.

"A gentleman never tells," Hansel said.

"It's not my birthday. What's the special occasion?" Rubiella asked.

"I just want to show you how special you are to me. I hope you may think of this as my heart that is always with you even when I am away," Hansel said.

"I've been planning to be mad at you for a longer time but you just had to give me something like this," Rubiella said.

Hansel chuckled.

"May I put it on you?" Hansel asked.

Rubiella nodded.

Hansel took out the necklace from the box. The gold chain was thin and delicate-looking which Hansel picked out on purpose so as to draw more attention to the pendant. Hansel put on the necklace on Rubiella and looked at her with fondness afterwards.

It suited her perfectly. Her red hair contrasted nicely against the ruby and emerald pendant.

"This must have costed you so much," Rubiella said, touching the pendant.

"It was well worth it to see your smile, my lady," Hansel said.

Rubiella blushed.

"Thank you. I love it," Rubiella said.

Hansel leaned forward and whispered to her ear, "And I love you."

Rubiella gasped. Her hands flew to cover her mouth in shock.

"Are you that horrified, my lady?" Hansel asked in a joking tone but there was a fraction of a worry on his face.

"No, no. How could I be horrified? I mean, are you perfectly sure? You love me?" Rubiella asked.

"Yes, I do. I love you, my lady," Hansel said.

"You really do? I know that you like me and I do like you too but do you really love me?" Rubiella asked.

"I love you just as much as I know that the sun would rise again the next morning. I would love to wake up every morning with you by my side," Hansel said.

Rubiella touched his cheek.

"Last question. Are you perfectly sure that you love me?" Rubiella asked.

"I am perfectly sure, my lady. I have fallen with the most beautiful woman in the world and that is you," Hansel said.

"No taking that back," Rubiella whispered, her face close to his.

"I would not dare," Hansel said.

"If you break my heart, Annie will hunt you down and feed you to the dogs," Rubiella said.

"You have dogs, my lady?" Hansel asked.

"No, but I'll buy some rabid dogs and have them eat you piece by piece per every piece of my broken heart," Rubiella said.

"Your heart shall not be broken. I will make sure of that, my lady. You have my word," Hansel said.

"And I have you?" Rubiella asked.

"Yes. You have me," Hansel said.

Rubiella took off his eyeglasses, revealing his vibrant emerald green eyes. She slowly removed the metal clasp wrapped around his hair. His light brown hair cascaded down his shoulders.

"I love you. I think I must have fallen for you the day you saved me. I didn't know who you were but when you left, you took my heart with you. You've had it. Ever since that day," Rubiella said.

"I do not deserve you but I cannot stop my feelings for you," Hansel said.

Rubiella tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear.

"No, that's not true. I think we suit each other really well," Rubiella said.

"Will you wait for me, my lady?" Hansel asked.

Rubiella titled her head to the side.

"Will you wait for me to be worthy of you?" Hansel asked with an earnest expression.

Rubiella smiled. "You already are but take as much time as you need. I have a feeling that you're preparing something."

Hansel smiled in relief.

"Yes, I am," Hansel said.

Rubiella hugged Hansel, burying her face on the crook of his neck. Hansel put his arms around her and planted a kiss on top of her head.

*

*

*

Meanwhile, a curious onlooker had been observing them for a while now. Her name was Vyen Sallow. She was a daughter of a minor baron and she knew Rubiella's mother, Rosietta.

Vyen was by no means Rosietta's friend. In fact, Vyen hated Rosietta with a passion. Rosietta had flaming red hair which her daughter inherited. But despite the color of her hair, she was confident and comfortable with her looks. She was really beautiful and friendly. Even Celestinia, who they didn't know would be the future queen back then, even became Rosietta's best friend.

Vyen hated Rosietta's easy-going personality. The effortless way she was able to get people to like her irked Vyen. And she must have known that Celestinia was going to be the future queen of Aderlan! She must have somehow planned to befriend her and then set up the marriage of their children! Vyen insisted that was the case but no one believed her.

Vyen gritted her teeth at the sight of Rosietta's daughter with an unknown man hugging in the park. The horror! Well, they were in quite a secluded area and there were no other people passing by. She actually got lost in the park so it was by pure chance that she saw the intimacy between the two. But still! They're in broad daylight! A proper lady shouldn't even touch hands with a gentleman without gloves in public but Rosietta's daughter is hugging this . . . handsome stranger in the park!

Vyen was a very rigid woman whose life was structured within society's rules and she lived for those rules. Everything about her was proper. Her dress was sensible with no ounce of personality, her gloves were up to her elbows, and her hair was tied in an up do which was as tight as her personality.

Who was that man anyway?

She peered behind a tree, hiding herself from their view.

He was well-dressed. Obviously, a noble but how rich? She looked at the necklace Rubiella was wearing. Oh my! Even in the distance she could clearly see the gems shining brilliantly under the sunlight. A ruby, an emerald, and is that a diamond?! This must be a very wealthy gentleman!

The two were talking pleasantly and laughing together. The young man's face smiled fondly at Rubiella. What a very handsome man! A proper gentleman must not have hair at that length but my, my, my, one must make an exception for this young man. It would be such a waste to cut off that beautiful hair of his. And those eyes! How curious. They're so vividly green. Such a rare color. She was almost positive it was identical to that infamous Duke of Ashburn's eyes but that would be preposterous.

The young man suddenly directed his gaze at her sharply.

She almost gasped from surprise.

He looked at her with a steely gaze and then got up.

"Hansel? Where are you going?" Rubiella asked.

"Please wait here, my lady. I think I saw a vermin behind this tree," Hansel said.

"Leave it! That's disgusting," Rubiella said.

Vyen's palms sweated as her heart pounded nervously.

"Let me just shoo it away, my lady. We wouldn't want it to follow us back," Hansel said with a pleasant tone but his cold gaze was still directed at her.

"Hello there, Madam. May I know why you were spying on us? Your life might depend on your answer," Hansel said while still smiling like he was just making a friendly greeting.

"I w-wasn't spying! I just got um lost, I mean, I was taking a walk here and I just happened to see the young lady. I knew her mother and I was wondering if I should greet her or not but I saw that the two of you were busy. It's best that I leave now," Vyen said uneasily.

"No, no, Madam. You may greet my lady now," Hansel insisted.

He took ahold of her gloved elbow and pulled her out behind the tree. His grip didn't hurt but she wasn't able to get out of his grip either.

"My lady, do you know this madam?" Hansel asked, presenting Vyen in front of Rubiella who was still sitting on the bench.

Rubiella cocked her head to the side.

"No, I don't think so. Who are you?" Rubiella asked.

"I . . . I was your mother's friend!" Vyen said in a panic.

For some reason, she felt scared of this mysterious handsome man. She just couldn't figure out why.