"Csille."

I immediately froze on my spot when I heard that familiar voice. Oh, great. Now what? What will happen next? All the characters will be here too?

I look back and smile at Prince Fraser. Oh, Fraser, Fraser, why do you always make things difficult for me? Csille hasn't done anything against you. So, why?

"Prince Fraser." I look behind him and saw no one. I sigh in relief. Jeez, thank goodness he is alone. I don't know what to do if he is with the other characters. "What are you doing here, your highness?"

Prince Fraser immediately frowns after I said the word 'your highness'. "I should be the one asking you that, right? What are you doing here, Csille? And you got the nerve to walk here without having someone accompanying you? Have you forgotten Csille?"

Forgot? What did I forget? Oh, no. Will he be mad again? I should have instantly run when I heard his voice. Wrong move, Csille.

"Uh, what did I forgot, your highness?"

Prince Fraser takes a step forward towards me, and I immediately take a step back. No, no, no! You cannot Prince Fraser. We cannot. Social distancing, please. One meter apart.

We cannot have any interaction!

Prince Fraser immediately stops when he saw me taking a step back. He then glared at me. "What are you doing, Csille? And can you stop that your highness address. It's Fraser. Only Fraser."

I shake my head as a response. Fraser your face. We both know you are the Crown Prince of the Vrawyth Kingdom, and you want me to just call you by your name?

"Prince Fraser, can you not make things difficult for me, please?"

Prince Fraser looks at me, stunned. "I made things difficult for you? Csille, I-, I."

I raised my hand to stop what he wants to say. "Prince Fraser, I cannot call you by your first name on my will. You're the Crown Prince. You're the future ruler of the Vrawyth Kingdom. How could I dare?"

Prince Fraser sighs and takes a step forward. I immediately step backward. He then stops and shakes his head. "Csille, how many times do I need to tell you that you don't need those formalities. I'm your fiancé, and you will be my future Queen, Queen of Vrawyth Kingdom. Why do you need to act like we're not engaged?"

I sigh out of frustration. Why can't he understand what I wanted to say? Prince Fraser, I am not the Future Queen of Vrawyth Kingdom, and I am not your fiancée. But I know I couldn't say that.

"Fraser, five years. We still have five years before the so called official engagement of ours. That's a long period of time, and change could still happen. Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

He frowns at my words. "What do you mean, Csille? Because I wouldn't change for sure. I chose you, Csille, and I will choose you for all my life. You are my bride and my future Queen. Don't tell me you plan to ditch me in the future? I'm already warning you, Csille, you cannot do that. I wouldn't let you do that. Not a chance."

My eyes widen after hearing his words. I could also feel my heartbeat getting faster. Oh no, Prince Fraser. Please don't make Csille hope for something you couldn't make in the future.

Fraser. I wouldn't be your Queen and will never be your bride because, in this world, we were not meant to be together. Csille and you, stand at the opposite direction. Your words. It will never come true.

And you don't have a say in what will happen in the future. Not even I, the writer, has a say on it.

"You choose me? Hah. You only choose me because we're engaged to each other, Prince Fraser. It's more like a matter of responsibility for you and not really what you want. So, I hope in the future you will choose someone not because of your responsibility to them but because that's what your heart wants. I want you to be happy, Fraser. I want you to chase that happiness someday."

Prince Fraser stares at me for a whole minute before he kneeled on the ground. "I am."

I am shocked when I saw him kneeling in front of me. Wait up. What the heck is happening? How did it suddenly progressed to this? Holy moly.

No, no, no! You can't do that, Fraser. Great! Why do I always makes mistakes?

I tried to make him stand up, but he wouldn't let me. He just kneels on one knee and looks at me.

"What are you doing, Prince Fraser?" I tried to hold on to his arms to make him stand up, but he wouldn't budge. I look around to see if there is anyone that could see what is happening.

Relieved that no one is around, I continue making him stand up. But he just holds both of my hands while still kneeling.

He then stares intently into my eyes. "I am Csille."

I give up the idea on making him stand up. No matter how much force I used he wouldn't let me make him stand up. Prince Fraser is quite stubborn, and I know I couldn't win over this. I look at him. "What do you mean you are? And can you please stand up there? What if people see us?"

Good thing it's still early in the morning, and there aren't people around, or else I would have kick him just to get away from him.

I smell trouble! This is definitely trouble, Ysavel!

Prince Fraser tightens his grip on my hands and places a kiss on the back of both my hands. Afterward, he looks at me. "I am. I am chasing my happiness now, Csille."

Wait, what? What did I hear? He's chasing what? Why does my brain suddenly stops working? I think I'm hearing things on my own.

I laughed awkwardly at him and tried my hardest to get away from his hold and he let me. Jeez, this is bad. Retreat! You need to retreat, Ysavel!

I playfully slap his shoulder while laughing. "That's good, that's good. Chase your happiness. That's what you're supposed to do. And what I supposed to do is to get back now."

I slowly take a step backward while still laughing awkwardly. "I need to go now, Prince Fraser. I still have things I need to prepare for our journey again."

I immediately turn my back without even waiting for his answer. Go Ysavel! Run, you fool!

However, I haven't even started taking a step when I heard him say something.

"Why do you always run away, Csille? Aren't you tired with all these?"

I am still thinking of how to answer him when he talk again.

"I thought you like me? But why are you running away from me, Csille? Tell me, Csille. Do you like me? I want to hear it again."

Great! Me and my big mouth. I almost want to slam my head to the nearest wall. Why did I ever said those words? Now, what would I do?

"Csille, tell me. Do you like me?" Prince Fraser asks again.

And he repeats his questions. Don't you understand when someone didn't reply to you in the first place, you shouldn't ask the second time.

"I- I'M GOING BACK TO MY ROOM!" I shouted at him before I run.

"CSILLE! THAT DIRECTION IS THE OPPOSITE OF OUR INN!" I heard Prince Fraser's shouts behind my back.

I immediately stop on my steps. Oh, great! Why do I need to embarrass myself to this extent?

I turn my head and run towards the inn. And because Prince Fraser's back is facing the direction of the inn, I could see him smiling at me. It's like he is enjoying seeing me getting embarrass.

I just ignored him and continue to run towards the inn. Run Ysavel! Run like your life depends on it.

_______________

I instantly slumped on the floor while leaning on the closed door of my room.

Thank goodness. I am safe now.

I stop rejoicing from my successful escape from Prince Fraser's clutches when I suddenly remember what happened. What Prince Fraser said is all imprinted on my mind and is now playing like a broken record. Playing on repeat.

"I am. I am chasing my happiness now, Csille."

I immediately shake my head. Trying to shake my thoughts out of my mind.

No, Ysavel! You cannot think about what he said. No! You know what will be the consequences of this. How can you be so happy? You're risking everyone's life in here.

"What do you mean, Csille? Because I wouldn't change for sure. I chose you, Csille, and I will choose you for all my life. You are my bride and my future Queen. Don't tell me you plan to ditch me in the future? I'm already warning you, Csille, you cannot do that. I wouldn't let you do that. Not a chance."

I could feel my whole face burning just by remembering what he said. I feel like I'm intoxicated because of the happiness I am feeling.

"He said he wouldn't change? He said he would choose me for all his life. I am his bride? I am his future Queen? Yes, yes!" My mouth said on its own. But compared to before, it's not Csille's fault. It's my own thoughts.

My mind is clouded with strange emotions I couldn't really pinpoint. Right now, all I know is I am happy. I am contented for the first time.

However, that strange emotion suddenly disappeared when someone knocks on my door.

Who is it? Prince Fraser!

My heart suddenly beats faster just by his name. I put my hand on my chest and try to feel my heartbeat. It's wild. It's beating so fast as if I'm palpitating.

The knocks still continue. I look at the door and shake my head.

"Jeez, wake up, Ysavel! You don't have time for that!" I whispered to myself.

I get up and look at the peephole to see who's the person knocking outside. I felt disappointed when I saw Princess Paislee standing outside my room.

What is she doing here?

I open the door. Princess Paislee immediately looks around my room. It looks like she is looking for something.

"How can I help you, Sir Farren?"

But even after asking a question, her eyes still wander around inside my room. She sighs and looks at me after. She just stares at me for a whole minute. I could see she's hesitating to say what she wanted to say.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, Lady Lauretré, but can we talk?" He looks around the hallway. "Inside."

I raised my eyebrow at her. What now? I just finished dealing with the male lead, and now the female lead wants to talk to me? Come on, give me a break.

I sigh and nods at her. Do I even have a choice? It would be rude of me to shake her off. I could do that to Prince Fraser, but Princess Paislee is different. Maybe because she is a girl too?

I open my door and welcome her inside. She sits on the chair of the study table. While I sit on my bed and wait for her to talk.

Princess Paislee wouldn't want to talk to me just to have a little chitchat. But what would she want to talk about?

Princess Paislee remains quiet for a couple of minutes and just held her head down. I could see her playing with her fingers.

Old habits die hard, eh? One of the traits I write about the female lead is when she is anxious, she would subconsciously play with her fingers.

She's anxious? But why? Why is she anxious? I tried to recall if I write something that Princess Paislee should be worried about here in Illorian City. But I just briefly mention Illorian City in a passing. So, why is she anxious?

After a minute or so, she raised her head and looked at me. Finally, she's going to talk. "Lady Lauretré, are you," But after saying those words, she stopped again.

What am I? What does she want to ask? Why is she hesitating to say it? Should I be concerned?