If I am worth anything later I am worth something now,

for wheat is wheat,

even if people think it is grass in the beginning.

-Vincent Van Gogh

I can't really remember what happened. Almost as if I was in a drunken stupor without a drop of wine having reached my lips.

The haze that clouded me after he touched my hand, descended so rapidly that I could hardly think of what to do, what to say.

I tried to shove off the thick cloud that intoxicated me.

But to no avail.

I stayed in my sober drunken state.

It might have been the music. Maybe the lights. The thrill of it all or the whirling events that were coming into my mind. But every time I look back, I cant see clearly what happened in those minutes. I can only see flashes.

A pounding heart.

A touch of a hand.

Stokes of light dancing above.

Muffled music.

His scent.

His eyes.

His voice.

His hands.

Him.

When the spell that was cast finally came over me, I was in a garden. Outside of the palace. Away from the noise, dancing, and music.

We were sitting on a bench.

The night sky was above us, and the garden grounds were bare.

Only the trickle of a fountain, hidden behind a hedge could be heard.

I turned to him and started to chant in my head to remember to breathe.

Breath Fayette.

The Prince was staring off into the direction of where the noise of the fountain was. His eyes darted toward me, then quickly went back to their aimless stare.

I started when I realized that this whole time I had done nothing but stare at him.

"Ummm...." I shifted in my seat. It wasn't awkward per say. I just didn't know what to say to him.

"You looked faint," He said.

"Thank you," I mumbled. I connected the dots that me looking faint was the reason why we were out here.

"I didn't um..." The prince suddenly looked agitated, his hands twitching a little before he shoved them in his pockets.

He took a deep breath and suddenly was composed.

I wish I had that level of self-discipline.

"I don't know your name," he said.

A silence stuck between us before a giggle escaped my mouth. I tried to suppress my laughter by that only resulted in a snort coming out. I widened my eyes in horror and looked at him, but he laughed softly too.

"That was cute," he whispered.

I blushed deeply. Ah, what's going on!? I thought.

"I don't know your name either," I admitted, reflecting on the reason why I snorted in the first place.

The Prince stared at me for a second before suddenly a booming laugh escaped his lips. He bent over, clinging to his side. I jumped startled at the noise. I don't think I've ever heard him laugh fully yet.

He laughed and hit his calf hard, before sitting up and looking at me.

"You don't know me?" he asked smiling.

"I know you're the Prince," I said, not wanting him to think me stupid.

"I've never met anyone who didn't know me," he whispered.

The silly air just as quickly as it became one full of laughter, sobered up into something more serious.

"I've never met anyone who didn't know about me," he continued, "Who didn't fear me."

I gave him a confusing look.

"I know they call you the Stone Prince?" He smiled at the nickname.

"Yes....not very creative are they," he said.

I smiled. "You don't seem like it though?" I questioned.

His face turned dark. My eyes widened at the sudden transformation.

"I am like it though," he whispered.

"I am emotionless. I'm void. At least I thought I was." He gave me a questioning look, "I don't know how a woman could change that so quickly though."

I stared at him breathlessly.

"I feel...." I could tell he was struggling with words.

"I know," I whispered. He looked at me and smiled. We knew.

It wasn't love really. That I guess would come after. You couldn't love someone instantly. But there was something. Something that drew me to him. Something that made me feel safe yet at the same time alive when I was around him. I felt like I had never felt before. I couldn't describe it though.

Like all the bad dreams suddenly didn't seem scary now, because I had someone to fight them with me.

He leaned close to me.

My eyes widened.

He's not? Is he....?

But he didn't. Instead, he pulled me into a hug. A crushing hug.

I grunted at the sudden pressure.

"I've been looking it seems like forever. But you're all I ever wanted love to be."

I laughed silently at him.

Who knew the Prince could say such romantic words.

I whispered while still in his chest, "I'm Fayette."

He exhaled.

"I'm Alto August."

"Alto," I said, "I like that."

"August is usually what they call me by," he said.

"I like Alto," I mumbled.

He tightened his hold on me. "Then it is your name for you to use alone."

"Alto..." I whispered.

"Fayette..." he whispered back.

"What happens now?" I asked.

He pulled back and tightened his forehead.

"I marry you." He looked straight into my eyes when he said it.

"Woooohhh," I said scooting back a few. "You can't marry a person you've just met?"

Alto looked down at me in confusion, "But you're my life mate?"

"How about we get to know each other first? Have a few arguments, see what we both like and get to just understand each other?" I smiled trying to show him it was a good idea.

"You will be my princess," he whispered, pushing a stray piece of hair from my face.

I froze. The haze from my mind cleared up even more.

Princess.

"I can't be a princess," I gasped.

Alto's dark face became if possible even darker. "Yes, you can."

My mind whirled. Should I tell him? Should I tell him what I am? Will he accept me? I looked down at my flowing dress, my cleaned hands that had been buffed and smoothed over from my years of work in one day. I looked at my arms, the little scars that covered them.

I'm not a princess.

I'm an omega.

I slowly got up from the bench. Alto mimicked my movements, eyeing me.

"Don't," I warned.

"Don't leave," he whispered. "I've been searching for years. My whole life. Don't go now that I've found you."

I shook my head.

"You would have wished you didn't find me."

"No," Alto said, his voice taking on a level of power that I had never heard used on me. I repressed a shudder. This was the voice of a man who had to much strength and no idea where to put it.

"Alto please," I said begging now, slowly backing away with him stalking me.

"I.....- " his voice broke.

I bent down and picked took my shoe off.

He stared at me in confusion.

Without warning, I threw it at him.

He could have caught me.

I knew it the moment he grabbed the shoe in the air faster than I could see before I had even turned.

But he let me go.

I ran away.

I distanced myself to save myself.

And the broken Prince stared.

They always said to follow your heart.

But if your heart is in a million pieces which part do you follow?

*sob* I'm regretting this chapter.

I want my boy Alto to get his girl *sob*

"credit to Z.A. for last two lines"

/////WORLD_JOY_/////