Beyond the grassy plains and gentle hills, the opening of the forest lay. These tranquil woodland depths were comparatively safer than any, without monsters or wild beasts roaming them.
Two footsteps broke the silence in the quiet green haven. Their fast pace resounded against the grass and the dried leaves rhythmically through the approaching night.
As they stepped deeper into the woods, regret dominated Dhein's mind, but his feet wouldn't stop. For so reason, he felt the need to take her away from here — to be alone with her.
So, he took Shina to the forest where no one else could see or hear them. Only then could his questions be answered.
After a minute or so of running, the two finally stopped. Their hearts racing, minds overthinking, and breaths catching.
Dhein took a mont to catch his own breath. Even though it was already getting dark, Shina's pale complexity and silvery white hair stood out in his eyes. The tiny expressions she made were also ones that the darkness couldn't hide.
The full moon was right above, illuminating them like so sort of a spotlight falling through the canopy. Cicadas were singing from the distance and a few owls could be heard cooing. But other than that, it was just the two of them. Their breathing — his that was ragged and heavy, and hers that was thin and delicate.
As silence ford between them, Dhein saw Shina holding her wrist and looking away.
Indeed, he was the one who brought her here. He should initiate the conversation.
And so, Dhein took a deep breath, and then asked:
"Why did you say yes?"
Her shoulders noticeably jerked up in shock. And after a few seconds, she spoke.
"W—Well, you know... um."
Seeing that she was struggling to co up with an answer, Dhein understood to be patient and wait for her to continue. As long as she would answer honestly, she could take her ti.
"I figured that I'd have to get married at so point. So, yeah... um..."
She kept fidgeting around, obviously restless as she spoke.
"Y—You know... if that's the case, then... I'd rather it be you."
Hearing this, Dhein raised a brow. He then sighed and then responded.
"Your father himself has said, Shina. You no longer have to force yourself to make choices against your will. If you don't want to get married, you don't have to."
He crossed his arms as he lectured her.
"Isn't this why you escaped the palace in the first place? Now that you're free to do with your life as you please, why are you throwing it all away?"
The princess averted her gaze and then replied.
"It's my duty. Even if my father grants the right to make a choice, I will eventually have to get married and procure an heir to the throne."
Suddenly lifting her eyes to Dhein's face, she continued.
"But if you don't want as your wife, it's..."
She paused for a second. Before she proceeded, she looked down.
"It's... it's okay."
A frown crossed his face.
"That's not it," he mumbled.
He let out a sigh and then spoke.
"It's just... you don't have to marry if you don't want to. Save that for the man you really love."
She was visibly taken aback by his statent. After a mont of silence, she responded.
"When the my father announced the tournant, the whole empire already knew that you would win. And all of the people agreed that you are the best choice as my... the princess' fiance. I—Isn't that enough of a reason?"
He shook his head and then said firmly:
"No. It's just as Lord Uthalonica said: a person should only marry soone they love. That's why I'm telling you that you don't have to marry ."
Suddenly, the princess fell silent. She just stood there, her gaze fixed on the ground. It was a different kind of quietness that almost scared Dhein.
'Crap... did I say sothing that offended her?' he asked himself.
Then, she raised her gaze and their eyes t.
Shina's srizing sapphire eyes were focused on him. Her determined expression was laced with bashfulness, that much was clear to Dhein. But she still mustered her courage to utter the following words.
"Fine..." she mumbled.
Confused, Dhein asked:
"Fine what?"
Her voice was unusually quiet as she spoke, as if the only person she wanted to hear her words was herself.
"...I guess..."
Dhein didn't hear what she said, so he leaned closer.
"What?" he asked.
She spoke a little louder.
"I g—guess I love you."
Dhein felt as though soone just jabbed his heart. After hearing those words, his eyes opened wide. He couldn't believe it.
The girl imdiately looked away, her pale face becoming red.
He blinked a couple of tis and then spoke.
"You guess?"
She must have been joking. Maybe she just said those words in a sarcastic way. In any case, Dhein couldn't see how that statent could be true!
And then, with a furious but embarrassed face, Shina turned to him and then she continued.
"Geez! You really like to tornt , don't you?!"
Dhein moved back, shocked. But her next words only added to his surprise.
"Alright, I'll say it. I love you. I don't know why, but I love you so much, it's unbearable. I want us to be married, I want to be by your side forever!"
Shina was catching her breath as though she had just ran a marathon.
"There! Are you happy now?"
Even after hearing all that, Dhein still couldn't believe it.
His heart raced like never before, and there was sothing electrifying about the way she looked at him.
It was hard to believe.
'What is love again?' he asked himself.
All of a sudden, such a concept beca so foreign to him.
Did he really understand it in the first place?
All his life, he was bathed in praise and adoration. No matter where he went or who was in front of him, he always knew for a fact that he was 'loved'.
But what Shina was showing now was vastly different from that 'love'. It was new, it was...
...genuine.
'Did love always... feel this good?' Dhein asked himself.
Swallowing the lump in his throat, he opened his mouth to speak.
"R—Really?"
The princess exhaled sharply, annoyed, but she answered nonetheless.
"Yes, Dheinyrus. I really, really love you."
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