Heartbreaking promise
The Lost PrinceMirai POV
I rode my horse and have it sped towards the town. it gallops majestically, but it seemed that I was the misfit. just like the current situation, I am his problem ... I was the third party, I always am.
my tears ran as I brush through the wind, but the angry stares from the villagers stopped my tears and replaced it with fear.
"that's queen Mirai!" the murmurs of my name spread like waves, soon the whole village surrounds me.
it wasn't glory and pride that subsumed me... it was fear and only fear... the villagers were chanting, they were all chanting "she's a jinx, she'll cause the downfall of Aoihoshi! Akiyoshi has no heir, the bloodline will end! she's a jinx! King Ainosuke should divorce her, should banish her, or she'll bring bad luck to us all!"
I looked around... the fingers are pointing right at me fiercely...the buzzing, the gossiping are hurting my head, are breaking my heart... I hold on to my tears as the Queen shall not show her weakness to her people.
my mum is strong too, she never needed my dad to stand up for her when she faces trouble. I shall follow my mum's footstep and be their pride - I shall not trouble Ainosuke, I serve to protect him and not have him protect me. I shall not be a weakling and a burden to my love.
cabbages, tomatoes started flying from the crowd towards me. my horse began to fidget, so I held on to it with my life.
"stop it!" I broke the silence as my tolerance has reached the roof.
"go away... leave our King!" a lady shouted and within a split second, she threw an egg right at me.
I turned my head intuitively as I foresee it hitting my face and there's no way I could dodge it in such short time... but it didn't hit. not a single drip.
instead, what came was a knight whose face is covered with a mask, riding a white majestic horse similar to mine, in a black suit. he caught the egg, and to my surprise, it did not break. he smashed the egg on the floor and turned to me.
"come with me..." his voice is calm and full of certainty and strength. he grabbed my hand and pulled me over to his horse. his grip is strong and masculine.i obediently leaned on his chest as he wrapped me with his arms and rode his horse, leaving behind the confused villagers.
"my horse?!" I sighed, thinking that I'll lose even my only last companion from my homeland.
"Chinen will get it back"
Chinen? wait so he's from the palace. everything is happening so fast, even I'm confused who's my savior behind the mask.
"stop... stop the horse"
he obeyed. I turned back and touched the exposed part of his face.
his jawline is similar... the moles on his neck is similar too.
"Ainosuke?" I slowly removed the mask from his face and I was right.
behind the mask lies the bright smile of Ainosuke and the mesmerizing pair of eyes that stuns anyone who looks right into it.
but the bright smile quickly turn into a sulk as he spoke with frustration.
"you shouldn't have come here without a single guard with you. are you out of your mind.?! can you imagine what those people will do to you if I didn't come after you?!"
"Gomenasai"
"that's all you can say?!!! do you know how worried I was?!!!! you are not armed!!! this is totally suicidal!"
"I said Gomenasai!!!!! Gomenasai for everything!!!!!!" I jumped down from the horse and knelt in the grass patch and cried
"Mirai~" he came down from his horse and held my arms to pull me up. he fixed his gaze on me and made sure I was looking at him as well.
"listen... if it makes you feel any better, I'll give you my promise...."
and the promise could only be - I thought
"I'll marry Riko and make the love that the people of Aoihoshi wants" it hurts so much having hear this coming from his mouth. it should be relief that I am feeling but instead it was agony and more agony. i should not reveal the agony but the relief so I painfully masked my true feelings from him.
"Ainosuke~arigatou"
he came closer to me to a distance that our face are almost stuck together and asked, "there's just one thing I ask of you... those stuff you said at the stream that day... they are all from the bottom of your heart, right Mirai?"
I was stunned by his question, at the same time happy that he remembered my heartfelt confession...he remembered my love.
"there's nothing more true and pure than that"
he smiled slightly and looked down.
"that's all I need to know"
he faced his back to me and looked into the horizon. the falling sun cast a beautiful shadow of him which mesmerizes.
"Ainosuke... I have one last request."
he didnt respond. luckily I was facing his back because I wouldn't be able to say if he's staring at me.
"could you stay with me tonight? beside me, on the bed that we never once occupied together... I'll treasure this memory. please"
he turned around and faced me, with sorrows in his eyes, and said "anything for you"
he rode the horse with me in his arms back to the palace. the whole journey was in complete silence and tears trickled down both our cheeks unknowingly as we recalled the few memories we had together. it was amazing how the two of us who started off as complete strangers who were told to marry each other, who then initiated the idea of a wedded couple that is binded by a contract, to what we are today, a couple who worry for each other, who look out for each other...
I don't know when I fell asleep but when I opened my eyes, the first person I saw was Ainosuke. he sat beside me on the bed and seemed like he has been looking at me sleep.
"good evening, my lady" he wiped my fringe from my forehead as he greeted me with a gentle smile.
the word 'my' is definitely a word that denotes strong possession, a word that I have never heard him use to greet me. I love this choice of word, even though it came too late.
if only everytime I opened my eyes, I'm greeted by this scene, I'll live with no regrets and I'll proclaim myself as the happiest woman on earth!
I sat up beside him and before I could position myself properly, he grabbed my shoulder and pulled me into his arms. I leaned on his shoulder, right in his comfort.
"you know, I've always wanted to do this, to look at you sleep, to have you in my arms..."
"really?" I asked in shock.
"initially no. but then as time past, yes. every night, I had to drag myself out of the room and return only after you fall deep in your sleep and distant myself from you. it's really a dread."
"So why did you have to leave me alone every night?"
"because I respect you. I didn't know how you feel... If there's no love between us, then I think it's only right i protect your purity."
I looked into his eyes with regrets. if only we told each other out true feelings earlier, then we both wont have to suffer the loneliness every night.
"though it's abit late, but still thanks for allowing me to stay by your side tonight, Mirai~"
"me too"
he left a kiss on my forehead. he brought his hand to mine and tangled our fingers together.
we laid on the bed, side by side, with me tugged nicely under his arms. I wrapped my arm around his waist and leaned my head on his firm chest.
I could feel the gentle warmth radiating from his body. it's so comforting, there's no need for a blanket.
his fingers continue to tangle with mine and it continues to give me a sense of security and companionship that seemed inseparable.
"Ainosuke~"
"nani?"
"your marriage is tomorrow, so... this is our first and last night right?"
he didnt respond but tighten the grip of my hand as if comforting my painful heart.
"so... from tomorrow, you won't enter this chamber anymore right?" as I said this, my heart aches like hell.
again he didn't respond. instead, he turned and pinned me to the bed with his body pressed above mine.
he looked at me again for seconds and i swear i see tears in his eyes. he brought his lips closer to mine and gently pressed it.
the kiss is much more passionate than the one before and it lasted for at least a few minutes. I could even feel his tongue, and hear and smell his sweet breathe.
thanks for giving me such a memorable last kiss on our last night, my husband.
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