Unconnected From My World

Chapter 15: The Fireworks

For @penpatron, this is the most awkward thing I have ever written in my life XD

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Coco took a deep and refreshing breath as she sat below the cool shade of a big oak tree in her peaceful garden. The first part of the festival, the sporting competitions were finally over without a single incident or catastrophe. For the next three days there were going to be the music shows and competitions. Luckily it was not obligatory for Princess Alyssa to attend all the music shows except the final ballet show on 13th day of the month.

Coco was tired of participating in all the sports competitions and pretending to be the princess of the White Kingdom for more than a week without a single moment of break. Although she was more interested to see the music shows in comparison to how excited she was to see all the sports competition, she decided to stay indoors and relax. She had to calm her mind and Princess Alyssa's beautiful garden was the perfect place to do that. She kept her eyes closed and played all the recent events inside her mind. She wanted to continue her research and find her way back home instead of sitting in the garden but there were visitors and guests all around the palace grounds and she did not want to encounter anyone from the White Kingdom or the special guests from the other kingdoms.

She took another deep breath but she felt like someone was watching her. Coco finally opened her eyes and saw Duke Wisteria standing right in front of her. Coco gasped and breathlessly started to scramble up and curtsy to him. Unfortunately instead of curtsying Coco successfully managed to trip on a twig and fall face down right in front of the Duke of Chernyy Kingdom. As she was falling down she kept thinking gloomily 'Why do I keep falling in front of those royals all the time?'

Luckily her fall was blocked by Duke Wisteria. She looked up and saw the duke staring at her with surprise but after a little while he looked like he was trying very hard to suppress his laughter. Coco pushed away and bobbed an awkward curtsy to him and said, "Duke Wisteria, what brings you to my garden?"

"I saw this garden from my room and wanted to look at it closely" replied Bruce with his emotionless voice.

Coco nodded in return. All the special guests from other kingdoms were given rooms in separate castles within the palace grounds. There were multiple smaller castles inside the palace grounds allocated for distinguished guests and ambassadors. Duke Wisteria must be staying at the Opal Castle which was located close to the garden.

Coco looked at the duke and realized that he was staring at her with deep concentration and had no intention of moving. She started to feel very awkward, she couldn't think clearly whenever the duke was involved.

After a couple minutes of complete silence she said, "Congratulations on winning the sword fight!"

"Thanks" the duke gave as a short reply.

"You are a very skilled sword-fighter" said Coco with a nervous laugh, she wasn't sure whether she should have said sword-fighter or sword-master or dueler or warrior.

"Well, I should be heading back" said Coco as she was turning to take her leave.

"Why aren't you attending any of the functions?"

Coco turned around at the sudden question. The duke asked again, "Why aren't you attending any of the music shows?" He looked very awkward and uncomfortable as if he was not used to having a normal conversation with people.

"Oh......umm.......well, I just wanted to rest for a few days" replied Coco, she couldn't understand why she was at loss for words.

"Were you sick?" Bruce asked, suddenly alarmed and worried.

"No it was nothing like that ... I was just a bit tired after attending all those sports events."

Coco couldn't stop blushing for some reason. It was embarrassing but she had to admit to herself that she felt nice that the duke seemed worried about her.

"I'm glad you aren't unwell ... umm well, ... anyways ... I heard that tonight there is going to be a fireworks show in the town ... and ... well ... if it's not any problem with you, would you like to umm comeseethefireworkswithme?" the duke said in an unusually quiet tone. He looked even more embarrassed and uncomfortable then Coco felt. He talked slowly at some points and extremely fast at some points and after a certain moment of time he seemed to be focusing on his hands more than he was looking at the person he was talking to.

Coco was momentarily shocked. She knew it would be best for her to avoid the duke as much as possible but she could not stop herself from nodding her head and saying she would love to see the fireworks.

* * *

Bruce Wisteria was standing in front of the town pub waiting for Princess Alyssa of the White Kingdom. He was fuming with anger at himself over his own awkwardness. He thought the princess was an intriguing person since the moment he first saw her. The princess was a completely different person than he had imagined. All the rumors about the princess were very clear about how shy and timid she was, but Bruce saw an entirely different person. Sure the princess was shy, quiet and timid but Bruce could see she was pretending to be so, it was obvious the princess was sharp and quick-witted and unlike anything like the rumors. Naturally he wanted to know more about her.

"Hi, sorry for making you wait so long." said a voice. Bruce turned around and saw the princess had arrived.

"It's fine, I wasn't waiting for long. Come with me" said Bruce as he led her the stables.

"Can you ride a horse?" he asked.

"I'm afraid not" said the princess quietly.

"You can ride with me then" said the duke with a warm smile.

* * *

Bruce took Coco to a small hill where they could see the fireworks properly. She was holding her breath the entire time as it was her first time riding a horse. They were silent the entire time. Coco thought that the duke was an odd person at first, but she soon realized that they were very similar in some aspects. They were both socially awkward.

She looked up at the sky and saw that the fireworks show had already started. Within minutes the entire sky was filled with numerable explosions of colors illuminating the night sky brighter than the stars above. Both of them were looking at the bursts of lights quietly. Coco turned to look at the duke standing next to her. He looked very handsome as his face seemed to glow at the countless eruptions of colors and lights.

"Thank you for inviting me here tonight. The fireworks are beautiful" said Coco.

"I'm glad you aren't bored ... I wanted to see you one last time before I leave"

"You're leaving?" asked Coco breathlessly.

"Yes. Tonight. There is some important business I must attend to" said Bruce.

"Oh I see" said Coco as silence fell between them once again.

Coco thought that maybe it was not such a bad thing that he was a man of very few words. In fact, she started to feel an unexplainable calm in their silence. She rested her head on his arm and felt him stiffen at shock, but he did not push her away.

Both of them watched the fireworks with uncontrollably fast beating hearts.