The Witty Princess & Her Knight

Part 14 - A sincere bait

Carissa found herself glued to the couch since morning, lost in her own thoughts, mourning her fate, droplets of rain hit the windows of her bedroom in a rhythmic nightmare, drowning her in a foul mood. Although she was never someone who overthinks, she can't seem to stop thinking about Manuel. He will come around. That was what she thought three weeks ago and he is still avoiding her. The sound of her nails tapping the window alongside the rain matches her own heartbeat. All the memories they shared together, the bad and the good, does it not count as something? Does he really think she is only with him because he's her fated? A familiar sharp pain pricks her chest and she doesn't know which to focus on, annoyance or hurt. Both don't solve her problem, they just make it worse. 

"Princess, it is time for dinner," a maid entered her thought.

Carissa gets up from her seat, feeling nauseous and entirely not hungry as she drags herself to the dining room, hoping Manuel would be there but to no avail. Orion and Val exchange glances while observing the Princess. Orion puts down his spoon and wipes his mouth briskly. He waves the servants away and stops her hand from stirring the now watery soup.

"What's wrong?" he asks.

Carissa sighs loudly, knowing that Orion would meddle if he knows that Manuel, her future prince consort had been avoiding her as of late. Hell, he could even drag him here in front of her and demand answers. For years, Orion had been more than a brother, he had been her King, a father, and a friend despite being overly controlling and overprotective. But this is her problem and Orion should never be put in a position where it will damage his relationship with Manuel.

"I'm just worried about the wedding," she said weakly.

"What's there to be worried about? We'll take care of it silly. It will be grand like you've always wanted. It's amazing how Manuel remembers every single detail. I mean he even knows what tablecloth color you want for the guests or how many desserts should be served, I don't even remember us having that conversation"

A twinge of pain touched her swelling heart, she stayed still for what seemed like an eternity but only a few seconds. He cares, he cares for her. He loved her dearly. She had thought Manuel needed time and although she doesn't want to admit it, she was scared. Scared that he will leave her, that he would stop loving her, that he would cancel their union, that he would just...give up. These past three weeks she had been the one withdrawing, she was too preoccupied with her own thoughts she did not realize Manuel was always with her even when he was not. Every decision she delayed making, he was there. He was giving her time.

"Tell me more," she said, gripping Orion's hand.

"What do you mean? Ask him yourself" he replied.

"He's still shy around me, we didn't discuss the wedding much"

Orion side-eyed her for a while before Val pitched into the conversation.

"Well, he was saying that he didn't want to rush the wedding like what happened to me" she took a sip of wine while watching her husband wince awkwardly, reminding him about his decision to rush their own union without telling her, the bride. She had been holding a grudge ever since, motherhood seems to make her bitter for some reason.

Orion clears his throat, trying to move on from that topic "Considering you don't talk about the wedding, he was incredibly precise in making decisions, he -" Orion continues.

Carissa's chest tightened as Orion carries on to tell her about the wedding preparation. She listened until her own heartbeat was too loud in her ears, ringing like a reminder of what she should do. What she must do.

That night, Carissa slips out of her bedroom and went to the garden, she walks past the greenhouse to the lake behind the palace. Wearing only her nightgown, the grass felt moist on her barefooted feet, as the rain subsided the cold wind blew over her thin figure in sharp prick. Standing at the edge of the lake, she watched her flushed cheeks on the reflection, the moon is in a bright mood as no cloud blocks her light. She stood there, waiting.