| ➳𝒮𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝒹𝒾𝓅𝒾𝓉𝓎 𝒮𝓊𝒾𝓉𝑜𝓇➳ |

❤︎Chapter Twenty-Six

"So that's it, right? You're in love with your knight Azura."

I blink, staring at the little prince standing before me with his arm outstretched to point accusingly at my knight and I. My head shakes, and my mouth moves to say "no, you're wrong" but it seemed like a lie when I said it.

I don't dare look at Azura to see his reaction, but I don't take my eyes off of the wise little Prince Evergreen. He watches me with a brow raised and a perceptive eye. I could tell by his expression that he didn't believe me for a second — I didn't even sound that convincing to myself.

So why didn't I sound convincing? The answer when I was asked the question was usually a firm "no" without a second thought, so when had it changed? When did I start hesitating?

"It's so obvious. It makes a lot of sense."

"You're mistaken, your highness." I hear Azura clear his throat to defend the situation when he realizes that I'm at a loss for words, but the confidence I usually heard in his voice failed to grace my ears.

"It's easier to just tell the truth. But since the Princess seems to need time to come up with a valid response, I'll just ask Azura." Evergreen turns to look at him, and my heart skips a beat as I steal a glance at my knight as well.

"You can't lie because I'm ordering you to tell the truth! Do you have feelings for Princess Noel?"

Just say no so we can be done with this conversation!

I watch and mentally plead with Azura to hurry and tell the child that the two of us were just really good friends — a princess and her loyal protector. But as I look in wonder as his dark brows furrow, eyes cast downward and his pink lips purse as if he were bothered by his thoughts, I feel a quickening in my heartbeat.

I very much anticipated his response. I wasn't sure what I would say — or do if he were to say he had feelings for me.

But...how could he have feelings for me? What about me could possibly attract someone? I was still so new to the world that I must seem like a child to him. And I was always so helpless — it had to annoy him how much he had to come to my rescue!

But...what if he does love me?

The question echoes throughout my mind. Imagining a dance with Azura under the moonlight, or in a ballroom — him wearing a breathtaking suit, no sheath or sword on his belt so I could be held by him comfortably...an eternity of being in his arms...a quick, passionate kiss as often as we could share it..

It was so easy to imagine when I closed my eyes briefly to see it. A smile played on my lips and my heart started to swell with what I believed to be hope and excitement.

Did this mean I was....

"You asked for the truth."

Azura blinks, eyes drifting upward to look the prince in the eye. He straightened his posture, and the usual confidence that oozed from him returned. His expression was fueled by determination.

"I'll tell you the truth, then," Azura glanced at me briefly before looking back at the prince again, "My real feelings for the princess are—"

"Caught you!"

The three of us are shocked when Cassius and Crystal suddenly step out of one of the paths. Cassius playfully tousled the child's hair, effectively distracting him.

"Finally we can end this silly game and return back to the castle to rest!" Crystal cheers, and Evergreen goes on to argue with her comically about how fantastic the game was "because he created the rules in the first place."

I watch at how quickly it diverts his attention and sigh with relief. But when my eyes drift over to see Cassius, he was watching Azura with an expression one would a pitiful creature hoping for something they could never have.