Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 10] Ch. 4 Bond Reformed

Sebas

"What?" Julie lost all color. "Sebas what are you talking about?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why?" Julie was lost for words, but her eyes revealed a dozen questions.

"I can't tell you that either. You're smart enough that if I gave you the slightest clue... This is why I was hiding. To avoid... not being about to tell you everything..." I said.

"What... what are you going to do?" Julie asked.

"Something reckless and stupid, but if I don't..." I swallowed. "...I'll never be able to live with myself."

"You... you... never change, do you?" Julie said. She gripped my hands with hers and I felt her nails dig into my hand. She turned towards me and raised her other hand to slap me... but she didn't. She curled her fingers as if she was going to scratch me as a million phases of frustration flashed over her face... but she didn't scratch me either. After shaking with emotion for a second she curled her fingers into a fist to deck me in the face... but she didn't.

"Gnnyaahhhh!" She made a disgusted face as she roared with frustration. "You're just so- Nyahhhh! Why can't I just hit you!"

Linda slid Julie's cup into her line of sight. Julie grabbed it and dumped it on my head.

I sat there for a second and watched her calm down. Then I shook some of the lukewarm coffee out of my hair. When I looked up at her again, she had conflicted pout on her face as it grew red. "Don't do that!"

Do what? It was getting in my eyes. Coffee wouldn't feel very good.

Julie buried he face in her spare hand, but her other hand only squeezed mine tighter. "Fine, I have some conditions...nya..."

"If it's in my power." I said, elated.

"First, tell me that you love me one more time. Nya." She said, blushing again with her eyes darting back and forth from me to the cup she had placed back on the table.

"I love you, Jules." I said hesitating only a little bit from the embarrassment. But it felt good. I should probably do this more often. "I love you. My princess of the stars, my Princess Stella."

"Okayokayokay, that's enough." Julie covered her face with her hand and couldn't look at me. "I'm trying to stay mad at you. Nyah." She took a deep breath. "When... when I was kidnapped, I lost my engagement ring. The Nightclaw leader destroyed it, so I took his eye." I noticed a flash of venom in her voice when she mentioned the Nightclaw leader. "So, I kind of want a new one. With the promise that you won't leave me behind again."

I breathed a sigh of relief that she hadn't just lost it. "I had prepared something... but I feel kind of embarrassed since I've just had it all this time." I pulled something out of my inventory. It was a small box decorative box no bigger than the palm of my hand. "The band is made from a fallen star that crashed into the Dark Elves' mountains, hundreds of years ago. And the stone is from a type of crystalized magic that can only be found from some of the deepest portions of the Dwarves' sealed mines where the ley lines cross."

I opened the box to reveal a ring with a silver band and a clear diamond-like crystal. I felt really embarrassed that I had made this engagement ring that resembled traditional ones from my past. I couldn't even look at her. "Whether it's the deepest corners of our world, or beyond the reaches of the sky. If you will wait for me, then I will take you anywhere you want to go. And if I can take you everywhere..." I finally looked at her and looked deep into her golden eyes. "...I will."

Julie had her hand over her mouth, and she was crying. Then she leapt at me like when we were kids. She tackled me to the ground, but it was different than a moment ago when we wrestled. Instead of trying to hurt me, she cuddled into my chest and purred like she belonged there...