The Love That Bonds Us

Chapter 43 : When All Is Lost

It wasn't until I'd walked a decent distance from my office that her yells finally subsided and I could breath a sigh of relief.

But such peace is short lived. Every time I was in my charming sister's presence for the rest of that day and then the next two, she would shout at me, bargain with me, or just ignore me. She would try and convince me that going after Iduna was right and that it didn't matter anymore what Rufeal thought - this had gone too far.

I tried to pretend she wasn't there, shoving her voice to the blankest part of my mind. I'd already accepted that Renata was my life now, before Iduna had bolted to Corona, but when she did that, everything had fallen into place and everything became so simple.

Don't get me wrong, I was heart-broken and devestated and frankly angered by Iduna's abandonment, but there was nothing I could do to change the situation, despite what Arianna thought.

Fortunately, by the time a week had passed, she'd given up. She never tried talking me out of my firm-set decision to let Iduna go, and she pretended as if everything was normal. And while that was for Renata's sake - not mine - I was still eternally grateful for her silence.

And with that silence came a new mindset. Without the constant reminder of my one and only love, I could begin my attempts at moving on from her like I knew I had to do, and instead focus again on my duties as King, and my engagement to Renata.

The Princess had been awfully quiet the last few days and I hadn't really seen her, so I decided I'd take her to my secret garden to cheer her up.

She didn't say anything as we walked through the grounds towards the ivy curtain, and I began to worry that she'd somehow pieced everything together or had been told about my 'affair', but she lit up excitedly when I revealed the dark tunnel.

"Woah." she breathed, stepping forwards as if in a trance, "What is this place?"

"It's my little secret. Come on." I offered the hand not holding the flickering torch and smiled warmly.

Pink tickled her cheeks and she stared at my hand for a moment, before gingerly placing her own in it.

I took off through the tunnel, using the light from the torch to guide the way. When we made it into the garden, Renata glanced around in awe and amazement.

A smile drifted subconsciously onto my face as I watched her wander around in a daze, taking in the scenery as if it were the best thing she had ever seen.

"This place is beautiful." she whispered, before turning back to me with a smirk, "Is this where you take all the girls?"

I laughed as I joined her amongst the flowers, "Only you and another, m'lady."

Renata rolled her eyes but grinned.

A smile flashed across my face at her reaction and I lowered myself into a bow with my hand towards the Princess. "May I have this dance?"

She giggled softly, took my hand, and curtsied, "You may."

I came to realise that dancing with her didn't have the same effect as dancing with Iduna, but nothing could ever replicate that experience. When I danced with that girl, it had seemed like we were no longer on the ground, instead floating away from reality. With Renata I knew exactly where I stood.

But I couldn't think about their differences like that anymore. Things were set in stone now, there was no going back. Iduna would haunt my mind for the rest of my life like a forgotten, beautiful dream; but now I had a new path towards my destiny, and that was Renata. It was clearer than the sky on a Summer's day, I could see exactly what would happen in our future.