Chapter 55 - : No More Chances
"Csille, what do you want if you grow up?" Young Prince Fraser asks the young Csille.
They are currently playing in the palace garden. Prince Fraser is cutting some dried leaves from the flowers, and Csille is just admiring the beauty of the flowers.
Young Csille smiles widely at him. "Hmm, when I grew up, I want to be where you are. I want to be always beside you, Prince Fraser."
Young Prince Fraser stops what he is doing and looks at Young Csille. He then gently smile at her before he continues cutting dried leaves again. "Then just stay with me always. I promise I will always protect you."
Young Csille beamed at Young Prince Fraser's words. "I will stay with you forever then."
I look at the two children, who are doing their own thing happily. When did it happen? Why can't I remember this? Is it the time I skipped? They still look young in here. Probably nine years old or more.
Prince Fraser said that to Csille? I know Csille, and Prince Fraser is close since they are young, but as far as I remember, Prince Fraser isn't this sweet to Csille. They interact and play with each other, but Prince Fraser remains quite aloof to Csille. Csille is the one who keeps interacting with Prince Fraser.
I am about to take a closer look when I feel a sudden jolt, and when I open my eyes, I am already back at my room in Kosmo Metaxy.
I get up and look outside the window. "Does it really happen, or it's just a part of my dream? Prince Fraser." I sigh and shake my head. "I guess, it won't happen anymore. Promises are really meant to be broken." I smile sadly. "I'm sorry, Csille, the promise between you and Prince Fraser won't happen. Just accept it, Prince Fraser, and you will never be together."
I close my eyes and all the memories of Prince Fraser came flashing through my mind.
The first time I met him when I first came here. Our first conversation in the Palace Garden.
"I like this one the most." He smiled and put it behind my ears. "There, it suits you. It complimented your hair and your eyes." He patted my head and continue walking.
"Please stop that count's daughter here, count's daughter there. Right now, you're Csille, not a daughter of some noble family. And I'm just Fraser, not a Prince of a Kingdom. As Fraser, I'm asking you. Do you hate me?"
"Why would I hate you? I would never do that." Prince Fraser takes my other hand and holds it. "How about we made a promise then? Let's promise that we will never hate each other no matter what."
The time when he said goodbye to me when he went to his first training.
"So what if we're royalties? You came from a noble family. So I don't think it wouldn't hurt to call me Fraser only. And have you forgotten? We're engaged. You'll be royalty too in the future."
Prince Fraser looks at the window. He then takes a Pink Camellia from the inside of his suit and left it in the cabinet in front of him. "I will be leaving for half a year. The King assigned me to go to the Western region to train there. I'll just see you when I get back here. And Csille, please take care of yourself." After saying those words, he stared at me for a few minutes before he left my room.
The first time I met him was the fourteen year old Csille.
"Why did you close the door at me?" He snapped.
Prince Fraser caught my chin and forced me to look at him. "Why aren't you looking at me? Did you do something again?" He frowned.
"Also, what do you mean by asking what am I doing here? Are you expecting someone?"
Prince Fraser covers his cheeks and steps backward. "Never mind. I will just see you in the library at nine. Remember to meet me there, okay?" After he said his words, he immediately runs towards the hallway.
The time we spend in the western region.
"Csille. Can you stop going to my stall every day?"
"Don't tell me you're still denying it? Do you think I wouldn't notice that you are observing me from afar?"
"Csille Lauretré!" He took a deep breath and stared at my eyes. "Then can you listen to me? I'm the Crown Prince and your fiancé. Isn't that enough for you to listen to me?"
He took the hand I'm using to push him and holds it tightly. "I didn't sleep the whole night because I was worried sick about you. I was worried you would wake up at midnight. Terrified of what just happened. So, I decided to wait for you to wake up."
He points his fingers at my face. "Don't pout. It makes my anger melts away." He mumbled.
He looks relieved with my response. He nods his head and messes my hair. "Good. Good. As long as you don't like him. Everything's good."
Prince Fraser let my chin go and put it back at my side. "I'm always mad? That's true. But it's all because of you. You do things that make me mad, Csille."
"Don't you think, I haven't noticed? For the past two days, you keep interrupting my conversation with Farren. What's with you?"
The time I fake confessed Csille's so called feeling to him.
Prince Fraser just looks at me. "Don't move. I wouldn't let you go unless you tell me what is happening to you."
"I like you. I avoided you because I'm starting to like you." I said head down. I could feel my ears, and my face is getting flustered with my own words.
The time when he said goodbye to me before I went inside this mysterious alley.
"I don't want another Queen. I want you to be my only Queen, Csille." Prince Fraser whispered to my ears.
Prince Fraser grabs my arms and hugs me behind. "You need to be careful there, Csille. Please, come back home. You need to come back home, my Queen," Prince Fraser whispered in my ears while hugging me from behind. He remains hugging me for a few minutes before he let me go. "You need to come back. Promise me."
All my memories about Prince Fraser flash into my mind. I close my eyes and try to recall all those memories. All the memories I share with him during my stay in the fictional world. I didn't realize that I already spend a lot of time with him. It seems like a short amount of time to me. It feels like it just yesterday when I first came here in the fictional world.
I sigh and open my eyes. It's time to end this. I need to end every interaction with Prince Fraser. I cannot afford to lose everything.
"I'm sorry, Prince Fraser. I have decided when I get back. I would ignore you and stay away from you as far as I can. No more chances, Ysavel. No more chances."
___________________________________
"YSA!!!"
I look back and saw Aaline running towards me. I also see Earl walking behind her.
I waved my hand at her and gave her a wide smile. It's been two days since the last time I met her and Soiartze.
I didn't get out for two days. I was convincing myself to fix every mistake I made and strengthen myself, so I wouldn't forget that I need to avoid Prince Fraser or any characters if it's not the scene I have written. I couldn't afford to make the same mistake Soiartze made. I also promise them that it wouldn't happen to me. For their sake, for my dream's sake, and for everyone's sake in the fictional world.
Aaline and Soiartze also didn't bother me for two days. Soiartze probably still doesn't feel okay since I don't see her with Aaline today. I can't blame her, though. It's not easy to lost everything suddenly.
Aaline immediately clings to my arms. "Ysa! It's been two days since I met you. I miss you," Aaline said to me pitifully.
I laugh at her and pinch her cheeks using my free hand. Aaline looks really cute. If she didn't introduce herself as a twenty five year old lady, I would have mistaken her as a teenager. "Sorry, I was just having a talk with myself. What you and Soiartze said the last time made me reevaluate my life choices."
Aaline pouts. I could see sadness in her eyes. "Soiartze. She also didn't get out of her room for two days now. I'm worried about her."
Earl walks towards us and looks at Aaline, who is still clinging to my arm. "You cannot do anything about it. It's time for Soiartze to face the truth. You cannot fight a battle that isn't yours, Aaline. All you can do now is to stay with her and let her know that there are people who are always there for her."
Aaline nods her head even though I could still see reluctance in her eyes. She probably realized that Earl's words are true. We cannot interfere with Soiartze's own battle. She needs to face her own demons.
Earl sigh at Aaline's reaction. He then looks at me and smiles. "Ysavel, it's been days since the last time I saw you. I'm sorry. I said I would be around, but I got too busy with some matters. How's your stay in Kosmo so far?"
I shake my head at him and smile. "No worries. Aaline and Soiartze entertained me. And about my stay in here, it's getting better now. I understand things better, and that's because of Aaline and Soiartze."
Aaline beamed at me. "Ysa, do you want to visit Paraiso again? I want to see Your Paraiso again."
My Paraiso? I frown at Aaline's words. "What do you mean, my Paraiso?"
Aaline is about to answer me when Earl cuts her words off. "So, you went to the Paraiso. I see. And these two didn't explain things to you?" Earl shakes his head and looks at Aaline, who is pouting at me. "Paraiso is one of the illusionary doors in Kosmo. If you would notice, there's a lot of huge doors in here. Each door represents something. Paraiso, if you would notice by its name itself, it represents Paradise. Each spirit has their own perception of paradise. We might have the same idea of it, but every paradise is different from each other. Take, for example, my paradise is an island of dogs."
What? Paraiso doesn't always like what I've seen? That is so cool. I thought it's always forest since it's Paraiso.
"Oh, oh. You should see Ysa's Paraiso. It's so breathtaking." Aaline beamed at Earl. Earl just smiles at Aaline. He is about to raise his hand, but he puts it down instantly.
I raised my eyebrows at Earl. This guy, don't tell me he wants to pet Aaline's head. Does he have a crush on her?
Earl caught me looking at him, and his face immediately hits up. He then inconspicuously shakes his head at me as if saying that what I'm thinking is wrong. He probably sees the teasing in my eyes. He's really a writer. He knows how to read people.
Aaline looks at me. "Ysa, can we go to your Paraiso again? I want to swim in the mountain falls again."
"Mountain falls?" Earl asked.
Aaline nods vigorously. "Yes, mountain falls. Her Paraiso is a forest. There's a mountain falls, huge beautiful trees and different kinds of flowers. There are also birds singing everywhere and cute furry animals who love to cuddle. You should come with us, Earl. Didn't you say your Paraiso is an island full of dogs, right? I'm sure you'll love Ysa's Paraiso too. There's a lot of animals who are sweet there. There's even a lion who loves to act like a small cat."
Earl's eyes immediately light up, and he looks at me. "Is it true? There's a lion that you can hug in your Paraiso?"
I nod my head at him. Earl immediately agreed to accompany us after he heard my answer.
Aaline and Earl started to walk towards the direction of the Paraiso. Aaline talks nonstop about my Paraiso while Earl listens to her intently. As if what Aaline saying is a cure for all the diseases.
I look at them and smile. Maybe this world isn't about dead end. Maybe there's also a beginning in here.