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Slowly, Granger said. "I can't marry you."
Guinevere looked punched through the gut but she kept a tight smile. "Why not? A-Are you having second thoughts?"
He shook his head. "I should've told you sooner but I was scared you wouldn't be glad about it."
"Who would be glad about it?" She retorted, feeling her throat had dried up.
"Um, this might be our cue to leave..." Zane muttered, slowly towing Heidi away who looked as though she was watching a dramatic romance flick.
Granger ignored them and reached for his lover. "Gwen, I'm sorry-"
"I'm coming with you!" She swerved out of his hold.
"Guinevere?" He called, catching a few other guests' attention. She knew he was serious, despite it was a rarity for him to use her real name. She was leaving him hanging. How could she?
He watched them leave, heading for Guinevere's chambers, and decided to follow them after. This wasn't like her, leaving him standing just as that.
Guinevere sensed him on their tail, but she doesn't turn around. "Violet, you should negotiate things with him." Zane persuaded as they stopped walking.
"Yeah, Gwen. Stop being so moody." Heidi said in a childlike voice. The music had lowered down when they entered the halls. No one was around as well for everyone seemed to be gathered at the ball room, dancing and enjoying the festivities.
"For God's sakes, Gwen." Granger marched forward and spun her around slowly, gripping her hands.
"Let go of me!" She hissed and tried to push him away, but her resistance was doubtedly weak.
"You're acting like a kid." He said.
"Me, a kid? You kept secrets from me."
"I wasn't keeping secrets from you. I just... I didn't want you to know about the truth."
"What truth?"
"That our child is going to grow up with unmarried parents and an absent father."
Heidi gasped inside her palms while Zane furrowed her brows in concern empathically.
"I just wanted you to be happy for as long as I can, Gwen, and it seemed this is our ending point."
"You're going to leave me?" A tear fell from her eye, causing him to retreat his eyes to the floor.
"The Empire needs me, Gwen."
"Then I'll be waiting for you!" She snapped, making him reconnect to their eye contact. "The both of us." She glanced down at her stomach. Before he could say a word, she continued. "So don't break up with me, Granger for there won't be another man in this world to fill the same void you've left me for years."
"Best friends, forever!" Her young voice echoed in his mind. Every dopamine was released in his body as he placed his hands on her waist and kissed her forehead longingly.
Until now, he still couldn't believe he fell for the girl he never thought he would meet again.
A few feet away, Heidi and Zane were jumping in exultation having seeing the couple hugging. Heidi managed to keep her giggles quiet to avoid causing any interruption.
Overwhelmed with felicity, Granger lifted her up and could almost throw her into the air as she pulled his lips tighter on his, deepening the kiss. And as if on cue, the music coming from the ball room had altered, tuning along with their moment.
"I see where this is going." Zane commented while covering Heidi's eyes, in which Heidi immediately yanked her hand away.
"Is this where the narrator proclaims the happily ever after?" Heidi beamed.
Zane smirked back. "Would you do the honors then?"
"Okay, we are done!" Guinevere interrupted as she hopped out of his hands and returned to her footing. "Let's just go back into the party, shall we? I'm dying to dance."
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"May you?" Guinevere stretched her hand, waiting to be accepted by his. Granger accepted it with a kiss, making her heart explode into a supernova.
She giggled as he takes the lead, pulling her into the dance floor where the other couples gathered to dance to a mellow song.
In the round tables, was where Lady Jane and her 'friend', Mrs. Paxley were seated flatly as they watched the two with eyes that could catch fire.
"You don't know how angry I am for your daughter, Jane." Said Mrs. Paxley in a voice the two of them could only hear.
"Because of her, my youngest son has become as mad as a Hatter!" She spat.
Jane weakened her tightened shoulders and took a sip of champagne. "I take all the blame for what my daughter has done of Gusion, milady. But I must beg you to have mercy not to end our longtime alliance. Together, our families have been the superpowers of the Empire and if we break, the Empire itself could crumble, not only our precious reputations."
"Such wise words for a fille de joie." The woman chuckled odiously.
The glass in Jane's hand broke and the shards cut deep into her palms. Even so, her face looked as calm as ever.
Mrs. Paxley smirked, satisfied of her anger. "You are fortunate and unfortunate at the same time, Jane. You might be married to a Baroque but you can never change your past."
Guinevere caught sight of the two mothers. Jane hid her bleeding hand as her daughter smiled at them. The redhead nested her head on her lover's shoulder, returning her focus to the music.
"Just like her mother, she has become an embarrassment." Mrs. Paxley continued her goading. "It's so pitiful to see her dancing with a dead man, and pregnant alas! Oh, so much talent and beautiful genes gone to waste."
"You know, Mrs. Paxley, if it weren't for the alliance, I wouldn't give a damn about combusting you alive. I know my daughter has been breaking the rules but no one should talk about her so badly around me."
"Then let's go to a Battlefield and release your ever-growing monstrosity for me before it consumes you whole, shall we?"
The Baroque Lady was undoubtedly willing to accept her challenge. "We shall then."
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"What if I was a prince..." Granger blurted out as they continued to dance around the middle of the room, despite being one of the only three couples who've not retire yet.
"If you were a prince?" Guinevere responded, unable to get his point.
"...would you love me more?" He continued.
"It depends. Why would you wonder that?"
"It just came to me."
"Huh. You figured things would've been easy had you been a prince?"
He nodded. "Yep."
"Stop being insecure. It's bad for our relationship." She huffed, making him smile. Why was he smiling like that? She thought. He looks crazy. "But when will you leave? Will it be tomorrow?"
"I need to go back as soon as I can, so I should leave at midnight."
She winced, realizing how little time she has with him. "I'm already missing you." She moaned, pressing against him tightly.
"I am too." Granger admits, perching his chin on top of her head. "Let's just hope there'll be no mission for me yet so I can spend more time together."
"Be safe, okay?" She mumbled, and much to his surprise, her forest green eyes were brimming with tears. "And don't starve, and don't get too dehydrated and-"
"Sssh, I will." He purred and she felt at peace with him at the moment. She felt like they were the only ones in the room and nothing else mattered.
The music stopped. Everyone said their goodbyes to Guinevere. Some who weren't able to greet her earlier had the opportunity to do so at last, and she was glad for almost everyone came to her birthday party for her, not just for the party itself. Well, almost everyone. Mrs. Paxley must have left without a reminder as soon as she smiled at her. Lest that would be strange if that really were the reason.
Granger noticed how close she was to him which made him worry. "You should keep your distance. The baby might not be able to breathe."
Guinevere blinked at him in utter disbelief. She exploded into laughter, making a few people remaining look at her oddly.
There weren't guests anymore for it was an hour away from midnight. Everybody had either left or were just leaving. The ballroom was now only occupied by household staff who were assigned to clean the aftermath of the party.
"Please tell me you're joking!" Guinevere chortled.
The Death Chanter rolled his eyes. "I'm serious, Gwen."
"Oh, really?" She was grinning goofily and he smiled. His smile makes him ten times heart-throbbing than he already is. "Now, now. Don't worry. Our baby is safe. Like you said, she's as strong as her mother- oh, God." Feeling the substance climbing up from her stomach, she cuts herself off and pressed her palm against her mouth.
"You okay?" Granger worried.
"Geez, I think our baby doesn't like it when we're being too lovey-dovey. Can you walk me to the bathroom?"
Granger nodded. They went to the nearest comfort room. The ballroom was located in the separated building where the servants' quarters were located at, especially the Room of Paintings.
The comfort room was in a hall smaller than the rest in the Palace. It led to the lower kitchen where kitchen staff worked. A few maids coming from the kitchen curtsied to the Lady and Guinevere politely greeted in return.
"This place feels familiar." Granger said after Guinevere came out of the bathroom.
"It is. This was the building where the Room of Paintings is at, the place we hid from Lancelot when we were still kids, remember?" She replied.
"I remember it clearly, every one second of that night."
"I do as well. That night was all too special for me to forget so easily. It was the night I met a very interesting boy who I thought would be my soulmate."
"Soulmate?" Granger snorted. "You sound like you read too much fairy tales."
"I wonder where he might be now." Guinevere continued as if she didn't hear him.
He can't with her pretend stupidity. "Okay, what are you up to?"
"He was so cheerful and cute and smiley and adventurous. Oh, how I miss him so!" She sang, dreamily.
"Are you talking about Gusion?"
She shook her head, making him more confused he could spontaneously combust from trying to figure out who it was.
Then it hit him like a rock.
"That boy with the doe brown eyes and crooked teeth..."
Granger had doe brown eyes and crooked teeth as a child.
"Who prefers to wear dirty, ugly tunics rather than suits... And who also laughed at me mercilessly for crying and being splashed by swans..."
This was going to be one long night. Granger let her keep talking and leaned against the opposite wall with both arms crossed. As he watched her wailing for the boy she met ages ago like an amnesiac, the corner of his lips unconsciously curved once he espied her gripping her chest.
He admits he was one lucky guy to have owned her heart. She had one bodacious body which could even make the monster out of the most chivalrous man.
Although as unbelievably as it sounds, he would still love her still if she was averagely attractive, even if she wasn't born into royalty.
Because he loved Guinevere not mostly for her looks, but mostly for what she is on the inside. She was a strong-willed woman of class who was different from the other girls her social status.
Most daughters of nobles wouldn't hesitate to marry someone for the sake of alliance and lineage. Guinevere never hesitated, though, for she had always been certain she never wanted to have the same fate.
Guinevere became silent the second she noticed where his eyes were at. Seeing she was smirking, Granger blinked back to reality and straightened his knees.
"The next time we'll see each other will take an agonizing eternity, Granger." She said, her voice sounding submissive than usual.
He glanced at both ends of the hall securely as she stepped closer, snaking her hands around his neck. He lets himself be pulled down into a burning kiss once he finalized they were completely alone, having only the moon from the window and themselves in sight.
"Let's go to my room. I can't control it anymore." Guinevere whispered, biting his lower lip. She breathed heavily and all he could smell was the strawberry shortcake she ate whole earlier.
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Brace yourselves, my beloved children.