Chapter 50
After the parade everyone was in turmoil seeing how far the Grand Duke would go for his one and only daughter.
The parade made everyone even more weary of the Viosta's powers. Leon made sure they will remember how powerful the house Viosta is.
The parade ended with Leonna being the center of attention.
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JUST LIKE what they agreed earlier Leonna went to the Emperor's palace garden to meet up with Prince Jaljiz.
"Why am I even here? I must have been out of my mind." Leonna mumbled to herself, confused at why her feet took her to the garden.
Curiosity? Yes. Leonna was merely Curious as to why the young prince want to talk to her. Or so she forced herself to believe it was only curiosity.
When she reached the fountain at the center of the garden she saw Prince Jaljiz standing there like a true prince he is.
His silver hair, shined through the darkest of night, his eyes sparkle in happiness as soon as he saw Leonna.
"You came." He said through his smile.
"Y-yeah?" Leonna answered, even she was confused why she came.
"Come here, I'll show you something." Jaljiz stated, he extended his hands to Leonna and Leonna without thinking grabbed it.
Seeing how Leonna took his hand Jaljiz was rather overjoyed but decided not to show it.
"Do you trust me?" Jaljiz asked.
"No." Leonna answered pretty quickly.
"Do you trust me?" Jaljiz asked again.
"No." Leonna was firm on her answer.
"Do you trust me?" Jaljiz asked once more but this time his voice was soft and his eyes was determined.
[Arent you just forcing me to say yes?] Leonna thought.
Leonna sigh in defeat. "Maybe?." She answered.
Jaljiz chuckled, "It always take me multiple times to get you."
Leonna was about to say something when suddenly Jaljiz pulled her towards him and scoop her in one arm.
"What are you doing?!" Leonna asked in shock, aside from her father no one really carried her before.
Jaljiz smirk, and on his one hand is Leonna, and his other hand was pointed directly at the ground then a magic circle appeared on Jaljiz's hand.
"Hold on tight." Jaljiz said to Leonna.
"W-what? W-why?" Leonna asked in a panic but before she could even comprehend what was happening a sudden force of water blasted through the ground from Jaljiz's hand.
Just like the law of nature said, every action has its opposite reaction.
Because of the force of water to the ground, the two of them was push upward to the sky.
Leonna squealed in shock as she hold onto Jaljiz's neck for dear life.
"Prince Jaljiz!" Leonna screamed in anger when she saw how high up they were in the sky.
"Go back!" Leonna yelled at Prince Jaljiz.
"What was that? Higher?" Jaljiz teased.
"No! Down! Go back down!" Leonna yelled through the gush of wind blowing through them.
"Higher it is!" Prince Jaljiz said which only made Leonna even more terrified.
Leonna just hugged Jaljiz's to the neck tighter knowing she couldn't do anything.
Jaljiz who felt Leonna's hugged tighter was beyond happy.
"Open your eyes, Leonna." Jaljiz whispered softly in her ears.
"No!" Leonna said refusing to even take a peek.
"You're gonna missed the most amazing view if you don't open your eyes." Jaljiz said trying to pursued Leonna.
[Now I'm curious at what kind if view is it that he's willing to risk our life for] Leonna thought.
So little by little she opened her eyes and when she saw what was in front of them, her heart stopped.
There she saw the big round moon in his full glory, surrounded by millions of sparkling stars.
It was breathtakingly beautiful.
Leonna was in awe seeing the moon and stars so up close.
She looked below and saw that they were so high that she could see clouds below them.
"Its beautiful." Leonna said staring at the moon. she felt at that moment that she could reach the moon and the star if she extended her arms.
"Yes. Yes she is." Jaljiz answered not staring at the moon but at Leonna who was in his arms.
Leonna seeing how intently the young Prince stared at her blushed. She put some of her hair that was being blown by the wind at the back of her ear trying to divert the attention away from the dazzling prince carrying her.
"Do you trust me?" Jaljiz asked.
"Yes." Leonna answered this time rather quickly. Jaljiz couldnt help but smile because this time it didn't take him three times for Leonna to say yes.
Prince Jaljiz then stopped his magic and the two of them fell from the sky hugging each other.
"AHHHHHH!!!!!" Leonna screamed as they fall from the sky.
-
"Shiloah, have you seen Jaljiz?" Kaleb asked one of Jaljiz's teammate.
"No. I was actually looking for him." She answered.
Kaleb nodded in response, he scanned the ballroom one more time and when he was sure that Jaljiz was no where to be found he became curious "where is he?" He asked himself.
"Where is that red haired girl?" Shiloah asked in an irritated manner tone of voice.
Kaleb didnt like that. "Watch your mouth lady Shiloah, that red hair girl you are talking about is the one and only daughter of Duke Viosta, surely by now you know what kind of power the Viosta family holds." Kaleb stated firmly he didnt even dare to hide his hostility toward Shiloah since she dare disrespect Leonna.
Shiloah was surprised at Kaleb's sudden change of attitude.
"I was insolent, forgive me." Shiloah said but the sincerity of her words were empty.
Kaleb didnt answer her instead he turned his back at her and left.
A sudden thought came to Kaleb
'But she's right, I dont see Leonna anywhere.....are they together?'
For some reason thinking they were together has put a sour taste in his mouth.
While in deep thought Kaleb found himself at the balcony of the hall.
And there he saw at the sky a silhouette of two people. 'What the?!' Kaleb was in shock seeing two people falling from the sky. He tried looking closely to see who it was but it was too dark to see clearly.
'Could it be?' Kaleb have his suspicion but he disregarded it. Thinking it was impossible.
But his conscience still urged him to go where that silhouette is falling.
So he ran as fast as he could out the palace to see.
-
"Where almost to the ground." Leonna stated looking down while the two of them are up side down falling.
"Yes?" Jaljiz just disregarded Leonna's concern instead he hugged her tighter as the wind pass through them.
As the ground kept getting closer Leonna was getting a little nervous.
[Should I use my power to catch us? But even if I did my crystals are too hard to fall on.]
"Lady Leonna." Jaljiz called for Leonna's attention.
Leonna stared at Jaljiz's calm face like there was nothing wrong, like they werent about to fall to their death!
But seeing Jaljiz's calm expression made Leonna a little calmer.
".....I trust you." Leonna whispered burying her face on Prince Jaljiz's chest.
Although Leonna whispered it, Prince Jaljiz heard it loud and clear.
Then they were only a few fet above the ground, Leonna closed her eyes and waited for what is supposed to happen next.
When she was preparing for impact, a body of water covered them both and safely landing them back to the ground.
When they got back to the ground Leonna was speechless. She could not believe what had happened or if it truly did happen.
"Well? Did you like the View my lady?" Jaljiz asked.
Leonna paused for a while, she cant deny thay the view was beyond beautiful.
"Why? Why did you do that?" Instead of answering, Leonna asked Jaljiz why he did that.
Jaljiz shrugged his shoulder, "I want to show you my most beautiful place where no one could ever go."
"But why me?" Leonna asked in confusion she did not know the meaning behind the prince's actions.
"Someday you'll know why, but for now think of it as my apology for my rudeness when we first met."
Leonna was even more confuse at Jaljiz's action.
"...and this is my gift to you, for your debut." Jaljiz continued giving Leonna a tanzanite stone in a shape of a rose!
Leonna didnt even know where he grab that rose.
"This looks expensive, why are you giving me this?"
Jaljiz chuckled at Leonna's remark.
"It is expensive its the only one in the world." Jaljiz stated.
Hearing this Leonna was about to give the rose back but the Prince was too quick, he took the rose and quickly putted it on Leonna's hair, basically making it a hair accessory.
"Please, accept my gift. Dont you know refusing a gift from an imperial is considered disrespectful?" Jaljiz said, it was not a threat for his voice was calm and warm it was sinply a persuasion for Leonna to accept his gift.
"T-thank you." Leonna could only accept his precious gift not wanting him to feel disrespected. Specially after letting her see one of the most beautiful view in the world.
Jaljiz smiled seeing Leonna accept his gift, he cough a few times to regain his composure.
"I also brought you boxes of different kinds of cookies from my kingdom, I hope you like it." Jaljiz said trying to lighten up the mood.
And it looks like it works since Leonna's eyes lighten up at the thought of food.
"Shall we go back to the dining hall to eat those cookies?" Jaljiz asked.
"Yes!" Leonna answered excitedly knowing she'll get to taste sweets from different kingdom.
The atmosphere was soft and mellow between the two, if outsider look at them they would have thought that theyre not participating at the tournament seeing how at ease their atmosphere is with each other.
On their way to the dining hall, they saw Prince Kaleb running.
"Prince Kaleb?"
"Kaleb?"
Both Leonna and Prince Jaljiz looked at him worriedly seeing how sweaty he is and how he was huffing and puffing air like he's being chased by something.
"Are you ok, Kaleb?" Jaljiz asked with furrowed eyebrow.
Kaleb seeing them together stiffen. Leonna seeing his reaction gave this confused look.
"Prince Kaleb? Are you ok?" Leonna asked.
"A-h ah. Yes! Ahm I was actually looking for Prince Jaljiz because the tournament is about to start and all the participants are called to go to the South forest." Kaleb explained, he deliberatrly said that he was only looking for Jaljiz because he doesn't want Leonna to know that he has suspicion that they were together.
Although the participants weren't really called to the south just yet, its not exactly a lie since the announcer has given the participants to do as they like as long as they show up at the south forest bwfore midnight strike.
[So we'll just be arriving earlier than other participants.] Kaleb thought justifying his excused.
"Oh. Ok, Let's all go together." Jaljiz answered both Leonna and Kaleb nodded in response.
So the three of them made their way outside the palace.
Kaleb called one of his knights to bring his carriage.
"Lady Leonna, would you like to ride the carriage with us?" Kaleb asked in a soft calm voice.
"Ah n-no. My dad prepared my own carriage." Leonna answered.
Kaleb nodded in response. Then he softly grab Leonna's hand and kissed the top of her palm.
"Then see you at the south forest, lady Leonna."
Leonna blushed in embarrassment as she awkwardly pulled her hand away.
On her peripheral vision she could see and even feel the ominous aura from Prince Jaljiz.
"Yes, safe travel." Leonna answered plainly.
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[End of Chapter]