[Past Life]
When we were young, Prince Erik would come to my home nearly everyday to entertain me. Rather, I am going out of my way to entertain him. As if to prove his superiority, he often goes out of his way to challenge me in such things like music or painting. The Prince was not bad at really anything. It was just that he was not particularly better than me.
Still, to try everything just to beat your future wife in at least one thing...There is a level of pettiness one should reach before getting tired of it, yet it seems that Prince Erik is nowhere near that threshold.
I heard of him going to study abroad, so that may be why he is cramming in so much time with me before he leaves. I thought I would take a rest under my favorite tree.
"Milady is quite dull..."
I never thought that I would be caught in between the maids' gossiping and about me no less.
"What do you mean by that?"
"His Highness always spouts out mean words at her, but she doesn't even bat an eyelash!"
Everything Prince Erik says is opposite to his feelings, so I do not really need to respond much.
"Does that make her dull?"
"I would have cried or had at least some sort of reaction. She just takes in everything. Come to think of it, none of us have really seen her smile before."
"That would be impossible, right?"
"...I have never seen her smile either."
"She is a thoroughly trained young lady. It cannot be helped that she is excellent in whatever she does."
"It is still a bit unsettling how perfect she is. It's not like she is even human..."
Their words dug deep into my heart. I could not deny a single thing. It was all true.
"What a scary child..."
I could only curl up in one spot.
I am a dull and boring person. Am I really human?
"Arielle..." His Highness had called my name for the very first time.
I felt a burden come off of my chest when he said my name.
"...Ah, yes?"
"What's wrong?"
"You called me by my name..."
"Your name is Arielle, right?"
"Yes, I just thought that you would not use my name."
"That would be a bit strange if I were continuing down that road considering that you are my fiancée."
"You still consider me as your fiancée?"
"...I don't exactly hate you anymore, so there is no reason for us to break it off."
"I am a dull, cold, and boring person...I think that is enough for you to call it off."
"You may be a bit dull and cold sometimes," he said as he pulled me up by my hand, "but you are definitely not boring, Arielle."
I feel happy when I am with him. If only this feeling could last forever...
After that last meeting, Prince Erik and I were separated for a few years due to him going abroad for his studies. Even so, he never forgot to write to me once every while.
In his simple letters, he would ask me about my day or if I am eating well. Compared to him in person, he sounded rather sweet in his letters.
I really do not understand this person...The person I even less understand is myself. I developed a sense of longing for this person during his absence. Not seeing his face for such a long time made me lonely.
On my birthdays, he would never fail to send me a present. He would never take refusal as an answer. Such a strange person finds hobbies in buying women stuff as presents. I had told him that I disliked expensive things and that if he wanted something to give me it should have some meaning. This was partly due to me being slightly selfish and partly teasing because he seemed rather easy to tease.
He would make my wishes come true by sending me small trinkets that might appear worthless to someone else but are meaningful to me and also wrote me thoughtful poems as I requested.
In a way, I felt like I was training my husband to be. I felt slightly guilty but got over it rather quickly because he made everything too easy to the point that it was a bit worrying.
I tried even harder towards my studies as well as training my body and being careful not to be too lean and tan during training. It is all so that I can be the perfect lady to him.
I thought I would touch up on myself on the day of his coming of age ceremony. My hair was partly braided and done up prettily. I also put thought into my dress and decided to go with a more simple and mature look. My body was going through some changes most commonly seen around my chest area. I needed more room to breathe. It was a good time to change my style anyways.
The coming of age ceremony was rather glamorous as ever most likely due to the fact that the Crown Prince had returned.
Even though people describe me as a cold woman, they could still tell I was happy to see His Highness again after so long.
I could not hold myself back from entering the Royal Garden of where we first met.
I had grown up several years after our first meeting. I was finally at the point of where I was proud of myself looks wise.
I was filled with rather high tension. To work it off, I began walking around in circles and playing with the ends of my hair. It was an improper sight...I just cannot hold my excitement in.
Maids passing by could not help but smile upon catching me in my anxious state.
How embarrassing...
"Arielle," a male's husky voice said.
It was a voice I could never mistake no matter how much it would change.
I turned my head to see a fully grown man with a domineering height and broad shoulders, beauty flaxen blonde hair, and eyes like emerald jewel. If it were not for him calling out to me, I would have never been able to tell that it was him.
"Your Highness..."
He suddenly approached me with long and deep strides.
"It is Prince Erik to you, right?"
His face suddenly got close to mine.
He is a bit too close...
"Welcome back, Prince Erik," I responded shyly.
"I'm back, Arielle," he said as he backed away slightly. "Did you miss me?"
How shameless of him...
"...Only enough as a fiancée should," I replied curtly.
"I see...I guess I will head back then if my dear fiancée does not miss me," he said as he started off towards the castle. "My fiancée is cold as ever."
I felt like crying. I wanted to be more honest and cute like the other ladies.
"Why don't you? Your Highness must be very tired as well," I said curtly.
He suddenly stopped and turned towards me.
"So, it would seem...It seems that I have other plans," he said with a mocking smile.
I followed his line of sight and saw that I was unknowingly clinging onto his sleeve. I tried to release my hand to no avail.
This is really embarrassing...
"Th-This is not what it looks like..."
"Hahahaha...I understand," he said as he placed his hand over mine. "I will stick with you for a little longer."
I finally felt my hand releasing.
We seated ourselves beside the fountain of where we first met. This time he was holding onto my hand firmly. Rather than calming down from earlier, I only felt my heart beating crazily faster.
"Prince Erik..."
"This is where we first met, Arielle."
"Yes..."
"I want to apologize for what I said the day we met. I only said those things because I was tired of my duties as a successor to the throne. Having everything decided to me was annoying. I thought that if I at least denied you, I would be rebelling just a little bit. As I got to know you, I started to understand that it was impossible to ignore you."
D-Does that mean he...
No, calm down my heart...
"I see...For me, I thought of our engagement as a sense of duty, that it might have been the same for you and that we would be able to understand each other even if everyone else could not."
I soon felt his hands run through my hair.
His face was so close to me that I could see myself reflected in his eyes.
"I would hate being engaged to someone I do not know, unless that person is you. There does not go one day where I did not think about you. I have missed you..."
...When did this person become so smooth with his words?
"Me as well..."
I closed my eyes as we felt the contact of each other's lips.
We had separated, but he had brought me back to a stronger and longer kiss.
It feels good...or not!
"Mmm...Wait, we mustn't do this before marriage," I said as I pushed on his chest.
I felt his arms circle around my waist.
"Do what? We are just acting friendly."
More than before, my fiancé has become an even bigger handful.
Will I be alright like this?