Following the maid slowly, Hina felt like a horse being taken for slaughter. She could feel her heartbeat accelerating by the second as they passed by the gardens and deeper into the imperial darkness of a palace. The air was heavy. Was it always this hard to breathe?
Breathe, Hina, breathe, she warned herself as they walked further, reaching the quiet gardens.
"Do have a sit, my lady. The Crown Prince will be with you shortly" the maid informed her with a small bow as she walked away.
"Lady Hina, you're here" Kenzo waved at her as he walked into the garden. His highly causal attire she had never seen before made her appropriately surprised as she stood up to greet him.
"It's a pleasure, Your Highness" she curtseyed, and he gestured for her to sit down, uncomfortable by how formal she sounded while addressing him.
