Yukie plucked the petals of Pink Peony as she is here at the Peony Flower Farm of the outskirts kingdom of Derora and Adkins, the kings are showing their territorial side.
She completely remembers this place cause her mom, Queen Kateleryn, when she was alive, owned this place, and she's the one who conduct a project to grow a peony and turn it into a flower field. The name of this place is undecided but they called it 'Peony Flower Farm' cause this border place grows only peonies.
This is a memorial for Queen Kateleryn and Adkins used to be on good terms with Derora not until her mother passed away.
A single tear rolled down her chubby pinkish cheeks, she sighed heavily, letting her drop. Yukie felt like the world was harsh on her the moment her mother failed to survive during the war between Derora and Angguis. Even Derora successfully wins the war, they lose a lot of important people, one of it was the wife of King Harry. Her hand clenched into a fist, knuckles turned into a pale white. Yukie doesn't forgive herself and cannot help but blame everything for her.
"How I wish I'd rather be dead, than you mama."
Yukie said with strangled sobs, arms, and shoulders are shaking, her heart was aching as she stabbed by trillions of broken shards of glass repeatedly.
Sophia's slap and King Harry's rather protect her younger sister than her are still lingering in her brain, realizing that she only used her if they are in danger.
The word "SACRIFICIAL PAWN" keeps imprinted on her head, but is she really worth it? To become a pawn? Is it selfish for the princess if she also yearns for her father's love and care? That's a must-have father, right? Protecting his children no matter what the cost and loving them too? So why does King Harry not express and give her care, love, and attention like a typical father does to their children?
Yukie kept watching the dark-pitched black sky filled with the millions of disorganizing stars that were glowing and twinkling in different colors of white, yellow, and blue that sprinkled behind the full moon which were light and delicate now looked ethereal aglow above.
She admires the celestial beauty of the evening sky which the young maiden end up having a stargazing while sitting on the small gazebo filled with beautiful peony flower fields.
A sudden chilly breeze that blows on her skin ends up Yukie shivering cold. She cursed under her breath for not bringing her coat as she was still wearing the dress earlier.
"What brings you here? It is the first time I've seen someone stay at this beautiful place and it's a woman."
A deep, honey-like husky voice was heard. Yukie instantly jolts in surprise and shrieks as the gentleman feels bad about her reaction. When Yukie craned her neck behind the voice of a man, her eyes were surprised at the husky tone that belonged person, he was dashingly handsome.
His square jawline, high cheekbones, brows like two-fat caterpillars, high forehead, Greek contour nose shape, and black orbs made Yukie attracted to his beauty even though he was wearing square-framed eyeglasses.
His coffee-brown trench coat covers his midnight blue top and his black pants with black casual genuine leather shoes give him an intelligent and charming look. Yukie's mouth was left agape which the gentleman chuckled, he found her adorable as the young man sat behind her while watching the sky.
"Am I really that handsome for you, Mi Dama Hermosa?" she knows exactly what that foreign language means.
Her face turned into a scarlet red color about his unexpected compliment even they just only met today. Yukie is blushing in a mess as the scarlet color on her face is still there, making her blood flow more.
"Lies mister, I am not a beautiful lady as you said."
Yukie said in a bitter tone since she thought that he was just fooling her with this charming man.
"You think I am lying? If I compliment someone, means it's the truth. For me, you are beautiful in my eyes."
The gentleman said with a sincere tone and his face softened, giving her a genuine smile that made him look so alluring.
Her crush on Prince Viktor is nothing compared to this handsome stranger she met at the Peony Flower Farm.
"I am sorry for not believing you, mister. But it's my first time to hear a genuine compliment and it came from a stranger so thank you so much. I am glad you saw me as a beautiful lady."
Little did Yukie know, this gentleman completely caught him off guard among all of the women he met before, her natural beauty and sweetness made his heart race. This gentleman knows he just met her but why does it make his heart skip a beat when she thanked him even his comments are genuine?
"Sorry Dama Hermosa for asking you but what are you doing here at this late evening? Aren't ladies supposed to stay at home and sleep?
The night is dangerous here." He said in a concerned voice as he was deeply worried that something would happen to her.
"I visit here at the place when my I am sad and depress, mister. Like today, I cannot handle the pain anymore emotionally and this place is a monument for my late mother. This is my comfort and safe place."
The gentleman's reaction was surprise, he completely knew who this woman was. And that makes him more curious and worried about her since he finds her an interesting one.
And Yukie thought no one would know her since she is an unrecognized princess. Little did Yukie know, that this man already figured out who she was when she mentioned her mother, but the man rather acted innocent since he sensed that she was depressed.
"Miss, I am not good at giving bits of advice, but whatever happens to you, the pain and brokenness you feel right will be temporary. Everything is going to be okay."
From sadness to surprise, Yukie did not expect that someone would give her a piece of advice and she couldn't help but stare at him, which made the young man can't handle the feeling as his heart sprinted.
"Me too, miss, I also have a problem and I hate people sometimes. But what can we do? We cannot please them, even if we do good things, they'll still talk behind our backs and hurt us. But I know it won't last longer, this could serve me as a lesson too."
"I can relate to this topic too, mister. And my family didn't even treat me as their blood family. My mother, who is the closest one, passed away when I was thirteen, and because of that, my father didn't treat me as his biological daughter and diverted his attention to my younger sister."
Yukie can't help but cry, letting herself be in an emotional mode. She doesn't know why but she felt safe with this gentleman and the man is hurt seeing her crying, he took off his trench coat.
Knowing that she was shivering cold and covered her while he gave her a maroon handkerchief with a stench of fresh smell citrus musk and Yukie thanked him while wiping her tears.
Peony Flower Farm's place rumored that there might be an enchanted feeling happening here and maybe, Yukie and this handsome stranger would experience this as they felt something strong magnetism that made them pull closer, as if fate let them encounter and tied together.
Even though they just met today, both of them feel safe and secure, with no judgments, no destructive criticisms and they're slowly open with each other.
"Thank you, mister, for everything."
Yukie said with a smile while she was crying. The negative feelings she kept bottled up ended up bursting and she felt secure when the weight feelings inside of her heart slowly faded and the young man was glad because of her expression.
Now he knew completely that it was HER, since he was digging an information about this lady, he was completely surprised that he'd met her unexpectedly at this place, since his main reason was to stargaze while he was stressed at his personal life. What he finds surprising is that she is Yukie Mae Assfrior, the unrecognized princess and daughter of King Harry Von Assfrior.
**************
The gentleman insists that he should escort her but Yukie strongly declines him. But this gentleman is a persistent type however he only does that cause he is genuinely worried for Yukie. They're now at the Derora while taking a walk until they'll reach at the safe place.
They managed to reach the city, 500 meters away and Yukie managed to reach her palace.
They just stopped at the city with a waiting shed and a big street light lamp and the gentleman asked her again.
"Are you sure that you'll be safe here, Dama Hermosa?"
"Mister I grew up here and I knew that this is the safe place. And thank you for escorting me even though I keep rejecting your offer millions of times."
The gentleman just chuckled at her response yet he is the type of man who won't give up so easily.
"I badly want to communicate with you more and get to know you deeper as friends. Maybe we'll see each other soon."
Yukie wants to but it is impossible since her days in Derora are on the limit and she'll be with King Alexander once they're married on Saturday Evening.
"I wasn't sure how to respond to that mister, but I do hope so. I felt safe when I'm with you."
Yukie said with a genuine smile as the gentleman was slowly attracted to her. She is a different woman and special, and he can't deny the fact.
"Oh, mister wait I forgot to bring back your coat and handkerchief." Yukie almost took off the coat he borrowed from her yet he stopped her as he touched her wrist and shook his head.
"Do not mind me miss. You're shivering cold when we're at the Peony Flower Farm. I'll give that to you as my gift. A monument. A remembrance."
Yukie suddenly felt butterflies in her belly even she knew that they wouldn't meet each other again.
"Thank you, mister. You are the sweetest man I've ever met."
As Yukie expressing her gratitude to the gentleman, someone called her, and she knows of whose voice belong is. Its Heine.
As the gentleman took his leave when he instantly turned around, the young man turned into a serious expression while walking until he reached the boundary of her kingdom and his.
"So she's the one whom I will marry on Saturday evening? She's better than Sophia Lynn for me."