***
Marissa Braun
One week later...
"Rissa, if the Crown Prince does anything weird towards you that you don't like just kick him in the nuts." Lattie advised.
"Don't be afraid to say No to him. He is just a human being just like us." she added.
"Yes Mother, I will do as you say." I replied sarcastically as I rolled my eyes.
Lattie has been on edge since the day she found out that I was going to meet the Crown Prince. She acted as though I was going to the war front to fight for the empire. Even though I reassured her that I was safe and I listened to her bad nightmare promising her that nothing of such sort would happen she still was edgy.
***
"Lattie? What's wrong?" I asked her as we sat in the library.
"Nothing." She answered with a smile.
"Really?" I asked her.
"Yes of course." She responded.
"Then why are your writing WHAT IS THE CROWN PRINCE'S STORY AND WHAT DOES HE WANT FROM RISSA?" I asked her as I emphasized the question she wrote down.
She closed her book and stared down avoiding my eyes at all costs.
"I had a dream as a child." she spoke after a few moments of contemplating.
"What was you dream about?" I asked.
"The Crown Prince died and I was somehow blamed for it." she answered so fast that I couldn't properly hear what she said.
"What?" I asked her confused
"Something bad happened to him and I don't want it to affect you." she answered sighing.
"It won't affect me. After all, we don't know why he wants to see me." I responded in an attempt to cheer her up.
"That's true." she responded.
"I just want you to always be happy and to forever be happy." She added leaning her head on my shoulder.
"I want the same for you." I replied hugging her shoulder.
***
"Take Jack with you. Thomas doesn't look like someone who would intervene if the Crown Prince did something bad." she spoke pushing Jack towards me.
"I'm okay, Lattie. So relax." I replied as I pushed Jack back towards her.
"I will be fine." I added as I pulled her into a hug.
"You should think reasonably and logically, okay?" she spoke.
"I will." I answered her.
"And don't just go there falling for him, okay?" she told me.
"I won't." I chuckled.
She was probably edgy and acting that way because she thought I would ignore her if I fell for him.6 I would never do such a thing ever. She's my best friend and we are like sisters. No, we are sisters.
"You are my best friend and no one will ever replace you." I tell her as I break the hug.
Her cheeks flushed cherry red as I said that.
"Oh my, look at how flustered you look." I teased her giggling.
"Why would you say such things!?!" She shrieks flustered.
I laughed at her and she pulled me into a hug yet again.
"Be safe okay?" She tells me.
"I'm not going to war Lattie." I informed her, as I hugged her tightly.
"See you later?" She lets out.
"Of course." I responded blowing her a kiss.
She smiled and waved as I got into the carriage. She stood there waving until she couldn't see the carriage anymore.
"Miss Marissa? May I ?" Thomas asks.
"Go ahead Thomas." I answered.
"Do you think the same way Miss Latrice does?" He asked me.
I chuckled as I stared at him. Lattie really knows how to hurt the knights hearts with her words.
Thomas looked sad yet he still looked professional.
"Thomas? Do you think you would be my Knight if I thought the same way as Latie did?" I asked him.
"No." he answered shaking his head.
He is such a big baby. He is like a big dog who got told 'bad dog'.
"You are my Knight, regardless of what happens you will always be my Knight, Even if I die today." I told him honestly.
I meant every word I had said to him. Thomas is like a big brother to me. He is my protector and my Knight. He is also the only other male that I can stand.
"What Lattie said was only because she's anxious. She has been anxious for a long time now, so don't take what she said today seriously, okay?" I added.
"I'll do my best." he said nodding his head.
"I'm counting on you." I said smiling.
We sat in silence as we rode to the Capital.
I wonder what the Crown Prince is like. Does he have blond hair like every Prince Charming has and are his eyes as blue as the ocean? Would I fall for him immediately or would I be scared of him?
"His Highness is a nice person." Thomas spoke, snapping me out of my thoughts with his words.
"Have you met him?" I asked Thomas.
"Yes." he answered
"How does he look? Is he really handsome?" I ask him.
"Do you want me to describe his appearance for you, Miss Marissa?" He asked me.
"Please." I answered grinning.
"His hair is white as snow, His eyes are as golden brown as your hair Miss, he has a beauty mark on his neck and he is as tall as Jack." he tells me.
"And to answer your question, all the ladies in the Capital say he is very handsome." he adds.
White hair and eyes as golden brown as my hair? I can't wait to see him. He might just be my prince charming the man that I've been waiting for...
"What is he like?" I asked excitedly.
"He is a very warm yet stern person. He is very sociable and friendly." he answered.
Is this what they mean when they say that being favoured by heaven is like finding gold mines in every mountain you search? The Gods must have heard me when I asked them for a handsome partner.
"Miss Marissa, we have arrived." Thomas said.
I hadn't noticed that the carriage had stopped. My heart started pounding as I realized the severity of today's meeting. Today's meeting was to be our first and I...I have to impress him. No, I MUST LEAVE A GOOD IMPRESSION ON HIM!
I got out of the carriage and there stood a handsome man with white hair and golden brown eyes just as Thomas had described. His face gave out a warm blissful air.
"Are you okay?" Thomas asked as he handed me his handkerchief.
"What?" I said confused as I smiled.
"Miss Marissa, please don't smile. The blood is going into your mouth." he whispered.
I touched my lips with my fingers as a way of confirmation and I saw BLOOD! I was bleeding!
I stared at my hand shocked as I looked up to see a concerned Crown Prince walking up to us. God no! He must walk away not towards me.
"Are you okay Marissa?" He asked me.
His voice was like a warm cup of hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies. I smiled and his eyes grew bigger.
"Call the royal doctor!" He shouted as he placed the handkerchief on my nose.
Wow! I got a nosebleed from his handsome face. I close my eyes as I feel my cheeks burning from embarrassment.
"I apologize for what happened, Your Highness, the Crown Prince." I spoke as I attempted to bury my face into the imaginary wall in front of us.
"Let's first get you treated, okay?" He let out.
It felt like a billion butterflies were giving birth in my stomach. He is so nice and sweet.
The Crown Prince picked me up and took me to a room in the castle. Once he had sat me down, the royal doctor entered. He checked my nose before leaving.
"It was just a normal nosebleed," the doctor said as he smiled at me.
Yep! It was not a normal nosebleed. It's official! I have made a fool out of myself.
"Are you sure?" The crown prince asked.
"I'm one hundred percent sure of this, Your Highness." he said.
"I shall take my leave now, take care," he added before leaving.
I hope someone throws me into the dragon's den because today was just embarrassing. I sure did leave an impression on him. One neither he nor I would ever forget.
Thomas went outside of the room as if he knew the conversation was one I didn't want him to hear.
"I'm really sorry, Your Highness." I let out as I stared at my hands.
"It's okay, no one would have seen it coming." he replied smiling.
"But still, I apologize." I told him as I buried my face in my hands.
"It is really okay." he told me patting my head.
"Thank you for understanding." I let out with my face still buried in my hands.
"Can you please remove your hands from your face?" He asked.
I hesitated a little embarrassed and afraid that I might just get another nosebleed but I slowly remove my hands and look up at him.
"It really is you." he said smiling as he looked at me.
He then gave me a hug which confused me tremendously.