"I'm sorry. I am very thankful for what you and your family did for me. You never let me feel small and I felt loved throughout my childhood even after my mother passed away. But please try to understand me. I am bound to my duties. This land was very dear to my father and I can't just give it away for some extra money."

I wished I could hold her at that moment. Cry in her lap like a sick child. Kiss her beautiful light brown hair that fell down to her waist like waterfalls. But I was held in chains. My whole life I had been held in chains, tormented by preposterous responsibilities as a noble. But for her, I was ready to abandon it all right here, right now. If she agreed, I would've been willing to live slowly in the grim woods with her.

I was seeing her after twelve years.

Twelve whole years that I spent sleepless, tormented, suffocated and paranoid but I still couldn't hold her. The crimes I had committed still weighed me down. I knew she would never forgive me for them but I had this masochistic urge in my head to get on my knees and apologize. Though, I knew I didn't deserve her forgiveness.

"Are you listening?" She looks at me, puzzled.

"Well then if you don't listen, I'd have to do everything in my power to snatch it away. You can either give it away or wait for the consequences. I have no other choice." I reply. Shit. Twelve years later and I was still nothing but a negative presence in her life. I wanted to hide away like I did as a child and never see her again. That would be the only good thing I could do for her.

"Very Well." She says with a monotonous voice. I had made her like this. Stole all the colours from her life. I was guilty and there was no redemption for me.

END OF PROLOGUE