“Your Highness, Your Highness?” By the time he turned his head, Eran couldn’t help but loosen his hold from his chin while looking from the window to narrow his eyes on the servant that disturbed his reverie.
“I-I apologize Y-Your H-Highness, however, you should s-see this…” The butler handed him a letter and Eran looked at the tray the butler is handing him. When he saw the seal, his eyes sparkled for some unknown reason, and the irritation that he felt earlier vanished just seeing who sent him a letter.
“You should consider yourself lucky this time, now get out of my sight,” after saying those words with such a calm but terrifying tone, the butler immediately bowed and run for his life never minding to properly close the door.
Upon seeing that no one else was in his room, Eran, for the first time, smelled someone’s letter. For the whole time he was born, he didn’t even give anyone’s letter some special attention just like what he’s currently doing now.
Afterward, Eran didn’t even realize that he was smiling. For whatever reason, he should be interested in Lady Rena, the one who gave her the handkerchief years ago without knowing who he was.
However, that interest seemed to fade away since Celia appeared that night. She appeared like a lady pirate who had stolen his heart from where it should belong and now, he wanted to seek her to make his heart be with the one he truly likes.
He was supposed to go in that room together with the lady to hypnotize her about breaking their unofficial engagement.
Now, he didn’t even have to do it however, his interest in the lady’s change of heart grew on him. Before he even realize it himself, he had already been looking at the letter’s sender with such soft gazes.
“You are indeed unpredictable, Lady Celia…” After whispering those words, he smelled the name and unmistakably licking it already.
“From now on, you are already mine…”
Little did Celia know that saying those words that night as if she wasn’t terrified of the Crown prince, made her more of a target to him.
Eran doesn’t know why he suddenly had a change of heart. Was it because he doesn’t want to lose someone who had invested their time and effort in him? Or was it because of the new lady’s attitude?
Either way, Eran knew that Celia would be his property and by the time he knew why he had that feeling, he would just discard the lady as if everything never happened. Yes, that’s it, he would surely do that.
He is certain that he was right, but then what if he’s wrong again?
He can’t overlook that possibility but right now, he will stick to his instincts more rather than what he knew from the past.
Then he rang his bell signifying for a messenger.
“I have a special task for you.”
***
“Nether, be good today, okay?” Celia was patting her little brother’s head once more. They were in her room. Before Nether came in, Celia was drafting the things that have gone on for the past few days and she was analyzing her next move, however, when she heard the knocks, she knew it was already her brother.
They have their little codes and one of those was the knocks. Celia closed her book and went to the couch. As Nether opened the door, he saw his sister reading a novel book. A romance book that made the little boy blush.
It’s because knowing that his sister likes to read these kinds of books, he did the same thing only to find out the adult theme in there. That’s why he knew how to hug, kiss, and even how to make someone have a child.
However, he knew that he can’t do that for now, but in the future when he grew up, he will do those things with his sister, he promised himself.
As Nether snuggled into his sister’s hug, he couldn’t help but feel the warmth. He wanted to stay a little bit longer, and that longer would be in days. He just wanted his sister to put her attention to him and him alone and not anything else.
Because he knew that he love his sister very much that he wanted her to look only to him and love him as much as he loves her.
However, their moment was broken by a sudden knock. Celia needed to answer the call but then Nether pouted as he grabbed Celia’s hand that’s why the young lady only chuckled and ushered a word.
“Come in”
The moment a servant came, the butler immediately gave a letter to the lady. Nether, on the other hand, was glaring at the butler which made the servant shiver as if he was going to stumble on his own. Celia, upon seeing the butler's expression asked the servant.
But then when the servant answered stutteringly, he looked at the young master that is not glaring at him anymore. Instead, he is glaring at the letter he was holding.
“If you feel unwell then you should take some rest for today,” Celia’s sweet tone and words made the servant blush and immediately nodded but when he looked at the young master, he immediately averted his gaze and run for his life away from the room.
“Sister, what is that?” Nether asked in his usual sweet tone of voice but deep inside, he is already controlling his anger even though the letter was already in his sister’s hand.
Celia laughed at Nether’s question but on Nether, it was such a sweet melody to hear.
“This is a letter from his highness, the crown prince, Nether. I guess today he will visit our household. So, be a good boy, okay?” Celia patted his head while Nether couldn’t help his eyes to widen
“The crown prince you say, sister?” Nether asked once more and this time, he couldn’t help gripping the edges of the couch’s clothing. Nether knew that his sister is into the crown prince when she was still young. But this? The two of them will meet again? He couldn’t allow that
“We will talk about annulling our engagement with him today, Nether. So, wish me luck once more…” Celia whispered to her little brother’s ears and before that. Nether’s heart skipped a beat.
Celia’s sweet harmonious voice complimenting her beauty as well as her scent made Nether’s heart unbearable for that split second.
If only Celia knew how happy he was to admit that she will break her engagement with the crown prince made him want to jump in front of her or even kiss her.
He doesn’t even care if Celia is his sister as long as the two of them would remain together then that is what matters the most.
“Sister, I wish you the best of luck, so come here please?” Nether said with his sweet tone that made Celia smile.
When Celia’s face is already near Nether, the young boy’s hands went to caress his sister’s cheeks for a second while he looked at her. Then he suddenly kissed her on the cheeks.
“That’s my special charm, sister. Don’t lose right, okay?” Nether said in a cute tone that made Celia pat his head again.
“Well, if my little brother says so, then I will do everything, anything he wants,” Celia said not minding the words she said would be the cause of something greater to happen in the future.
“You want to do everything I want, sister?”
“Of course, if it’s for my little brother’s sake then I will do anything you want”
“Then I guess that’s a promise, pinky swear it to me, sister!” Celia wasn’t shocked since she knew Jacob and Nether are already friends with the pinky swear.
“I swear, little brother”
“Then in the future, if I want something you have to give it to me no matter what happens, okay? If you break your promise, there will be heavy punishment for you, sister, remember that…” Celia laughed it off but in Nether’s last sentence, he knew he wasn’t kidding.
As they joined their fingers together, Nether was already grinning at his sister.
In his thought, she will always belong to him and him alone.
“Don’t forget that sister…”
***
“Greetings, your highness…” As soon as Celia went to the garden of their household, Eran was sitting in the center while taking his tea looking around like a magnificent imperial member could be.
Celia looked at the crown prince and couldn’t help but be amazed. He had this long chestnut hair that sways as the wind gently caressed his figure. Though beside him was his imperial knight. Celia, gulped as she blinked her eyes a few more times and sighed.
She had already had enough of daydreaming for the day and so, she will come up with her goals together with the crown prince, and for him to agree, she would present her ultimate plan.
“I greet thee, Lady Celia,” Eran spoke in a calm and lovely manner that is different from his usual voice even the voice that he had uttered in front of her that night.
Celia’s eyes couldn’t help but narrow but instead of immediately saying the words, she takes time for the silence as she sat across the crown prince.
“Now, I would like to propose a deal---” the two of them said those words that Eran only chuckle.
Seeing the lady serious and not even hugging him or wanting to kiss him made him curious about the sudden change. That wasn’t all because his interest in her grew a bit more after seeing her in that elegant green dress.
As the sun’s rays are penetrating them, he still managed to smile despite that he wanted just to be the two of them.
“Lady’s first,” Eran said with a smile. The first time in the day that Celia thought his smile wasn’t fake that it was indeed genuine.
“Then your Highness, in exchange for annulling my engagement with you, I would like to propose a plan for you and Lady Rena,” upon hearing the serious voice of Celia, Eran’s smile faded along with the name he heard from her mouth.
It took some time to make Eran lean in over the table while putting both of his hands tightly on the clothing
“What am I to say that I don’t like it”
“Your Highness, I can change my proposal---”
“No, Lady Celia, you are wrong,” Eran paused for a moment as he leaned in closer to Celia until he is already inches away from her face.
“What I’m trying to say is that I reject annulling my engagement to you. From now on, you’ll be my fiancé officially after your 18th birthday, Lady Celia. No, it would be proper to say, my future fiancé…”
