Year 2920

-

“Good morning, Your Highness.”

I greeted with a smile and Prince Edmund returned the greeting while offering me a seat. Once I sat, we began to make small talk.

“How is the Duke?”

“His Grace is well and busy. I assume His Majesty assigned him with a new project because he’s been lodged in his office. On that note, how is His Majesty?”

“Royal father is as healthy as ever. He seems to be interested in something as of late.”

And like that, our idle discussion continued. Prince Edmund and I were engaged so naturally, we had to meet up from time to time to ‘nurture’ our affection. It didn’t matter if neither of us were interested.

“How is the training?” the conversation moved to my Queen’s training which I’d been made to do since we got engaged.

I knew he wasn’t actually curious and was just asking to be polite, so I replied appropriately, “It is alright. Marchioness Gwendoline is a lovely teacher.”

“Ah, I see,” he nodded and took a sip of his tea.

Most of our conversations went like this. I wasn’t putting much effort to keep it going so it never went far. I didn’t remember our conversations being so dull but considering I had rose colored lenses before, I couldn’t fully trust my memory.

“Would you like a walk in the garden?” Edmund suddenly offered.

“A change of pace would be nice,” I agreed and stood up.

As I walked behind the prince, I couldn’t help but chuckle under my breath.

‘Look at him acting like an adult.’

Then again, I suppose royalty never get to act like children.

The prince suddenly stopped and turned to me, “Is there something funny?” he had an inquisitive spark in his eye.

I was a little surprised then I remembered. He always had really good hearing. I was about to shake my head then I thought better of it.

“I recalled a bird that used to visit my room.”

The bird part was actually true. But it didn’t used to visit my room. It used to come to the prison window and make funny faces like it was mocking us.

“Oh? What’s funny about it?” Edmund asked and resumed walking.

“There was nothing funny per se,” I spoke dismissively, “It simply looked funny.”

“Huh. And what made you recall it?”

“You have a lot of questions today, Your Highness.”

“I’m simply curious about my fiancée.”

For some reason, those words brought me great amusement. I suddenly remembered how those words used to lift me to the skies. Whenever he called me his ‘fiancée’, I would be over the moon.

“I see,” I merely replied.

Prince Edmund stopped and gestured our entourage to step away. I raised a brow but said nothing.

He took my hand and led me a bit further ahead, to a distance they couldn’t overhear. Once we stopped walking, I took my hand back. He glanced at his now empty hand and looked at me.

“I hear you want to break our engagement.”

I smiled faintly, “You make it sound like you’re hearing about this for the first time.”

Prince Edmund chuckled, “I thought you were joking.”

“No,” I looked straight into his eyes, “No, you didn’t.”

The smile faded from his face, “Can I ask why?”

“I’m curious, Your Highness. You’ve been acting like I was speaking another language for 2 years. Why’re you suddenly acknowledging it?”

When I said I’d flat out ask Edmund to break the engagement, I wasn’t joking. I did ask him quite a few times and each time, he acted like he didn’t understand.

“Lady Lydia, our engagement...”

I scoffed, “Don’t give me that trite nonsense about how it’s good for our kingdom.”

Prince Edmund sighed, “I don’t think I did anything but please let me know if have wronged you.”

I felt a pang of pain in my chest. I couldn’t stop the ridicule that leaked into my tone, “Wronged me?”

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t erase all my resentment for Prince Edmund. It had been years now and I knew the current Prince Edmund was relatively innocent. But little things still triggered the discomfort I let fester for years.

Prince Edmund seemed very surprised by my tone, “I uh…I’m sorry…?”

I shook my head, “No, I’m sorry too. That was uncalled for.”

The Prince sighed, “You won’t rethink it? I think we make good partners.”

I glanced at him, “Good partners?”

“Yeah. I mean, look at them giggling over there. They think we’re having a romantic escapade.”

I glanced at the maids who stood some distance away. They seemed excited watching us, “So you mean good pretenders?”

“Which noble doesn’t pretend?”

At that, I laughed. I had to agreed. “So, what I’m hearing is you’ve been pretending all this time.”

He shrugged, “You already know. What’s the use?”

“It’s nice to hear you admit it.”

He furrowed his brows, “Why?”

I shrugged, “Just cause. By the way, is this Queen Rowena’s handiwork?”

He flinched.

“Of course,” I clicked my tongue, “Why? Are people starting to notice I’m not interested in the engagement?”

“…She asked me to win you over,” he hesitantly replied.

“And you think you can?”

“Hm…” he stroked his chin in mock thought, “20% chance.”

I raised a brow, “Of success or failure?”

“Success.”

I shook my head, “20% is too high.”

He gasped, “That really stings, you know.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “So? What are you going to do?”

“Win you over.”

I rolled my eyes, “Mhm. What are you really going to do?”

“I was thinking of talking with royal father but I’m not too sure what you discussed with him, so I haven’t yet.”

“He said as long as you wanted the engagement off, it was possible.”

At those words, Prince Edmund froze.

“But you don’t want it off, do you?” I continued while glancing around, “Shall we continue walking? The sight has gotten stale.”

He silently nodded and followed my lead. After a while, he spoke up, “I need the engagement.”

“I know,” I replied nonchalantly.

“Why do not want the engagement?” he asked.

“You might think I’m silly, but I want love in my marriage,” I lied. I didn’t want to get married.

“Love?” he said in an odd tone, “We are still young, love can be cultivated.”

“Indeed, it can.”

“You agree?” he asked with surprise.

I nodded, “But do you like me, Prince Edmund?”

“…Yes.”

“You hesitated.”

He pursed his lips, “I had to think about it. But jokes aside, I do. Maybe not in the way you speak of, but you are more pleasing to be around than I’d like to admit, Lady Lydia.”

“But I do not like you.”

“The fact that you straight up tell a Prince that is just fascinating.”

“Would you rather I lie?”

“No. And I can tell you don’t like me. What I find odd, is that you didn’t like me from the beginning.”

I jolted slightly.

“Did I hit the nail on the head?” he smirked.

I tried my best to keep my expression placid.

“By the way, did I do actually something? Because I really don’t think I did.”

“No, you’re fine,” I shook my head. He hadn’t done anything. Yet. Then I added, “It’s not you.”

“Oh,” he paused for a moment. Then changed the subject, “Good then. And like I said, love can be cultivated.”

“You at least have to start from like to cultivate any so-called love.”

“Tsk,” he clicked his tongue.

I shook my head, “Besides, isn’t now the worst time to have this discussion?” he was heading to the royal academy soon and most student lived in the dorms. Or more appropriately suite rooms. So we wouldn’t see each other for a while and when we did see each other, it wouldn’t be for long. At least for the next 2 years.

“Eh, they say distance makes the heart grow fonder.”

“Right,” I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

“Do you still want to break our engagement?”

“Yes.”

“That was a fast reply.”

“What did you expect?”

“Well, we just had a rather pleasant discussion. I was hoping you thought it over.”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” I looked at the tall clocktower in the distance and took a step back to curtsy, “Well, it has been pleasant. Although I’d love to talk more, I need to go.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Well, how about you, Prince Edmund?”

He blinked, “What?”

“Do you want to break our engagement?”

“No,” he replied just as fast.

I gave a fake smile, “That’s disappointing. I do hope you change your mind.”

He returned the fake smile, “I hope you do too.”

I nodded at him and whipped around to leave. And as I walked away, I could feel Prince Edmund’s stare on my back.

‘What a piece of work.’