Princess of the Silver Ocean - Chapter 68

Her tears began to make their way down her cheeks, and she sniffed, staring at the dying prince who she could save but also could not.

“I don’t even know how I activated my power before,” she hiccuped as she cried, “Please don’t leave me, prince Yashiro. I’m so sorry that I cannot do anything.”

She stared at the open door and screamed for help. Suddenly, Ai stepped in and ran to her.

“Big brother!” she shrieked, crouching next to him, “Nexi, do something! Use your power!”

“I-I can’t,” Astoria breathed out, “I want to, but I can’t-”

“My brother is about to die, and you are telling me you can’t?” Ai gasped, slamming her fist on the ground.

“I really want to-”

Astoria was interrupted as prince Yashiro coughed up blood, his face contorting in a grimace. She stared down at him with widened, cobalt eyes as he began to gasp for air as the world around him began to spin. He could hear his sister and bride arguing but could not make out what they were saying. He slowly and shakingly stretched out his hand, cupping Astoria’s cheek.

She placed her hands around his hand, holding it tightly. She felt her eyes burn with tears as Ai cried next to her. She felt hopeless and responsible for all of this. He was going to die because of her. Because she could not summon the Silver Ocean. Because she was weak in this world. Because the Dark Lord wanted her body and would kill anyone that would get in his way.

‘Wait a minute,’ she thought, looking up and biting her lip, ‘This dream feels familiar.’

“I love you,” the fox prince told her softly.

‘These words sound familiar too,’ she added, tilting her head to look at the fox prince.

Those were his final words as he lightly caressed her cheek. With that, his hand slowly fell to the ground. His body lay lifeless in her arms. This was what she was dreading the most. Feeling as though all the oxygen was knocked out of her body, the tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

She screamed in pure agony as her heart ached at the loss of the fox prince, who she could have saved had she known how to activate or summon the Silver Ocean. He was now gone forever, and it was all her fault.

‘This is that same nightmare!’ her eyes widened in realization.

She stared at Ai, who was crying beside her and fisting the ground continuously. She then brought her attention to the dead prince in her arms.

‘So he is the man whose face I could never decipher before?’ she gasped.

“Bring him back!” she heard Ai yell as the fox princess gripped Astoria’s red wedding dress and pushed her back and forth, “Bring my brother back, Nexi!”

Astoria breathed out in realization.

‘It really is him,’ she pressed her lips together, her body moving left and right as Ai pushed and pulled her by the shoulder while yelling at her.

Astoria woke up with her heart loudly pounding in her chest. She clutched her t-shirt as her body trembled. She felt the fox prince rustle in his sleep and stared at him.

‘What is this?’ she wondered, feeling tired and frustrated, ‘Is he going to die because of me? How can I have a nightmare about him in my world when we have never even met? This just does not make any sense!’

After a few more rustles, prince Yashiro woke up to find Astoria looking distressed. He sat up, his hand running through his long, black hair, and raised an eyebrow. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she did not notice he had woken up.

“You okay?” he asked her, his voice sounding groggy from sleep.

She flinched upon hearing his voice and snapped out of her daze. She glanced sideways at the fox prince, who watched her with a worried expression. She brought her pillow to her face.

“C-can I ask you a question that may sound weird?” he heard her ask, her voice muffled by the pillow covering her face.

He nodded. “Ask away.”

She slowly pulled down the pillow, covering her face except her eyes. She stared at him as if examining his face to remember a memory she had locked deep within her heart years ago.

“H-have we,” she began, “met before? Like maybe years ago or in another world, perhaps?”

She watched as the fox prince leaned back and looked up, his head tilted to the side.

“I do not think so. I would have definitely remembered your face if that was the case. You are too beautiful for me to forget,” he answered.

He heard her sigh as a blush crept her face.

“In another world, huh?” he asked, furrowing his brows.

She slowly nodded.

“Hmm,” he looked at her, “Maybe we are reincarnations of past lovers?”

She blushed harder at his remark and placed her pillow back on the bed. She placed her head on the pillow, her cobalt eyes staring at the ceiling.

“Why do you ask?” the fox prince inquired.

She shrugged, her gaze fixed on one spot on the ceiling.

“I just had a nightmare that seemed way too real and similar to another nightmare I always have,” she softly replied a few seconds later.

“Is that so?” prince Yashiro lay his head on his pillow, “Was I in it?”

She took a minute to answer him.

‘You are always in it,’ she thought, ‘Even though I never met you until now. Maybe we really were lovers in our past lives.’

She nodded and pressed her lips.

“Alive, I hope,” he added, turning his head to face her.

She turned to face him, and their eyes met.

“Well,” she began, “You were alive for a while.”

His well-defined face did not show any shock.

“Is that so?” he asked, stretching his hand to touch her cheek.

“And were you sad when I was not alive anymore?” his hand began caressing her cheek.

Her hand gripped her pillow tightly, feeling overwhelmed by the heat radiating off her cheek as he retracted his hand.

“I…well…” she had trouble maintaining eye contact.

“I guess not,” she heard the fox prince’s voice, a frown on his face.

His demeanor suddenly changed, and he looked away, turning his body so that his back faced her. A soft chuckle almost escaped her lips.

‘Aww,’ she thought, an amused smile on her face, ‘Is he sulking?’

She nudged his shoulder with her index finger causing him to shrug.

“Are you sulking?” she asked, still nudging his shoulder.

Silence.

“Prince Yashiro,” she called out his name.

Still, there was silence.

“Mr. Kuba Yashiro,” she said, lightly pinching his shoulder.

“Ow! That hurt, you know,” he blurted, turning to face her, a pout on his face.

“Oh, please,” she chuckled, “Stop exaggerating.”

“I am not-”

“Why are you so cute?” she cut him off as she muttered to herself.

His eyes widened at her statement, and so did hers. She just found his pouting face and sulking cute because he looked like a little kid. She had no idea she had said her thoughts out loud. She covered her mouth with her hands and continued to stare at him wide-eyed.

“What did you call me? Cute?” he asked, grinning.

She shook her head, taking short blinks.

‘Astoria Chambers! Me and my big mouth,’ she thought as she internally facepalmed multiple times.

She saw the fox prince stretch his arm and wrap it around her waist. He pulled her close to him, their faces a few inches apart. She could feel his hot breath hit her neck. She pressed her lips together and stretched her arms out, placing her palms on his chest.

“Do you think I’m cute?” she heard him ask, a hint of amusement in his voice.

She opened her mouth, but no words came out.

“I will take that as a yes,” he playfully winked.

He began to lean forward, his gray eyes darting from her eyes to her lips. He licked his lips as his gaze was now fixed on her slightly open mouth.

‘Oh lord,’ she thought, ‘I am not ready for another kiss.’

As the fox prince was about to kiss her, they were interrupted by a knock on their door. He softly growled, his eyes staring daggers at the door.

“Um, I’ll get it,” Astoria said, quickly jumping off the bed and heading for the door, thankful that they were interrupted.

She wondered who it was that needed one of them so early in the morning. It was 2am. She heard the fox prince click his tongue in annoyance and held back a smile. Opening the door, light from the hallway streamed in. Her eyes glanced sideways but found no one in front of her, that was until she glanced downwards. She saw Lara holding her pillow tightly.. She crouched down and smiled at the little fox.