Princess of the Silver Ocean - Chapter 76

He smiled and nodded too. There was silence in the air, and before she knew it, he had pulled her closer to him, running his knuckle down her cheek. He stared into her mesmerizing cobalt eyes and brushed his lips with hers, giving her a slow, soft kiss. Before she could react, he pulled his face away and hugged her.

“I will see you next weekend,” he whispered in her ear, causing her to shudder.

“Next weekend?” she questioned him, her eyebrows raised.

“Mhm,” he said, his hands wrapped around her waist, “You know, for the banquet?”

“What banquet?” she asked him with a surprised look on her face.

He saw that she was genuinely confused.

“I guess you have been so busy that you forgot there will be a banquet in your kingdom this coming weekend,” he told her, “Different royals will be there.”

“Oh,” she parted her lips slightly, “Yeah, I forgot.”

“That is also where we will announce our engagement,” he added, letting go of her.

She blinked in surprise.

“Are you telling me that no one knows about our engagement?” she asked him, tilting her head to the side.

He nodded.

“Only our families know since it was not a sure thing at first,” he clasped his hands behind his body, “But now our upcoming marriage is a sure thing.”

She crossed her arms, looking amused.

“And what makes you so sure that our upcoming marriage is a sure thing?” she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He leaned his head towards her, causing her to lean hers back. Neither moved from their standing position as their heads were leaning forward and backward.

“Hmm? What are they talking about for so long?” Ai asked her brother, prince Yoshito, as they watched the couple.

Prince Yoshito shrugged as he watched his older brother talk to his fiancé.

“Beats me. Couple stuff? I don’t know.”

Prince Yashiro’s lips curled into a mischievous smile as his gray eyes examined his fiancé’s face. His eyes darted from her cobalt-coloured eyes to her visible freckles and landed on her soft, pink lips. Her face began to flush red as she noticed where his eyes were glued to, so she pressed her lips together as if scared he would suddenly kiss her again. He snapped out of his daze because of her action.

He leaned back and unclasped his arms, lifting his hand and pointing his finger at his heart and then hers. She stared at him, confused about why he was pointing at her heart. Her eyes darted from his pointed finger and to his face.

“Why are you pointing at my heart?” she asked him, narrow-eyed.

‘Well,’ she thought with a shrug, ‘It is not my heart. It is Nexi’s, but it belongs to her and me in the meantime. So why are you pointing at our heart?’

“You asked me what makes me so sure that our upcoming marriage is a sure thing,” he replied, lifting his chin and leaning his head back.

She stared down at her heart and then looked at him.

“And that answer is my heart?” she asked to which he nodded.

“Our hearts,” he said, giving her a soft smile, “They are like two puzzle pieces that fit together perfectly. I’m never going to let you go.”

She blushed at his declaration.

‘There you have it, Nexi,’ she thought, internally squealing, ‘Your fiancé is so cheesy but adamant that you guys are meant to be together.’

“I see,” was all she could say.

I mean, how was she supposed to reply to such a bold affirmation? Besides, this statement was aimed at princess Nexi, not her. It was not like she could just disagree with him, so she smiled and nodded.

“If you say so, prince Yashiro,” she smiled awkwardly at him and then turned to face his family, who was watching them.

“Goodbye, everyone. Thank you for everything. Until we meet again.”

She waved at them and stepped inside the car. She sat down, placing her entwined hands on her lap. Prince Yashiro closed her door, her window slightly open.

“Bye, Nexi!” Ai yelled, waving frantically.

“Bye, princess Nexi!” Lara yelled, clutching her blue teddy bear tightly, “Come back soon!”

Prince Yashiro stared at the two foxes and smiled. He then tapped on her window, causing her to open it further. She waved at Ai and Lara, feeling a bit reluctant to leave.

“Take care of yourself, princess,” she heard prince Yashiro tell her.

She stopped waving at the two foxes and nodded at the fox prince.

“You too,” she said, “Do not push yourself too hard as you still need to heal.”

He nodded and quickly popped his head through the window to give her a quick kiss on the cheek. He pulled away, and she covered her cheek, her face feeling hot at the sudden kiss she did not expect to receive.

“Bye,” he playfully winked at her.

With that, the chauffeur began to drive out the palace, and she could hear his family shouting goodbye as she left. Her hand was still covering the spot where he kissed her, and she sighed. Nexi’s heart felt like it was going to burst into a million pieces.

“He sure knows how to catch us surprise, right Nexi?” she mumbled to herself as she splayed her fingers, covering her eyes with one hand.

‘Calm down, Nexi’s heart,’ she demanded, slowly breathing in and out to calm the princess’ heart.

At this point, she thought that princess Nexi must really like the guy if even the slightest touch from him drove her heart wild like this. Not that she blamed her, the fox prince was handsome, charming, and intelligent. He was a good kisser. No, scratch that. He was a great kisser. His kisses were hot and breathtaking.

No wonder princess Nexi was head over heels in love with him. At least, that was what Astoria thought about the princess. As they drove back to the kingdom of Ashen, she fell asleep along the way. She almost groaned loudly when she realized that they had gone past the palace’s grand entrance and the draw bridge when she woke up from her nap.

The car stopped in front of the palace. The chauffeur quickly stepped out to open her side of the door. She thanked him and, although not wanting to step foot out the car, stepped out, her feet touching the hardened soil beneath her. The chauffeur opened the boot and took out her suitcase and portrait upon closing her door.

“I’ll take that to my room,” she told the chauffeur, taking the portrait from his hands and holding her suitcase.

“No, your highness,” the chauffeur insisted, “Let me help you.”

She smiled at him and shook her head, ‘no.’

“I will be alright,” she declared, “You go and park the car. Get some rest. Thanks for driving me back here safely.”

With that, she walked away, heading to her room. The chauffeur stood where he was for a good few seconds, feeling baffled. It was clear that the princess struggled to pull her heavy suitcase and carry the portrait simultaneously without dropping it. Yet, she told him to go rest. He sighed and went to park the car.

“Ah,” she mumbled, “Seems like no one is here to see me, not that I care anyway. Please, can I not bump into anyone if it is not Keya?”

She walked past the palace servants, and they bowed and greeted her. Walking past the hallway, she heard the sounds of footsteps coming in her direction.

“No,” she heard a familiar voice say, “Do not be stupid!”

The voice belonged to Naida. Astoria groaned.

“I will make sure to be the best dressed,” she told the person, whose voice Astoria could not hear, “I know I shouldn’t outshine my dear little sister, but I do not care.”

Astoria sighed. She knew Naida’s conversation was about the banquet. So, she was planning to outshine her little sister?

“Oh,” she heard Naida say as they came into contact, “You are back?”

She almost rolled her eyes at the question, and Naida quickly put her cellphone in her bag.

Naida hoped that Astoria did not hear what she had told her friend over the phone about outshining her.

“Yes,” she clutched her suitcase tightly.

She began to walk away, not wanting to speak to the evil older sister any longer.

“How is prince Yashiro?” Naida asked, causing her to stop in her tracks.

‘Why do you care?’ she wondered, clicking her tongue in annoyance.

“Did you just click your tongue at me!?” Naida asked, glaring at her.

She had no time for this conversation, nor was she in the mood. She walked away from Naida and headed for Nexi’s bedroom. When she stepped inside the bedroom, she placed the portrait in an empty corner of the room and threw herself on her bed. She let out a long sigh and closed her eyes, drifting off to dreamland.. Half an hour later, there was a knock on the bedroom door.