2.2 After
At first, I was going to wait for a bit and see how things went, but Victor was so wonderful I fell in love with him in no time.
After giving a simple greeting to His Highness Albert, Victor and I spoke in a place where His Highness Albert could hear us.
I gave a wide grin to Victor—an expression unbecoming of a future queen.
Of course, my first love could also see that. I could see His Highness Albert’s breath hitched at the corner of my vision, but I simply didn’t care.
“The song will start soon. Lord Victor, shall we dance?”
“That sounds wonderful. For me to be able to dance with cute Eli, it’s like a dream.”
For me to invite a man to dance—if I was still undergoing the queen’s education, I would surely be told to write down my manners three times as a form of discipline.
I wondered how Lady Johanna looked at that moment—was she frowning? Or perhaps, surprised?
But I was just being myself. In this territory, if it was only to that extent, then it was still allowed. I wanted to enjoy that moment as much as I could.
When I went to give my greetings to my relatives in the royal capital, of course Victor and I behaved like proper aristocrats.
But today was a special day—it was my wedding day.
“Eli.”
“What is it, Lord Victor?”
“Call me like how you always do?”
“…But, it’s embarrassing. We’re in public.”
“Eli, as of this moment, I want to feel your love.”
“…Okay, fine, Vee…”
Inside Vee’s embrace, I, whom was wrapped in a bridal grown especially made for that day, smiled.
We were surrounded by guests who congratulated us.
“Let’s take it easy until tomorrow noon, then we’ll have a picnic in the garden. I’ll make the snack.”
Vee’s smile made me feel as if I was basked under the sun—I laughed in his arms.
Once the festive mood settled down, my older brother, who had participated as my relative, approached and whispered to me so that Vee couldn’t hear it.
“Albert is crying, you know?”
So what? As I thought so, I rejected my brother’s invitation to visit the balcony where His Highness Albert was currently.
It seemed that His Highness Albert wanted to say goodbye to me. It seemed that if I had a family member with me, it wouldn’t turn into a scandal—however, I had no intention of going there. They also had no right to make me do so.
Neither my brother nor His Highness Albert listened to my words. They also didn’t understand my thoughts.
His Highness Albert must had liked me because it was convenient for him. He was akin to a teenager—thinking about it from the perspective of His Highness Albert, our relationship was a simple and easy one, he liked me simply because I was a unique girl—and cute, to boot.
Then, when I didn’t behave in the way he preferred, His Highness became estranged from me—even though nothing actually changed about my person.
As the next king, when would he finally realize that there was no way ‘a tomboy and cheerful childhood friend’ would be suitable to rule beside him?
Suppose he found another tomboyish woman befitting his tastes, there was no doubt she’d also be disciplined severely like I once was. I wondered if His Highness Albert would also respond the same way again.
…Well, it was a thing of the past, anyway.
I felt sorry for Alice who wasn’t forgiven by His Highness Albert even until the end. Because she was so obsessed with His Highness Albert, she had been keen on harassing me like a villainess in a novel.
‘Harassing’ sounded too cute of a word— did she truly think that if I disappeared, he’d turn to her?
It wasn’t once or twice that I had my life targeted—although it hadn’t been clarified, they were probably the deeds of the neighboring kingdom.
I didn’t care about my father who didn’t love me because I was born in exchange for my mother’s life— who didn’t even try to protect me. I didn’t remember ever being treated like family by him, because to him, it was difficult to face me whom was similar to my mother.
The wedding night.
That side of me—that young girl whom was still inside me, mourned for her first love as I was locked in Vee’s arms.
The first small bouquet of wildflowers given to me by His Highness Albert.
A small bouquet of flowers no royal florist would sell…
…as I remembered the feeling of bringing those flowers to my chest, that young girl in the corner of my heart faded, before vanishing completely.
~fin
***T/N: Lol, I’m cheering for these two–Alice X Assbert. Their supreme toxicity made them a perfect fit for each other–therefore I hope they stay together and ruin each other’s life.
What the prince portray isn’t love but a selfishness to an unhealthy degree. This might be opinionated but our professor on literature once told us about the ‘opposite of love’: it was greed. Assbert precisely did what a greedy man did.
Professor said that if you love someone, you’ll willingly sacrifice or respect your loved one to make them happy, which Assbert didn’t do. He forced his ideals on Eli, what image he wants her to be. He did not respect Eli. His love was very veeery conditional to the point that the only lacking on it was a table of criteria for judgment of what he thinks is a woman suitable for his love.
Basically, loving is selfless, in my professor’s terms, just how Eli portray it with her restrain to hold on (tho we can also see she wants to be spoiled too, she didn’t complain because he loves her to a selfless extent).
Over all, this was a very good read. Serves you right, Prince Albert. It was a pity that the story didn’t put too much karma on your scenarios.
NICE!!! I LOVE IT…. it shows that there’s so many people in this world so don’t just focus your love on someone who doesn’t know how to love and respect you back…
She does makes sense now. Hooray for HE!
Wo, this is really good story. So real in feelings, made me cry. Thank you for it 🙂
How is this so perfect. So realistic? (Idk, cuz the premise isn’t realistic, but the character sounds like someone I could talk with and have fun with.)
LOVE It n.n
I was so so frustrated with some novels today (FL’s who forgot the bad things and ends with the scum man) xs, but this story make me forget them xD
Thanks ^_^
This is perfect, thank you so much ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ
Thank you for the story. Short and entertaining.
I should be asleep but instead I ended up reading this.
Honestly, if there’s one small detail I thought was interesting about this delightful short story, it’s the fact that Eli didn’t care about the source of the attacks that happened right after her annulment. She assumes it’s the neighboring kingdom, but in stories like this where the heroine is nastier than she looks, and with how scant the details are in general, it could very well have been her.
I think this invites not only a sense of ambiguity, but also it really hammers in how little Eli cares about everybody who threw her away. Who cares who it was? She’s apparently safe now and married to a good guy to boot, and as far as she’s concerned every loose end that matters has been tied up.
I do think the story could have used another chapter to flesh things out, either in the middle or at the end, but as it stands it’s pretty good for what it is.
Eliza’s way of thought has shorten the usual xx chaps filled with drama, politics, and possible anger-inducing events. It is like the author is showing that there are other ways to be happy.
This story has made me remember a TED talk about how people have romanticize the idea of romance.
Hope there are side stories please! About Victor!!!!
Loll they are free to destroy each other’s lives now