XIII
"Have you been having fun tonight?" Kent asked as they swayed to the music.
"Oh yes! This night has been everything I've ever dreamed of. The food and drinks have been delicious, I've danced with many fine gentlemen, and all the while, I've been masquerading as a noble lady."
Kent raised his eyebrows. "I'm glad to see someone who hates hierarchies enjoying pretending to be of a different status."
"Have you been enjoying yourself, Mr. Yoshida?" Y/N shot back.
"Why, yes, I have, my lady. It has been nice to go back to my regular guard duties, if only for one night."
"I do hear that the life of a prince's personal guard can be quite tiresome."
"Oh, you have no idea."
Silence passed between them as they continued to dance to the music.
"Kent..." Y/N whispered.
"Yes?"
"About the other day, I'm sorry if I upset you. I truly didn't know you felt so strongly about... that. I really didn't mean to hurt you. And I've hated not knowing where we stand with each other anymore. You're the most important friend I have. I don't want to lose that."
A beat of silence passed.
Kent sighed. "I'm not upset with you. If anything, you helped remind me of reality. I was living in some fantasy world where, I don't know, I thought maybe things could be different."
"But they can be different! Who says otherwise? You deserve happiness just as much as the rest of us." A jolt of pain. "And what if someone wanted to be part of that? Would you let them in?"
"...I don't know."
"Please... don't shut people out. You, like everyone else, deserve the right to choose who to devote their hearts to."
Kent's eyes widened at the familiar words.
Y/N mistook his surprise for offence. "Did I say something wrong? Oh, Irene, I did, didn't I? I'm so sorry! I really need to learn when to keep my mouth shut."
Kent shook his head. "No, you didn't, you just... reminded me of somebody."
Y/N tilted her head in confusion.
"Don't worry about it," Kent said.
"Just... please don't be cross with me."
Kent dipped her and smiled wistfully. "Never."
The dance concluded, and applause erupted everywhere. Kent and Y/N smiled at each other and joined in on the celebration. People began to scatter from the dance floor to meet with their accompanying friends and family. Kent and Y/N stood off to the side, waiting for the announcement to begin.
The King rose from his seat. "Good evening, everyone. Thank you for your attendance at this most momentous occasion. Ever since I was a young prince, I always knew what the life of a King looked like. Work hard while you're young, search relentlessly for your life partner, get married,
have children, and help them keep the Renetian tradition of Kings and Queens going. So it is with the utmost pride and joy that I officially present the future King of Renetia, my son, Lennox Hawthorne!"
Applause broke out as Lennox, who was standing by his mother's side, stepped forward to stand by his father. The King patted him on the shoulder and walked back to his throne. The ballroom went silent as Lennox surveyed the room before speaking. "Good evening."
"Good evening," everyone repeated back.
"Thank you all so much for attending this historic moment in my life. As the future King, I understand that I will have many responsibilities to all of you. I have worked my whole life,
knowing that one day I would stand here before all of you and pledge my life to make Renetia the most powerful and wonderful Kingdom on the planet. And I mean it when I say that I will. I do not make empty promises. With the help and guidance of my father and all the Kings that came before me,
Renetia will become an even more prosperous land that all will be proud to call home."
Y/N glowered at him from the crowd. Did he include the people living in the outer provinces in his "all"?
"But, of course, I cannot do all of this alone. My father has always taught me the importance of having a life partner by my side, so that the two of us can share our love for each other with the whole kingdom. And that is how I intend to lead, with love."
Y/N snorted. But slowly, as he continued, breathing suddenly became difficult.
The way his gaze surveyed the entire room made a pit form in her stomach.
She felt lightheaded. And the pain in her neck was worsening tenfold.
She could no longer focus on his words. Her ears began to ring.
God, how long had she been here? How much had she had to drink?
She glanced around the room desperately for a clock.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. She gripped Kent's sleeve with such strength that it surprised him. From the corner of her eye, she could see his lips moving, likely trying to ask her if she was okay, to which she just shook her head.
Applause erupted all around her, and pain as she had never experienced exploded in her head. Her fingernails were pushed so far into her palm that they were going to leave crescent-shaped marks. Y/N crouched down to the floor, clutching her head in both of her hands.
"So let me make this promise to you. I will bring your Queen home no matter what. And we will lead this beautiful nation into an era of peace and prosperity. Together."
A final shot of pain went through Y/N's entire body.
It was enough to paralyze her. Only able to move her eyes, she glanced up to where Lennox had removed his mask and was smiling down at the crowd.
But his expression faltered when it landed on her.
Crouched down, and eyes filled with tears.
All around her, men were cheering, and women were gushing at his romantic proclamation.
Yet she couldn't have looked any more miserable.
They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity, neither able to pull their gaze from the other.
The clock began to chime. All around her, murmurs of excitement began as everyone started pulling their masks off.
Surprise and laughter filled the room as people began recognizing each other for the first time that night.
It was only after the clock chimed for the final time that feeling began returning to Y/N's limbs.
Realizing that it was midnight, she knew she had to escape.
She couldn't reveal herself as everyone else had done.
She stood on her wobbly legs and hiked her skirt up before running for one of the exits.
The guards at the door looked at her in confusion, but seeing her dishevelled form, they opened the door for her.
A lady in such distress was a rare sight at a royal function.
And for the final time that night, Y/N shot a sideways glance towards Lennox.
His eyes met hers instantly. So when a breeze flowed through her hair and revealed her neck for the shortest second, he could recognize the glowing Renetian star that painted her skin.
And his breath hitched when he recognized the swirls around it to be thorn-covered vines.
And before he could say or do anything, she ran off into the night.
And the ballroom exploded.
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