Sebastian felt her hand slide to his chest as her teary eyes gazed up at him.
"Does it still hurt even now ?" she sniffed.
He nodded, wiping her tears.
"Am sorry, I won't cry anymore ", she murmured.
"No...that's not what I meant ", he sighed, leaning onto her head. "Express your feelings as much as you want, Bel. Cry when it hurts and smile when you are happy "
"Really ?!".
"Mmm, I don't want you to feel like a prisoner anymore, say everything you feel and don't hesitate to say no when you don't want something ...then".
"But that would mean I am selfish and do not care about the other's feelings " She blinked, a tear escaping to the corner of her eye. That was what her mother and father had kept telling her, so she rarely expressed herself.
"I need you to forget everything you were told back at that man's....your father's palace. Here, you say what you feel like saying and smile as much as you can, for you deserve all the happiness " he kissed her left cheek, then her right.
She smiled leaning back in his chest.
"Can we stay like this for a while?" he smiled, hearing her request.
His embrace got tighter as they gazed up at the starry sky.
...
"Princess, you look bored Is something wrong ?" Lia asked the dazed Anabel.
"I know what's wrong," said Hope.
"Huh! What is wrong with her ?"! She placed the plate of cookies in front of Anabel.
"It's because the Emperor hasn't visited for three days now ", muttered Hope.
"Oh....you miss him" Lia giggled.
Anabel turned away.
"Is this because of the kiss from some nights ago?!" they teased her.
Anabel felt her face blush, "Girls, stop it ... I am just thinking about a book to read ", she lied.
"Princes, the look you have now says otherwise "
She sighed. It was true she wanted to see him.
He had got so busy after that night with her and came to see her. He sent flowers and gifts but they never seemed to be enough.
A knock came at the door, and Lia got it.
"Princess, look, another gift from his majesty,", she said.
Anabel looked back to see brand new books, she beamed. Since he discovered how much she loved reading, the library had been stocked with new books, and he would send her new ones almost every day.
"You're so easily pleased, princess ", laughed Hope.
"She does love to read " Lia pointed out.
"It's like being lost in another world, and since I have never moved around a lot, this helps me travel to other places without actually moving ". She took the new books.
"I guess it's honey tea and more snacks for the evening " Lia walked out.
Hope nodded helping Anabel get comfortable to start reading her books.
And when she finally finished the third book it was already late. Stretching, she moved to the balcony it was a cold, chilly night.
She wondered if he was still busy even this late in the night.
She heard her door open and smiled, walking back in, expecting Lia and Hope, but paused when she realised it wasn't them.
"Who are you ?" she asked the woman.
Her skin was pale with cold dark eyes and red lips. Her features felt familiar but she couldn't make out the face.
Quietly, she got closer to Anabel, her hair white longer than hers, holding a smile on her face.
"I should be asking that question, who are you ?"
"Princess Anabel Scarlet Raveshade, but everyone calls me Anabel," she let out.
"So you, the princess the Emperor brought back with him ?" she asked.
Anabel nodded, her eyes studying the woman in front of her.
"Something on my face ?" she asked.
"No, you're just so pretty. Apart from the Emperor, you are the second most beautiful person I have ever seen," she smiled.
The stranger chuckled looking back at the beaming princess next to her.
"I see why he likes you " she muttered.
Anabel moved closer, "huh?!".
"Am hungry don't you have anything to eat ?" she let out.
"Oh..."Anabel looked back to see her snacks. Having been busy in reading she had barely touched them.
"I have cookies and some cake " She pulled back a seat for the guest, who followed and sat down. "May I know your name, you know mine ".
Anabel placed a piece of cake next to her.
"Call me mother " she let out.
"Mother ..that is a strange name " she giggled.
Her guest scoffed nodding.
"His majesty calls me the same " she let out.
"Oh..then I will do so too if you don't mind ".
"I don't " She took another bite of the cake.
"Is the cake okay, mother ?" she asked.
"Mmm..but enough about me. Tell me about yourself" she suggested.
"Oh, I don't think anything about me would be so entertaining ", she protested.
"I am bored and have a lot of time, so please indulge me ", said Mother.
Anabel sighed and slowly started telling her about her life back home.
"One time I left my room to go see the birthday celebrations of my sister but was caught. Mother was so mad that she cut off my food supply for a month ..." She giggled, "I was so hungry that I passed out ".
"That must have been horrible".
"It was, but I got used to it with time and learnt to keep some food for emergencies in case she got mad again and cut me off ", she sighed.
"You're a strong girl, Anabel ", she commented.
"I don't think so, I just learnt to adapt to my situation. I knew that crying and pleading would not feed or keep me alive, especially with how much they hated me. So I slowly learnt to survive " she said.
"Until it was too much for you ...is that why you ran away ?" her guest asked.
"I wanted to stay there ..it was my home after all. But I just didn't want to marry someone of their choosing, " she pouted.
"You're grown up now and are free to do what you want, so what do you choose to do with this new life you have gained ?".
Anabel sighed.
"It's still blurry but am going to take my time and find my path "
"Princess, are you still reading ?" a knock came at the door it was Hope.
"No", she muttered, getting up "Please excuse me, Mother ", walking to the door.
"Princess, those were some interesting books. "Hope smiled.
Anabel opened the door for her for she was holding her dinner on a tray.
"I wanted to call you but had a guest " She turned to the table, but it was empty.
"Huh..a guest, but I don't see anyone but you princess". Hope looked around.
"But ..but...she was " Anabel rushed to the balcony, but it was empty, and she didn't get out through the door, so where had her guest disappeared to?