Chapter 35: "A Kiss in the Balcony"

"It's just a hunch of mine, Your Highness. I think she's looking for her missing husband," Rainier sighed, "But Your Highness, I plan on taking her out of here. Please allow her when the time comes. I will make her happy!"

Seeing the young man's eyes full of determination, King Maro got annoyed. The man in front of him had the audacity to ask for the King's blessing of a marriage that was intended for the King's fiance! He didn't even know the identity of the person he planned to marry!

"Bethy is not in the palace anymore," the King said with a serious expression, "She met a fine man and she's going to get married soon."

Rainier remembered that Bethy told him that she was not yet ready to open her heart to love again. "Your Highness… it must be a mistake-"

"Do you think you know her more than I know her? I am her master, and she told me everything before she quit being my maidservant. Accept the fact that you're being treated as no more than a bandmate if she had not told you about her marriage."

Rainier fell on his knees. He trembled as his tears fell. He couldn't believe that Bethy had hidden such an important thing from him.

"You may go now. We have nothing else to talk about," The King turned to the guard, "Lead him out."

Rainier quickly stood up and rubbed his knees. He bowed to the King, "I apologize for taking up your time… And thank you for the information, Your Highness…" then he was led out of the room.

The King leaned at the backrest of the golden throne and sighed. He wondered how he would tell Ely about it.

…

"You're not mad about it?" King Maro asked Ely. The two of them had their dinner that day on the balcony, under the bright moon.

"It's time to give up on being Bethy," Ely formed a subtle smile on her face as she grazed the knife on her steamed fish. "But I treasure my time with them making music. I had a good time during my stay at the tavern, and it was such a thrilling experience-"

"Perhaps you were thrilled in playing hide and seek with the mercenaries, while I was at the palace waiting for your return," he said. He paused for a while to stare at her, "Ely… Did you really escape the palace because you're mad at me, or… were you looking for your husband?"

Ely was startled upon hearing this, and she accidentally dropped the knife. It was an opportunity for her to avoid the King's gaze, and so she replied as she bent down to reach it, "I was just disappointed in our situation, that's all…"

"For such a lame reason, you left me alone?"

"It is not a lame reason. I just wanted to draw a line between us…" She sat back up and placed the fallen knife on top of the table. She tried to change the topic as she felt her heartbeat quicken in nervousness, "But why are we talking about this? We're already done with this matter, right? Please forget about my escape from the palace and I'll try to forget about what happened in the Ancil mountains."

King Maro sighed, "Fine, if it will make you feel better."

He then gestured to the butler who was standing far, to replace Ely's knife. The butler took it and later on returned with a new one. He gave it to Ely, accepting her thanks, and went back to his position.

"Have you ever thought… of the meaning behind my title?" asked Ely. She poured the King's favorite white wine on their wine glasses, "Queen of Ballad… do you know what this means?"

The King shook his head.

"It's a title given to a person who excels in singing a type of music called ballad," she chuckled, "I am no royalty. Are you sure you want to marry me, King Maro?"

The King put down his utensils on the plate and walked behind her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them lightly, "It's too late to ask that now. I'll marry you even if you're not a princess or a queen."

"But what if… I'm a spy?

"If you were a spy, I'd let you peek in my chambers."

"What!?" she chuckled, "But what if I'm an assassin?"

"If you were an assassin, I'd gladly die by your hands."

Ely looked up, meeting his gray eyes as he looked down to her, "Hey, don't be like that! Don't die, your people need you."

"I won't die. They say that ruthless people do not die easily, because even death avoids them."

She stood up from her seat and walked in front of him, "But I think you're a kind person."

He chuckled, "It's like telling me that I'll die soon."

"I'm telling you, don't die, meanie…" she pouted and was about to cry, and it made King Maro pinch her cheek.

"It was a joke, I apologize," King Maro suddenly pulled her to an embrace and stroked the back of her head, "But... seeing you care for my pathetic life makes me feel that I already have a place in your heart, Ely."

She didn't want to admit it, but yes, the King already had a place in her heart.

As Ely closed her eyes and placed her arms around his waist, she wanted time to stop. The lonely King had been kind to her, yet she only thought about her own happiness and ended up hurting him. If only she could turn back time, she wished that she had not agreed to betray him for Prince Seiro. He and Adam might be the same person physically, but without his memories, they're different people.

Prince Seiro is not Adam. He's not the person she married in her hometown. He's not the same person who promised to be with her 'til death. In the world she's currently living in, he's only King Maro's twin brother - the Prince who planned to overthrow him and claim the throne.

Ely pulled away from the King and placed her hands on his cheeks. Her ocean-blue eyes gazed at his beautiful gray eyes, and slowly, her face leaned in closer to him.

They shared a long, sweet kiss, and Ely kept on thinking if it was alright to hold onto a person that she knew she'd leave soon...