"You really like wandering around," The Prince sarcastically said inside the carriage, learning that everytime he tried to find her, she's around the kingdom and trying to save people. That she didn't bother even it was herself that's hurting sometimes.
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Sloan ignored what he said and tightly hugged the child that fainted in her arms. Now she's soaked in blood too.
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"Can we stop at the physician's place, your highness?"
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Prince Sage sighed as he told the coachman to move the carriage faster and stopped at the nearest physician's place.
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When they arrived to the physician's place, Sloan tried to calm down seeing the miserable child. She told the physician that she'll be back tomorrow.
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Back to the carriage, the prince asked, so used to her at this situation. "What will you do to the child?"
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Sloan looked down, thinking. "Since his mother sold him to the Countess, it means she doesn't want him no more. Then...it's impossible that if I take him back, he'll be welcomed."
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Sage already noticed that she don't know what to answer, so he suggested, "Take the child to Baron's Holland's orphanage."
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Sloan lighted up. "Oh, right,"
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In the Lord Holland, the Baron's orphanage, children was well taken care of there. One time she went there, all the child were lively and playing along with each other. It's like their eyes always shine, abandoning their miserable status that fate has given.
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Suddenly, Prince Sage made the carriage stopped again. He got off the carriage and open the door.
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"Come out," He told her.
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She doesn't know what's going on in his mind, but she chooses to obey. Prince Sage offered his hand to support her step down, she hesitated, but then she remembered that it's now alright. That the news of their marriage would come and she's free to take that hand.
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She didn't say anything until she saw the place where the carriage stopped.
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Dress Shop.
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"You need to change your dress, I'll take you to the palace."
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That's when she realized that her dress was soaked in blood of the child.
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When they entered the shop, all the personnels inside was astonished. Ofcourse, who wouldn't be?! There was a lady that's seemed to bathe herself in blood and she's with the Prince!
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"Choose around," The Prince only muttered and didn't care that the personnels greeted him.
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Although the personnel's was in the verge on astonishment, they helped the lady choose the best dress and helped her change. That's when they asked.
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"U-Uhm, if-if I'm not mistaken, you're Lady Sloan, right? The daughter of the Captain of the Blue Knights...Lady, why are you...soaked in blood?"
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"That's...uhm, I am. I saved a child a while ago," She answered.
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The personnel's calmed down knowing that, they thought she killed a criminal.
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The other personnel asked other question, "Then, my lady, why are you with his highness? Did he saw you saved the child?"
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She nodded. "He did saw me, but it's not the reason he's with me..." Sloan shutted her mouth. She hesitated whether telling it or not, but in the end, she didn't answered the personnel's question. It would be better if they just get the information from the announcement.
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After leaving the dress shop and paying a gold coin, they headed their way out on the way to the palace.
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It's the first time they're entering the palace together now that the announcement was released. Probably, the king also told the knights their engagement. All their looks was the face of astonishment when she greeted them.
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Sloan grew up with the knights her father trained, they're more like her older brothers that's why maybe they also looked so emotional.
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At the throne hall, the king was surprised seeing them together. But before the king says something, the prince muttered, "I just saw her around, And I thought you were going to find her,"
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"I do going to call her today," The king rejoiced.
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The queen beside smiled. "Well, shan't we start talking about the announcement?"
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Sloan raised her right hand, getting permission to say something.
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"Your majesty, can we wait for father?"
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"Ah, right! Of course, honey, we'll call for Captain Shae,"
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Sloan and Sage looked at each other as the other knight lead the way to accompany them to the palace's drawing room.
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"Your highness," Sloan whispered, making Sage bent down for a moment.
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"What is it?"
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"Could you pull up my dress on the back? It looks like it's going to fall." Sloan calmly complained, she's now realizing that the dress was loose. She's rushed choosing a dress in the dress shop. She knew she picked the best, but the size was just the problem.
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Prince Sage do what she asked.
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It's not awkward for them anymore.
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They already see each other's naked body when something happened on the past. Prince Sage only looked away when that happened, and said that it was just a body. Sloan took that mindset on her after being shy enough and threw him her dress.
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"I-I'm sorry, your highness, I'm just..." She tried to explained herself timidly. "It's just that, no one ever seen mine before and---"
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Sage, who turned around, said, "It's just a body, I...really don't think of it." He knew himself he was lying. He turned around because he was so red. "I know you're uncomfortable. But just think that you're already my wife whom I spend the night with, even though the engagement hasn't yet announced. We're going to be a real one anyways,"
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Sloan knew he said that to make her not to worry, and she somehow calm down.
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That's right, there's nothing wrong with him seeing her body. They're engaged with each other anyways, and one of the days in the future, they're going to do it.
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"Why did you choose a dress that's too lose?" Prince Sage got annoyed and holding the back of her dress for it not to fall.
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"I was in a rushed," She replied.
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The knights behind them flushed reddened seeing them like a real couple. His highness is holding her and gripping his arms around her back!
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"It's really going to fall, you should just change again."
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"I'm alright."
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"Then I should just hold your back for the mean time, you mean?"
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"I didn't say that."
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Prince Sage sighed. "Then there's nothing but to do."
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And that's what he do, hold her until the meeting between the both sides about the engagement. Sloan's father, Captain Shae, was gazing at them from time to time like he's been wronged.
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Like his looks holds a sentence that 'Why are they so close? Is there something I don't know about???'
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The king and the queen was too rejoiced, never minding the both of them. They just thought the prince was taken a liking to her, but that wasn't the case.
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"Sir Shae, would I offend you if the lady will to live at the palace starting next week? I prepared everything, and the engagement banquet will be held in the next two months. I'll need the both of them to prepare with me."
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Sir Shae had thought of it, and he was determined to take up Sloan's decisions by herself. But there was one problem.
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"Your majesty, I think I'm not the one you should be asking for deciding, but my daughter. Also, her mother needs to be informed."
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Sloan's mouth fell slightly open.
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She almost forgot.
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Her mother, Gale Fairbourne, the youngest daughter of a wealthy merchant who had her when she's only sixteen and her father's eighteen. There were too young back then. Her mother decided to separate with her father a year after she was born. She said they're too young that time, and she's not ready to commit with him. But she loved Sloan with all her heart, and they're sharing the custody of her. And even years after, Sloan's still wondering why her mother has never came back to her father's place. Is she still not ready to commit with him?
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But all Sloan know, her father loves her mother so much. He heard from her grandmother, from Captain Shae's side, that even though it hurts her father to send her away because it was her decision, he respected her and let her go. He was miserable after that, and Sloan is the only light he saw.
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Her parents loved her more than anything.
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But she sometimes thought that fate was cruel.
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"I'll tell mother," Sloan said, holding the front of her dress. Her chest was almost to be exposed because of how loose the dress was.
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"Now, if you'll excuse me and my fiance," Sloan got taken a back because of Sage. But Sage mouthed, 'the dress'.
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"That's right, we need to go,"
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"Wha..." Once again, her father's confused.
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The next moment they knew, the prince and captain shae's daughter already left the room. They were dumbfounded.
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They don't seemed to get along like that in the past!
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"Where are we going?" Sloan asked, in hurry.
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"In the room mother made for you, there's dresses in there."
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"Ah,...why do you know? Did you went there?"
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"Mother made me went there a week ago to take care of, she wouldn't let me go until it's all okay." Sage said in defense.
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Sloan thought it's too cruel. But all she can feel is that she's sorry for him that in his parent's name, they need to get married. She's now only hoping that one day, the prince find someone he'll love more than anything. Maybe that's when she'll step out since both of them can't contradict with their parents now.
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They were rushing to go to the room, and when they arrived, Sloan was amazed.
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It was filled with luxurious things and it's kinda bright for them to handle. The balcony seemed to be a whole new house, too wide.
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"Are we on the wrong room?"
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"I'm certain that it's here," Sage took out a hold of her as the dress was so close to fall.
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"Hey! Your highness, don't just let go like that!"
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"Go change in the toilet already."
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He turned around. Sloan snorted and went to find a suitable dress for her to wear. Though she didn't expect that all the dresses were luxurious too. It looks like it was made by an exceptional designer that only the wealthy could afford.
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"Your highness, don't you think her majesty is going too much for me?" Sloan said, picking a dress that has a normal design, struggling.
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"You'll be a queen someday, that's why...I think."
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Sloan just thought of it and look down. "...Right, I forgot."
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As Sloan picked the blue dress that has sparkly design on the hem, she went to the toilet to change. The toilet was too luxurious too.
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"Your highness, I want you to come with me today."
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"Huh, where?"
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"My mother. I'll let her know. She would be disappointed if she'd come to know the news about me staying here from my father. I---We, I mean, must be the one to informed her."
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"...I guess I have no choice, then."
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When Sloan exited the toilet, Sage turned around to see her. Though he's a bit dumbfounded seeing her wearing the blue sparkly dress.
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"...It's suits you." He complimented.
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Sloan just nodded and was about to invite him to leave when Sage noticed something.
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"Hey, your hair is a mess."
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"Huh? Ah, right," Just when she only noticed.
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"Come here, I'll fix it."
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"But...you can call a maid?"
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"There's no need,"
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Sloan just sighed. She turned around for him to fix her hair. She can't help but to stare at the bed. Then she asked, "So this is my chamber from now on? It's too spacious, maybe I can get three cats..."
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"We have a room for the both of us, but it will only be used once a week."
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"...You mean, for that thing?"
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"Yeah, to produce a heir."
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Sloan looked down. She's not sensitive to this kind of question, but instead, bothered.
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"Your highness, you know, once you've succeed the throne, I'm sure you'll find someone you'll love and make her a queen, or maybe even before that, or maybe before our marriage, we don't know. You're free to kick me out anytime, it's not your decision to arranged this marriage anyways. We'll grow up and we'll change what we want without anyone contradicting us anymore. You must be happy and don't just settle for doing what you don't really want. Someday when you found someone you'll love more than anything, you'll have a family without your child thinking he's born to bare a responsibility for the future."
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Sage was left stunned while tying her hair, he's speechless.
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What she said wasn't to let her go, but for him to settle on what he want. She know he wasn't happy in this kind of situation. And she's trying to keep it up with him.
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"Just for the mean time, you need to settle to this kind of 'us'." Sloan felt sad, stating that.
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"...I understand." He said as he finished tying her hair. "But when the time comes that I wasn't able to love anyone, what will you do? Besides, I've never been felt fondness in anyone before. I even never think of marrying a special one and succeeding the throne. I have no dream. To me. To anyone."
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Sloan felt a gloomy feeling for him. "Then I'll have to bare our child and become the people's servant of this country with you."
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"That'll be your decision? What if you've like someone and you feel like you wanted to marry him?"
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Sloan snorted. "Your highness, since I was a child, I was thinking of growing old alone. It's my decision that I never wanted to marry anyone. It's not a must for a woman. It's just what they want when they found someone they loved and they feel the deepest connection with the one they're fond with. And it's also a fact that not everyone who receives a marriage ends up staying together until death."
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The wind sweep all the way to the chamber from the open window. Sloan turned around.
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"I'm alright with this settlement though...but your highness, more than anything else in this world, I wish you to be happy with someone you'll risk your life for before you regret everything you've decided with me. If the time comes that I'll have your child and the timing connect that you've found that someone, I want the child with me."
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The beam of sunlight shone behind her, Sage felt that he was deep underground.
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"You..." Sage narrowed his eyes. "You've thought of this deeply,"
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Sloan gave a small nod. "I apologize for being too blunt."
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Outside, Captain Shae was stunned after overhearing their conversation. He was about to knock a while ago, but he overheard about them producing a heir so he stopped. He did not expected her daughter's next words to be like that.
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Captain Shae clenched his fist and turned around, walking away.
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All these times he think that his daughter weren't affected by Gale and his decision to separate. Little did they know, they just destroyed the image for her loving someone someday.
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