Crestfallen

Chances

Chapter Four

"What chance?" the young Emperor asked, looking at his sister  oddly. "A chance to see you again, after my marriage." Joo replied. "I'm grateful that my fiance agreed to let the wedding take place here at June but since Febuary is vastly distant from June, I worry that I will never see you and our family again." she spoke, fear can be traced from her tone. All she ever loved was her family. To her, they're more precious than any other riches kingdoms could offer.

She is uncertain if she's a jewel to them, or a mere pawn used to strengthen kingdom kinships. If she were, she wouldn't be sent to marry a man twice her age and live a baby maker all her life, she thought. She thought her life was already awfully miserable, contrasting from the expectations of her family.

"I see. You ask me to pay you a visit after I sojourn in April?" he asked expectedly. He thought it would hassle him incredibly more, but their grandfather's dying wish was to never let the first daughter of the house of Frangipane, whom he loved so much, feel prolong unhappiness. Haneul values his duty as a brother more than he values his title. "You needn't worry about that, sister. I will be sure to visit you or I am not the Emperor of June." he chuckled, which easens his sibling. She simply smiled, gave her thanks, then bid farewell.

"With all due respect, your highness, but why are you so fevered with the upcoming reply from April?" his loyal advisor questioned, making the young Emperor smile. "Have you not seen her miniature?" he replied. "I have sir, and to be frank, the April Princess is not so taking."

"Exactly. But I do have a feeling that she is winsome and cunning. Most kings rely heavily on appearances, when choosing a wife, do they not? And with such choices, they are only achieving happiness of the flesh, not of the heart. I will follow the same path as my father's, and as my grandfather's, for what I observed, their happy heart guided them to attain a happy reign and rule a happy kingdom." he smiled, sipping from the cup of tea placed on a tray by his side.

Both he and his heavily trusted council advised him that the Princess Dominique of April is the most suitable wife for him, somehow matching his personality but contrasting in looks, and suitable queen consort for the people of June have admired April culture so greatly, that the Emperor might gain immense public approval for having an April wife.

Yet there is a possibility that letdowns will happen, he thought. What if she, may agree to wed, but feel unhappy and dissatisfied with his company, like what his sister is assuming her life to be? All his life, he was taught to emphasize great importance on the role of being a son, a brother, and soon, a husband. The crown is a burden, like pure gold chains confining him from the simple joys of life, the ones he have heard them elites cannot have. She will be happy. He will do what he can in his power to make his future queen joyful, and he vowed that to himself, like his father, and his grandfather.

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"I have always wondered why you have grown distant from me through the years." she asked, looking at him curiously. "Have we not grown together? You used to be more vocal back then." she added. He sighed, and looked at the clouds as they laid down on the spring green grass. "That one looks like a man chasing a woman." he pointed at the peculiar shaped clouds.

"Indeed. She must be happy being chased more than tailing off the man." she replied. He knew what this clearly meant, but shrugged the thought off. He was avoiding guilt, or probably any sense of responsibility. Responsibility to her.

"These ones look like a flock of sheep." he grabbed her hand and made it to a pointing position, directing her attention to his hand holding her more than the sky above them. "All clouds look like sheep." she spoke softly, unfocused.

Raien noticed this and quickly let go of her, giving Dominique a small feeling disappointment run through her. She gazed once again at the sky, unable to make out objects out of the clouds for she is feeling drowsy. Raien yawned, which means he is feeling the same too. How she wished they were always this mutual. "I feel dozy." he spoke, yawning again. "Me too." she nodded, and lightly closed her eyes, but quickly opening them again.

Moments like these rarely happen, and to cherish it is best, she thought. She might never get a chance to enjoy his company like this once again. But her eyes were really drooping, and she cannot resist. Soon enough, both of them fall asleep, beneath the blue sky and pearl white clouds, and beyond the lands they grew up in.

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A/N: This is very heartbreaking for me to write since the cloud scene was heavily inspired by a real experience of mine which I would love to forget wholeheartedly hahahahahahahaha but feelsgood to remember em once in a while, no? Im turning fourteen soon lol, so by 9th grade I would want my skills in writing to improve and be polished.

ANYWAYS whacha think of this chapter? Too short? I know, I'm really sleepy like Raien and Dominique. Is the story building up well? Tell me some suggestions and comments if you like this story because I'm starting to feel discouraged.