Lost Royalty Writing contest

From Here Onwards

By

notsovip

Title: From Here Onwards

Scene: Last chapter – at Elle ball party. – Delilah and Oscar

In other people eyes, Delilah was laughing with the group of young girl around her. Looking exuberantly happy, when actually, her heart was constricting in pain that she'd never experienced before, not even when James didn't pay much attention towards her in Grea. At least by then, she knew she still had her chance.

The moment she saw James disappeared behind that thick curtain, she knew whom he was following after. And even though she's resigning, pulling herself away from between them, she couldn't help it if her heart was breaking.

Forcing a smile, no one could help it, she mused.

To others she might look like a desperate woman, who came off strong upon James, sometimes pushing him to the corner with no way out. But what could a woman do?

She loved him so much to the point of thinking of asking for his hand in marriage, if only she had the freedom to do so. She loved him so much to the point that it breaks her.

And maybe that's just the irony of it, that by breaking her heart, his will be full with love, with happiness. Smiling to herself, she could feel warm tears started to pool in her eyes that she excused herself from the circle of girls.

She walked silently towards the back garden, inhaling the sweet scent of spring in the air. One trails of traitorous tears made it way down her cheek.

Wiping it away, she stood erectly, forcing herself to not mourn over the decision she has made.

"What would a beautiful lady doing in the garden alone, crying perhaps – " she spun around to be met with a twinkling hazel eyes, "- while others are enjoying the ball, dancing and chattering?"

She looked over at the familiar face of a man. She never realized it before, not even when he held the almost same party at Grea, that his left cheek was adorn by a single dimple, twinkling and teasing her like the endless stars decorating the night.

"I think I might ask Delilah to dance with me," Oscar began. "Do you think she would like to dance with me?" he asked Elle as his eyes roamed over the hall, looking for that one face until it landed on her. She was laughing and smiling with a group of other girls but he could see that there's something occupying her mind.

And maybe he knew exactly what it was.

When he saw Delilah started to retreat towards the back garden, he hastily excused himself to follow after her. Later, he made a mental note, he had to apologize to the king for his hasty dismissal, hoping that he would understand his reason.

In his long stride, he followed her closely. This woman intrigued him. Intrigued his curiosity.

He finally stopped when he saw her standing in the middle of the lone garden. He watched her every movement from the moment she bent down

to slid off the slippers from her feet, standing barefoot on the grass, to the moment she wipe tears from her cheek.

In her light green dress, she look like a fairy in the midst of a green meadow. With her long black hair, braided.

This is the moment, he decided.

"What would a beautiful lady doing in the garden alone, crying perhaps – " he saw her spun around to look at him, "- while others are enjoying the ball, dancing and chattering?" he finished his sentence.

When the woman in front of him remain silent as statue, he tilted his head a little to the right. "Is there something wrong with my face?"

"You have dimple," she stated and that makes him laughed out loud.

"Thank you for your keen observation," he said making her divert her eyes from his, a sweet blush tinted her cheek.

He took a step towards her as she muttered, "I didn't realize it before."

He stop right in front of her, too closed for an almost stranger like him to stand but not too closed for her to be uncomfortable.

"Before?" he searched her eyes, as the red tint deepen, looking beautiful on her milky skin.

"At the party," she said risking an eye contact with him before looking at his 'interesting' feet again. "In Grea," she added in small voice.

If only he was her friends... he shook his head. No! If only he made his move faster and had already claimed her to be his, he would have spun her around, holding her closed to him..

Strings of curses was said in her mind. She was never a mild, meek or shy woman. Blush? For goodness sake, she almost cup her flaring cheek. She always took pride in her confident self but tonight, she couldn't even hold an eye contact with this man.

Keep yourself together Lila, it's just a dimple!

"I see. Is my dimple an offend to you that you find my feet more attractive for you keep looking at it?"

Her eyes flew upwards in shock before words said without her mind registered it. "No! Your dimple look attractive."

She saw him smirking.

"Glad to hear that," he said teasing her. "Why are you here?" he asked tilting his head.

"Fresh air. It's too crowded in there," she answered short, without betraying anything in her. "And why are you here?" she asked him, looking straight into those beautiful eyes.

"I was following you out," he answered simply, shrugging a little. She looked at him in pure shock. Her heart drumming inside its cage, making her lost for words to say.

And they lost in each others eyes for a moment before a soft music floated in the air, from inside the hall.

"I believe this is our dance," he said, taking a step backwards extending his hand.

"And why is that?" she asked, gaining her confidence, putting a little tease in her eyes while taking his hand.

"That's because Lila – can I call you that?" she nodded in pleasure of hearing her favorite name said by him. "I was going to ask you for a dance when you went out here," he said pulling her hand, caging her waist in his left hand.

This should be inappropriate for an unmarried maiden, held inside the hands of a young man, but the warm of his embrace was so captivating that she didn't want to think any of it for tonight. Here and now, the freedom she wished for was hers.

So instead, she put her hand on his shoulder as his own draped on her waist, the two of them together swaying to the music.

"You are one strange attractive woman Lila," he suddenly said, making her chuckled under her breath.

"Why am I strange yet attractive, Mr?" she said, holding his gaze as a small laughter erupted from his mouth.

"There's more time for me to elaborate on that. For tonight let's dance," he answered, spinning her around as her laughter fill the night before he took her into his arms once again.

"I wish we'll have more tomorrow for that, Oscar," she smiled towards him. Her eyes twinkling in pure happiness and hope.

"There will more from here onwards," he whispered as they sway the night away. Forgetting their shoes where they left them, together dancing, barefoot on the grass

***

I really enjoyed this as it was written very ell and was very interesting. It realy made me love them as a couple even more than I already did!