BE MY PRINCESS- Impossible meeting

Holding it against you

      Next day, I was invited to the meeting room by Sergie. I tried asking him about the reason but he kept telling me that Yakov would explain everything. But whatever I was preparing myself for did nothing to brace me against the shock of seeing him. The room was too silent for my liking, not to mention Yakov and Keith glaring daggers at each other. I sat down beside Aaron who gave me a slight nod in greeting.

      Once we were all seated I looked up to see Keith looking away from me, with a sworn resolve to not set his eyes on my face ever again. I once again felt the ache return to my chest as tears threatened to fall. I just took a deep breath and addressed Yakov.

      “Yakov, may I know why we're having a meeting with the prince of Liberty on such short notice?”

      As soon as I finished my question someone scoffed. It was Keith, glaring at me like he wanted me dead. The pure resentment in his eyes made me flinch slightly and I was overcome with another kind of uneasiness. Did I love and ache for the wrong person? I mean, if he had really cared, how could he hate me so much just based on his own assumptions? Maybe I did mistake his, whatever, for love? That must be it.

      He stared straight at me as he spat the words out. “If Miss Meinhalt wouldn't mind, I would like to correct it. This isn't any meeting, if you must know.”

      Hah, I obviously did mistake his need for comfort for love. How stupid of me. I looked at him as steely as he did as I replied.

      “Oh? Then would you please enlighten me?”

      “What's this? I thought it was you who planned the warning?”

      “What?”

      I was confused as to what warning it was as I turned towards Yakov. But before Yakov could turn towards me, Keith answered.

     “That you'll not think before going to war with us if I didn't apologize to you. I mean, to Sybil’s princess.”

      At that I whipped my head towards Yakov in shock. This time I was furious. Yes, at myself, Yakov, Keith and even Aaron. Angry at myself because I couldn't prevent the disaster that Yakov brought down upon us. At Yakov for putting me before his country. At Keith for not even listening to me back then. And especially at Aaron, because he didn't even say a word of it to me.

      I didn't know what came of me but I stood up and walked to the other end of the table so I would face them all and bowed on my knees, my forehead touching the ground. Yes, a proper apology is all I was able to offer at the moment.

       “I would like to apologize to the Prince of Liberty for such a trouble caused to you in my name. I promise I didn't want any of this. It's just that they couldn't see their family suffer. I'm truly sorry, Prince Keith.”

      When I said the last word I heard him mutter “Bella” in the faintest of his voice. His call just brought back the memory of when he told me not to call him by his title. But it was all in the past. I ignored it and continued.

      “I'm sorry, Yakov. I've been nothing but trouble to you since I arrived. I meddled in your affairs, caused you pain and humiliation today. I'll leave here as soon as I'm able. Please don't fight on my accord.”

      There was a shooting pain in my stomach as I shifted slightly but I ignored it as I continued.

      “Aaron? I know I caused you pain by not confiding in you about certain things. And I know it…”, I started coughing violently and couldn't breathe. Next thing I knew was someone shouting my name as I lost my conscience.

      I couldn't open my eyes nor move my body. My body felt like lead and I still felt a stinging pain in my abdomen. Then there was this warmth on my face stroking my cheeks and then my hair.

      “Open your eyes. Bella, please…”

      I couldn't quite identify whose voice it was but someone I know. That voice kept calling to me but I couldn't open my eyes. Then the warmth left my face and found itself in my hands.

      I was itching to see who it was but I couldn't open my eyes. Then everything was blank again and my conscience slipped away from me.

      When I opened my eyes again, I saw a pair of worried looking eyes. They lit up immediately when the saw mine open. I've never been more relieved in my life that I did at that moment.

      “Oh, Bella, I thought you'd never wake up… I was scared like never before… you idiot!”

      “Aaron? Like you'd rid of me easily…”

      I said those words incoherently and he pouted slightly. Then I felt a warm hand on my head and turned to see Yakov.

      “Oh Yakov, I'm so…”

      He shook his head as he cut me off.  His voice shook slightly as he spoke.

      “Please Bella. Don't make me anymore guilty than I already am. It was the hardest week of my life to get through.”

      Tears spilled down my eyes as I stared at him. What have I done? Making people who loved me cry like that. And then it struck me.

      “A week? I've been unconscious for a week?”

      Aaron nodded his head slowly as he glanced at Yakov. He then directed his eyes toward me and I could sense the trepidation in them. After a few moments of silence he took a deep breath as he said.

      “Keith hasn't left here since that day. He thinks he'll…”

      My sudden outburst of laughter made him freeze as they both looked at me with wide eyes.

      “Tell the Prince to return home. I weren't going to hold it against him had he left the same day. It's not like he did anything anyway.”

       Aaron looked at me in disbelief, mirroring the same look as that in Yakov’s face. I didn’t think before saying those words nor did I laugh intentionally. That was like a reflexive reaction and surprisingly I didn’t regret saying so. Because he didn't do anything to hold him accountable and he had no reason to stay. Then again I heard Yakov speak.

      “You get over people so fast, it's almost scary.”

      I chuckled at that remark. “I guess I do.”

      But that comment made me think. Have I really gotten over things? Maybe I can stop myself from dwelling over things and fussing about people but I never forget. And I don't intend to for that matter. You could ask me if I ever cared for him, that how could I sever any emotion so easily.

      It's just like I said. I can help not fussing over it and cry but I'll remember it. As a lesson, a lesson learnt well.

A/N: Hey guys! Another update for you all! I hope you're all doing great!!

Ah, what do you think is going to happen with Bella and Keith? And Yakov?