Grim: Enjoy this chapter.
Karmen: We hope you enjoy!
"Y-You're going to get married?" Thomas asked in shock. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Kathryn chuckled nervously, nodding softly at her friend. "Once my parents choose a suitable partner of royalty... then I'll be arranged for marriage."
Even though she lived a privileged and prosperous life, she felt like she doesn't have enough freedom. She is always pressure by her parents to keep up her image as Princess of Xagrus for her parents' sake. It's not like she has a choice, no matter what she does, her parents will somehow end up deciding for her.
"C-Can't you refuse?!" Thomas asked.
Kathryn shook her head in response. "It doesn't work like that... not for me..." she sighed. She looks at her friend with gentle eyes. "Can we stop talking about this and go somewhere?"
Thomas blushes bright red from Kathryn's request. "J-Just the two of us?" He asked.
Kathryn raised her eyebrow at Thomas. "Yeah, like we usually do," she tilts her head when she saw Thomas' cheeks turn red. "Are you ok?"
"I-I'm good!" Thomas answered immediately with a nervous tone. "N-No one has come into the clinic for a few hours now, so I'm down for whatever you want to do!"
Kathryn smiled at Thomas, nodding at him as thanks. "Shouldn't you tell your dad you're going out?"
"Oh, yeah," he said in realization, turning around before telling, "DAD, I'M GOING OUT!"
"IS KATHRYN WITH YOU?!" Shouted an older man.
"Yeah!"
"Then you better get going, you don't wanna keep your girlfriend waiting!"
Thomas's face turns an even brighter shade of red. He started to stammer. "S-She's not my girlfriend!"
Kathryn giggles softly at Thomas' embarrassed behavior. He and his father are usually like this. She spoke with Thomas' dad a few times, but she knows that he's a good and big-hearted man, despite how loud he can be, he's an amiable guy.
Thomas sighs and looks at Kathryn. "Let's go now?"
Kathryn giggles and nods. "Mmhmm!"
The two teens left the clinic before walking into the busy streets of the market district.
"Barostorm Market is as busy as ever," Kathryn chuckles, and she walked around, walking with Thomas next to her.
"It is rush hour at this time," Thomas replied, smiling at her.
"So, where do you plan on taking me, Thomas?" Kathryn asked.
"Oh, there's this cool spot I found just outside of the capital," he answered.
"Really?" She asks with a small chuckle. "How cool we talkin'?"
"Cool enough to make your mind blown, princess," Thomas smirks at Kathryn. "You'll soon see nature's beauty with your own eyes!"
Kathryn giggles softly and continued walking with him. She never left the capital before—she's not even allowed to go to the downtown areas like Barostorm, but here she is.
After walking, they snuck through a hole in the wall surrounding the capital, small enough for Kathryn and Thomas to crawl through like mice.
"You first," he said to her.
Kathryn nodded and began to crawl through the hole. When she came out, she saw the vast green forest before her. She stares in amazement, standing back up as Thomas crawls out of the hole. He stood up and saw her gape at nature's beauty.
Thomas chuckles softly, putting a hand on his hip. "Different from the paintings, huh?"
"It's more beautiful in person," Kathryn smiled widely, turning around to face Thomas. "Is this what you wanted to show me?"
Thomas shook his head. "We'll get there." He answered as he started walking into the forest, Kathryn following him from behind.
After walking for half-an-hour, the two started to hear the sound of a river and a waterfall. Kathryn was new to this sound.
"What is that—" Kathryn was then interrupted by Thomas, who suddenly grabbed her hand and exited the forest.
The two stood on a cliff that had a fantastic view of a large blue lake. Kathryn jaw dropped at the majestic view. She started jumping up and down in excitement.
"Holy crap, Thomas, this is amazing!" Kathryn chirped loudly, causing the boy to let out a bashful chuckle.
"T-Truly amazing view, ain't it?" He stuttered a bit, staring at the beauty of the princess instead of the scenery.
Kathryn nodded and smiled brightly. "Man, I wish I brought a camera, but that shit's just heavy," she giggles softly, taking it all in. "I wish I can freely do this, instead of having to sneak out all the time."
"Then why not just run away?" Thomas asked.
Kathryn turned around to face him, shaking her head. "It's not that simple—even if I wanted to run away, they'd just send out a search party for me," she looks back at the scenery and sits down. "Whenever there's something that I want to do, my parents will always object, its always been that way."
Thomas sighed and walked towards Kathryn, sitting down next to her in the cliff. "You are a princess after all, and someday you'll be queen of this country."
"But I don't want to be a queen, Thomas!" Kathryn shouted suddenly. "I want to live my life without carrying the responsibility of being this country's leader!"
Kathryn huffs softly after all the yelling she did. Thomas couldn't do anything but watch Kathryn let off steam.
"I just..." Kathryn sighed softly. "I just want to live my life the I want it to be. I don't want the royalty I have, I wanna be free."
"K-Kathryn?" Thomas stammered, causing Kathryn to stop and look at him. He gulped and finally found the words to say to her. "I love—"
He was then interrupted by a loud, but distant, sound of a giant bell. Kathryn groaned from the sound of it.
"My mother must've alerted the guards about my disappearance," Kathryn sighed and stood up, creating a portal on the ground. "We'll talk later, ok?" She smiled at Thomas before jumping into the portal before it disappeared.
Thomas moaned in frustration and face palmed himself. "You gotta be shitting me..."
YOU ARE READING
Caravince (DISCONTINUED|NEW CANON STORY IN PROGRESS)
Adventure(DISCONTINUED|NEW CANON STORY IN PROGRESS) Kathryn Wang is the princess of her steampunk-like home country, Xagrus. The privileged life she was raised in made her grow tired of the royal lifestyle. She's days close to turning 16, which is also the d...
