Bon Voyage! [Ace x Reader x Law]

[𝖊𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙]

"Can I see you again?"

It might be the silvery moonlight that glowed on his face,

"It's not possible,"

or it might have to do with how the touch of his hands nipping at your skin feels like a warm mist despite the chilly air,

"I'll find you,"

but those words really comfort you. Hearing them makes you feel as if you are being blessed with life again.

"Then find me," you replied impulsively. You felt hope, but you knew better than placing a manifestation of your self-worthiness unto a complete stranger. A foreigner, even.

***

Good luck finding your way into the court families' estates. You grumblingly mumble to no one as you lay in your bed.

The sun has now risen once again. Birds chirping to signal the new day you have been allowed to continue to live on. You unusually wake up a lot earlier today, most likely because you couldn't sleep a wink last night due to your encounter with Mr Stranger.

Bet that he'd give it up the moment he could not find you even if he had to turn the capital upside down.

The thought was quickly cut short by your vain realisation.

As if he would actually be looking for a random girl he came across in the woods in the first place

Nevertheless, last night, you did really feel like Cinderella — or whatever that princess story you used to read when you were younger. The way things unfolded last night did momentarily delude you into thinking that this stranger could possibly sweep you over your feet and take you away from this place. And the truth.

"Or he could actually do that,"

After all, you just had to show your face to him, assuming he was actually looking for you, and the two of you could somehow find a way to fool the borders and you could be anywhere else but your basement room.

But for all you know, the stranger could possibly be someone dangerous. He'd probably sell you off to some slave traders and who are you to think that you can possibly defend yourself once you are out there?

Most importantly, you didn't deserve to be happy. How could you?

And is there really a thing you can possibly look forward to once you leave the island? Swallow Island has always been your home and despite these unfortunate events. You still have Wolf who knows that you are still alive. Speaking of Wolf, you had wanted to meet him the night before to talk about the conspiracy that you learnt last night. But with that stranger most likely still lurking around, it might be best that you postpone the idea for a while for the sake of your secret.

Anyway, good to know that your endless down-spiralling is still intact. It's the only thing that keeps you grounded to the reality, after all.

***

Today is a bit of a special day now that you have taken a good look of your journal that sits on your bedside. It seems that an important guest is to visit your aunt's manor today.

You immediately push back last night's happenings to the back of your mind as you review your task-list for today. As if confirming your thoughts, you could listen to the clamour coming from your ceiling — the maid chambers that are above your basement. Everyone must have been a bit antsy for today's guests, you think to yourself as you look at the red words marked on your calendar.

Crown Prince!

You have never met His Majesty before — instead of being enrolled to the academy for aristocrats that you used to go to, you heard that he was sent overseas to study. Even though he is the son of the current Emperor, he is not officially the successor to the throne. Still, among the candidates to the throne, many citizens would really like to see him as their future leader — something about him being very charismatic or sort of. You suppose he is visiting the court members' estates to garner more support before the election since the Court plays some roles in the election too after all.

Even at the momentary thought about what the Court had possibly done to your father, you could already feel the helplessness slowly drowning your mind. However, the sound of someone knocking your door surprises you out of your thoughts and you quickly scramble over the stairs to open it, fearing that it might be the twins. You mentally sigh in relief when you find the head maid in front of you instead. Nonetheless, her condescending look is also not exactly the thing that you want to see to start your day. Guess it can't be helped since everyone else in the manor only knows you as a wretched orphan.

"Ermm.. the Lady has instructed you not to be in the royalties' presence which means you will not be doing your usual duties in the estate. Instead, you will be working at the rear gardens today.

There goes your little curiosity. But whatever reasons as to why Aunt Anasthasia wants to shield you from the Crown Prince, who never knows of your presence, don't matter to you anyway.

"I understand."

***

At least being tasked outdoor is a lot better than being locked in the basement with nothing to do. You think to yourself, as the breeze slowly plays with your hair and carries the scent of the flowers around you with it.

Compared to the garden in the courtyard that is adorned with the fancy fountains and the most exotic flowers, the rear garden is simply a bunch of lined hedge plants with some of the flowers that you have grown yourself. During the first few years after you were secretly brought into the manor, you stumbled upon the untouched rear gardens' shed and had found some leftover seeds that the estate gardener no longer wanted. And ever since, you had made it your personal project to beautify the rear gardens however you could. The gardener appreciated what you have done and occasionally offers flowers that Aunt Anasthasia has removed from the main courtyard for you to replant them at this rear garden. Your effort eventually didn't escape the masters of the mansion once these plants bloomed and completed what once was an abandoned part of the estate. They didn't say anything but it seemed that they were not mad as well, as you often find yourself being tasked to take care of these flowers like today.

You have been working on the garden for a while, completely lost yourself in the flowers and oblivious to the sound of leaves crunching behind you.

"Egret," you hear someone speak. A male's voice. Is one of your cousins or Aunt Anasthasia around here? You suppose you might want to excuse yourself to avoid being seen. You are mostly done here, anyway, you thought to yourself as you started putting away your gardening equipment. Not hearing anyone else talking afterwards, you momentarily slow down your cleaning to a halt.

There's no way...

Sound of more footsteps approaching prompts you to turn around to see whoever it is that calls out the last name that you used to have.

Only to be met with the last person whom you really want to see right now.

In the six years you didn't meet him, what used to be soft features that belong to a nine-year-old boy have grown to be more defined.

You instantly duck your head and turn yourself around, slightly wishing that this was just a dream.

A quick yank on your shoulder quickly cuts that thought as you are once again faced with Fred Christensen. The force he accidentally places onto your shoulder makes you wince and you let go of yourself from his hold.

"You- Apologies, Your Excellency. I think Your Excellency must have mistaken this humble servant with someone-"

"Stop it. There is no way you're not- all these years I had thought you-"

And before you know it you are brought to his embrace, making you drop your watering can. The watering can slips off of your hand out of surprise, water spilling to the gravel and splashing wet droplets onto your shoes.

"I had thought you were gone,"

No.

"No!" You stumble on your steps as you push yourself away from him, tripping yourself and falling into the puddle of the spilt water as a result.

The fall catches you off guard but you know that you have to get yourself out of your situation. You have always thought about what would happen if people in the mansion actually found out about your identity, but actually experiencing it sends a course of fear to your body. You immediately get up, totally ignoring the help Christensen is offering you and bolt towards the rear gate.