The Secret Arrangements

Prince Bruno grabbed Princess Brunia's hand and disappeared into the night after the King's shocking announcement that he and Queen Viktoria were getting engaged. Without a word, Prince Bruno halted in front of a tree and then merely asked Brunia to climb the ladder that was standing against it. She silently followed him, and it was revealed that Bruno maintained a secret treehouse within the palace grounds.

As they arrived at the abode, Brunia looked out the window to see the fireworks in the sky that were being burst by other guests of the royal ball. Others were happy and supported in the King's and Queen's decision while the four younger children were not. She spoke, "The view from up here is breathtaking! Bruno, why are we here? Shouldn't we be in our room?"

A look of guilt flickers across Bruno's face, he held her hands and affirmed, "Brunia, you are probably wondering about what I blurted out back there. I know that I should have kept my composure, but I was so infuriated that I couldn't keep it in. Sennett schemed everything, split the charms among our parents and convinced them that she shall marry me, she doesn't even have the patience to be betrothed to me, I promise that I had no--"

Brunia placed a finger on his lips thus indicating that she desired for him to be silent as she wanted to speak, "Bruno, I trust that you didn't do it. And I--" She trailed off as a knot began to form in her stomach.

Bruno gave her a reassuring smile and said, "It's okay. It's just me."

Brunia took a deep breath and replied, "I love you, Bruno. It's always been you, even more than Kabir. I never felt this way about anyone. Do you ever wonder why I felt this way? It's not just because you're an intellectual and that you can judge what is right or wrong for you. You are focused and dedicated to your work is what I admire about you. And I see the way you are with Leonhard, you're the big dependable brother who always takes out time to help his siblings. You deserve love and happiness in your life, I will do whatever it takes to make sure that you get it."

Bruno's expression only grew earnest and meaningful as Brunia narrated those words. He closes his eyes and presses his lips onto hers, without uttering a single word. Her lips were warm and soft, and the fluttering sensations spread across their bodies as they finally pull away.

Brunia pulled him back for another kiss, and he surrendered himself into the sensation, forgetting about all the drama caused inside the palace and focusing on themselves and cherishing the moment. A few moments later, they pull away, and Bruno rings in a mat from a closet built-in within the enclosure. He spreads it across the wooden floor, and then they both lay their heads and cuddled together and fell into a deep slumber as they watched the twinkling stars in the sky.

When the clock struck four in the morning before sunrise, Brunia fluttered her eyelids open to see Bruno standing with his hands clasped on the wooden railings of the treehouse. She went over to him and stood quietly. Bruno spoke, "What is the point of all this? Our prospects to our respective royal thrones are jeopardized because of one error in judgment. This isn't the right decision."

Brunia speculated, "So that is why our mother left her duties and was looking for someone to replace her so that she can become the Queen of Granzreich until your father makes his choice."

Bruno raised and eyebrow and yelled in disgust, "Wait, does that mean that Queen Viktoria is going to be my mother, and my girlfriend is going to be my sister?!"

Brunia answered, "The Queen may be your mother, but the King won't be my father, and I won't be your sister."

Bruno questioned, "What does that mean?"

Brunia reminded, "You are forgetting that I am not actually the Queen's daughter."

Bruno countered, "But she still has the paperwork to prove legally!"

Brunia took a deep breath and said, "Bruno, I'm sensing that since your outburst, I'm never going to see you again."

Bruno yelled, "Don't say that! I will fight no matter what it takes to decline Sennett's offer."

Brunia continued, "Just hear me out, okay. No matter how hard you try, we will still not be able to see each other as much." Bruno fell quiet as he braced himself to perceive what Brunia had to say. She took a deep breath and began narrated while deeply gazing into Bruno's eyes;

"Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

The opera amazes me,

As long as I have you.

Orchids are white,

Ghost ones are rare,

A wooden flow on which we lay is brown,

And so is your soft hair.

Magnolia grows,

With buds like eggs,

Your life is filled with ambition,

And so is your inner musician.

Sunflowers reach,

Up to the skies,

Flowers are meaningful,

And so are your eyes.

Foxgloves in hedges,

Surround the farms,

Seatbelts are safe,

And so are your arms.

Daisies are pretty,

Daffies have style,

Your response is empathetic,

And so is your smile.

The blanket you gave me is beautiful

Just like you."

Bruno pulled Brunia into a firm embrace and then pulled away after several moments. He helped her descend from the treehouse and said, "This place is very special to me, and you're the second person I have shown it to."

Brunia gave a genuine grin and asked, "So I should surmise that the first one was Leonhard?"

Bruno replied, "He comes first in my life; I believe that you know that better than anyone else."

Brunia acknowledged, "Thank you for showing me this place. It means a lot."

Bruno responded, "Hey, whatever is going on, we will get through this, together." Brunia gave a reassuring smile, and then both of them parted ways.

From a motel across the street, stood a familiar figure spying on the Prince and Princess from the window with the help of a pair of binoculars. In the dark night, the character was not perceived by the eyes, the mysterious yet familiar voice was deep like before but with an unconventional intention. It spoke, "Well... well... Prince Bruno, you may have ducked under the eyes of a thousand people, but you will never escape from me. While the King and Queen are away to Rathanlandia to offer their condolences and bless the new King, I have a plan for you to set you straight for the next week."

As Bruno was proceeding towards his room, unfamiliar guards seized his and forcefully dragged him to a stranded area in the woods. They pushed him down hard on the bare ground and started thrashing him. There was a lot of anxiety and physical discomfort within the Prince.

He finally shouted, "Why in the devil am I here?!" One of the guards yelled, "Hey, Prince! Until you agree to marry Princess Sennett, you ain't going anywhere!"

Bruno questioned, "This is her order, I shall presume?"

The other guard responded, "Well... indeed you are the smart one. Let's see how smart you look when we do this!" They started thumping and strike him against a rock repeatedly without showing any reflection of mercy. A woman from the bushes gasped in shock of what was transpiring before her. But before the guards could notice, she fled away as fast as she could.

She rushed to the palace gates and was encountered by Ludwig, the palace guard. Ludwig recognized her and the desperation on her face and asked, "What are you doing here?!"

The lady merely grabbed his hand and said, "We need to find Princess Brunia quickly! And command all the guards to depart for the Wiennier forest!"

Ludwig inquired in worry, "Why?!"

The woman screamed, "Because Prince Bruno is in danger! We need to go now! order your guards and then let's go and inform the Princess."

Ludwig nodded his head and commanded, "Guards! We need to rescue the Prince, who has been stranded in the Wiennier forest!" While the guards commenced their preparation for departure. The woman and Ludwig hurried to Brunia's chambers to find her studying.

As the door went flying open, Brunia screamed, "Bruno is that you!? I have been--- wait... Smerdria and Ludwig!?"

Smerdria grabbed the Princess' hand and rushed to the forest, explaining Brunia the details along with their backup of the royal guards. As they arrived in the stranded area of the woods, they caught the scoundrels who were thumping the Prince against the ground.

Brunia shrieked with tears in her eyes, "BRUNO!!!! WHAT IN THE DEVIL DID THEY DO TO YOU!!!!???"

Smerdria held her back and consoled her by saying, "Princess, let the guards handle the fight, and then we can get to the bottom of this; being emotional will not solve anything, we must stay strong." After the Granzreich guards defeated the other defenders, it was revealed that this was Princess Sennett's orders. Bruno collapsed on the ground as he had no strength left within him while the guards were attacking.

Brunia affirmed, "That woman will stop at nothing to get what she wants. She already made a move on him and--"

Smerdria and added, "She wants the Prince so bad that she's going to forecast the wedding!"

Brunia yelled, "What is she a woman or a chewing gum that is acting so clingy!?" She regained her composure and stated, "Smerdria; Ludwig; this is an incredibly arduous decision for me to say that--" she trailed off and burst into tears whimpering, "I-I-I h-have t-to l-let h-him g-go. There is no other choice here; I cannot watch him getting hurt like this." Before anybody could say another word, she ran away into the stranded forest that was merely followed by the darkness of the night.

Abruptly after Brunia departure, she fled into the woods. She thought as she slowed down, "I cannot believe that I ran away like that. If Sennett aspires to marry him, then I suppose it's beneficial for him as a candidate for the throne. I'm sure that the King wouldn't want Bruno coming even near me, and I know that he must have discovered by now that I'm a commoner all my life, as the Mistress is the Queen's companion I'm affirmative that she... Wait a minute... I didn't see Master or Mistress since yesterday! They didn't attend the royal ball, and I bet that this news must have made them leave!" At the last thought, swiftly, a strange black figure appeared behind Princess Brunia and suddenly covered her mouth with a white cloth filled with chloroform!

*EXTRA*

As stated by Sennett, the King and Queen departed to Rathanlandia to pay a visit to the new King and offer condolences on the loss of their previous sovereign monarch. After the King and Queen arrived, the Queen of Rathanlandia showed them the way to the reception hall to meet with the new ruler. As the door creaked open and the familiar face turned around to greet his well-wishers, his eyes widened with surprise instead; and so did the King of Granzreich and the Queen of Vermillion. They shrieked in astonishment, "Oliver, the previous royal guard?!"

The Queen of Rathanlandia raised an eyebrow and questioned, "Who is Oliver? This young man right here is my son, the current monarch of this vast realm!"

Kabir elucidated, "Mother, they are partially right about this Oliver guy. I pretended to be him for a while to talk things out with Brunia."

The King approached Kabir and yelled, "Do you know how this makes us look? We're engaged, and Brunia is in love with you and my son, Bruno?!"

The Queen of Rathanlandia shouted, "Viktor! You cannot talk to my son like that!"

The Queen of Vermillion countered, "Oh yeah? Would you have stuck to your argument if you knew what really is going on here?! It seems that you're out of your place." The Queen of Rathanlandia placed her hand on her son's shoulders and spoke, "My son doesn't lie. He confessed every single bit of what has transpired in his life. His position as the royal guard; I'm aware of it, I just didn't happen to know his fake name. It is the both of you, who are out of place here; not me."

The King of Granzreich affirmed, "What would you think if you knew that your son is dating a commoner who is also roaming around with a Prince of another nation?"

The Queen of Rathanlandia asked, "Viktoria, are you going to let your fiancee talk about your daughter like that?!"

Kabir responded, "Fiancee?! Is this why you wanted your children to get along?! Your Majesties, you may not know it, but you have not only ruined Prince Bruno's and Princess Brunia's life but the lives of your other children by jeopardizing their feelings to be the successors of their kingdoms!"

The Queen of Vermillion took a deep breath and replied, "I do love my girl, but my fiancee is only looking out for her good, he even considering her like a Princess and my daughter is a huge milestone for him."

Kabir countered sarcastically, "Oh yeah? It seems that he's doing an excellent job at it!"

The Queen merely neglected his argument and spoke, "My condolences to the loss of your father, King Kabir and to your husband, Queen Veronica. Viktor, let's go from here, I believe that we have achieved the purpose of our visit." Without uttering another word, they departed from the palace premises and reached Granzreich after a week, with Bruno who eventually regained his consciousness and Brunia missing from the palace grounds, thus both relieving and apprehending the sisters and brothers. Bruno had something to say regarding the transpiring as he finally discovered the truth after his consciousness.