We Will Ask Him Who He Likes

Y/N's POV

After reading that letter, the princess went to take a bath, while I headed to the garden to practice with my sword. As I swung it through the air, my mind wandered against my will. The king's face appeared before me—his intense gaze, the concern in his eyes when he looked at me... those eyes.

I shook my head quickly, trying to push the thoughts away. This is wrong. The princess likes him. I don't want to hurt her. I gripped my sword tighter and continued my training, focusing on each movement, but no matter how hard I tried, my mind kept returning to him.

Why can't I stop thinking about him?

After a while, exhaustion crept in, and I finally lowered my sword, my breath coming in short gasps. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and absentmindedly touched my lips. The sensation from last night… it still lingered. That touch… it wasn't a dream, was it?

My thoughts were interrupted by the princess's voice.

"Y/N… what are you thinking about?"

I quickly turned to face her, shaking off my emotions.

"Nothing, princess," I replied, forcing a small smile.

The princess sighed. "They're gone… but I miss them."

I nodded silently, knowing exactly who she was referring to.

"Do you think we should tell my father and go see them?" she asked hopefully.

I hesitated before answering. "No—I mean, princess, th- I mean, King Charles said it should remain confidential."

She nodded, but I could see the sadness in her eyes. Then, after a moment of silence, she asked something that made my heart skip a beat.

"Are you thinking about Commander Xavier?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, princess. It's not like that."

She raised an eyebrow. "Hmm… well, I think I saw him in our room last night."

My eyes widened. "Wha—?"

She nodded. "Yes. The letter, remember? He must have been the one who placed it there."

My breath hitched. That means… he touched me last night.

The princess sighed, looking away. "But why didn't they wake us up? We didn't even get a chance to say a final goodbye."

I swallowed hard, trying to push down the emotions stirring within me. "Yeah… Anyway, if you really miss them, you should just go to His Majesty and tell him you want to marry the king."

Her eyes widened slightly as if the thought had never crossed her mind so seriously before. "Yes… I think I like him, Y/N. I have to marry him."

I lowered my gaze, my heart feeling strangely heavy.

She studied me for a moment before speaking. "Y/N… don't tell me you also like him."

I shook my head quickly. "No, no!"

She gave me a small smile. "Look, Y/N, it's okay if you do. You're beautiful—he might choose you instead of me… and if that happens, I will bury my feelings for him."

My heart clenched. "What are you saying, princess? You should marry him, not me."

She took a deep breath. "Well, let's see… If we meet them again, we'll ask him who he truly likes."

"Princess—" I tried to stop her, but she had already turned away, heading toward her room.

I followed her quickly. "Princess, listen to me."

I sat beside her, noticing the unshed tears in her eyes. "Are you okay?" I asked gently.

A single tear slipped down her cheek. "Y/N… I'm terrible. How could I say something like that to you?"

I wrapped my arms around her. "Princess, it's okay."

She shook her head against my shoulder. "No, it's not. At first, I wanted to marry the king just for the alliance, and now…"

I pulled away slightly, cupping her face so she could look at me. "Shh… Princess, listen to me. It's okay. Don't cry. I'm here for you, no matter what. My mother always told me, 'Love yourself first.' If you like or love someone, just say it. You don't have to worry about how the other person feels."

She nodded slowly. "Okay… I will tell him. But if he chooses you, then promise me you'll give him a chance. I don't want to carry the weight of regret in my heart."

My breath hitched. "Why would you say that—"

She cut me off. "Just promise me, Y/N."

I hesitated before nodding. "Okay."

After our conversation, we made our way to the kitchen, where Miya Aunt was busy preparing food. She looked up as we entered.

"Ah, my dear young ladies, come in," she greeted warmly.

We smiled and approached her.

"Miya Aunt, we wanted to ask you something," the princess said.

Miya Aunt chuckled knowingly. "Ah, eager to learn some wisdom, are you?"

We exchanged glances before nodding.

She smiled and began, "A man adores the woman who truly loves herself first. A woman who takes care of those around her, who is strong yet kind. And most importantly, a woman who smiles at him wholeheartedly."

We listened intently.

"You two are very beautiful," she continued. "Whoever these men are, I'm sure they will fall for you the moment they truly see you. But remember, my dears, choose wisely. Choose the man who loves you unconditionally and respects every decision you make. Not just the man you think you love."

I looked down, her words resonating deeply. She's right…

The princess glanced at me with a sad smile. We both nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Miya Aunt," the princess said softly.

Miya Aunt laughed. "Just a thank you? Won't you tell me who these men are?"

We both stiffened in shock.

"No, no, Miya Aunt! We're just… preparing for the future," the princess stammered.

Miya Aunt gave us a knowing look but said nothing more.

"Alright, if you say so. Oh, Y/N—your Uncle Marcus asked for you. He says you need to train."

I nodded. "Alright, I'll go now."

As I arrived at the training grounds, I saw Uncle Marcus engaged in a fierce battle with some soldiers, his back turned to me.

"Y/N, are you ready?" he asked without looking my way.

I nodded. "Yes, Uncle Marcus."

With a final, powerful kick, he sent his opponent to the ground.

"Soldiers, keep practicing!" he ordered, then gestured for me to join him.

The training session passed quickly, and by nightfall, I was covered in sweat and sand, but I didn't care.

"That's enough for today," Uncle Marcus finally announced. "Listen up, everyone. We're moving out tomorrow. The intruders' location is nearby, and we need to attack before they do."

Everyone gasped in shock. I quickly caught up to him as he walked away.

"Uncle Marcus, you said the attack was planned for next week!"

He sighed. "We don't have time. We need to act now."

I swallowed hard and nodded. "Understood."

"Focus, Y/N. Don't let emotions cloud your judgment when you fight."

"I understand."

Later that night, I collapsed onto my bed, exhausted. As I closed my eyes, I suddenly felt a familiar touch, the same one from last night. I sat up quickly, looking around—but no one was there.

I sighed, shaking my head. "I need to stay away from him."

But in my dreams… I saw those eyes again.

And they belonged to the king.

"Come with me, Y/N," the king's deep voice echoed around me.

I took a step back, shaking my head. "No… I can't."

His golden eyes softened as he reached for me. "Please… I love you."

My breath caught in my throat. What?

Before I could react, another voice cut through the air.

"What?! You love her?"

I turned sharply to see the princess standing behind us, her expression one of pure shock and betrayal.

"Y/N…" she whispered, her voice trembling.

I stepped toward her in panic. "No, no, Princess, I don't love him!"

The king's voice was firm, unwavering. "You do, Y/N. You may try to deny it, but I can see it in your eyes."

"No… that's not true—"

"It is." He moved closer, his gaze locking onto mine. "You feel it just as much as I do."

The princess's eyes filled with unshed tears. "No… you can't do this to me." Her voice cracked. "I hate you."

"Princess, please—" I reached for her, but she stepped back, shaking her head.

The king suddenly pulled me toward him, his grip firm yet gentle.

"Let's see if you truly don't love me," he whispered.

Before I could react, his lips crashed onto mine.

"What?!" The princess's scream rang out in the distance.

My heart pounded as I struggled to process what was happening. His warmth, his touch—it was overwhelming. My hands trembled as I pushed against him, but a part of me… a part of me didn't want to.

A sharp gasp escaped me, and suddenly—

I jolted awake.

Breathing heavily, I sat up, my heart racing as if I had truly lived that moment. My fingers brushed against my lips, the sensation still lingering.

I clenched my fists.

"No… this is wrong. I need to stay away from him."

But no matter how much I tried to convince myself… the feeling refused to fade.

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