Chapter Four: The beginning of hell.

The prince suddenly appeared. "Halt!" He exclaimed hastily, prompting the guards to turn around and look at him. They bowed their heads in respect.

"The princess is out," the prince explained. "You need not worry yourselves."

With these words, they marched out of the garden, and the prince drew a heavy sigh. " You can come out now, Lizzy," he commented in a more relaxed tone, gesturing for them to come out of hiding.

Elizabeth, Nicholas, and Aurora left the large tree they were hiding behind as they approached the prince.

Nicholas bowed his head, and the prince acknowledged him with a curt nod.

"Quickly, go out with him," he instructed Elizabeth hastily. "I'll tell Mother that I sent you on an errand to deliver a package to Emma."

Elizabeth sighed happily. "Thank you so much, brother," she returned excitedly as she made her way outside the palace with Nicholas beside her.

Arthur gazed after her and John before they faded out of sight. His sister, Elizabeth, would be the end of him; he was certain about it. He dismissed Aurora as he made his way towards his mother's chamber. He knew she'd be furious because she'd placed Elizabeth on a ban for a week.

Elizabeth had failed to honor the invitation of the Duke of Sarz despite his effort to travel a great distance to court her. Being true to herself, Elizabeth fled from the palace until the Duke departed in a temper.

The Queen, enraged, had issued an order for her to remain confined within the palace premises for a duration of a week.

"Hello Mother," he said with a faint smile. "I heard you were searching for Elizabeth. Well, I sent her on an errand to deliver a package for Emma."

"Nonsense," said the Queen as she tapped her foot on the ground. "You know quite well I'd forbidden her from stepping outside the palace walls."

"Yes," replied Arthur impatiently. "But it was a matter of urgency, and I was preoccupied with court duties."

"Alright, son," she gave in with a sigh. "Go have a rest now. I know you must be tired."

He nodded his head , and with a small smile vacated the Queen's chambers.

The queen heaved a tired sigh as she collapsed on her bed. Elizabeth was truly a hard nut to crack. She had suggested to her husband that they ignore her tantrums and force her into marrying one of the nobles; However, the King objected to the idea.

He cherished his daughter so much that he didn't want to compel her into a lifeless marriage. Even though he'll never approve of her marriage with a commoner, at least he wanted her to pick her husband herself, but it had to be among the noble gentlemen.

The Queen recalled that some months ago, during the Ball dance, she had seen her daughter dancing with a very handsome gentleman. She was elated then.

But she got to find out that the young man was the son of a plumber. "Over my dead body, I will never give my daughter away to the plumber's son," she had furiously shouted at Elizabeth after the ball.

Afterwards, they warned her seriously not to associate with him or the likes. In spite of it, she knew her daughter still met up with the young man, but she hadn't been opportune to catch Elizabeth in the act.

Immediately after Elizabeth and Nicholas made their way out of the palace on his horse, he was ushering her to a picnic site.

"I had something prepared for you, but I was disappointed to discover you were banned from stepping out of the palace, but I'm glad you can now." He had explained happily.

They eventually arrived at their destination. It was a beautiful place on the banks of the river. The location by the river was incredibly scenic and attractive with green features, as an extensive quantity of lush green grass was present. The scenic view was stunning and provided an ideal setting for relaxing; Elizabeth found solace in its alluring beauty.

The scenery also featured towering trees, rolling hills, and a sparkling lake. She spotted a big tray covered with a veil at a tidy spot.

"Come on," Nicholas stated, pulling her along as they settled in front of the tray. He gently uncovered the platter.

"What's this?" Elizabeth questioned excitedly, glancing at the assortment of food, wine, and fruits presented before her with great enthusiasm.

"A little something, as a token of my love," replied Nicholas with a charming grin.

"Oh my!" Elizabeth exclaimed joyously. "You shouldn't have bothered so much."

"Nonsense," said Nicholas, patting her cheek lovingly. "You know, I have never really done much for you; I just wanted to express my love in any way."

"Thank you so much, Nick," she happily stated, hugging him tightly. "I love it."

They indulged in food and drinks to their contentment while engaging in casual conversation on various topics and before they knew it, it was already getting dark.

An hour later, they were lying on the grass and admiring the bright stars.

Glancing upwards, "Isn't it lovely?" Elizabeth commented, pointing at a particularly large star that shone so brightly. She got no reply from Nicholas, and puzzled, she turned towards his visage. She felt her breath catch as his intense gaze bore into her.

"You're so beautiful," he stated in a passion-filled tone. "I get lost in your eyes, sometimes."

Elizabeth didn't utter a sound, but her smile made Nicholas's heart race with excitement. As she lay, only an inch away from him, he could feel himself becoming aroused.

The fragrance of her sweetness sent his senses spinning in every direction. Overwhelmed with emotions, he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers with great fervor.

All of a sudden, he passionately kissed the nape of her neck while she let out a deep moan, leaving Nicholas to gasp for breath. Nicholas rapidly unzipped her dress while she hastily took his pants off. He let his lips roam freely over her exposed figure.

You're so adorable." He growled huskily, drawing a low moan from her.

Elizabeth surrendered to the overwhelming feelings of desire and trembled under his touch while he affectionately explored her form. She clung onto him firmly as he entered her gently, causing her to emit a pained sound.

"I'll go gently," he said, caressing her face lovingly and causing her to nod in consent. He went in slowly and gently until she prompted him to intensify the pace, eventually reaching a peak of intense pleasure.

After their passionate intimacy, Elizabeth rested comfortably in Nicholas's embrace as they gazed at the twinkling stars, both feeling drained from their amorous encounter. Although Elizabeth was content and blissful, she couldn't shake off the thought that Nicholas would face severe consequences if her parents found out about their relationship.

She was hesitant to confide in her brother about losing her virginity due to the anticipated outburst of his anger. He still perceived her as his innocent baby sister.

Suddenly, after a few minutes, they heard the sound of a commotion and the sounds of running footsteps erupt within the vicinity.

They hastily stood up, righting their clothes as they ran outward, glancing confusedly at the frenzy going on. They saw different people in all directions, running around in fear and panic.