003

The next day came as fast as it could as if the heavens were also trying to ship them.

*** ***

An hour past noon, Elisa was yet to arrive. Concerned, Prince Eric dispatched Geraldo, who harbored his own feelings for Elisa, unbeknownst to the prince. Geraldo, bowing dutifully, left the palace immediately to check upon her and bring her to the palace.

Meanwhile, Elisa was seated on the grass, the sun's rays outlining her emerald eyes and accentuating her beauty. Her black hair shone under the warm sunlight. Lost in her thoughts, she enjoyed the peaceful moment until quick footsteps disturbed her tranquility. Blinking twice in realization, she found Geraldo, one of her latest admirers, panting as he delivered the urgent message.

Elisa used the sun's position to calculate the time, and a sudden realization made her exclaim, "Holy shit!" She stood up abruptly, ready to make her way to the palace.

However, Geraldo, driven by concern and perhaps a hint of hurt, held her hand to stop her. His voice trembled as he asked, "Are you having an affair with the prince?" Elisa, taken aback, jerked her hand away from his grip, her eyes reflecting a mix of frustration and determination.

"Mind your own business," she retorted, her tone firm. Geraldo, hurt by her dismissal, watched as Elisa swiftly left, leaving behind the quiet beauty of the sunlit meadow. The air carried with it the tension of unspoken emotions.

Elisa's heart raced as she sprinted through the palace grounds, the grandeur of towering spires and ornate arches surrounding her like a majestic labyrinth. She believed she had successfully eluded the impending punishment of the elusive prince, the rhythmic pounding of her footsteps drowned by the echoes of her own breath.

Reaching the sanctuary of the palace, she let out a sigh of relief, convinced she had outsmarted her pursuer. Little did she know, the prince had skillfully shadowed her every move, a silent hunter in pursuit of the enigmatic prey.

Her moment of triumph, however, swiftly transformed into an unforeseen twist of fate. As Elisa turned to savor her escape, her gaze collided with the unexpected silhouette of the prince. The air itself seemed to still in suspense, caught in the paradox of her relief transforming into the realization that she was not alone.

In a reflexive motion, fueled by the remnants of tension and adrenaline, Elisa's hand swung forward and connected with the prince's chest. The impact, though unintended, echoed through the palace halls, a collision of worlds that resonated like a symphony of destiny.

Startled, the prince, momentarily taken aback, caught Elisa's gaze. A spark of recognition flickered in his eyes, a silent acknowledgment of the unpredictable dance of fate that had brought them together once again. In the ensuing moments, the palace, adorned with opulent tapestries and gleaming chandeliers, transformed into a stage for their unexpected encounter.

As Elisa recoiled from the force of her own blow, an unsteady misstep sent her stumbling backward. The elegant tiles of the palace floor became an unforgiving stage, and in a poetic turn of events, she fell not into the clutches of punishment but into the waiting arms of the prince.

Time seemed to slow as they locked eyes, a tableau of vulnerability and surprise amidst the regal splendor. The prince, now a guardian instead of a pursuer, cradled Elisa in his arms. The atmosphere, charged with the anticipation of confrontation, now exhaled into an unexpected moment of connection.

The grandeur of the palace, with its towering columns and intricate carvings, framed this peculiar dance between two souls bound by the whims of fate. Geraldo, somewhere in the shadows, remained a silent spectator to the unfolding epic, witnessing the intricate tapestry of emotions and collisions that defined the destiny of Elisa and her prince.He was super jealous of what was happening and left almost immediately as he could nit watch the public display if affection any longer.

In the timeless interlude of their locked gazes, the air between Elisa and the prince crackled with an unspoken intensity. The grandeur of the palace surroundings faded into insignificance as the warmth of their bodies intertwined, a silent acknowledgment of a connection that defied the rigid constraints of their roles.

As seconds stretched into suspended moments, Elisa, fueled by a surge of independence, was the first to break the spell. "Release me," she demanded, her voice cutting through the charged atmosphere. The prince, with a nod that held a tinge of reluctant acquiescence, let go of her, relinquishing the fragile bond that had momentarily tethered them.

"Okay," he replied, his tone tinged with a complex mix of understanding and mystery. However, as he began to step back, an unexpected surge of force seemed to propel Elisa forward, and she landed abruptly on her elbow with a sharp thud. Pain lanced through her, and a wince contorted her features.

The palace, witness to their entangled dance, remained stoic, its opulent decor contrasting with the unexpected clash of vulnerability. Geraldo, a distant observer of this unfolding drama, grappled with conflicting emotions—compassion for Elisa's pain and a lingering sting of hurt from her earlier dismissal.

Elisa, gritting her teeth against the pain, rose slowly from the ground. The moment, which had begun with an accidental collision and evolved into a delicate connection, now pivoted into a reality colored by the sharp edges of discomfort.

The prince, a silent figure in the backdrop, extended a hand in a gesture of assistance. Elisa, torn between accepting aid and asserting her independence, hesitated for a brief moment before accepting the offered support. As their hands met, a subtle undercurrent of understanding flowed between them.

He tore his gaze from her eyes and pulled her up abruptly.

The tension in the palace air crackled as Prince Eric tore his gaze from Elisa's eyes, abruptly pulling her to her feet. The abruptness of the movement hung in the air, a silent precursor to the tumultuous conversation that was about to unfold in the opulent surroundings of the Samaria Empire.

For the first time, an uncharacteristic nervousness gripped Prince Eric. Meanwhile, Elisa, filled with uncertainty, found herself questioning the inexplicable twists of fate that had led her to this moment. Their eyes locked, becoming mirrors reflecting the intricate dance of power and vulnerability.

"You're really a wicked guy to drop a lady to the ground like that," Elisa spoke aloud, her voice carrying the defiance of a woman who had momentarily forgotten her new status as a slave in the imposing Samaria Empire. The grandeur of Norway echoed in her words, colliding with the reality of her present circumstances.

Prince Eric chuckled, the sound deep and throaty, sending shivers down Elisa's spine. However, any anticipation of a conciliatory response was quickly dashed as he harshly reminded her, "Don't forget you're a slave!" The weight of his words hung heavily in the air, much to Elisa's dismay.

Expecting tears to well up in her eyes, he turned away, only to be met with an unexpected and harsh retort. "You disgust me," Elisa's voice, filled with an unexpected strength, cut through the tense atmosphere. Prince Eric, frozen in his spot, felt a surge of disbelief. How dare she speak to the next imperial majesty in such a manner?

"And you don't need to remind me that you're the soon-to-be king," Elisa continued, her words biting with defiance. "You just hurt people a lot." With a deep breath, she shifted into a mock submission, adding, "I'd really appreciate if you just assign my duties to me." A surprising turn in the dance of power.

Her voice taking on a note of vulnerability. Her bowed head, a symbol of temporary surrender, awaited the forthcoming commands.

Prince Eric, momentarily melted by the unexpected turn, turned his gaze to her. Seeing her head bowed in apparent submission, a tinge of remorse crept into his eyes. He hadn't intended to be harsh on her; the weight of his impending role as king suddenly felt heavier.

Noticing the water she cradled her elbows, he gently pulled her arm for inspection, causing Elisa to gasp. A curse escaped his lips as he saw a warm trickle of blood. Without hesitation, he led her to sit on one of the plush cushions, a stark contrast to the previous tense exchange. "Wait here," he ordered, his tone a mixture of authority and unexpected concern.

Prince Eric swiftly went to retrieve the first aid kit. As he applied ointment and cleaned her wounds, Elisa's surprise mingled with a fleeting openness in her heart. The unexpected gentleness from the same hands that had caused her pain created a paradox within her.

As Prince Eric carefully attended to her injuries, he watched her soft features, illuminated by the ambient glow of the palace. She closed her eyes and winced in pain, a vulnerability he hadn't anticipated. The intricacies of her delicate nature unfolded before him, challenging the preconceived notions he held.

However, as Prince Eric cleaned her wounds with care, Elisa's heart, momentarily touched, swiftly closed off again. The memory of the pain he had inflicted overshadowed the tender moment, hardening her resolve once more.

However, as Prince Eric cleaned her wounds with care, Elisa's heart, momentarily touched, swiftly closed off again. The memory of the pain he had inflicted overshadowed the tender moment, hardening her resolve once more.

Once he was done, Prince Eric dropped the first aid kit, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. "Go and take a good rest," he advised, the authority in his voice softened by a rare note of concern.

Elisa, surprised by the sudden turn of events, hesitated. "What about my duties?" she asked meekly, her sense of duty conflicting with the unexpected care she was receiving.

"Forget about them and get a good rest," he insisted, his eyes holding a firmness that brooked no argument.

"But it's just a scratch," Elisa continued stubbornly, her resilience challenging the prince's authority.

"That could get you weak. Now go and rest," Prince Eric reiterated, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

With a resigned sigh, Elisa made sure not to utter a word of gratitude as she left the scene. Eric watched her retreating figure in silence, a flicker of complexity in his eyes. What a stubborn kid, he mused to himself, a smile playing on his lips. The unexpected exchange had left an indelible mark, stirring emotions in the prince that he hadn't anticipated.