186. A Little Experiment...

Dear friends, I thought of writing the end of the story again in James's perspective, as some of my loving readers wanted to hear that. And I thought of writing it in English, because I wanted to experiment and test the extents I could go. But I am not very good in composing in English and please excuse me if there are any errors or mistakes in this piece of writing (I'm sure there are many).

***

James, who was listening to Officer Thomas for more than one long hour, leaned back on his seat and blew a heavy sigh. They were sitting in the royal palace garden and James drifted his eyes along with the rhythmic flow of the water fountain in front of them.

Finally he had taken a decision after spending one whole difficult week lost amidst love and separation. That was the reason he was back at the castle seven days after he left. He had understood the truth. Emily does not think of him anymore. She has a separate life. She has chosen a separate life without him. Then why did the death spared him? Again? Emily was not the reason, now he knows. And he felt that whatever the reason it is, it is located within the castle walls. Could it be the queen? Or could it be his duty to protect her? Or could it be his recently-revealed relationship to the royal family? He did not know.

According to Thomas's explanations, the queen was not having a good time.  She misses him. Terribly. Everyone in the castle had tried in vain to make up her mind. Charlie had taken her to the legendary lake in the kingdom on that very day and they still had not returned from the trip. James looked through the mist of spreading water, at the turret of the castle dome. He should be with her, guard her, protect her, from - from - from everything. He should join her royal guard platoon. That is what he was thinking while listening to Officer Thomas. That is what he was thinking when he heard her call.

"JAMES!!!"

And at that instant, he knew he was wrong. He had been spared by the death for not to be just a protector. He leapt up from his seat and turned to see her. He did not know how she managed her jump from the horse back without falling down. He stared at Liesel as she broke into a run – towards him. He also wanted to run to meet her, but he could not move his feet a single inch. He stood right there, with a speeding up heartbeat, dumbstruck. Dumbstruck with the realization his mind was seeing at the moment. His princess - his queen - his Liesel - his own Liesel... He realized how he had missed her sweet smile, caring voice, loving affection and HER. He missed her. He could not justify even for himself why he neglected her pure and innocent and true love all this time. But given it another thought, he knew that was not the truth. He did not neglect her love. What he did was just neglecting his own thoughts and feelings building inside his heart. He had kept those neglected feelings chained and locked in a deep down dark corner, wanting to forget them. But now... he knew that he should open the doors. The doors of his heart. He knew he has to let his soul fly. He understood what his destiny was expecting from him. He forgot everything else around him as he spread his arms wide and embraced his loving angel who flew into him, in a long warm hug. It was perfect. She was perfect. They were perfect. He wanted to hold her like that forever. She started crying and he kissed her head. "Don't cry now... I'm here..."

"You always come and leave me again..." She sobbed. "Leave me in a darker pit than where I was... You are playing with me... You are playing with my love..." She mumbled into his chest.

He tightened his hands around her while cursing his stupidity for letting her drown in this misery. His misery. He kissed her left temple. "It won't happen again... I promise... Forgive me..."

"You don't deserve any forgiving..."

James smiled and tried to turn her face up. "Then punish me. You have that right - my queen..."

Liesel withdrew her hands and hit him on his chest. "That's what I told you... You are mocking me again... You-"

James grabbed her hands and kissed them. It was not a gentle courtesy of a gentleman, but a moistened smack of a lover. "No... never..." He placed her hands on his heart and touched her forehead with his forehead. "I have been blind... I was lost... I couldn't figure out anything that had happened to me... I wanted to clear out everything one by one - from the very beginning. I wanted to spend some time alone..." He rubbed his nose against her nose bridge. "Now everything is resolved... and I'm here..."

"I missed you James..." Liesel closed her watery eyes. "I missed you so much..."

"I know... I missed you too..." He wiped the tears on her right cheek with his thumb and she laid her face on his palm.

"I was so worried about you...” She opened her eyes. “Where were you?"

"I was at my home... where I lived with my father..." He caught his eyes wandering down her face.

"Oh good... I was worried that you would leave Fascinovel again..."

"I wanted to..." he confessed. "But I couldn't..." He hoped that she would not ask why. It would not be an easy question to answer. And in the other hand, all he wanted right at the moment was to-

“You won't leave me again?” She asked.

“Never” He smiled and promised with confident, trying hard to focus his eyes on her eyes. He was sensing the awakening of the playful stranger inside him.

“Will you be staying with me?”

Butterflies! OH! “Forever.”

“Is this a promise?”

“Yes...” Butterflies started fluttering inside his chest – hands – throat – mouth – lips –

“Then, will you accept the crown?”

“Why are you asking so many questions?” he mumbled.

“Answer me!” She pleaded; she commanded. “Last time I asked this, you were horrified.”

He dragged his eyes which were locked on her lips, back to her eyes. “If that is what you want, I will...” He knew the responsibility lying on those words. And he knew that his destiny wants him to take that responsibility. To protect her, and her kingdom. But right at the moment -

“No, I don't want you to do it because I want it. I want you to want it yourself.”

Huh, what? “I'm sorry your majesty, I don't get what you are saying. I am distracted by – my – mmm – I – can I – ahem - “ he cleared his throat, “ - may I kiss you?”

Her lovely mouth flashed a sudden wide grin but she wiped out it quickly. “No!” she answered sternly.

“Please.” He wrapped his arms around her again.

“No!” She did not struggle but kept her face away from his mouth, trying but failing to hide her smile.

“Butterflies!” He murmured into her left ear.

“Don't try to seduce your queen!”

“Yes, your majesty!” He bit her ear gently.

“I warn you!”

“Me too. Let me. Please.” He moved his mouth along her cheekbone towards her lips but she swayed his face away with both  hands.

“You didn't give me an answer,” she said.

“I did. I said I will. And I like your majesty's hands around my neck.”

“Oh James!” Liesel tried to stifle her giggle. “You are very strange today!”

“Yes... You haven't met this fellow yet. He came out of his dark cave only today...”

“Well... I like him...” Liesel crawled her hands up his arms, shoulders and finally hid them behind his neck. “Never let him hide again.”

“He is bewitched. He won't leave.” He again approached her lips but she stopped him again, this time with her nose.

“Say it,” she whispered.

“Say what?” he asked in the same tone.

“The words...”

“Which words?”

“The magic words...”

“What – ooh!” He understood. “The magic words!”

“Yes! Say it!”

“I - “ He paused and she was eagerly looking into his eyes, so eager to hear those magic words. “ - want to kiss you!” He ducked his head and placed his lips on hers and kissed her passionately for three magical seconds before she got the chance to push him back.

“You're impossible James!” she complained, smiling, and he laughed. “You know those are not the magic words!”

“Aren't they?” he teased her.

“NO!”

“Then what are they?”

“I'm not going to say that first!”

“Otherwise how would I know?”

“You are playing with me again!” Liesel's smile faded a little.

James drew her close, his face serious. “Why is it so important?”

“That is the way it should be happened. You have to say the words first, then only it will become true.”

“Who says so?”

“I read it. In a book.” Liesel started to turn pink.

“Hmm,” James nodded, his playful smile back on his lips. “In a book.” He knew exactly which book she was referring to. And Liesel turned bright beet root red. “A gorgeous blushing,” he chuckled.

“You are making me nervous James...” she tried to escape from his grip.

“No, I'm making my majesty blush,” he grinned and moved his face close again. “And I know better than that book.”

“James! Stop this!” Liesel complained.

“Stop what?”

“Stop playing with me!”

“Oh! Okay!” James loosened his hands and stepped back. But he could not stop his grin. Liesel stared at him. Then it turned to a glare. And it broadened James's grin.

“Don't laugh at me!!!” Liesel scolded.

“Okay.” James nodded his head and laughed out loudly. Oh, this is so fun. The last time he laughed like this was – oh! - that also was with her – his sweet princess.

“I WILL punish you. I definitely will.”

“Well, I've made up my mind to accept the crown. You can't punish your king.”

“I won't give it to you! You don't deserve it!”

“Fine. I better leave then, before you punish me.”

“Leave! I don't care!”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes! Go!”

She did not have her smile anymore. She was hurt. Oh no! Grin faded away from James's lips. “Hey...” He reached forward but Liesel stepped back.

“Don't touch me,” she protested.

“Liesel...”

“Calling your queen by her name is a crime!”

“Liesel... I just wanted to make you smile...” He was the one who used to be the fun-allergy infected. He never expected this reaction from her.

“No... You were playing with my feelings...”

She looked away but James saw her tears. He quickly closed the gap between them and embraced her again. “I'm so sorry... I didn't want to hurt you...” He tightened his hold, closed his eyes and kissed the top of her head.

“Past few days were not easy for me...” Her muffled voice made his heart ache. “I wanted you to help me to overcome that grief... I wanted you to assure me that it won't happen again... But you-”

“I love you...” He said, taking her face with both hands. He looked into her eyes and saw all the memories they shared together in her sparkling, glistening, lovely emerald eyes. “I promised you and I will never break my promise... I'm sorry for each and every moment I made you cry... I won't do it again... never...” He kissed her lips briefly. “And remember this, there is only one rule for love... That is - follow your heart... Your feelings are trustworthy than the spoken words... Your instincts are trustworthy than the written words... Just follow your heart...”

“Oh James!” Liesel whispered and finally smiled through her tears.

“You are the one who taught me this, Liesel. It was your wisdom that took me out of my own darkness. I didn't follow my heart when I should have. I didn't allow myself to accept my love for you when I should have. But now I know what I should do. You were and are my inspiration, and always will be. I love you so much my little princess... my queen... I love you...” And they kissed, forgetting everything around them and making all the wonders in the universe alive.