*THE HOLLEN SERIES 04*
????????????EPISODE 11????????????
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*?? RICHES AND ROYALTY ??*
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Sebastian’s POV
It had been another week and I still remained in my be-droom. I didn’t want to be dealing with the meetings, the constant talking about my arranged marriage and most of all, I didn’t want to deal with Princess Naomi.
After tossing and turning for fifteen minutes in my be-d, I got up and walked to the balcony. It was a beautiful day yet I was unhappy and lost de-ep in many thoughts. Thoughts of me going to fetch Emily and running away with her, thoughts of me bringing her boldly into the palace and introducing her to my father as the woman that my heart oh so de-sires.
A knock on the door startled me.
“Come in,” I called.
In walked my maid, with my breakfast.
“Thanks but I’m not hungry. You can return it back to the kitchen,” I told her.
“Sir, I’ve been returning back your breakfast for three days now. Why wouldn’t you eat your meals? Does this have to do with that other woman?”
“What other woman?” I asked sharply, eyebrows creasing. The last thing I wanted was the truth expo-sing before my father. He was already angry.
“I wouldn’t and haven’t said a word but judging by that look in your eyes, I can tell she’s special to you and you’ve went to great lengths of sneaking her in here.”
I blus-hed slightly. The memory of Emily and I that night, sneaking into my be-droom like teenagers. Our na-kedbodies against each other in the outdoor Jacuzzi. All the things that would never ever happen again once I take Naomi to be my wife and my queen.
“Beatrice, I’m exhausted mentally.”
“Ssshh, my son, please don’t do this to yourself. Your mother wouldn’t want this for you.”
“I know. That’s why she took off and took me with her. Father doesn’t un-derstand that if I’m not happy, I wouldn’t be the king he wants me to be. He’s just ha-rd-headed and wouldn’t listen. I don’t wish to marry Naomi.”
“Yes I know but would you be feeling this exact way if that other woman hadn’t show up? I believe you should give Naomi a fair chance. Get to know her better before you develop a hate for her and she still hasn’t changed your heart, then you should sort out the matter with your father.”
“You think that’s a good idea?” Beatrice was like a second mother to me. My early childhood revolved around her.
“I think it’s a fair idea. Spend the day with her and see how that goes.”
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I was dressed and waiting by my personal vehicle. Naomi came several minutes later with a wide smile on her face. I opened the front p@$$enger’s door for her and I got into the driver’s seat afterwards. The bo-dyguards followed as I drove out the front entrance.
“Where are we going?” she asked as she tried to take my hand into hers. I brushed it away and placed it onto the steering wheel. Her smile faded and her posture sank into the seat.
“We’re having a picnic by the lake,” I answered.
“Okay, would your father be prese-nt?”
“No. Just you and I.”
“Why? Since my arrival, you’ve shut me out and completely ignore me. You’ve never acknowledged my prese-nce even if we’re in the same room Sebastian!” she finished with a bit of a shout which wasn’t very lady-like of her.
“I’m sorry,” was all I managed to say, but I truly was. I felt bad as she aired it all out and I had to sit there and take it all in.
“It’s okay. I forgive you.” Our hands wrapped around each others as I drove onward.
Arriving to the lake, the picnic space had already been set up and was only waiting to be unpacked and eaten by us.
We sat down, opposite each other, as the bo-dyguards stayed at a respectable distance. I unpacked the basket, laying everything onto the blanket. The day stayed sunny and beautiful as we dug into the delicious goodies.
“So, tell me something that’s interesting about you,” I made conversation as I bit into a blueberry muffin.
“I hated being trained as a princess. My mother wasn’t easy on me and at one point, I ran away from home.”
“You ran away?” This came as a shock to me.
“Yes. It was around a Christmas season. Everyone were going out, celebr@ting, shopping but I had princess duties. I just couldn’t stand it at that time. I pack some clothing and shoes and I left.”
“Where did you go?”
“To my grandmother’s house.”
I laughed and so did she. Who runs away to go to their grandma’s house?
“Yes, I know it’s sort of crazy and it’s exactly ‘running away’ but I was also a cautious teenager. I din’t know what was out there and that frightened me a lot. The idea of being lost, or running into the enemies.”
“That’s un-derstandable. You’re considerate of not just yourself but your country as well.”
“Yes, but if you don’t mind,can we talk about something other than our kingdoms? That’s all my mother ever talks about. It would be nice to talk about something completely different for once.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. Well what do you wish to talk about?”
“Love.”
“What about it?”
She looked at me dee-ply, the same way she had looked at me when she saw me for the first time.
“Can you ever seeing yourself loving me Sebastian?”
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Emily’s POV
My hands went to my li-ps as Gen stood there, watching my movement.
“Gen, please don’t ever do that again,” I firmly said.
“Oh my gosh, Emily I’m so sorry, I just wanted you to know that I’m….”
I held up my hand, stopping her from saying more. I was in a bit of a rage. Things were already complicated and I didn’t nee-d Gen throwing her feelings at me as well.
“Gen, you of all people should know that I hate the unexpected and I hate being handled. How could you just hide something like this and dish it out when I’m down?”
“Because I thought this was the right time to say something to you. I’ve always been bis-xual.”
Talk about knowing someone.
I raked my fin-gers throu-ghmy hair and thought about what she had just said. I’ve never once seen her with someone of the same s-x but maybe she does it in private because she didn’t knew how I’d react to such behavior.
Never have I tou-ched another woman but I’ll never judge others for liking or loving someone of the same s-x as themselves. I just wasn’t that type of person. I wasn’t g-ay or bis-xual.
“I overstepped and I’m sorry. I think I should just leave.”
I watched as she walked out the door, not a nerve bold enough to stop her.
What would my parents think if I bought home another woman?
*THE HOLLEN SERIES 04*
????????????EPISODE 12????????????
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*?? RICHES AND ROYALTY ??*
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Sebastian’s POV
Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I was right. But what I was certain on was that I hated the confusion in my head and the one newly being form around my heart.
I had always had feelings for Emily. Falling in love with her in high school was everything but when things ended the way it did, it was only un-derstanding that the feelings would never be the same. Years of lost of communication and distance would do that to anyone but I knew it was completely over. It wouldn’t be over even if I tried to let it just fade away.
Naomi, on the other hand, I only disliked her for one reason. She wasn’t Emily but today, as I sat across from her on the picnic basket, I saw her for her. She glowed and flushed as she told me stories from her childhood, what it was like to grow up as a princess with a very strict father and I found myself relating to her because our fathers had lots of similarities and relations.
It was only fair that I gave her a chance of proving herself instead of lashing out at her. I also knew that regardless of seeing her in a new light, I was not ready to get married to her and have her by my side for the rest of my royalty life. It wouldn’t be fair to myself or Emily.
I covered my face with my hands from exhausted thinking and wondering and asking myself about the future ahead of me and the entire Kingdom. I had a hu-ge responsibility that was now draining to my sanity and mindset. I couldn’t make everyone happy. Someone was about to have me forever and someone would have to be dealing with a broken-heart.
After a few more minutes, my cellphone chimed on the desk. I peeled myself off the be-d to retrieved it.
It was Emily, asking me if I could meet up with her because there was something very important she had to say to me.
I got dressed and sneaked out the back to my personal vehicle. I drove to Emily’s hotel. She was standing a few feet away from the hotel’s entrance. When I pulled up, she got in quickly and let out a very loud sigh.
“Seb,” she began, “I’ve been thinking about everything and I really don’t want to cause you any complications, especially with you duties and expectations as King. So I think we should just pretend like we never met each other here.”
“Don’t you dare!” my blood boiled instantly as I snapped at her. She was startled by my response and honestly, so was I.
I exhaled and calmed myself before finding the perfect words. “Okay Emily, I’m sorry and I un-derstand.”
“You do?”
I nodded my head yes.
“So that’s it? you’re just going to give up on me just like that?” she asked.
I chuckled lightly and shook my head. I pulled her over to me and planted a ki-ss on her forehead before ki-ssing her li-ps.
“I can’t give up on you by myself so if you want me to, then I’ll be for-ced to oblige to your wishes.”
“Well what if I don’t mean it?”
“Then I’ll advice you to have a clear head before speaking.” I released her gently but her eyes stayed on me.
“I’m confused, and my best friend dropped a bombshell on me, this is just all so much.”
“Ha! you should try ruling an entire Kingdom with a strict father on your back constantly telling you what to do and how to do it.”
She cu-pp-ed my face with her gentle hands.
“Your wedding is coming up soon, I want you to be happy. I don’t think I’m fit to be your queen. You should married the princess and be happy with her.”
“You’re not certain about that so can we please change this subject? Let’s go grab something to eat.”
I started my vehicle and drove to my private restaurant where fast food was served to us. I enjoyed eating fast food and junk just like anyone else.
Afterwards, Emily and I took a walk. We approached a cliff with miles of ocean before it. I circled her with my arms as she stood in front of me, taking in the night-sight.
“I have feelings for you and I can’t pretend as if they don’t exist but to be honest with you, I’m really scared of the future because there’s a very high possibility that we would have to end this one day, Emily.”
“I know, but my mom has thought me one thing, to live in the moment and in this moment, all I want to do is to enjoy you.”
We ki-ssed and I feared it was going to be our last ki-ss.
TO BE CONTINUED……