Hey guys! ♥

I just want you to know that my planned plot for this book is going to start here in this chapter. I actually have bigger plans in hand so please watch out for that. This story isn't just about some royal romance but a truckload of exciting events! :)

The generation of miracles and a wave of popular characters from other hit animes will be coming soon too. I promise you that.

Daddy Lelouch on the media ♥

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Chapter 03: An Outrageous Suggestion

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"Kaye, what's the meaning of this?"

Instead of feeling anxiety and shame that Elliot Nightray had caught us in that inappropriate situation, I was feeling rather mad upon hearing the venom lacing his voice.

He was angry, wasn't he?

How infuriating!

"Who are you?" Akashi Seijuro asked, pulling away from me --- just a little bit though because he remained holding my hand. And it was a pleasant feeling, I never wanted him to let me go.

It was strange..

Why couldn't I stand the thought of us parting? It's like I would lose something very important to me if ever he'd leave. Which is ridiculous, yeah. For god's sakes he's a stranger!

Oh great. Now I flirted with a stranger.

I kissed a stranger!

I'm screwed..

"I am her fiance," Elliot replied in a stern voice -- or more like, he declared. He walked towards us then grabbed my hand, pulling me up and away from Akashi.

"Fiance?" I repeated in disbelief, struggling to break free from his grasp as the redhead tightened his grip on my other hand --- as if really challenging the blonde. "What in the world are you talking about?"

Elliot took in several breaths before answering, "Tonight isn't just your father's birthday party, it's also our engagement."

I evidently gasped, dazed and shocked. "W-What?"

Our engagement?

It was the most stupid thing I ever heard in my whole entire life. I would never marry Elliot Nightray, not after what I saw earlier.

I trusted him, but he betrayed me.

How could I ever marry him and pretend like nothing happened?

That's plain ridiculous!

I couldn't help but laugh sarcastically, surprising the two boys around me. "And what makes you think I want to marry you?"

"You have no choice, Kaye--"

"That's your highness to you, Impudent Bastard!" I screeched. "You are not allowed to call me by my name anymore."

His eyes widened, but then the expression on his face remained steel. "Everything is final, you and I are going to get married. That's your father's decision."

At that point, I froze --- suddenly taken aback. It was my father's decision? He decided how my life would go without even consulting me?

How could he..

Tears blurred my sight, but I held back myself from crying and instead, I stayed composed as ever. "Let me go, Elliot. And that's an order!"

But he didn't budge and only remained looking at me. I couldn't exactly tell what he was thinking or why he was doing it, but he was starting to piss me off even more. "I'm sorry. What you saw earlier, it was nothing. I promise you, I never wanted to hurt you. I'll pretend that I never saw anything, and you just have to do exactly the same. We--"

"You heard her, let her go." Akashi interrupted, finally deciding to remove his mask --- revealing such striking features that my eyes couldn't possibly stop from wondering from one part to another.

Now that I've come to see his entire face, I can finally say that every inch of it was perfect!

Elliot frowned then raised his head defiantly, giving the other guy a fierce glare. "I'm not interested in anything you have to say so leave at once! She's mine, you have no place here!"

There was silence and the air around us suddenly became too heavy to breathe. Akashi Seijuro inched closer then placed a hand on top of the blonde's shoulder. I didn't know what's happening and I didn't know what he was going to do either, all I knew is that he was clearly mad and offended.

And he was scary..

Like nothing I've ever seen.

"How dare you speak to me that way? Such pride and arrogance when you don't even know your own place. You're no better than a piece of scum in my sight," he sharply stated, entirely surprising me --- and apparently the said piece of scum. But what shocked me even more was when Elliot fell to his knees after Akashi simply pushed him down by his shoulder. Then he added in a low voice, "Lower your head."

I was still dazed with what had just happened when Akashi Seijuro gently tugged my arm then pulled me away. And together we walked towards the castle, leaving Elliot there alone in such a pathetic position.

"Are you okay?" Akashi asked worriedly, like his scary state earlier was just a product of my imagination. I didn't even know what to say so I only nodded my head, forcing a smile on my lips. He gently squeezed my hand in retaliation and smiled, "I'm glad you're okay."

Oh my goodness..

His smile was so charming I could melt!

"Is what he said true?" He inquired as we walked through the peaceful corridor.

I deeply sighed, "I don't know. Father never told me anything about it."

"He's the person who made you cry, isn't he?"

I slowed down on my pace and let him walked ahead of me, but he was still firmly gripping my hand. "It's not all about him. I just- I can't breathe. It's like I don't have any control with my own life. Everything is laid out for me and all I have to do is live exactly like how they want and expect me to be."

He stopped then turned around to look at me, "You're not happy."

"I am, believe me I am. But there's just things I want to do, I want to be who I want to be and not what they want me to be.." I trailed off, tearing up. "But I don't have that much of a choice, do I? I live for the Kingdom."

If life is all about money and material things, I'm probably the luckiest girl on Earth for being born as a person who has plenty of those. But life isn't all about that, it's so much more. It's all about adventures and making choices and taking risks. And of course, being happy with whatever life gives you.

But sadly, I couldn't go out on adventures. I couldn't make my own choices because I gotta choose what is proper and appropriate for a royalty like me. And I couldn't take bigger risks because I need to be extra careful in every little thing I do.

Why?

1. I am the Princess and my life is highly important to Magnolia.

2. My father is the King. He rules everything, even my life. I do exactly what he wants me to do.

3. My little brother is the one who literally tells me when to take risks and when not to. He has a more mature mind apparently.

See?

How could I possibly get away with all that and live happily ever after in the land called freedom?

No, I couldn't.

But don't get me wrong. I love my father, I love Ciel, and I love Magnolia. If I don't, then how did you think I was able to cope up in the last eighteen years of my royal life?

It's all because of my love for them.

"Your life is yours, you have every right to do what you want to do with it." He released my hand then cupped both sides of my face, the warmth that his palms were giving me stopped my tears from falling. "I understand you."

"You do?"

He nodded his head slowly, "I do."

It wasn't everyday that somebody tells me they could understand my misery so I was really overwhelmed. He was so nice, and for a moment there, I wondered why did I ever thought he was scary when he faced Elliot.

Well, he appeared real scary so you can't blame me.

"W-What is it?" I asked nervously when I noticed him staring directly into my face. His gaze was making my heart beat fast. It was odd and disturbing, it's like it would burst.

Then without a word, he tugged my mask over my head --- completely taking it off my face. His sight trailed every piece of my revealed skin as if what he's seeing was the nicest piece of art and not the face of a stupid princess whom he had seen crying on her own in the dark.

"You have a very beautiful face." He cooed with a gentle smile, still not taking his eyes off me.

Despite being completely flustered, I rolled my eyes. "Mr. Akashi Seijuro, you sure know how to please a lady. I'm impressed."

A smirk curled up his full lips, "It seems I do. I please you, don't I?"

"I believe there is no need to answer that," I simply said with a smile.

"Your Highness," came Sebastian's voice from behind us. We immediately turned to him as he walked his way closer in a hurry, holding my tiara. "Mr. Elliot Nightray gave this to me, he said you dropped this earlier."

I distanced myself from Akashi and as I did so, Sebastian's gaze wondered on the guy. But I had no time to explain, so I went straight to my point. "Sebby, do you know anything about the engagement?"

A frown appeared on his forehead, "No, Your Highness. Whose engagement?"

"Mine. With Elliot," I replied in a low, unhappy voice.

"You seem distressed, My Lady. Isn't this supposed to be a pleasant news for you?"

"He lied to me," I started. "All this time he was making a fool out of me, Sebby. I saw him kissing another girl earlier and it was very painful."

Sebastian's facial expression showed complete sympathy and worry. He pulled me into his arms and gave me a comforting hug, "I'm sorry, Halie. None of these would've happen if I didn't tolerate you in the first place. I should've listened to your brother when he said that Elliot Nightray is up to no good."

"I don't want to marry him. I'd rather die than do so." Then I pulled away from him and added, "Elliot is not even a prince. Why does my father wants me to marry him? This is preposterous!"

"But if it's the King's decision, I'm afraid we can't do anything."

Exactly. That's why I felt like burying myself alive or jumping on the rails in front of a speeding train.

If King Lelouch vi Phantomhive wants it, he gets it. Period.

"Your life is yours. You have every right to do what you want to do with it."

Right. This is my life.

I had to gain control over my own life. I knew it's a crazy idea, but I had no other choice. I needed to take a risk or else I'd end up miserable forever.

"I'll leave the castle, Sebby. I'll have to disappear until he himself cancel the wedding," I sputtered half-whimsically, earning a gasp from him.

"Are you serious??" Sebastian asked in a completely horrified voice.

I took my stand and raised my chin, "Yes, I am."

"Then come to Japan with me," I turned to Akashi when I heard what he said. There's no doubt that his outrageous suggestion shocked us, especially my handsome butler. "Come with me to my country."

"A-Are you out of your mind? I can't just go with you." I heaved a deep sigh to calm myself and to stop myself from internally freaking out with what he said. Well, it was completely crazy. Why would I even go with him? But instead of saying that out loud, I partly shook my head upon seeing that he was serious with what he said. "I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"Believe me, I know what I'm doing and what I'm about to do." He assured, slipping one hand inside the pocket of his pants as the other remained holding my mask. "Come with me, I'll take care of you."

"B-But.."

"Do you trust me?"

I pondered for a minute, asking myself with the same question over and over again. But then no matter how hard I tried to deny it, it was obvious. Why he was there with me and why we were having that conversation..

"I do," I retorted softly, ignoring Sebastian's stare. "But it's not that easy to take me out of the castle, much less out of Magnolia."

Instead of showing anxiety, he merely smirked. And I only saw confidence in his mismatched eyes as he said:

"Don't worry. I'll have everything under my control."