1 Theo’s Dread

Theo gently stroked Charlotte's head, brushing his fingers along hair seemingly made of pure gold and possessed the pleasant softness of lavish silk. The first light of dawn cast through the broad window onto the girl lying on his chest. Her naked skin on his gave Theo sensations he wouldn't hesitate to call heavenly. There was no telling what he would give for them to stay just like that for eternity.

"What might you be thinking about?" Charlotte whispered sweetly and poked Theo's nose with her slender finger.

Staring into Charlotte's deep blue eyes which were reminiscent of the sky itself, Theo smiled and said, "Oh, nothing, just how I came to lie in the same bed as a divine angel."

"Hehe."

Charlotte's delightful chuckle was enough to erase all the pain from any mortal being, but not Theo, whose sense of dread became more and more crippling the sweeter Charlotte acted.

"Do you want to run away together?" Charlotte asked out of nowhere while still touching Theo's nose.

"What?"

Theo's fingers, which were running through Charlotte's hair, stopped in their tracks.

"To somewhere far, far away, away from this kingdom," Charlotte continued.

Even though her voice was still that of an angel, Theo couldn't help but feel the pain of his heart crumbling at the sound of it.

"W-We can't, Charlotte. You are the princess; you can't just disappear."

"I don't care about Father's kingdom, Theo. All I care about is being with you."

"But…" Theo was going to refute, but Charlotte had placed her finger on his lips, the warmth of which ridded him of the ability to speak.

Charlotte sighed.

"There is something I need to tell you, Theo."

Her tone had a sudden shift to seriousness.

"In the coming September, I will be of marriageable age. Father said that if I won't be able to find an appropriate suitor by then, he will marry me off to the son of the Duke of Hamilton."

There was an obvious sense of sadness in Charlotte's pristine eyes, merely the sight of which pierced Theo with a thousand daggers.

However, it was expected. Theo had known it all along. He had known that there was no chance of a happy ending for the two of them. How could he, the son of a declining noble house on the verge of being called peasants, be together with the First Princess of the Kingdom of Great Britain? Oh, how it had hurt him, knowing that he couldn't be together with the beautiful girl lying in bed with him as of this very moment. Every word she spoke and every smile she showed were torture.

But he didn't want to run away, either. He loved his family just as much: his father, who supported him his whole life no matter the circumstances, and his mother, whose unconditional love served as the taproot to his very soul.

Theo wouldn't be surprised if his punishment in hell would be forever repeatedly making the decision between his parents and lover.

That's why he had sealed up his worries in a tight box. But that box had been reopened, with more contents than what was originally stored in it, now that Charlotte had let him know that he had 6 months to make that decision.

"Everything will be fine, Charlotte," Theo said, attempting to comfort himself more so than her.

"I hope so."

Charlotte pushed herself up and leaned her face in toward Theo's. Her soft and supple lips making contact with Theo's.

It was during that moment of bliss when a harsh knocking sound came from the door, accompanied by the muffled stern voice of a woman.

"Your Highness, it's time to prepare yourself for breakfast."

Charlotte pulled her lips away and called back, "I will be right there."

Then she turned back to Theo and gave him one more brief kiss.

"You should go now, Theo," Charlotte whispered and rolled off of Theo's body.

The lack of Charlotte's body's warmth left Theo in lonely coldness, making him want to go back.

"Right," Theo said with disappointment.

Reluctantly, Theo got up from the bed to look for his clothes. He swiftly put on his trousers and tunic. Then, he walked through the spacious and luxuriously decorated bedroom toward the window, the one he had used to enter Charlotte's chamber the previous night.

Theo looked back at Charlotte, who was still lying naked in her bed, staring affectionately at his silhouette. The scene was so similar to the paintings of the Madonna herself, and in Theo's eyes, Charlotte's beauty doesn't lose to that of the Virgin Mary.

"See you soon," Charlotte said.

"See you."

Theo allowed himself to drown in Charlotte's farewell smile for a brief moment before he pushed himself over the windowsill. After a short fall, Theo landed on the grass outside of the royal castle.

It was still very early in the morning. There were no guards in sight roaming around the royal estate except for the one beside the rear gate, who showed no care at Theo jumping out of the window of the princess's chamber.

Despite the fact that he was undoubtedly in the line of sight of the guard, Theo nonchalantly walked toward the rear gate across the well-cared-for grass field.

As he approached the gate, the guard, who was obviously not doing his job properly, gave Theo a nod.

Theo returned his greeting and reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out a small, jingling pouch.

"Thanks, Henry," Theo said to the guard and discreetly passed the pouch to him under the guise of a seemingly inconspicuous handshake.

"Anytime, Theo, but you got to hook us up with some royal girls, too," The guard said jokingly from under his heavy armor.

"In your dreams," Theo retorted.

Theo walked through the gate past the laughing guard. He got onto the paved streets outside the estate and headed for his house.

The royal estate was the center point of the entire city of London. The rear gate Theo just exited out of led to a secluded alleyway. Its purpose was to serve as an escape route for the royal family in the case of an attack. Theo was now using that route for his weekly visit to Charlotte.

Ever since these visits began, every day had become lifeless for Theo. He would have smitten those wretched days of waiting just so he could see his beloved princess.

The weather couldn't have been more picturesque. Blue sky as far as the eye could see with fluffy clouds sprinkled sparsely and artistically. However, Theo's stride was filled with nothing but lead.