The Princess pulled back her head and stared at him, one tear falling from an eye, "I didn't mean it! I missed you, you…You nasty man!"

Cid smiled to her small fist hitting his chest and the sob that escaped her lips.

Even though she looked this way, crying and hitting him, he had never felt such happiness and hopelessness ever in his life!

And those direct feelings seemed to take him to do something that neither of them expected!

With the lips…That were now against his, Cid suddenly stopped in complete shock!

How long...How long had he wanted to kiss her?

It was like a dream, it wasn't real!

Except, just as he went to draw away, the Princess put her hands around his neck and kissed him back.

Neither of them wasn’t well learnt in the art of kissing, just putting one lips against the other, but that seemed enough...

Putting a hand to her face, Cid lingered on her lips, those soft lips, like he had finally accomplished some goal, and this was his prize!

…He'd never kissed a girl before, he didn't have any deep thoughts towards the procedure but now that he had experienced this much, he knew...He knew that he had underrated it!

With the Princess in his arms, Cid felt like he was on top of the world. There was just no other place he'd prefer to be...

Such a treasure she was...

Releasing his lips from hers, Cid then kissed her cheeks, her forehead and then her nose, hearing her small giggle because of it.

Ah, he thought, now she is happy.

…Could it really be so simple?

That he, just him being with her and who he was, was what made her happy?

...Cid didn't want to believe it...

After all, he was practically a servant, a man that wasn't even standing on his own two feet!

How could such a sweet, perfect and pretty Princess rely on him for her happiness?

Putting his forehead against hers, Cid sighed.

What was he going to do with her!?

"You love me, don't you!" He heard her say, making him open his eyes to hers, that were now only inches away from him.

"Of course, I do!" Cid stated back easily.

But...What he never thought, was that the Princess would see right through his words, "I meant more than a friend, more than a sister type of way. You love me!"

Pulling back, Cid fought against showing how much he knew how sneaky and brilliant she was!

I do love you Princess...Much more than that of a friend and sister!

I love you that much that I can’t feel right if you’re not around…That I want you beside me, selfishly…

"Say it!" The pretty Princess stated, now looking angrily at him.

Cid moved a stray piece of her hair behind her ears and sighed.

For the life of him, he couldn't say that he didn't...He couldn't do it! At the same time though, could he say that he did!

After a short silence between them, the pretty Princess hit his chest again and then grabbed his head, making him look at her, "Say it!"

Cid blinked rapidly and started to shake his head...

He can't promise her anything! How could he swear his undying love for her!? Wasn't she better off...

"Say it!" She stated more loudly now.

Cid didn't reply to the pretty Princess, just looking down at the ground instead.

He didn't want to hurt her, and he couldn't seem to say the words, so he really was at a loss!

Taking his hands to hers, that were on the sides of his face, he brought her hands back down and went to let them go but, the Princess didn't let him go.

She looked down and then pulled one of his hands up, closer to her face.

Cid saw what she was looking at and quickly went to pull his hand away.

He had made that ring a while ago now but never intended to give it to the person that he had made it for.

It was a simple gold ring, looking at it now but...

With the Princess taking his hand back, with a force that he didn't know she had, she turned it around and Cid looked around randomly upon wondering what to do.

Yes, he had placed the ring the wrong way, just showing one side that was gold. It made him fit that part of becoming more of a 'noble', yet...On the other side of the ring, there was a colorful stone in the middle of a word.

He had spent so much time engraving this ring, to now have it be seen by one other person...And that one other person...Was her!

"Promise."

Cid sighed, looking over her head.

It wasn't just 'promise', as the eternity symbol was before the 'p'...It was eternal promise!

The first time that something, anything, was engraved and thought of...Was this ring...It was indeed a new idea that he was going to improve on in no time!

The courage of the Princess made Cid stunned as he suddenly became aware of the ring that was on his pinkie was now removed!

"Hey!" He stated, going to get it back.

The Princess held it into her hands tightly and looked directly at him, "I want it! I want your promise!"

My...How...

Princess...It is your ring...

My promise to you was to only hold you in my heart, Cid stated silently.

Only her...

Closing his eyes for a short moment, Cid then pulled her hand opened, hearing her obvious dislike to it but then he placed the ring on a particular finger.

It fits...

It was only slightly big, but it wouldn't fall off easily, so to him, he thought that he had done well!

With the ring now upon her finger, the Princess looked up at Cid and saw his proud smile.

She was right! He did love her!

The Princess smiled then and turned his head to look at her, "I love you too."

She watched at how stunned he was and let out a chuckle. "Idiot!"

Pulling his head down, with courage she never knew she had, she quickly gave him a kiss and let his head go again.

"I'll look after this ring really well!" She stated happily.

Cid didn't know what to do!

Not only had the pretty Princess finally seen his true feelings for her…But she had kissed him herself!

She really was a piece of work!

Just…

She said…

Still stunned, Cid finally took in the words that she had said.

‘I love you too.’

‘I love you too.’

It kept repeating in his mind…

So…She…

She loves me!

Cid hadn’t heard such great words in…Well, maybe since his mother had died.

Remembering his mother and comparing it to now, Cid was sure that this was different. This girl, this pretty Princess, and her words, meant so much to him that he felt like his heart might actually explode!

…She loves me…

No other thoughts seemed to enter his mind at the moment as he took her into his arms once again.

He felt so unworthy of her love yet wanted to accept it all completely!

It really was so conflicting to him that he started to soon come back to his senses…

It really was a dilemma...

Even now, knowing that they loved each other, she was already engaged to be married to someone else...And if they were able to, somehow, stop her engagement...How was he still able to marry her himself!?

He needed to get on his own two feet, as fast as possible!

Did he...Did he really have a chance though, even if he worked like crazy to become someone?

The Princess saw Cid with a worried and conflicted look, and she hit him softly once again in the chest, "Don't worry. We'll make it work!"

Cid stared at her, utterly shocked!

Shouldn't it be him telling her that it should be well?

Shouldn't it be him that should make things work!?

Such a scary girl!

She really might make his life harder!

Of course, he only smiled at the thought. Was there really a chance!?

Could he really think of a future with her by his side!?

"Princess." Cid said, not really able to say anything else.

Yes, he loved her! Yes, he wanted to be with her!

She smugly smiled at him, then at the ring in her hand...Then suddenly frowned.

"Right, give me your necklace too!"

Cid blinked, a bit shocked.

She made him bend over a bit, and he did as she wanted, and his necklace came off.

This was also just something that he wanted to use as something that made him look like he had money...But...It seemed the pretty Princess had a plan.

Watching her place, the ring on the necklace, then put it around her neck, hiding the ring in her clothes, she then looked up and said, "I'll put it on after the engagement is officially cancelled."

With the significance of the conversation, Cid became serious once again, "How...How can such a thing happen? You are...A Princess..."

It was rare as it was for engagements to end with normal people, let alone a Princess! How was a Princess going to get out of it!?

“That’s right, I’m a Princess!” She stated, smiling at him.

My…I just keep falling…

Cid was just about to ask her what she meant by that or what she might plan on doing, when a yell came from close by.

“Princess! Princess Bethany!”

Cid widened his eyes and was sure that the person yelling wasn’t that far away.

“I know, you should go.” The Princess stated, pouting.

Looking down at her, unable to stop his eyes from turning gentle, Cid kissed her on the forehead. “I will talk to you soon, Princess. Give me a couple of days and I’ll get in touch with you.”

The Princess moved from side to side, looking happy and then suddenly stopped, just as Cid was nearly out of the small bush, “Where? Where do I met you?”

The yelling came closer, stopping Cid from answering the Princess and he just ran out, quickly wanting to get back to his horse and ride out of the area.

He didn’t want anything bad to happen to the Princess because of him!

The Princess came out of the bush, coming directly in front of the servant that was yelling for her, and said, “Enough.”

She then left, leaving the servant stunned to her sudden appearance…

Having walked up the steps and back to where most of the people were, the Princess held a secret smile.

“Where have you been, little sister?”

Princess Bethany smiled again at her elder brother and took his hand, wanting to speak before he said another word, “Take my side, will you?”

Before he could ask her what she was talking about, Princess Bethany walked to be in the middle of the room and clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention.

It took about ten seconds for the music to stop, dancers to stop dancing and for everyone to look at her.

In that time, the Princess had searched for her so-called fiance but had not found him in the area, making her believe that what she was going to do might actually become easier.

“I’m sorry to stop you but this will no longer be an engagement gathering as I am withdrawing myself from the marriage!” The Princess stated with a determined and loud voice.

Gasps were heard throughout the whole area and it took a moment for the King to come forth and speak, “What…What are you doing!? Guards, take her away, she is speaking nonsense!”

Princess Bethany turned to her father, with the most courage that she has ever had in her whole life, and said, “I will not marry Mr Otter, Father! Instead, I would like to do something else that will grant me my husband!”

The King angrily stepped closer to the Princess, as she got a ring out of her dress, “I just found this, as I was wondering aimlessly around, and for the person who knows what it is and will make a copy of it in evidence, I will marry that person!”

A sudden noise came through the crowd and a few people wanted to get in closer to have a look at the ring. The idea seemed easy, as the ring didn’t look all that different. With a small number of people there who would be able to make a ring, they started to get excited…With the rest who had no idea on how to make a ring themselves, they wondered if they could pay someone to make a ring for them, just so that they would have the chance to marry the Princess and become royalty!

“Preposterous!” The King yelled, once again ordering the guards to take the Princess away but…

Prince Elton stood in between the Princess and the guards, glaring at his father, “Father, please reconsider…”

“Both…Both of you are playing games!?” The King asked angrily.

“I dare not to play games, Father. In fact, I happen to think that the Princess has done a good deed!” Elton stated, having an idea upon what the Princess was not saying at this moment.

He guessed that the ring was from Cid and that they had even been together just before…

To have his little sister act this way and be so determined, Prince Elton wanted to help her, especially when he was sure that Mr Stephen Otter was not someone good for her anyway.

“It is not of the Princess choosing, I had found her a husband and so…”

Prince Elton interrupted the King, “Then, as the next heir to the throne I must state openly my disagreement to my sister’s chosen husband and agree with her abolishing this engagement with Mr Otter!”

“…How dare you!” The King pointed, so angry now that he was nearly stuttering with his words.

Prince Elton then waved at the guards, to which they stepped back, and then he walked towards his father.

Getting close now to the King, Prince Elton lowered his voice, “Father, I have news that the business that will come under Mr Otter in the future will lose out and even already shows evidence of it. Will you not reconsider?”

The King widened his eyes and looked at his son directly, “Is it true?”

Prince Elton nodded his head, “Yes, Father. I’ll show better results within the week!”

The King took in a deep breath and looked around, finding Leonard Otter looking a bit panicked, showing that this may indeed be worthy of him looking into but…

“You have guts, my son, to talk to me like this in front of everyone!”

Prince Elton stepped back and stood firm, “I will take any punishment, Your Majesty. If knowing of what I knew, do you blame me for speaking though? Wouldn’t you regret it if I had not said anything?”

Without further ado, the King sighed, unable to see flaws in his son’s words, and then loudly stated, “For now the engagement has been put on hold!”

Another noise came from the crowd and the Princess frowned.

So easily she had been over voiced and now no one probably remembers of her condition! As much as she appreciated her brother’s interference and even somehow made her father change his mind somewhat, she still felt like she had to make herself clear!

Clapping her hands in anger, making them hurt in the process, again everyone stopped and looked at her.

The Princess again brought out the ring, and said, “To the person who makes the same ring as this one, I will marry you!”

Then she quickly walked off, wanting to make her statement set in iron, to even that of the King!

The one being talked of, the fiance that may no longer be a fiance, was currently riding after what he thought was Cid!

How could he not try and capture this pest!?

For a time, he had been stopped by Cid’s friend and if he hadn’t gotten away when he had, he might have missed Cid riding away and been unable to go after him!

He had personally seen the Princess be taken away because of Cid but having David touch him and pull him to a popular place and on purposely bring up the subject of him taking over his father’s business in the future, it had gotten a lot of people wanting to please him.

After trying to end the conversation with all those people trying to satisfy him, seeing that David also wasn’t leaving his side, Steven had used personal reasons to leave the lot of people.

After going to a certain area, knowing David was still following him, Steven had used the walls, by hiding around the corner, to give David a surprise attack and had punched David as hard as he could!

Seeing that David was slowed, that was when Steven finally got away and thought that it would be best to wait for Cid near the front of the palace, only to make it there just in time to see him leave!

Cid didn’t know until quite a number of minutes of riding but when he found out that someone was indeed following him, he had to think quick, as he obviously couldn’t go back to his new home.

His home was still a safe place, a place that no one knew about, and if it was a person following him, he had to go elsewhere!

But where?

He already had a fair idea upon who could be chasing him, but he also needed to go somewhere where he could also get help. There was only one place in the capital that would provide him with help, but Cid was sure that they wouldn’t be home at this point and instead thought he might be best to get out of the capital instead…