C8 Chapter 7

"Princess Blare! Are you going out again?!" Api exclaimed when she saw Blare sneaking around the palace once again.

"Haven't you learned your lessons the last time you were taken?" she tried to sound polite but her words sounded like a scolding.

"Just let me be Api. I can take care of myself." Blare said and a ghost of a smile showed on her face when she remembered how Prince Ice brought her home the last time after hanging out for a while.

She enjoys his company so much even though he rarely speaks sentences with more than five words.

He, answering her endless questions were already enough for her, and she was looking forward to it happening again.

That's why she's sneaking around once again after a week of being detained in her room, a punishment courtesy of her beloved mother.

She smiled in triumph when she was able to see the last alley she needed to get through for her to finally reach the Kabisera.

She was busy looking around for some guards when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She immediately prepared herself in battle mode before facing the gutsy guy.

"Who are--- Ice?" she unconsciously relaxed when she saw the blue orbs that were staring at her.

Ice took his hands away from her shoulder and put them inside the packet of his glacial suit.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his brows furrowing.

"Kabisera. How 'bout you what are you doing here?" she said when she realized that they were still in the land of Flamis.

If any flamias saw him wandering around here, he will surely be in trouble.

Glaciers and Flamis are two tribes that were already on each other's necks since the beginning of time. No one knows if it was because of their contradicting abilities or the leaders just never got along well.

Blare stared at Ice who remained silent after her inquiry and was pretending to look around.

A smile crept into her face.

"Were you looking for me?" she asked grinning widely from the giddy feeling that had aroused inside her with the thought that the prince was actually looking for her.

Ice just gave her a quick glance before he started to walk ahead of her.

"What? Answer me! Were you really looking for me?" she said as she pestered around him as they make their way to the Kabisera.

"You want to eat something?" Ice asked her when they finally arrived at the Kabisera.

"We can eat here?" she asked excitedly.

Ice nodded at her and look away to hide the smile that started to creep its way on his face.

"Why can't you just say that you were actually looking for me?" Blare said as she stuffed herself with the foods Ice bought for her.

Ice exasperatedly shook his head and using his finger wipe away some smudges on her face.

"You eat like a kid," he said gently. Blare stopped eating and was just staring at his face.

"Yes." Ice said a moment later.

Blare looked at him questioningly. Ice exhaled exaggeratedly and looked away.

"Yes, I was looking for you." Blare dropped the foods she was holding in her hands in shock.

She felt her face heated so she immediately covered it with her hands. Afraid that Ice would be able to see it.

However, Ice took it the wrong way.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He worriedly ask and took a step closer to Blare.

"N-nothing." Blare wanted to slap herself for stuttering.

"Blare," he called out in a warning and tried to take her hands away from her face.

"Blare, what's wrong?" he asked when he saw her face.

"How can you--- how can you say that directly?!' she whined trying to mask her embarrassment with it.

"Say what?" Ice asked completely puzzled at her reaction.

"You make me feel giddy with your words!" she suddenly confessed that caught Ice off-guard.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his tone gentler than ever. Trying to stifle a laugh as he stares at the adorable reaction of the princess in front of him.

"I like you, you idiot!" she confessed and that was Ice's last straw before he barked in laughter.

"Are you stable now?" Ice asked Blare after she drank the water he gave.

"What do you mean stable? Do I look unstable?" Ice can't help but chuckle at this girl's antics.

"You just look bothered earlier," he said with a smile.

Blare snorted at him before she silently stared at the crowd ahead of them.

"I mean it, you know," she said between a moment of silence.

"I know."

"How 'bout you? Do you like me?" she bravely asked.

"What do you think?"

"I don't think you'll risk your life wandering around the Flamis just to find me if you don't, right?"

"Where were you anyway?" he asked the question he's been itching to ask the moment they met again.

"I was detained at my room for a week, my mother won't allow me to go out even for just a walk around the palace." she sounds like a kid complaining.

I was just allowed to go out today, and I immediately sneak out to see you.

She wanted to add but she willed herself not to do so.

Get a hold of yourself Blare! Enough embarrassment for today.

"I was worried I won't be able to see you again." Ice quietly said.

He released a deep breath and face Blare.

"I don't know what you did to me." he sincerely said.

"But I just couldn't get you out of my head. You were always everywhere," he added and avoided her gaze.

"I like you too, Blare. I'm sure of that," he said in a gentle voice. He took her hands and silently played with her fingers.

"But I'm a hearing a 'but' after that sentence." Blare said while staring at the man who was busying himself with her fingers.

Ice stopped what he's doing and shifted her attention to her face.

"But we both know we can't be together." he finally said the thing that was bothering the both of them.

Blare remained silent as she was contemplating about their situation.

"Why?" she suddenly asks.

"Why can't we be together? What's so wrong about us being together?" she insisted.

Ice bit his lower lip, he was barely stopping himself, and Blare insisting about them being together is not helping at all.

"Blare—"Ice was about to convince Blare when he was stopped midway when he felt their hands intertwined.

"Let's not mind those rules Ice, let them say what they wanted to say. Let's do this," she said sincerely while she was staring at his eyes.

Ice had reservations about this earlier, he had considered everything and decided that this would be the last time they meet.

But staring at those warm eyes, all of his logic was gone, all the reservations he had, went through the window.

Blare opened her mouth as if to say something but before any words left her mouth, Ice had closed the distance between them, and their lips collided.