Annette

Annette was nervous. She didn't know what to do.

Aiden looked at her. She was acting strange since they came to the garden.

She was constantly looking down , fiddling with her hands nervously.

"Are you okay?"

He asked her.

"Yes."

She replied , her voice  strangely low.

Annette looked around. This place was so beautiful. But something so bad had occurred here.

She felt guilty. Aiden had known it all along and her?....... She was just a coward.

She erased her memories and Aiden...........he remembered it.

She was on the verge of breaking into tears.

She desperately tried to remember what happened that day but she couldn't.

She looked around her. She wanted to remember......

Annette closed her eyes and clenched her fists. She prayed silently that she would remember that incident.

"Lady Annette , what happened?"

He came close to her.

She was clenching her fists tightly. Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lower lip with all her might.

As he came infront of her , tears started falling from her eyes.

"I-......I can't remember it!!!!!"

She looked hurt. He felt his chest tighten.

"What are you saying Annette? What's the matter?"

He held her shoulders and made her look at him.

She held his sleeves tightly and bited her lower lip.

"I can't remember that incident when we were little....(hicc)."

Aiden froze.

"I'm so embarrassed!!!!!!......you remembered it all along ........I can't even imagine how bad you would have felt (hicc)(hicc) I was just a coward. You.........you remembered it all this time......I'm so sorry!!!!......I'm so sorry(hicc)."

She was holding his sleeves tightly. Her head was resting on his chest.

Aiden held her face and looked at her ,

"Who ...., told you this?"

He asked in a low voice. Annette felt as if his voice had wavered a little.

"My father."

She replied quietly.

"Ha...."

Aiden brushed his hair. He was frustrated that she was crying because of that incident , because of HIM!.

He took her hand and made her sit on the bench nearby.

He crouched infront of her and held her hands.

"It's not your fault Annette. You didn't do anything wrong. You're not a coward at all. You're one of the strongest people I have ever met. Did you know.......when that explosion happened and we both fell on the ground.......before we lost consciousness........,I apologized to you.........and you held my hand and you said.........that it wasn't my fault at all....."

Aiden wiped the tears on her face and she looked down at her hand which he was holding tightly.

"It's not your fault , you didn't do anything wrong."

She whispered.

"I did."

She looked up at him. He had a pained expression.

Her heart broke seeing him like this.

"You didn't."

She was determined.

He sighed.

"I wasn't allowed to go out Annette...., But I did...., And look what happened."

"It's not your fault , I believe that."

He met her eyes.

She smiled at him.

"I can't change your mind."

She chuckled.

"What did you think of my proposal?"

She froze.

"I-"

She couldn't say anything.

"Annette , you don't have to feel pressured , you won't be forced , the decision is all yours."

"I.......don't understand why you would do this?? Why did you send the proposal?"

She was flustered. This was the reason she came here today.

To ask him why he did that.

"Why wouldn't I?"

She stood up.

He smirked at her.

"I-.......please don't tease me."

She wasn't facing him. He was standing behind her.

He came close to her and whispered in her ear.

"Why?"

Annette tripped , startled by him. He held her hand.

She quickly flinched and took a step back , escaping from his grasp.

She touched her ear. Her cheeks turned red. His breath had touched her ear.

She was embarrassed.

Aiden smiled  seeing her like this.

"What did you think of my proposal then,.... 'Miss' Annette."

He was teasing her. She could feel it. But she was too embarrassed to say anything.

He was still behind her.

She started walking nervously.

Annette could feel Aiden's presence behind her.

She could feel his burning gaze behind her.

Aiden chuckled.

He was walking slowly behind her. He was amused by her actions.

After a few minutes , she stopped and looked back.

"I.........accept your proposal."

Aiden stopped in his tracks. He looked at her seriously.

"You're not joking right now......right?"

"I'm not joking your highness."

She said.

Aiden came closer.

"Is this because of your family."

He looked right into her eyes.

"No."

She looked right back.

"You don't have to lie."

He held her shoulders.

"I'm not lying."

She took a step forward.

There was no space between them now.

"Okay then."

He sighed.

"Are you sure Annette?"

He leaned in.

"Yes......I'm accepting your proposal."

She took a step back.

Aiden stared at her.

Just then a servant rushed in.

"Sorry to interrupt your meeting your highness...,but the queen has asked the both of you to come to her garden."

Annette froze. Her father was right.

The queen had invited them.

She was nervous.

Aiden looked at her. Her face was getting white.

"Are you all right?"

"Ye-yes."

He didn't believe her.

He offered her his arm and they started to walk out of his garden.

Annette was getting more and more anxious as they got closer to the queen's garden.

Aiden felt her stiffen as the view of the garden came into view.

He wondered why she was so nervous to meet the queen but he soon realized it.

He looked at her. Her hands were trembling lightly.

Soon they reached the garden.

Aiden and Annette greeted the queen.

"I was eager to meet you Lady Valentin."

The queen eyed Annette.

Annette's eyes wavered but she quickly stood straight.

"I am honoured , your majesty."

"Hmm."

Queen Mia wasn't a bad woman. But she could be very scary when she was angry.

She suppressed her laugh when she saw a very nervous Annette come in front of her.

She wasn't testing Annette , she just wanted to meet her because they couldn't meet after that incident.

Mia was the best friend of Annette's mother Selena. Both of them were great friends and she wanted to check up on Annette after all this time.

Mia chuckled.

'This is gonna be very interesting.'

She thought.

.........
(TBC)