GILBERT
“GOODNESS… It’s an honor, Princess Pride.”
The music started as I took her pale, dainty hand. The girl I once knew had grown into such a lovely young woman. That thought moved me as the two of us headed for the dance floor.
“The honor is all mine,” the princess replied shyly.
We flowed into the very first steps of the dance.
“I’m delighted. I’ve never been able to dance with you before, Prime Minister Gilbert.”
“Yes, it’s our first time, isn’t it?” I answered with a smile.
Princess Pride glanced at Prince Stale. “I hope he didn’t startle her…”
When I realized she was genuinely concerned, I had to stifle a laugh. “Please, fear not. My wife does, in fact, know how to dance.”
“No, that’s not what I…!”
My smile grew as Princess Pride struggled to clarify in a hushed voice. It truly was an honor to dance with her. Prince Stale had chosen Maria, my wife, as a partner, while Princess Tiara danced with Vest.
I had to admit I was surprised when Princess Pride first chose me, but then Prince Stale selected my wife—as if to challenge me—and I nearly burst out laughing. Was his next partner going to be Vest’s wife? These choices surely tormented the many women in the audience whose eyes remained glued to him throughout the event. Then again, Princess Pride and Princess Tiara are doing the same thing to the men.
“Thank you so much for helping Tiara with this dance party,” Princess Pride said. “You’ve made her so happy.”
Princess Tiara was beaming as she danced. Even Vest, who carried out each step with impeccable precision, seemed more relaxed than usual. The younger princess’s lovely smile had that effect on people. And to think she was so dispirited at first.
The first time we discussed holding an event at her birthday party, the tone had been very different. The mere memory made my heart ache.
I closed my eyes, shaking my head to banish the gloom. Regardless of the past, Princess Tiara seemed perfectly happy now. I needed to focus my attention on Princess Pride.
“Prime Minister Gilbert?” Her Highness murmured.
I apologized, raised my head, and caught Albert’s eye from across the dance floor. He was glaring daggers at me. I smirked at the prince consort, who sat next to Rosa. Albert answered by scowling even harder. Yes, that’s the friend I know, all right.
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for your sake, Your Highness,” I said.
Those words wouldn’t reach Albert on the other side of the dance floor. Princess Pride was a little flustered, but she smiled and twirled in time with the music when I raised my hand. Her beautiful crimson hair fanned out around her, drawing dreamy sighs from the guests. I placed my hand on her hip when she returned to me.
“I should have known you were a good dancer,” the princess said when we launched into the next steps in tandem. It seemed she was genuinely impressed.
Pleased, I replied, “As the prime minister, it’s only natural that I learned to dance.”
As the prime minister? No, it was more than that. I’d mastered all the culture and customs any palace official would need. After I requested Maria’s hand in marriage, she helped me practice dancing. She had grown up in a wealthy family and was therefore much better than me. That is, until she fell ill.
During her recovery, Maria relearned how to move her body. We danced to help her practice her coordination. Though her steps faltered more often than mine, she still beamed up at me with bliss. It was like falling in love with her all over again.
I glanced over at her. She wore a gentle smile as Prince Stale carefully led her through the dance, making sure their steps were in time. What a kind young man he is.
“I don’t deserve all this happiness.”
My emotions had overwhelmed me without warning. Princess Pride’s eyes widened. I quickly smiled to cover up my stumble, feeling guilty that I’d made her uncomfortable, but Princess Pride pulled me closer.
“I… No. Mother, Father, Stale, Tiara, and I are all happy because of you, Prime Minister Gilbert.”
That earnest declaration caught me off guard. I gazed into her purple eyes and found not a single shred of falseness. All the people she’d listed brought me immense joy.
When I went quiet, Her Highness smiled gently at me, like Maria always did. “You’re going to protect this country and its people…even once I’m gone. That alone is enough to make the future full of unknowns for everyone seem bright.”
Ah, she’s no different than she was five years ago. That light never faded from her eyes, no matter what happened. If anything, it had only grown brighter, leaving me dumbfounded.
Before I realized it, I was chuckling. I couldn’t cover my mouth while we were dancing, so I hung my head instead, but Princess Pride had almost certainly caught me. I called her name and delicately led her into the next steps. The beautiful princess swayed like a lapping ocean wave, drawing the eyes of every guest as our dance carried us closer to them.
“I’ve been granted the gift of living alongside you, the future queen,” I said. “No matter how many hundreds of years I live…it will be the honor of my lifetime.”
Someday, you’ll leave me and depart this earth.
My beloved wife, friends, daughter, and everyone else around me would grow old and pass away before I did. Yet I would never forget the things Princess Pride had given me. I loved it all, both the mercy and the punishment she’d bestowed upon me. I would carry out my vow to her no matter what, even if I was to live another thousand years.
I would have been so horribly empty without her. Even if I had managed to save Maria…they could have put me to death for my crimes. Princess Pride had rescued me when I lost sight of myself, when all I could do was act out in fits of madness and despair. Now I could die with a smile, even if met with a wretched, miserable end a thousand years in the future.
You gave me back all the things I would have lost. So long as it means carrying out what you desire…
“Leave it all to me,” I told her. “I’ve already offered up my life for the good of the Freesian people you so adore.”
Princess Pride smiled tenderly at that as we spun in a circle. “Just don’t work too hard, all right?” she said kindly.
The end of the song drew near, so we slowed the pace of our steps.
“Be sure not to overexert yourself either, Princess Pride. I want you to come and discuss things with me, whatever they might be.” I lowered my voice to an ominous whisper. “You understand what I’m saying, don’t you?”
Her shoulders lurched, and she let out a tiny shriek. I couldn’t help but smile. Completely flustered, she bobbed her head in agreement.
During the defensive war, Princess Pride had taken a blood oath in a Chinensian ceremony without informing me ahead of time. It required her to burn at the stake alongside Chinensis’s king if she failed to protect their country. While I was somewhat glad I’d only found out about this after the war, her foolishness enraged me. The princess would have paid with her if life if the unthinkable had happened and Chinensis suffered defeat. My own life would have been a much more appropriate sacrifice. I could only hope Her Highness would abandon those self-sacrificing ways in the future.
Then again, if she weren’t the sort of person to risk her own life for others, she likely never would have forgiven my own sins.
This time, I kept my voice gentle so as not to frighten her. “I’ll say it as many times as it takes, Your Highness.”
She relaxed, her eyes searching my face as we took our final steps in time with the song’s finale.
“Everyone cherishes you so dearly.”
No matter how often I repeated those words, it would never be enough. That certainty dwelt in my heart.
Our steps slowed to a stop as the music ended.
“We all care for you just as much as you care for us.”
It was proof of how much she meant to us. She wasn’t merely the firstborn princess; she was invaluable because of her pure heart. I only hoped she could understand that.
Princess Pride and I parted and bowed. When she raised her head, she pressed her lips into a tense line.
“I’ll be waiting for the day you finally realize that.”
I smiled, took her hand one more time, and kissed the back of it. She kept her expression calm and collected, but she locked up on the spot, fingers twitching. Her reddening cheeks spoke to how little she’d changed since the last time I did this. Warmth seeped through my chest at the sight.
“Thank you, Prime Minister Gilbert.”
To soothe her nerves, I maintained a kind, tender expression. “And thank you as well, Your Highness.”
I would dedicate the remainder of my long life to this country, its people, and the royal family.
I would never forget the vow I carried in my heart…not for all of eternity.