Cheers rose from the small audience as if a play had reached its climax. Embert was probably enjoying this, too. You couldn’t get more peaceful than our kingdom.
“Truth be told, I found her long ago,” Embert continued. “Nevertheless, I waited until she realized my feelings for her.”
At that moment, the two young ladies began shaking, overwhelmed with emotion.
“What a silly thing to say,” Lady Anegio said. “My heart has always been yours, Prince Embert.”
“Oh no,” Lady Palagani added. “If only I’d been more assertive, then I wouldn’t have kept you waiting, Prince Embert.”
Their words sent a shiver down my spine.
This situation is going to give me a heart attack. Gah, if only I could run away!
Despite my feelings on the matter, the excitement in the chamber only grew.
After a significant pause, Embert declared, “Well then, I’ll now make my announcement without further ado.”
As the chamber fell deathly quiet, Embert descended the platform with heavy footfalls. Of course, he headed straight towards me. Why did he look so needlessly cool while just walking? Anegio and Palagani flushed, entranced by the prince. At the same time, they straightened their backs and fixed their gazes on him. Neither young lady had the slightest doubt that he would stop in front of her. On the other hand, I shrank into myself, my fear growing with each step Embert took.
What should I do? What can I do? What’s my plan of attack? How am I supposed to take Embert’s hand with all this tension in the air? I’m seriously going to have a heart attack!
For some reason, Embert’s resounding footsteps stoked the fear within my heart. Were we shooting a scene for a horror film or something? As this nonsensical thought raced through my mind, Embert came to stand right beside Anegio and Palagani. While the prince stared into my eyes, the other ladies gazed at him from the side. As this scene unfolded before me, my terror reached its peak.
Yikes on a bike! I’ve gotta get outta here!
After taking a few steps backward, I turned on my heels and bolted.
Forgive me, Embert, but I’m not strong enough for this. I’ll make it up to you someday!
At that moment, Embert reached out to stop me from behind. One of his hands grabbed my right arm. His other arm circled tightly around my waist.
“Got you,” he said.
“Eek!” I yelped in sheer horror.
“Ally,” Embert said, his voice echoing from above. “Why are you running away from me?”
I was too terrified to meet his gaze. His oddly sweet tone only filled me with more dread.
“Um…” I responded. “Because I’m scared, maybe?”
Though I tried to play it off as a joke, my words didn’t have the intended effect.
“Well, if you’re so intent on running away from me…” Embert began, his lips quirking into a sinister grin. At the same time, he strengthened his grip around my stomach, pulling me into a tight embrace. My heart fluttered when I felt his warmth on my back. Leaning into my ear, he continued, “…then maybe I should lock you in a birdcage to make sure you stay put.”
His breath tickled my eardrums, sending a jolt of electricity straight down to my waist. “Eek!” I yelped again, my shoulders trembling.
“Heh,” Embert chuckled in sheer delight. “Perhaps you should refrain from making such adorable noises. I might lose control of myself.”
I couldn’t stop shuddering as Embert whispered in my ear. “Em,” I said. “Everyone’s watching.”
“Oh, right. I almost forgot.”
When I turned my head around, I found Embert’s grinning face right in front of me.
Yeah, he’s doing this on purpose. No two ways about it.
A moment later, an ear-splitting scream echoed throughout the chamber.
“Wh-Wh-What in the realm is going on here?!” Lady Anegio shrieked, her eyes bulging as she stared in our direction.
“This can’t be happening!” Lady Palagani wailed, disassociating from reality. “I must be having a nightmare!”
“What should we do, Em?” I asked. “You should probably explain the situation to them.”
“What need is there for an explanation?” he replied. “Everything is exactly as it appears, no?”
How can he just stand there with such a charming smile?
Though the current situation might have seemed disastrous, something even more terrible was about to unfold.
“Prince Embert,” Father said. “My daughter appears to be rejecting you.”
If a painter caught his visage in a portrait, it would be titled The Descent of the Demon King. He approached us with long yet slow strides, cutting a fine and terrifying figure.
“What’s this?” Embert asked, releasing me from his embrace and taking my hand instead. “Do you still intend to interfere in your daughter’s love life?”
“Interfere?” Father repeated, glowering at Embert. “You think that’s what I’m doing? I merely want to rescue my daughter.”
Embert laughed. “Whatever do you mean by ‘rescue?’ I can hardly wrap my head around what you’re saying.”
“It’s not the least bit difficult to understand. Based on my observations, my daughter is trying to escape from you. She appears frightened, no?”
Both men wore sinister smiles. All the while, the tension in the air crackled.
“She’s simply bashful,” Embert said. “Apparently, you don’t understand the hearts of young women, Duke Vistriano.”
“And you claim to understand them, Your Highness?” Father responded.
“Why, of course. That said, I have no need to understand any young woman’s heart but Ally’s.”
A storm is brewing! How do I stop these two?!
I looked around the room to find Mother. At some point, she’d moved beside my older brother Janus. Both were positively beaming at me. Yeah, neither had the slightest intention of helping out. As soon as I realized that, Father spoke up again.