Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 10] Ch. 3 Princess Stella

Sebas

This is so awkward. I don't even know what to say now.

Julie returned in a simple skirt and blouse. She had wiped her face and I was elated that the mangled damage hadn't left any scaring after I healed her. I had been so angry that I hadn't even bothered to try and capture Viscount Winterhall, like I had planned and just removed his head. I don't regret it, in all honesty. I can't remember the last time that I regretted killing someone. It was alienating now that I sat in front of Julie. I was no longer the boy who cried over harming a tree and she was no longer the tomboy catgirl that blushed every time I called her cute.

I don't even know if I could still bridge the gap between us. Or if I wanted to... I love the old Julie and she loved the old Sebas? But I had also fallen in love with the new Julie...

She'd always been fearless for her age and she was even more so now. I couldn't help but admire her bravery, her beauty, her charm. When she was riding the fox into battle, a small part of me cried, but a much larger part of me felt like I was watching a hero riding off into battle. I may even call her gallant... aside from when she wrestled me to the ground.

No one made any sound as Linda poured everyone a cup of coffee.

But then she wrestled me to the ground, and I was taken back to all the times when we were children and played. She also said that she was paying Flint, and said she was my woman as if it was so obvious.

I guess this is the moment I'd been anticipating, when I fight for her. I must make this right... somehow.

"I'm sorry." I said after a long painfully awkward silence. "A lot has happened since I left Ralla's End. I've imagined having this conversation more times than I care to admit but, I can't even find a place to start." I ran my fingers through my hair and took a second to itch my ear nervously.

Julie was silent for a long time before she spoke.

"I've heard it a few times. But why does everyone keep calling me the Princess of your heart?" Julie asked.

I scratched my ear again.

"It's just something I've always said." I answered honestly. "I was worried about people belittling you or finding you and kidnap you because you weren't nobility, so I told people that I was engaged to two princesses when I left Ralla's End. The Princess of Grandine, someone I'd always looked up to. And the Princess of my Heart, my first ever friend and someone I couldn't forget, even if I tried. To me you were always more than just some girl from the countryside." I stared into my coffee. "You were precious... you are still precious to me. Even if I might never be your prince, I could always be your knight." I laughed nervously, "Sheesh this sounds so much more pathetic out loud."

I looked up at her expecting her to laugh at me too, but she simply held her cup as tears rolled off her cheeks.

"Why, then why did nyou leave?" She said through tears that stabbed at my heart.

"I had to fix some things. I grew arrogant and in Sudaven I made a lot of mistakes." I turned back to my coffee. "Really bad mistakes."

"Like what, what was soo bad-" She begged.

"The Nightclaw." I answered instinctively and I saw the shock on Julie's face. "I... started... the Nightclaw... they betrayed me, and they caused the Marsanth Massacre. Which means... I caused the Marsanth Massacre, and I almost made it worse."

Julie was silent for a long moment, so I continued. "A lot of people were killed... and a lot of people were kidnapped. I saw the cages as the Nightclaw were making their escape. In spite, I tried to use Foxgate to kill both the Nightclaw and the prisoners. So, Inari cut me off." I looked back at Julie.