Chapter 5 – Secrecies
It had been a year after and I still wasn’t able to ask Elina about what I heard – the most extravagant marriage to ever happen here in Eaglescliffe. That’s if it was actually to be held here. I was 16 and she was 15 already…Time began to run out.
“A fascinating tree, isn’t it?” Elina asked cheerfully, looking at a tree which leaves were tinted with periwinkle.
“Yes,” I answered softly. “It is as fascinating as you are…”
Then, the wind blew as if it was waiting for the coming of temporal silence. There we were, seated still, upon the hill behind the Chancellights’ mansion. Elina grew and looked as lovely as ever, while I remained rustic, even for myself. I had been fortunate enough that Elina’s father accepted me as her friend three years ago.
Suddenly, Elina broke the silence as she seemed to begin to comprehend what I just said.
“Huh…what?” she asked after an excessively long pause.
I cleared my throat, “…I said…it’s fascinating that a tree could grow blue leaves…” I ended my inarticulate sentence with a smile.
“Oh!” exclaimed Elina right after I spoke. “Well, actually…my mother ordered our servants to shower its leaves with powdered blue dye because they become pale during the summer.”
“Whoah,” I uttered before I ended up in a chuckle, and Elina chuckled with me.
“You know…” we spoke in unison, and smiled. She was holding the tip of her blonde hair with her right hand.
“Ok, you first!” she finally said.
“Uh,” I stammered as my heart started to panic.
“I,” – I just can’t say it! – I admitted to myself.
“Yes?” Elina anticipated. “What is it?”
“I…” – love you – I kept stammering, “I-I just can’t describe how lovely you are, Elina…”
“Oh, come on!” she yelled in both appreciation and disappointment.
“Well…that’s it…” I murmured, “Not…now, I guess.”
“So…anyway,” she spoke. The wind blew her hair and a number of blue leaves fell from the tree.
“Uh…how am I supposed to tell you this?” I heard her whisper to herself.
“My parents have be— be—” She began stammering too. “Let’s take a walk…” she suddenly offered. That was just out of the blue.
Nevertheless, I knew. I knew about that betrothal her father told her behind that door. I knew for I have been eavesdropping (and if I did that with His Majesty, I could have been in prison right now, or possibly dead. Not quite a convenient habit, is it?).
- - - ♥ - - -
After a minute of walking away from the magical blue-leaved tree, talking of unimportant matters, we had seated on a wooden swing in the Chancellights’ garden. Vines prowl the stylish arc the swing was hung from. It was as if they were also eavesdropping, just like me and my stupid little ears a year ago.
The garden wasn’t so far away from the tree, and so our upcoming conversation. I began-
“So…what was that you were telling me?” I asked as if I didn’t know.
“Oh!” she exclaimed. She seemed caught off-guard. Our eyes then met each other, and it seemed like they were locked for the moment. I wasn’t sure if I was already seeing a sign of anxiety in her face.
“Haniel,” she called gently. It seemed weird. She rarely calls me by my name. I was used to her suddenly popping up and talking with me. That time, I knew she needed the conversation to be serious.
“Haniel, I-” she repeated my name. “I…”
She inhaled heavily for a second. Then, she suddenly burst it into tears.
“What’s wrong?” I worriedly asked as soon as she wept.
“I’m betrothed, Haniel! That’s what is wrong!” she screamed in front of my face.
“I know…” I uttered in a whisper as I looked away for a second. A tear flowed from my eye and I was unconscious of which eye it flowed from. Elina looked at me and gasped as I spoke.
“How?” she breathed.
“It doesn’t matter,” my voice was shaking. I tried to make my voice sincere and powerful, but it seemed that I failed in doing so.
I held her shoulders in both of my hands and called but it was without much power, “Elina!” I locked my eyes with hers and finally spoke with as much strength as I could muster- “Elina, I love you!”
I finally admitted. My heart was beating faster than ever, but I didn’t look away. I needed to be strong.
“I love you,” I repeated. “And I care about you!”
She looked shocked, like she didn’t know what to do next.
“I don’t care if you’re betrothed or not – We could just escape!”
“No, Haniel!” she answered. “My father would kill you…the both of us!”
“Why would he also kill you?” I asked, totally wondering. “You’re his daughter!”
“But, this betrothal…is more important to him!” she uttered without much comfort in her expression.
“How come?” I asked in total wonder.
She looked down and didn’t answer, and we were caught in momentary silence.
“Look,” I said, cutting the silence. “Do you love me too?”
I shyly asked but with strength. It was so bold of me to ask her that question. But, I guess, I really needed to know the answer before it got too far.
The wind splashed on our faces like a wave devouring the seashore. Elina was still looking down.
“…Yes,” she whispered, but the volume was enough for me to hear.
“Yes,” the word echoed itself inside my emptied hall of thoughts.
The words we just said will surely change the rest of our lives. I will surely miss the times we hang out together just as friends. There is no way I could return them now, now that I - I mean, we finally admitted. I had no idea what to do next and I guess she had no idea either.
THIS ROCKS!! I want chapter 6 or I'm going to make a strike 
... JOKE! Keep it one!! 
