Chapter 124 - Just Stay.

The spring flowers were all full bloom with a gentle wind blowing by and in that peaceful environment, the only thing that could be heard was a pair of heartbeats of two souls. With too many emotions emerging in their hearts and flushed faces, both of them stood there with each other in their arms.

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"I was serious when I said I was worried about you....and I missed you," Irene said as she slowly loosened her grip on his shoulders. But before she could fully let go of him. She felt a sudden pat on her shoulders as the Prince looked at her and with a smile, he murmered in her ears, "I missed you too." 

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"(I missed you so much that, now and then I felt like running towards you, I wanted to break away very barriers and reach out to you...but I was afraid as the thought of you not thinking the same haunted me but hearing you talk now clears all of my worries. And I wish I could say this to you but won't that scare you.)"Alan thought as his grip tightened a bit.

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"Your Highness?" Irene said as she saw him hiding his face on her shoulders.

"Lady Winter...I missed you too." Where the only words he was able to say as the rest were just some thoughts he could replay on his mind till the right time comes.

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Hearing him Irene could not help but feel happy as her inside we're full of butterflies.

After that, both of them stayed like that for another minute. And when they broke free from the hug they couldn't help but feel a certain emptiness.

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And the atmosphere was somewhat uncomfortable as none of them was talking but not for long as Alan took the first incentives to break the ice.

"Lady Winter, How did you find Ethan and Lady White earlier because as far as I know...except for Alfred and me no one else knows about the fact that whenever he is disturbed he is always there," Alan said as he looked at Irene who was still maintaining her clam posture and expression although inside she was so done with life.

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"That I checked Ethan's room but he wasn't there so the only place I could think both Lady white and He could be as the cemetery where Teacher is..." Irene said as she suddenly felt the grief of not being able to greet Daniel crawled into her heart.

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"I see...than lady winter must be well aware of the relationship between the White family and Ethan," Alan asked as he glanced at Irene.

"Your Highness, I don't think there is anyone in the empire who doesn't know about their relation...and the way they treat him....they are too cruel to be called humans..." Irene said as she stopped in her tracks.

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Alan noticed the sudden sadness on her face so he held her hand and made her look at him.

"Ethan is strong-willed, and I promise that the white family won't dare to touch him anymore and if they do, I will not make sure that they never get to walk again," Alan said as he patted her head, his words though sweet sounded scary which made Irene flinch but she knew he meant no harm and that in his heart Ethan was more than just a knight.

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"I believe you, Your Highness and I bet Sir Ethan must feel very relieved to have you as His Comrade," Irene said as they both reached the Iris Palace.

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"Your Highness, would you like to pay a visit inside?" Irene invited Alan who has just had the same thought as her.

"Only if Lady Winter is fine with it," Alan replied to him as he politely held her hand.

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"Your Highness is such a tease, this whole nation belongs to you and you are asking for my permission to enter?" Irene asked as she laughed while opening the door.

"Well, you can call it my good manners," Alan said as he joked back to her.

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But as they entered the hall, all the ladies were surrounding someone had a delighted expression on their faces.

"Oh, Lady Winter is here!.... Along with His Highness!" Lady Maple who was the first one to notice their presence said as she looked at them with wide eyes.

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"Greeting to all the Ladies." The crown prince said as he bowed at them slightly with a gentle look on his face, a look that the ladies of solar have never seen before.

"( Is he really our Crown Prince?)" The ladies thought and Irene couldn't help but laugh at their expression.

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"Greeting to the rising sun, your Highness the Crown Prince and to Lady Winter." A voice with bright green hair with purple eyes said as she came forward along with a familiar face behind her.

"Greeting to the Prince and Lady Winter." Rose who faces looked thinner than the last time Irene saw wearing a red mermaid tail dress with netted gloves and her hair in a bun said as she bowed elegantly.

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"Rose..." Irene said as she smilied while looking at her but rose ignored her and didn't bother to look at her.

Alan noticed the sudden coldness of Rose and he wanted to comfort Irene but before he could do that the door opened again and Violet along with Ethan entered the hall. 

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Making things more awkward for Irene as it was than when it hit her that from now on she has to choose any one of them and while doing so she must hurt the other one.

"(Looks Like I just got myself into another mess.)" Irene thought as she signed and she felt sudden dizziness but luckily Alan who was standing beside her held onto her.

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"Lady winter!" He said as he looked at her with worried eyes.

"Your Highness sor-- Sorry I just felt a little dizzy..." Irene said as her eyes meet with Violet who didn't look much happy.

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"Dizziness? But you were just fine a while ago?...Alfred!" Alan said and within a second Alfred appeared infront of him out of nowhere.

"Brother you called for me? And what's wrong with her?" Alfred who looked haggard asked as he looked Irene.

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"She is feeling dizzy all of a sudden." Alan said as he panicked looking at herbface going pale.

"Dizziness let me check." Alfred said as he held her pluse.

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Meanwhile the Other Ladies couldn't help but look at them with a mixed feeling of concern and jealousy.

"How come she got sick all of a sudden? She was fine while running earlier?" Lady Hilton asked as she looked at Irene's pale face.

"Who knows maybe she is just pretending to gain attention~" Lady Katz said as she looked at Irene with a irritated expression.

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After that silence filled the hall, "Umm, Lady Katz you know that your voice is audible to all don't you?" Lady Astor said as she smiled.

"Huh? But why?" Lady Katz replied as she felt intese gazes at her face.

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Both the Princes were glaring at him and Rose too didn't seem much happy with her.

"(Why are they giving me such a murderous gaze?)" She thought as suddenly she felt a hand around her shoulders.

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"Lady Katz you might not know this but opening your mouth at times when you have no idea about the situation is called foolishness and that is why you did just now." Violet said as she smiled at her sweetly.

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"And before raising fingers at others character you should take a good look at yourself. I heard that the west ladies are given education since a early age so I thought that they must be great but likings you I can say I was wrong." Rose said as she didn't even bait an eye to her and instead she walked towards Irene along with Violet.

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"How is she doing?" Rose asked as she looked at Irene who was fast asleep.

"Better then before but I thinknsje is having a bigger problem inside but U can't just figure it out yet. Yet just in case please make sure she doesn't do anything that requires strength and hand power." Alfedd said as he looked at her eyes which looked tired.

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"Yes we will take care of it." Princes Sofia said as she came forward.

"Then please take care of her and let us know if she has even a slightest of problem anywhere." Alfred said as he smiled at her and that was when his eyes suddenly meets with Rose who looked worried but as soon as their eyes meet her expression returned to neutral which according to him was quite.

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"But Your Highness won't it he better to send her back if she situation is that bad." Violet asked a she looked at Alfred who looked at her with suspicious eyes which made her a bit uncomfortable.

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"Your Highness?" Violet called for Alfred waiting for his answer which he really didn't have except the fact that he didn't want her to leave yet and it was more of Alan's thought than his.