20. PINK PEARLS

Seeing Monic exhausted chasing after her, moved Crysta's heart. Not just because of Monic, her sweaty forehead also stirred Crysta to approach the swings again. Sitting herself there. Holding the large ropes on her right and left with her two tiny hands. Leaving Monic behind.

''Push me, Monic.''

When she got the order, the woman was catching her breath, her body bent over with both hands clutching her knees. It looked like she was completely fatigued.

''Give me one minute, Princess.''

''No way,'' Crysta said with a giggle. Pretending not to hear Monic's panting voice.

''Then, give me forty seconds.''

''No. I want it now!" she shouted.

The loud voice made Crysta not hear Monic's rebuttal anymore and immediately felt the movement of the swing. It made Crysta chuckle to imagine Monic's current expression.

''Faster, Monic!" said Crysta.

The swing swung again at the speed the princess wanted.

" Harder.''

Crysta got her wish again.

"More.''

But this time, the swing moved slowly. Crysta frowned. ''You didn't hear me?''

''I heard,'' replied the voice back there. Which made Crysta turn around, because it wasn't Monic's voice.

The tall figure looked at Crysta without a smile. ''Prince?''

''You really like looking for danger. First it was Titan, now it's a swing. Will you be deterred only when you fall down?" Pascal snapped in annoyance. He shifted position until he was in front of Crysta. Intimidating that girl with his eagle eyes.

''I'm not afraid of heights and I'm not afraid of falling,'' she replied indifferently.

''Really?" asked Pascal dismissively. Folding his arms across his chest.

''You shouldn't have stopped when I asked to be pushed higher. Then you could see the truth of my words,'' she replied sarcastically.

Pascal smiled. Crysta in this sulking mode was absolutely adorable. He lowered his position in front of Crysta. Equalizing their height.

''Then what are you afraid of?''

Crysta fell silent. She absorbed Pascal's deep stare. Imagining Pascal married to another woman was the thing she feared the most. It was the most terrifying thing to her. Worse than a nightmare and more cruel than slander.

''And you? What do you fear the most, Prince?" she quipped.

''Losing what's mine,'' he replied bluntly. He stood up, approached the edge of the garden to pluck a rose and gave it to Crysta.

''What kind of example?''

Pascal turned around and saw that Crysta was already behind him. ''It's hard to be specific. But it was based on feelings of love,'' he said softly. Looking at the density of the Valliant people in the center of the city. It looked crowded there. The party had already begun.

Crysta folded her lips. Standing next to Pascal with very high curiosity. Noting the firm lines of Pascal's face. His good looks were unquestionable. But who would have thought, behind the prince's handsome face there was ruthlessness in it.

''Do you love someone?'' Crysta asked carefully. She would swallow her disappointment if Pascal said yes.

Pascal dropped his gaze down, smiled, then turned to Crysta who was looking at him worriedly.

''I love many things. The king, the queen, the kingdom, the people and...''

''And?'' Crysta raised both eyebrows. Waiting for an answer.

''Titan.''

Ergh. How annoying. Crysta who was expecting Pascal to say he loved her immediately snorted in annoyance.

"What's wrong with your face?" he asked while holding back a smile.

''It's nothing,'' Crysta replied with a face that was still bent. ''It seems you will never be able to love things outside of Valliant.''

''You don't know what kind of person I am, Princess. You judge me too soon.''

''I know. You're the most ambitious prince I've ever known. You only like war and blood. There are three things that rulers favor. Treasure, throne and women. But you are different. I didn't hear the third of those things you love. I'm suspicious. Perhaps you are a gay lover.'' Crysta squinted.

Instead of getting angry, Pascal started laughing. Even everyone within the radius of the sound could hear it. A rare thing that had never happened before. Pascal was known to be cold. Lacking a smile. But Crysta's presence brings a change in the Valliant prince. Naturally, everyone seemed surprised.

''I love someone. Extremely. I even yearn for her every night.''

Suddenly Crysta was burning with jealousy. The way Pascal said it, proved that Pascal really loved that woman. And Crysta couldn't accept that.

''Who is that lucky woman?'' she asked in an unpleasant tone.

''I'll tell you when the time comes.''

''Why now?''

''Because right now, I haven't managed to get her yet. Wait until I can marry her. Making her the crown princess of Valliant. When that happens, I will tell you.''

Crysta looked down. She did not realize she had tears in her eyes.

*I would rather die than hear you being with another woman.*

''Princess...'' he called out when he hears a sob.

Touching her chin, Pascal lifted Crysta's face. Finding puddles of water in the princess's eyeballs.

''Why? Did I hurt you? Do you feel trapped by my twenty-one-day ban?''

Crysta shake her head. But that still couldn't stop her tears from growing. Which woman's heart doesn't hurt, when she hears that the man she loves is already in love with another woman.

''I'm even willing to be imprisoned in Valliant for that long, even for the rest of my life. As long as I don't hear about you liking someone else.''

''You mean... do you like me?'' Of course that made Pascal surprised.

''Please don't say that you just figured it out?'' Crysta wiped her spilled tears. But she felt relieved that Pascal had found out about her feelings. She looked at the shocked face in front of her. Hoping Pascal would say something to return her love.

Dduarr!

The fireworks in the center of the city distracted Pascal and Crysta for a moment. Honestly, Crysta felt a little awkward with this situation. Where she couldn't guess what Pascal was thinking about her.

With their eyes still clashing, Mathias suddenly came with someone. Crysta hurriedly wiped away the tears and turned around, along with Pascal.

''Your Highness, I apologize for disturbing.''

Pascal nodded. ''What's wrong?''

''He's the diver that Captain Bold ordered to find you,'' Mathias continued. But Pascal's face turned pale. He glanced at Crysta briefly. Then gave Mathias the code through a look, but the butler didn't notice. Damn.

''Captain Bold said that you wanted a pink pearl. And miraculously, this diver didn't take very long to get these pearls, Prince.''

Pascal glanced at Crysta again. The pearls shown by the diver would indeed be given to Crysta. But he didn't want Crysta to realize that all this time he...

''Do you love me, Prince?'' Crysta whispered as she looked at the pearls in the wooden box.

Damn. Suddenly it made Pascal awkward. He then chased Mathias and the diver away. Because in fact, Pascal really loved Crysta. But he covered up those feelings with dignity and also a very high self-esteem so far.

Keeping it tight. At the bottom of his heart. So that no one could know, or even realize, that there was a princess, who had conquered Pascal's heart.