Grace

He's walking towards the palace with the wounds all over his body, while he had mixed feelings of his victory.

An hour ago, he's still ripping off enemies' head one by one, stabbing enemies' stomach, or even punching enemies' face. It seemed so far away now as if it's happened a few decades ago. The heat, the motivation, the battle cry... He never wanted to do this. He had to protect the country. He had to protect his beloved.

He's fantasized how his beloved Princess would cheer for him, and hug him tight after missing him so much. He missed her too. That's why he's been fighting so hard in order to survive. He couldn't afford to know how sad she would be if he's dead.

And now he won the fight. What's next?

At the moment he stepped into the town, the crowd cheered for him and his armies behind the town gate. Confetti, performances, salutes, and others that he couldn't see. He just wanted to get into the palace as soon as he could, and share his joy with her.

After about half an hour of journey from the town gate, he finally reached the palace. After he's done the marching required, he stood still and waited for the announcement by the King.

"Congratulations to our great armies for gaining the victory and successfully protecting the country and the people. As an appreciation, I'd like to declare one day of public holiday tomorrow. Everyone will be invited to enjoy the feast in the palace while sharing our pride!" Everyone applauded.

The king raised his hands and the crowd has gone quiet. "Meanwhile, we'll also celebrate the marriage of Princess Grace and Prince Fernando from our neighbor, the Tresuland!" More applause.

His heart sank right after he heard that. Prince Fernando? Tresuland? Wasn't it his enemy that he'd been fighting a few hours ago? He's confused, and a little bit angry. What would all this mean?

After the ceremony, he went to the garden where he used to meet her. He's realized that she hadn't been in the concourse during the ceremony; hence, he thought she would be here. And there she was.

She's wiping her tears when he stepped near to the stone table. She tried to smile but her lips were just too weak to curve up.

"Could you please explain to me about the marriage?!" He asked furiously. His had apparently lost his mind.

"I'm sorry, my dear." She touched his face lightly. This softened his frown. "I have to do this, in order to save you."

"What do you mean by that?" More confusion.

"The Tresuland demanded a marriage between me and the prince. With that, both of us would be peaceful for the next century. I can't afford to let you die, as their armies are much stronger than ours. I know it well, when Father sobbed a little after you turned around and walked out of the palace for the war."

He was stunned. His mind had gone blank completely.

He's now walking along the empty streets. The moon was hanging up high in the violet sky, accompanied by a few tiny stars. The calm of this midnight hid its own wild, for somewhere in this town there's a chaos struggling in someone's mind. His mind.

He recalled the hug she'd given before he'd left the palace. On his way out, the people had been having fun and spreading the news around. The marriage of the Princess and the Prince from the other country. What a great news.

He couldn't remember how long he'd walked. When he saw a slight blue at the east of the sky, he finally broke down and cried so hard that he couldn't catch his breathe for a several times. He hated the fact that he had to give up for protecting the country, but the inability of protecting the Princess.

After a while, when the street started its life in the morning, he fell asleep at where he'd knelt.

He mumbled, "I love you, dear Grace."