Ayla and Carlyle was sitting down together by the small castle tower.
"We should go back because the sixteenth birthday of the queen of Egothedia is a special event in our country. It will start soon" Carlyle said as he stood up and gave her a hand but she didn't accept it.
"I'm an independent woman" Ayla said as she fixed her dress.
They went back to the castle and as soon as they're here, she quickly went down and ran to the west side. She ran as fast as she could even though her foot was hurting.
"I'm here!" she said as she look for the prince but he is nowhere to be seen.
"Am I too late?" She ask herself as she search for him but no one is there. She approach the lake and sat down but she eventually lay down on the grass without a mat.
"I need a break" She said as she closed her eyes and hear the very calm river, the sound of nature is very pleasing to hear.
While she was clearing her mind she felt someone sat down beside her and that person covered her eyes with his shadow.
"Who are you?" She asked as she opened her eyes and immediately sat down.
"The future King?" He replied as he smiled
"Oh! I thought you were not coming" She said as she fixed her hair.
"I came earlier than you but I needed to fetch something" Alexander replied as he showed her the boats that he made with his own hands.
"I wonder why you're fascinated in boats" Ayla said.
"It's because I was trying to get rid of the trauma that happened years ago. I am just blaming myself that she's lost" He said.
"But what does this boat has to do with me?" Ayla asked.
"For me, I want to write all my burdens in a piece of paper and every regrets that I did to the Queen of Egothedia. I just hope that this boat will take all the burden away as I will tie the paper in it" He said and she can feel his honesty towards her.
"I don't want you to go back in the past but don't let it hold you back, you also deserve to be happy. Whatever happened in the past, it was not your fault" Ayla said as she comforted him. She did not know that he never moved on from the bad memories he had.
"I will give you one boat and write all your deepest regrets in life that you want to be wash away and be renewed" The crown prince said as he gave her a paper.
"Hmm... I forgot about the table let me go and get it" He said as he stood up but Ayla stopped him.
"There's no need to go back, we have a natural table" Ayla replied as she pulled him down.
"I don't understand" Alexander replied.
"You really are a royal. You don't know how to be resourceful" Ayla told him infront of his face.
She grab his shoulders and turned him around.
"Now bend, don't move until I tell you to" Ayla demanded.
"Queen Alexandria is telling the truth, you're getting bolder as you are now commanding a prince to do something silly" He said as he did bend down.
"It's not being silly, I just don't want you to tire yourself out" Ayla told him as she placed the paper on his back and started writing.
"Don't move" She said as she took the pen and traced all her regrets in a paper.
Dearest parents who cared, showered me with love and made me a good person today. I regret running away from home that day, if I did not run away then I might have spend the rest of our time together and that I did not have to hear those painful words coming from your mouths. I regret leaving you two in perish to saved myself, and I am sorry because I left without saying a proper goodbye. I know I don't deserve to be happy after everything but I am just looking for ways to make myself feel better even though within I feel the guilt, hatred to myself and my heart being torn to pieces as I remember everything that happened that day. I sure wish that this little toy boat will lead my worries and regrets to somewhere good and cleanse me.
"You have a lot of regrets" Alexander said.
"I do have a lot" Ayla replied as she rolled the paper for him not see.
She turned around and bend her back for him to write his. Alexander hesitated for a moment but he then placed the paper on her back and started writing.
To the Queen I met in the past. Are you still breathing? Alive, somewhere far away from here? Or are you still alive? I spent my entire childhood with you, we have a lot of memories together but I regret saving your life that day that it was I who killed you. I regret informing you about the attempt on your life and that I lead you to somewhere you lost yours. I regret everything and that it still pains me as everything reminds me of you. We are still bind together until now and I apologize I can't maintain my promise to marry you and to protect your people from the threats of your relatives in Kaastiana. It's time to let go of the burdens I carry of loosing you from the sea.
"I'm done!" Alexander said as he felt so relieved.
"What should we do next?" Ayla asked him
"Let us tie it in the boat and let us watch the lake take our regrets away" Alexander said as he head to the small boats he made while Ayla happily followed him.
They tied the paper with a white long cloth and they released the boat together.
"You have a lot of ways to relieve your pain and I don't know why but I felt so relieve as I watch your boat floating and go with the flow of the water," Ayla smiled from ear to ear.
Alexander find her more relaxing to be with than to be in a suffocating party.
"We should head back~ It's your fiancé's sixteenth birthday party and she will be sad when she doesn't see you having fun" Ayla said as she turned her back from him and this time Alexander followed her from behind.
"It's no use, sooner or later my father will arrange another marriage to me for the good of Serdruan, I just don't know who" Alexander said.
"What's with the sad face? You still have a lot of time, freedom I mean to enjoy your life until the King will arrange you a new marriage again" Ayla said as she genuinely smiled at him.
"You're right!" Alexander cheered up as he smiled with her and ran towards her so that they will walk side by side.
-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Queen Reagent Fiona was walking in the hallways hiding her longingness with a smile.
"Have you seen Queen Alexandria?" She asked the maids and the guards but no one knew where she is.
She walks further the halls in the throne room and she saw a very familiar dress. She was so happy to see it again but the dress was last seen the day her daughter was lost. She panicked and ran to the child, she pulled her and she suddenly hugged her.
"Erytheia!" She said as tears fell down her eyes but when she look at her face, it was new.
She panicked and immediately checked the dress, she always put a mark on her works. She was so happy to see a crescent moon in the dress and was relieved that her daughter might be back after ten years.
"My daughter is alive!" She said as she wiped her tears.