it wasa few minutes later that we pulled away from each other and rushed tofix our hair and cloths then secratly slipped out from behind theplant I had a guilty smile on my face having been sucking his facefor more then half an hour and soon after our little escapade we wereall called to take our seats as dinner was being served in a fewminutes and so we all crowded into the spatciouse dining hall pickingand choosing over which seat we would like to sit in and of coursedimitri sat next to me at dinner where we talked and laughed witheach other and every second I spent with him my heart and body weredraw closer and closer to him and it was only an hour or two laterthat I caught my father staring at dimitri with narrow eyes he musthave noticed by now that Dimitri was not on the list because he hadit right in front of him he must have looked it over at least athousand times before he was satisfied that he was not my fatherstood up from his chair and made his way over to us

"Ineed to talk to you" my father said to Dimitri clearly irritated"alone"

Dimitrifurrowed his eye brows but complied none the less as he pushedhimself out from the table I turned around and watched as they wentfurther back into the room my fathers face visibly darkened

"stayaway from Tessa" my father growled quietly but loud enough for theentire table to hear

Dimitriseyes widened in surprise and he blinked a few times

"tellher you have to go" he told him through gritted teeth "and Inever want to see your face around her again, understood?"

a fewseconds passed and I couldn't believe what I heard my hands balledinto fists in my lap as I watched as Dimitri's jaw clenched

"understood?"my father repeated a little louder

"loudand clear" Dimitri said

"good"my father nodded

motioninghim towards me he sighed bowing his head he turned to me walkingcloser to me I swallowed hard

"Ihave to go" he told me "I hope that we meet again but I highlydoubt it"

myeyes widened as I started feeling my heart sink and continue sinkinglower and lower in my chest until I felt it in the pit of my stomach

"itwas a pleasure meeting you again" he said finally

I sawanother man walk up beside him resting a hand on his shoulder

"timeto go I gather" he said

"yesfather" Dimitri sighed as he began to walk his father in front

'no'I thought

lookingto my father in disbelife he was watching him go with a look ofsuperiority I shook my head getting to my feet I pushed my chair out

"butyou can't go" I said loudly

when Ihad followed them outside he didn't answer I continued to follow himout trying to reason with him but he continued to walk out trying hisbest to ignore me I was making this good bye hard for both of us

"Ican't be around you" he told me "your father won't allow it"

"pleasedon't go" I asked grabbing his elbow

"Ihave too" he said pulling out of my grip

hefollowed close behind his father

"but,but?"

tearsfell down my face and I fell to my knees on the stairs holding myhead in my hands I heard him sigh

"don'tcry" he whispered

I felthim grabbing my hands pulling them away from my face as he gentlypulled me to my feet wiping my tears away

"wecan't be together if that's what your thinking" his father wasclose behind him and he shot him a look "i'm just a prince and youra scarlet letter"

hisfather nodded in agreement turning and started to walk a sly smiletook over Dimitri face and his eyes lit up with hope

"meetme in the garden tomorrow night" he told me quickly "okay"

Inodded smiling a little.

"Inside"he told me "wearing that you could catch a cold"

Ibeamed for a few seconds before I turned away and walked back insideplacing a sad look on my face as I walked back into the dinning roomand I took my seat my father had taken the seat next to me I lookeddown at the plate in front of me

"youwill marry who I tell you to marry no matter if you love himor not is that clear" he hissed at me I gulped

"crystal"I told him biting my lower lip