It's been several days since the news of the king's dire conditions have spread across England. The prince didn't want his sister, Angelica, to leave now that she is married. He is the only son of the king who had to hold the burden of being the next king as his heir, yet he is in his teens.

The hatred for Lord Schuyler grew when Lord Schuyler told the prince inapropriate requests during the time of moarning for the king. Lord Schuyler asked the prince to think of him as his father in case he got lonely. According to him, he had already delibrated upon other matters with the king, which became suspicious for Princess Angelica and the newly son-in-law and husband, Church. This also encouraged the supporters of Lord Schuyler to do something about his schemes.

As for Angelica, she's been delaying meeting Eliza lately, so Eliza had Rose send her gift to Angelica for her wedding day. Knowing how much the departure has become lonesome for Angelica, Eliza wanted to visit her in spite of all her hesitations. It was a gift that mothers would give their daughters upon their departure; Eliza told her in a letter that if only the late queen was still alive, she would have devoted her utmost care for her daughter Angelica.

Lastly, people have been praying for the king's health to recover. Eliza and her mother have done the same at the chapel where the wedding had occurred. When they were finished, they exitied to the outdoors and crossed paths with two boys who were dressed up in their comfy plain garnments and held their fake wooden swords for play. 

Eliza felt happy when she saw how adorable they looked. But her mother, looked at them like insects that she would glare at and squash quickly.

"Elizabeth, remain here, I shall go fetch your father," Lady Schuyler told Eliza and the boys. She walked away while Rose followed her when she carried their velvet cloaks.

Eliza pov

When they left, I couldn't stopped smiling. I knew that her mother had a strict tone, but that didn't bother me when she saw how the boy stood up for himself. I just hoped that he didn't feel hurt deep down.

Well Thank God there are people like me who just want to stand up for myself. I didn't have the courage to do that when I was their age, I thought, kneeling down to see eye to eye with the boys, admiring their bravery. For a while, I noticed that the brown-haired boy was glaring at me, as if he thought I had the same behavior as my mother.

"What's wrong?," I asked them, kneeling halfway to meet eye to eye. 

"How can a woman be so angelic?" another boy with a blond hair said, giving me a daisy. 

"Why, thank you, young man. That's so sweet of you," I thanked him, admiring how kind this young gentlman was. 

"Ma'am, I wouldn't believe him if I were you. He's just flattering you to earn himself something to eat," the brown haired boy frowned and warned me while the blond haired one kept staring at me.

"Can't you take us to see the market? And if you, a pretty lady, buys us something to eat on top, all the better..." the blond haired boy said.

"What are you, miserable? And you call this "pretty"? People in pretty clothing think they are all High and Mighty, and the chosen ones from God himself. They have no right to think so!" the brown haired boy scolded, pointing at me from which didn't bother me at all.

I wanted to oblige and took the boys with me. The boys were chit chatting over and over about the blond haired boy's habits, from which I learned that his name was Thomas and the brown haired one was Peter. No matter how spoiled or childish they seemed, I found it charmily adorable.

https://youtu.be/Pq_Nw01DqMI

These boys washed my sadness away. Seeing how much Peter has been scolding Thomas about his habits made me happy to realize that he will grow up to be a wonderful man one day.

From what I also realized so far, these two were inseperable. Their cute laughter, their smiles, and the bond they shared made me realize how lucky I am to live in a world where good exists.

We arrived at the village where Alexander and I used to visit. Then, I stopped by at the food place I reccommended them. Thomas was drooling over the fresh apples that were displayed.

"Would you like any of these fruits?" I asked them when I bended my back to hear them out. They both nodded with big smiles on their faces. I picked up my I purchased two fresh apples and gladly gave one to each of them. They enjoyed it so much, I could not help but see how well they were eating. Then, they spotted something and ran off.

"Boys! Where are you going?!" I called for them, which they didn't respond. I followed them in haste until their curiosity led me to the swinging contest that I participated back then.

Alex pov

I've been walking my horse for quite a long time now. My life as I know it was about to change forever, after all the that has happened to me.

I heard some laughing from the crowd, and when I followed that direction of it, it happened to be the swinging contest that the handmaiden and I came to play. I could not help but want to stop my horse and check it out. Luckily, my horse walked towards some hay to eat, so I obliged and tied my reins onto the rail. While I let him rest, I went to see the contest.

When trying to find space to stand in the crowd, I was passing by a woman who happend to have familiar fancy clothes as the handmaiden that I saw back at the trial, the woman that I was looking for all this time. She must be one of those women from back then, I thought. But I erased that thought away when I happened to have found the perfect spot to see the view of the competition.

I followed the direction of the swing going back and forth, facing from left to right. Then, I realized that this head motion was what I've been doing when the handmaiden was on that swing. Why did just a head motion of mine make me smirk and recall her face? What was she doing to me? Just when I was about to leave this home of mine... I thought again.

That's right. I remember how she closed her eyes and imagined herself flying like a free bird. That smile that made me smile as one. It was like she was enjoying herself, not for the competition.

I wanted to give her another one of those pale pink roses to her on my last day, if I was lucky. Pale pink roses symbolized gentleness and admiration. How whimsical the roses reminded me of the 'hanmaiden' personality. I longed to hear her voice again. 

I sighed when going back to reality and went off to get my horse and be on my way back home.

When I was at the stables where my horse ate hay, I patted my horse for being a good boy when staying here to wait for me. I untied the reins from the rail. Just when I was going to step on the stirrups, I heard "Wait!" from a female voice. I turned around to guide the horse until I stopped and saw the familiar woman from the contest earlier. She was holding a boy's hand and was scolding the other boy about something. They must've been looking for that boy over there.

"Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you," the woman said as she took the other boys' hand and was on her way. She looked up, and this gave me a shock. I became speechless and I couldn't think when I saw her. When I finally found her.

3rd pov

Alexander and Eliza have found each other after so long. They noticed how surprised they looked when their eye contact became tense . Eliza felt happy to have finally see him unharmed ever since he was released from the dungeons.

They've been staring at each other like nothing else mattered, like all that mattered was that they found each other. Thomas looked from Eliza to Alexander, then back and forth. Realizing that they must be affectionate, he decided to give them some space by pulling himself and Peter out of the picture to wait for her.

"What? Where do you want me to go?" Peter asked him, gesturing that he had to stay with them.

"Stop prattling and just follow me. Do I have to spell it out for you?"

Seeing the boys move away from them made Alexander and Eliza realize that they've been quiet for some time now. As much as he wanted to walk towards her and scold her for fun, Alexander had to admit that those days were over.

"I'm glad to see you are safe, madame. If you'll excuse me," he spoke formally to show some respect to her. He gave her a bow and continued to guide the horse. Unwilling to face reality, he looked down to the ground, thought it would be easier than seeing her heartbroken when he leaves.

"Sir Hamilton!" Eliza called him, and Alexander looked up to listen. Now that he was here, she had to apologize AND was determined to finish telling him who she was. She wanted to express her feelings so badly: "It's been weighing on my mind all this time. All the suffering you went through because of me, and my concerns for your safety..."

"May this......be the last time we meet," Alexander told her with a stoned face. He did not bid her farewell and passed her as if she did not exist in his world anymore. The two saw there were tears in their eyes. There was happiness, desperation, and many hold-backs in their eyes. Alexander almost turned his head to face her, but he couldn't after he hurt her. It was hard for him.

What did he mean? Is this the end....please no! Eliza thought to herself as she stood still, appalled by the words she didn't want to hear. Eliza found it even harder to see him get on his horse and never look back when he strode away from her.

It was like a stab in her heart when this sight killed her. When he was gone, Thomas and Peter came out of the hiding and took Eliza's hand. They stood there quiet, knowing that something must have happened. Eliza looked down and knew that it was time for them to go back. When she walked away with them, she looked back and he was out of her sight.

But actually, after Alexander rode on his horse. The farther he went, the more he wanted to look back. He did eventually when he stopped his horse. He sighed from devastation and frustration. I must've hurt her. Why does feel like my heart is aching when I'm further away from her? he thought to himself. He still did as he strode away.

...

Eliza pov

"Where have you been?!"

I was back at the chapel, but what I didn't need was my mother scolding me for running off with the boys. I was not having a good morning today.

"They say that a leopard never loses its spots. Seems like they weren't thinking of you. A royal here to pray for the king's recovery....ends up meandering the market in the company of two orphans who could've been kidnapped?! Doesn't your reputation concern you in the slightest?" my mother scolded.

I've been walking and reached the chapel to drop the boys off, but yet those words were echoing as every second passed: "May this be the last time we meet..." The word "market" and "reputation" hurt me, like my heart dropped into my stomach. My stomach didn't feel well from the depression I felt when my tears started to shed. I could hear Mother scoffing at the sight.

"Just a few words of reproach and you begin wailing? You expect to get out of this with a few tears? And at your age..." she asked me, telling me to get it together.

I shook my head, but I couldn't. I inhaled and exhaled sharply from the pain in my chest that I was trying to endure. Her cold eyes reminded me of the cold eyes Alexander gave me when I told him how I felt about hurting him. I felt I could never forgive myself. This is the price I had to pay for not telling him earlier. My heart was broken from the thought of never seeing his genuine smile that was meant for me. I was nothing but a stranger who told him nothing of my identity.

...

3rd pov

And the next day after, the princess was left in the care of her newlywed husband, Church, servants, and ambassadors in a separate rooms. Maids and servants set up the couple's room, and furnished other rooms for them for the people expect them to have a family. The Schuylers were assigned to support them in every need. Little did Eliza know that Alexander was going to be there for Church and with Tilghman.

Once everything was furnished, Eliza was on her way to bring her gift for Angelica and check on her cousin, but later learned that she was with her family moarning for her father. She decided to put her present in front of Angelica's door so when Angelica comes back she can take it; the servants reassured her. I even gave them a letter for her to read when she sees this gift:

In the afternoon, Eliza did not receive any responses from her cousin, and decided to give her some space. Then, she happened to see the groom, who seemed to desperately search for something with Sir Tilghman. Eliza wasn't aware of what could have happened, but she didn't want to intervene at this point. Just when she was going to exit the arch -entrance/exit of the place- I recognized Alexander's face and she quickly turned around so he doesn't recognize her, but it seemed he has.

Eliza pov

My stomach felt like it tied a not with my organs and I did not think for a second to breathe. I felt as if an air bubble clogged my throat and that I could not speak. I was so shocked because I didn't expect to see him here. I didn't know what to do. What to say. We both seemed to stand still and silence filled our bubble. I could feel his stern gaze staring daggers at me, and I was afraid what he will say or do next.

"What are you doing here?" he asked me with a stern tone. I didn't answer. Why can't I speak up? I thought.

"Am I not asking you a question?" he raised his voice with frustration.

"I'm here to see Her Grace," I said, turning only a quarter and didn't look up.

"I don't know what brings you here, but you can't meet her right now. For she left to go visit her mother," Alexander said.

"But that's so far..." Eliza said, turning around another quarter more to see him, inidcating she had questions.

"However, the princess may have gone there without any guards," Alexander said.

Eliza couldn't help the idea of Angelica traveling without guards to protect her. Something could happen to her. Alexander brought Eliza to his horse so she can ride on it to find her. From the horse-back riding lessons she learned from him, Eliza did as she was taught. She noticed Alexander looking at her, either with concern or ordeal.

"I will make sure to bring back this horse," Eliza told him with a neutral tone, but with no eye contact. How she felt didn't seem to matter anymore. Eliza took hold of the reins, taking a deep breath before she could kick the horse lightly on the stomach to get it to walk. The horse walked in response, but unconfidence was read all over her face. Alexander sighed and took the reins from Eliza's hands. He got on the horse, sitting behind her. The situation was awkward because of where their relationship stood.

"And when would you bring it back, at this rate?" Alexander asked, trying to break the silence. Eliza couldn't say anything; he could have let her be, or he could've just told her to get off so he could find the princess himself. Alexander noticed how awkward it must be for her since he indirectly told her to never meet him again. Before he could command his horse to gallop, he put his left arm around her stomach and pulled her close to him. He looked up, trying to avoid her eye contact, if she did look back to him.

...

At the pier

https://youtu.be/rSqBa4PMgcU

We arrived at a pier that was the quickest way to get across the ocean to the late queen's funeral. Eliza managed to get off the horse on her own, even though she obliviously had Alexander worried there.

"Thank you for taking me here. I will go by myself from here onwards," Eliza spoke softly, giving him a curtsy, and she ran off to the pier.

It became awkward when she managed to get on boat. Every passenger was staring at her, making her realize they saw her as different and not equal; she was wearing bright mint blue dress ornated with trimmed lines and full open sleevers of bright red praline, over her white kirtle. One of the male sailors asked the other to get off his seat so he could sit next to her. Then, Eliza heard a footstep beside her, but it wasn't the sailor; it was Alexander's boot. Eliza became surprised that he came too.

"What is this?!" the sailor asked.

"For the seat," Alexander neutrally spoke, sternly glaring at the sailor and giving him a pouch of money. When the stranger left, Alexander sat beside the puzzled Eliza.

"Still dauntless as always," Alexander told Eliza.

"How did you..." Eliza asked, but was cut off.

"We must be certain that Her Highness is safe," Alexander quickly said and sat like he didn't know what she was talking about.

Geez. What's his motive here? He could've just gone back home...Eliza thought to herself.

The two have been riding on the boat for a while now, and things have been quiet between Alexander and Eliza. Alexander would look at the other direction opposite of her face. 

When the boat accidently, but slightly shook, one stranger accidently fell to the other side of the boat where Alexander and Eliza were. He almost was about to fall on Eliza. Alexander wasn't going to let her get touched and smushed by a stranger, so he grabbed hold of Eliza and swung her to the other side. 

Eliza was amazed by his strength, she looked at how his face read like this is normal strength.

Alexander saw Eliza facing him with a surprised look, and he awkwardly let go of her. There was still silence between them on the whole ride.