In the morning Bridgette feels much better, yet she dreads for night. Maria convinced Nixxiom by bringing up the fact that Bridgette forgot her staff again. He tells her, "If you forget it one more time, I'm getting it myself." She agrees and carries on with her daily duties.

Alek had gone to sleep and come back to the garden, finding it the only calming spot.

At the end of the day Bridgette wears her mask and before grabbing the chalk and drawing the portal. She walks through and goes to the garden.

Alek had changed. He didn't wear the mask and sat on the fountain. He hadn't left for most of the day and currently was lost in thought.

She spots him and hesitates before walking over. She sits beside him with a smile, not exactly sure what her plan was, just winging it.

Alek jumps slightly, relaxing as he sees her and smiles lightly. "My dear monarch."

"Good evening my prince..." she looks at him "Is everything alright?"

"I believe things are more than fine for you." He smiles, his chest aching. "Congratulations by the way..."

"What do you mean?" She tilts her head to the side and places her hand on his. "Congratulations for what?"

Alek uses the hand she touched to rub his neck, trying to distance himself. "Your engagement..."

She frowns and looks confused "... My engagement? What?" She giggles "Alek what are you kidding at?"

He looks down into the fountain. "I've been alerted that you're engaged to someone. I find it quite disrespectful to myself as well as your lover if I continue to meet with you."

"My... lover?" She laughs "Alek I don't have a lover! I-if anything.... it's you..." she blushes a bit and gives him a smile.

"You don't?" He glances to her necklace. "What about that necklace then. I was told it was a gift."

She looks at it then back at him. She giggles "Yeah, from my mother! Not a lover." She smiles "Come on Alek, are you really going to believe a stranger about my love?"

Alek chuckles blushing lightly. "I suppose I just don't want to end up let down again."

"Let down? Oh silly..." She giggles and lays her head on his shoulder "Just be prepared..."

"Prepared?" He smiles and moves an arm around her. "What for?"

"Oh I don't know..." she moves closer "Anything really..."

"For you, I'm ready for anything..." he brushes her cheek with his hand.

She whispers "Does that mean you're prepared for the fact I'm not going to be your queen?"

"Not that~" he says, leaning into her. "Because I know I'll convince you in time."

She giggles and looks into his eyes "Hmmm,  I wouldn't be so sure if I was you... I'm hard to convince when it comes to things like that..."

"I'll be sure to change that..." he studies her mask, a smirk playing at his lips. "I tend to be quite charming~"

"Mmm~" she grins and twirls a piece of his hair "I'm aware~ but I'm also quite stubborn... gonna take a lot to convince me..." she smirks.

"I'm not new to stubborn..." His fingers dance as if on a piano at her side.

She blushes and smiles "Oh? Maybe not, but have you ever convinced stubborn into becoming your bride?" She laughs a bit.

"Not yet, but I have convinced a kiss~" he looks into her eyes with an enjoying smirk.

"Oh? You have?" She looks curious, never knowing this about Alek -

A: (CAUSE SHE DOESNR REMEMEBRJEKSJSKJDS)

-"You've kissed someone before...? Who?"

"A dear friend, although I'm sure I could get another..."

She decides it was probably long ago, so she shoves it aside. Except she smirks and folds her arms "Hmph. Getting a kiss from me is going to be hard."

"That just means I'll have to try harder~" he whispers in her ear.

She blushes and giggles with a grin "Maybe a kiss can be stolen... but engagement? That's gonna be tough."

Alek places a hand under her chin. "I'll figure it out in time..."

"How much time do you have...?" She lowers her eyes and grins.

"I could tell you... but I won't need that long~" he keeps his eyes on her, his other hand still on her side.

"Hmm... you might need a couple of.... years..." she giggles leaning close "I'm hard to catch ~"

"And I'm sure I've already got you hooked." He winks.

She laughs and shakes her head. "You are a charmer~"

"My dear monarch... my charm is a gift, and I've chosen to share it with you." He drags a finger along her jawline and boops her nose.

She giggles and strokes his cheek "I bet you share it with a lot of girls... what makes me any different?" She grins.

"Because dear monarch, like a butterfly, you beauty far surpasses all else. Your charm, your colors dragging me in..." He moves his other hand to her side.

She sits back, smiling at him. "Mmm... maybe getting me to marry you won't be as hard as I thought it would be...."

He smiles, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles lightly. "My dear, there isn't anything in the world I wouldn't do to have you join me..."

She stands up and smiles. "I'm not giving in so easily." She folds her arms and smirks.

Alek kneels before her, holding out a gloved hand. He smiles. "And I will never give up~"

She looks down at him and takes his hand. "... I'm sorry my prince... but I can not be your queen..."

 The prince holds her hand to his chest. "Dear monarch, there isn't a reason that could stop me from wanting you as my queen."

Monarch looks away, knowing there is a reason. She sighs and turns away, keeping her hand on his chest. "There has to be..."

"Tell me why you refuse... I will do everything in my power to make it right..." he turns her to face him.

"There isn't anything you can do Alek..." she shakes her head and looks away.

"Let me try! There is no one who could replace you..." He holds to her hand gently.

L: (Alek is adorable when he's in love XD)

A: (I KNOW HE'S SO AHHHHH I LOVE IT)

She shakes her head and bends down next to him, placing her hands on his chest "I'm sorry but you have to find someone else!"

"I couldn't! My dear is the problem with how you feel? Do you not see me in the same rose colored lights?" He moves his hands to her waist, pulling her slightly closer.

She looks into his eyes and let's out a small sigh "Oh Alek... when I'm with you I adore you! Yet... I can't! You need a queen, and I am nothing but a distraction!"

Alek looks down,"My dear..." he spins her, holding her by the waist. "You are like my piano. I love playing songs with it, I love its sweet voice. You could say that is a distraction, yet it's what makes life worth living. You, dear Monarch, are my sunshine in the dark. My song in the silence..."

Her heart pounds and she stares into his eyes. She shakes her head and strokes his jawline. "... I wish I could stay with you forever..."

"I would give anything..." Alek smiles lightly, his face a pale pink.

She kisses his cheek gently "But there isn't anything you can an give..."

"What can I say to make you stay?"

"Nothing! There is nothing you can do or say!"

Alek frowns. "Then I'll wait, but I refuse to marry another..."

She shakes her head and looks at him in distress "You have to! You'll have wait more than one thousand years before I agree! And even then, I will have to say no!"

Alek places a hand on her cheek. "I'd die before I gave up on you..."

She pulls away from him and turns to the side . "No... I refuse..."

"My lady, please reconsider..." Alek places a hand over his heart, the other held behind him as he bows.

"..." She sighs "Alek... you can not love me... I insist you reconsider."

Alek looks into her eyes. "My dear monarch... I could never. Even if I tried there is only one who could compare to you..."

"Then find her..." She looks down, her heart sinking. "Find her and marry her instead..."

"I couldn't if I wanted to. I chose you! A life without you is unimaginable!" He steps to her, holding her waist once more.

She looks away and sighs "You have to find her Alek... because I am not an option."

"The girl I loved had to leave. She went far away where I could never get her back... I have you, my monarch, my queen! If you choose to leave, I will never stop searching for you."

She looks away, wondering who the other girl could be. "I'm sorry... but I must leave. And I can't come back."

"Are you sure? Please, tell me what it is you truly want..."

She looks into his eyes and melts into them. "... I... I don't think I know..."

"Then please, come visit me again..." his hands dance on her waist.

She blushes and sighs in delight "Oh I would love to Alek! But you need to find a wife!"

"I have time, and I wish to spend it with you." He tries a smile.

She kisses his nose, giggling a bit. "You know nothing about me... you hardly know my name... why are you so sure you're in love?"

"Because of how you make me. I am complete when you're near." He smiles, holding to her hand.

She looks down. "Alek... " she grabs the necklace and shuts her eyes. "... I have to leave..."

"Will I see you again?" Alek asks, his eyes worried.

She bites her bottom lip and looks away. "... If I don't come back... would you be upset?"

"Very much so..." he whispers.

"... I'll come when I can..." She runs into the hedge maze, remembering she needs to find her staff.

Alek sits on the fountain, his heart slowing.

She runs to the flower bed and grabs her staff from where she hid it. She draws the portal and goes back home.

******

A/N: HEHEHE SO CUTE!!!

L/N: HEHEHEHEH!!