The Princess moved closer to Cid, and then asked, “What are you working on?”

Cid tried to stay calm and moved slightly away from her, “The same one as last time.”

“Oh, still? How boring!” She said, sighing and losing her posture into a slump.

“If it’s so boring, find something to do.” Cid stated.

“What if what I find what to do is also boring?” The Princess humphed.

Smirking to her being her normal self and fighting everything said to her, Cid stated back, “Then perhaps you should reconsider the word bored because maybe you are just using that word wrong.”

“Am not!” She rebutted back.

“Then what is your definition of bored, Bethany?” Cid asked, trying very hard to keep a still hand to handle very small and delicate items.

“When you have nothing to do!” The Princess answered his question.

“Are you telling me that you can’t draw, paint, sing…”

“…Shut up! You’re saying that in this case I should never be bored!”

“Correct!” Cid replied, making a nice small hole into one of the shells he had on his table.

Cid was still new at knowing his feelings for this girl, so he still felt strange sitting next to her so closely. Yet, one thing that had not changed though, were their fights.

Usually, they fought all the time, they were like siblings that never had peace!

The strange thing was, she sometimes would get him things that he needed, like socks, or a warmer jacket and then he would return to her some ‘broken’ jewellery as a thank you and now…Now that he found that he liked fighting with her and seeing her sweet sincerity, things have been slightly awkward for him!

“Hey! Let’s go and try find some gems or something! Isn’t David still in town?”

Looking at the pretty Princess, even though she was in male attire…That didn’t look good on her, Cid smiled, “…He’s still here for another two weeks.”

“Great! Let’s go!” The Princess stood up and grabbed his hand and Cid frowned, he just ruined a shell completely… There was no way he was going to be able to use the shell when it was broken into two!

With the reason to leave, because of the Princess, he would be fine to get away with it but, it didn’t mean that he wouldn’t get beaten slightly because of it. “I’m too busy, you go!”

Sitting right back down, Cid let go of his worries and already started to get into making his newest ‘special’ trick. Shells!

The idea only came to him when the Princess…

“No! I’m not going alone!” Princess Bethany said firmly, folding her arms to her chest.

Cid didn’t look up, not wanting to loss his attention, “Then don’t go.”

“But I want to go!” The Princess complained.

“Then go!” Cid said back, now in monotone and in a busy like manner. He had already started to do another hole in another shell.

“Fine!”

Cid wasn’t surprised when Princess Bethany sat back down right beside him…Still too close…

Having done this so many times now, he put in front of the pretty Princess the same things as himself and they both made jewellery together.

The Princess would not be a part of any of the hard and careful creative bits of jewellery making, nor where it may have to go into any type of heat, but she still liked to play with some small pieces of gold and small pieces of silver.

Now she saw the shells and giggled, “I still like the fact that you got another idea from me, isn’t it about time that I be compensated!?”

“If I break one, it’s yours.” Cid stated, then blew through the new hole of another shell.

At first, Cid had worried when she had started to play with his jewellery bits and pieces without asking! His stepfather was not someone easily satisfied and when unsatisfied…

What if she lost it!?

But…She was quite the girl and always made sure that she didn’t lose anything, surprising Cid greatly!

Everything was a surprise to him with her!

How she dressed, how she talked to him, how she treated him like a friend and how they fought. How sincere she was and how clean she was.

And just like every other time, they sat together for about an hour, annoying each other yet happily tolerating the others presence.

***

They had first met at a quite dramatic time for the Princess. She had been a little girl of near fifteen and upset that her parents didn't pay attention to her. At the time, she was near marriageable age and they were wondering on the best candidate to be her husband.

She had not wanted to get married at all, she felt herself way too young and half of the men that she discreetly saw them looking at were all old!

She ran away because they weren’t putting her into account at all, they only wanted the best man to give them something in return!

‘Miles, Robert Miles. Your Majesty, he is a nobleman whom has…’ Her mother had said about one of them.

‘Their money isn’t new…But it is bound to run out, I want someone to rely on!’ Her father, the King, had stated firmly back to her mother…

Not once did they ask the Princess, not once had they thought to ask her or tell her anything!

No, she had been in the dark and only knew so much because she had courage to find out all of this on her own!

Having wanted attention, she went out of the palace and ran away!

She never expected that she wasn't found straight away, and in her depressive state, she had started to cry. She had been so alone, in that palace, now she was alone on the outside too.

If she were to go back, she will no doubt marry someone twice her age or more…If, instead, she was to stay on the outside, she will have no idea on how to live!

She felt like she was losing no matter what she chooses to do!

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Having looked around, through wet eyes, she found that she had no money to buy food or shelter…She had no idea on how to make bread or to get some water!

Being in the palace, she had to just ask for it, out here…It was a whole other story!

But…Was it worth being served when she never saw her parents anyway? Was it really worth being a Princess when she felt so below that, that she might as well just be here, outside of the palace, instead!?

All her parents ever cared about where themselves and her eldest brother. Why couldn’t she do what her second brother did and leave the palace and go out to see the world!?

So many wants, questions and reasons to be upset, led the Princess to not go anywhere and stay put where she was and cry a bit more.

Upon being near a popular tavern, on a popular street, a drunken man saw her like this and had hugged her because she was crying. Cid had seen this himself and saw that the drunken man was quite innocent and just wanted to help the poor girl who was crying but...The King's rage upon what had happened had ended the poor man's life and it was already too late for the Princess's reputation.

From then, marriage had not been talked about even though she was nearly eighteen now, and even the gossip about her had practically disappeared.

Cid had been there for her when she had cried like a little baby and out of the blue told her that since it had come to this, that her reputation was somewhat ruined, then she could get away with things.

Never did he think that she had taken it so literally! He had only tried to come up with something positive out of everything that had been bad!

Well, it’s what he did in his life…

Not only did Princess Bethany no longer care that she was somewhat neglected, but she dressed up in male clothing and did practically whatever she wanted.

Cid wasn’t sure why she wore male’s attire, but he has got an idea towards it. It was either because it was more comfortable for her, which seemed more like the answer, as the other idea he had was because she just wanted attention. The reason why he thought she wore male’s attire because it was more comfortable was because she didn’t want attention from her parents anymore for some reason, and well…With all the running, hiding and skipping that she does, he himself would think it would be easier to wear what he’s wearing instead of a dress.

She had clung onto Cid for quite a while after that incident but once David joined them, she started to calm down. Cid knows that the death of the drunken man who had hugged her weighs on her heart, even though she wasn’t the one that killed him.

It was weird that she had taken him so literally but was actually very specific about her actions. She might dress in male attire, but Cid knows that the attire is made by her because she didn’t want to kill someone because of it.

No…Cid admires her deeply because she has overcome that person’s death and has even learnt from it.

…At one stage, the Princess had even stayed away from him for a whole month and Cid was sure it might have been because she was worried that he might become someone that the King would be angry with.

For some years now, David, Princess Bethany and himself were now known of as friends. The Princess would always be the one to speak to those who try to make something of it, claiming not only her innocence but also using her power as a Princess as well. So…David and himself were no longer getting scorned nor do they get bullied any other way. Well, at least not because they hung out with the Princess…

Their reputations stayed clean and hers did not grow worse…

They were all friends now and it seems that she had gotten over her ordeal, which was good.

The next problem was, she became more outspoken and happier after about a year...And it seems that this was just a part of who she was, and it had never really appeared until she, assumingly, felt comfortable with those around her.

Beyond that, Cid never really thought about it, but he was sure that this was how the Princess worked, or something like that.

When Cid started to feel strange about getting something from her, that was when he started to give her jewellery. The first piece was something that he had just lying around and hadn't finished, thinking it was good enough as a thank you and something to give to her because she had given something to him.

…As time went on though, he found that he was spending more and more effort into what he gives her and even on purpose would take one stone or gem out of something to say it's 'broken', just so that he could give it to her.

To a certain degree, Cid was worried about himself!

He'd now often also use gems, stones or colors that would suit her the best and it was starting to freak him out!

Before, jewellery crafting was simple. Do this, do that, add something different and done. Now he worried about how that colour would suit a certain person's skin or a certain person's clothes.

And that's how he figured out that he liked her…

That he liked someone that was completely out of his reach!

‘Forbidden fruit’ was the perfect saying for his feelings for her.

He knew he can’t have her, in this life and most likely any others. But…He had fallen…

Wanting to think that his attraction towards her would slowly dissipate, so that he could just go back to be the normal friend he was a while ago, he could only see his attraction steadily getting worse…Or in another way, growing even more fonder of her…

It was starting to get to a point that he wanted to see her once every day, just to see that she was ok and that she was happy.

It had now even gotten to a point that Cid was disliking his countries King because of the way he treated his daughter!

He found himself excited, his heart pounding, embarrassed and to a sad, stupid decree, completely captivated! Which did not help him at all!

He wanted her to sit next to him, like she was now. He wanted her to be herself yet stay away from all the other men…It was becoming a mess!

The only thing he could do or tell himself, is that his life went on a different path then hers. That he needed to break away from his stepfather, he needed to get more money to do that and that means…He had no time for romance.

So…He tries not to think about his most precious, most alluring ‘forbidden fruit’…

There was just no way he could tell her!

It was a big secret and Cid tried very much to act like he used to before he knew, and to not think about her in any other way besides the fact that she was his friend.

But certain things do change, and he can't help but change a few things around. Certain things like, he can't look at her for too long, nor can he be too close to her.

Their fights mostly end now with her winning and he not getting vexed as much as he used to.

Besides thinking about her and jewellery, he also finds that he anticipates her arrival and doesn't know what he would do now without her constant loitering around him…

He wanted to be a man though, a man that didn't become obsessed with a woman and he was a man that wanted to make his life his own.

That was his ultimate goal but...He can't help but want to know where the Princess has been when she didn't see him...

Cid could only sigh and remind himself that he has no chance and that he needs to work on his ultimate goal and that is how his desires come to a halt.

Every now and again, Cid would catch a free glimpse at the girl beside him...A secret smile stashed in his heart.

It was only David and her that made him forget about his life problems, and that was something that he was thankful for!

…Yet another reason to be fond of her…

If neither of them were around, Cid would barely speak, barely show any enthusiasm…He’d just do his work, focusing so much that without wanting to, he would make something that people apparently liked…But really, he would probably waste away and not care for anything…

So…He found himself to be very lucky…

***

Cid stumbled into the back door of the new mansion, that was now owned by his stepfather, and a few items fell down, making noises.

It’s not like the items will fall further if they are already on the ground…

“Stay there then.” He mumbled, while he continued to shuffle towards his side room, that was close to the kitchen and laundry.

He was so tired!

So…Very tired!

Falling onto his bed, not even able to wash his face first, Cid closed his already half-closed eyes and feel right asleep.

Cid was sure that the reason why he was pushed to work this late, was because he hadn’t signed to handed over his father’s business to his stepfather.

‘There’s an order for fifty more of the latest earrings, needed for tomorrow. If I see that you haven’t finished it before you sleep, I will not pay you this week!’

Week after week, Leonard had always seemed to come up with excuses not to pay him his wages.

It had taken Cid two years to convince his stepfather to give him payment since he was such a crucial, needed aspect of his jewellery crafting business, and he was only accepted to get that because Cid went on strike and simply stated that he would work again when he was going to get paid!

That had been such a hard few days of his life. He endured through that much pain and suffering through beatings that he was just about ready to give up and state the he would work again without pay…

It became obvious pretty quickly to Cid, after his mother’s death, that Leonard wanted a lot for nothing.

And so…Cid had grown up so quickly that even his best friend David was astonished to his change.

They had used to play together, so he would have known, but then that all nearly completely stopped all together…

After his mother died, Cid had only taken a few weeks to fall into a working routine, simply because he still depended on Leonard at the time.

Being eleven and sad, his life turned upside down and since then, he had been doing a lot of work, with little pay and with not much other option besides to run away.

Running away required effort and Cid knew that it would be something that he hadn’t been ready for back then but…Now that he wasn’t entirely depending on Leonard, the problem was, he had made a name for himself and felt that he could try and hold out for as long as he could.

He didn’t want to run away, this was his home now. He was close to David and his family, close to the Princess, he was doing something he liked doing and if he ran away, he wouldn’t have any of those things!

It was definitely a last resort, so his mediocre skills on hunting and secret stash of money was going to have to wait!

Falling down on his bed like this, in utter exhaustion, was something he was used to now.

He had been pushed and pulled so much, that now, it seems that he was able to pull through anything.

The problem was…He was still so far away from his goal!

He needed to make more of a name for himself, get some more money, so that he could then start up his own business.

Originally, he wasn’t going to fight his business with Leonard’s but over the last couple of years, he’s stocked all of what he has endured into becoming that business that will compete against his stepfathers!