Before the Dawn by Kristal Lim Page A

other kingdom in
the south, and she found him to be quite—disturbing. There was
something about the manner with which he looked at her that never
failed to unsettle her. It was as if he could see something within
her that even she herself was not aware of. And then there was also
the way the man smiled at her, so openly and insolently. It was
really quite aggravating.
    "That soldier could have followed you here,"
the Prince now said with concern in his tone.
    "No," she shook her head. "I gave him a
sleeping draught. He will not know we have been gone till we return
before the dawn."
    And his face became sad all of a sudden.
"Must you return?" he asked. "You can stay here, and dance with me
until the sun rises. Then we can be truly together."
    She let out a little sigh and refused to meet
his gaze. "I do not know if I can. My father is old, and we are his
heirs. He wishes to see us wed to princes from the neighboring
kingdoms so he can make sure our people will be looked after once
he is gone. As the eldest, he is especially depending on me to do
what is best for our subjects. So I do not think I can stay here,
with you." Even as she said the words, she knew that she was
hurting him.
    "But I happen to be a Prince from a
neighboring kingdom," he protested. "I can marry you and guarantee
the safety and well-being of your people for centuries."
    At his words, she felt tears prickle her
eyes. Rosamund knew he meant well, but he did not understand. He
was immortal, and magic, while she was merely human for all that
she was a Princess. Unions between their different peoples never
lasted long and often ended in tragedy. It was in all the stories
and songs the bards shared during cold winter nights when she and
her sisters begged them to tell the tales of love they knew. Though
the Prince often said he loved her and displayed his emotions quite
openly, she never lost the nagging doubt at the back of her mind
that this was all an enchantment that would break one day, and she
would lose her youth and die while the Prince would be young and
handsome forever. And, perhaps it was selfish of her, but she did
not want an end like that for her love. She wanted someone who
would stay with her throughout her journey in life, someone who
would look upon her face in her old age with the same affection as
in her maidenhood. She wanted someone who would understand what
being mortal meant.
    When he saw that she wouldn't reply to his
last declaration, he led her away from the ballroom and into one of
the deserted balconies. There he kissed her with a fever that she
found increasingly difficult to resist by the night. "Promise me,"
he gasped when their lips finally parted, "promise me you will
always come back to dance with me. No matter what happens, you will
always come back to me. Promise."
    It was a lie, but she said it anyway. "I
promise." And her heart felt like it would break then because she
truly wanted to keep her word.
    He held her close for a long moment. "I will
find a way, my Princess," she heard him vow. "I cannot give you
true immortality, for that is a gift only my people may have, but I
will find another way for us to be together throughout time. Just
swear to me that when I find you again, you will choose to stay
with me."
    A sob suddenly escaped from Rosamund’s
throat. "Please let us not talk of this anymore," she begged him.
"The future can fend for itself but, for now, we are together. I do
not wish to be reminded that all of this will end one day."
    "Why would you say such a thing?" he demanded
as he pulled away from her in sudden anger. "It is as if you have
accepted we will be parted eventually. I will not accept such a
fate. I do not care what forces I defy, but I will find the means
for us to stay together. That is the measure of my love for
you."
    Her only response was to break down in tears.
Giving her an anguished look, the Prince suddenly ran and leaped
off the balcony, transforming into a snowy owl as he did so,