Eternal Temptation: Awakening Sinful Desires

And then the next scene switched, showing Aiden standing beside Elaine in their garden as she tended to the flowers.

Elaine was wearing a pink gown that flowed down to her feet, and her hair was tied up in a bun with two locks framing her delicate features. She looked elegant and graceful as she worked away at her beloved plants.

Aiden approached her and said, "You look beautiful today, Elaine." His voice was soft yet firm as he complimented her beauty with a warm smile playing on his lips.

The young woman glanced up from her task before turning towards Aiden. Her face lit up with happiness as soon as she saw him standing there, and she rushed into his arms without hesitation, burying her face against his chest.

"You came back safely, Aiden... I was so worried about you when I heard that there was an attack on the southern border! But thank goodness you're alright; it's a relief to see you unharmed after such a long journey." She spoke as tears began trickling down her cheeks.

"Of course! How could I not return when I have such a precious treasure waiting for me here? I am sorry for making you worry so much." Aiden replied as he wiped away the wet trails off Elaine's skin with his thumb before cupping her cheeks.

He leaned in until their faces were only inches apart. "Now, how about a kiss from my love to celebrate my victory, hmm?" he asked as a mischievous smile formed on his lips, causing her eyes to widen in surprise before a blush spread across her cheeks.

"No! What if Father comes back and sees us? I'm still not ready to reveal our relationship to anyone yet." Elaine whispered as she tried to push Aiden away from her. However, he refused to let go of her; instead, he held onto her tighter.

"Don't worry about him! He won't return anytime soon since he is meeting with the king. Now, please grant me this request of mine, or else I might die from loneliness..." Aiden teased with a playful smile on his face that made her giggle in amusement before she gave a light nod of agreement.

The crowd watched with bated breath as he slowly pressed his lips against hers in a gentle kiss.

After several seconds passed by, the young couple pulled away from each other, looking satisfied with what just transpired between them.

Meanwhile, Scarlet and Cecil had a sweet smile on their faces while watching this scene unfold in front of them.

"What a romantic scene!" Scarlet exclaimed in awe.

"Yes! It's so beautiful." Cecil agreed.

"I agree. However, the story has just begun, so there might be twists coming up soon..." Asher mused as he continued to watch the play with keen eyes.

Indeed, a few scenes later, King Mason was talking with his daughter, Princess Sarina, about potential suitors and marriage.

She was a young woman with long blond hair, a pair of jade eyes, and a fair complexion. Her beauty was without comparison, and she had the aura of a regal lady about her. She was graceful and elegant, carrying herself with dignity and pride, yet also possessing a hint of mischievousness in her demeanor.

The moment she appeared on the stage, a collective cry of excitement rose from the audience, as if they couldn't contain their emotions upon seeing her.

They shouted her name out loud, expressing their adoration for her by chanting it over and over again. It seemed as though she was the most popular actress among them, judging by how passionately they were reacting to her presence alone.

This made Asher, Scarlet, and Cecil curious about what kind of performance she would put on display for them later.

"Father, I told you I would not marry anyone I didn't like. Why do I have to be forced into it?"

"Sarina... I'm only thinking about what's best for our people, and you too, my daughter. I know it seems unfair, but this is part of being royalty. There are times when we have to sacrifice ourselves in order to secure our subjects' future. That is what being a ruler means.

And if I were to leave this country in your hands without ensuring its future, then there would be unrest everywhere, and chaos may even break out." The king tried to reason with her.

"So... you want me to marry whoever you pick just because he's a strong leader who has the ability to keep this land stable and prosperous?"

"No! I'm not saying that you should marry the first person who comes along, nor am I forcing you into something you don't want to do. There must be someone who may have caught your attention by now, right? Perhaps a young man who has proven his worth in battle or an intelligent scholar who could help bring new ideas to the table. You can choose whomever you want as long as they are worthy enough."

The princess stayed silent as she contemplated her options with a conflicted look on her face. Then she nodded as a faint smile graced her lips. "I think I already know such a man, Father... He is brave and loyal to his kingdom. He fights well, always protecting his men, and never abandons them. Not to mention he is very handsome as well." She explained with excitement shining through her voice.

"Oh? Who is this guy? If he is everything you just said, then maybe I should consider him for you."

"He is one of your knights, Father... Sir Aiden." She revealed it without hesitation.

"Knight Aiden?! Hmmm... He is indeed a worthy candidate to be your husband. But are you sure that's who you want to marry? You can still take more time to decide if you need it." The king inquired, not wanting to rush her decision.

Princess Sarina shook her head and declared with a firm resolve, "I've made up my mind, Father! I've known Sir Aiden for a long time, as we met many times when I was with my best friend Elaine, and I'm certain that I can spend the rest of my life with him.

However, I want him to also fall in love with me before marriage, so I need you to make him my personal knight to accompany me wherever I go so that we can get to know each other better. If you do this for me, I promise I won't complain anymore."

King Mason looked at his daughter with a gentle smile and nodded before saying, "Very well. This is a very good idea you came up with, my dear. With this arrangement, I won't have to burden myself with hurting your feelings by making you marry some stranger either. So I shall grant your request and appoint him as your personal knight."

"Thank you, Father!!" Princess Sarina exclaimed as she jumped into her father's embrace.

Several scenes later, King Mason summons Aiden for a talk, praising his bravery and valor on the battlefield.

"Knight Aiden, you've served your country well in this recent conflict. Your exploits are renowned, and your loyalty towards the kingdom and the crown cannot be questioned. You are one of the finest warriors under my command who have always fulfilled every task given to him with precision and efficiency without fail, no matter how difficult it may be. And for that, I commend you!"

The king said these words while keeping eye contact with Aiden as he stood before him.

"I am honored to hear that from you, Your Majesty! Thank you for bestowing such great praise on me. It is my duty to serve my people and my King, and I shall continue doing so in the future as well." He bowed his head in respect towards the king while expressing his gratitude towards the ruler, who was known for his benevolence towards the masses.

"Now then... I have a very important task for you. I want you to be my daughter, Princess Sarina's personal knight." He declared with a serious tone as he placed both hands on the armrests of his throne.

"My daughter needs someone trustworthy who can protect her life with everything they have. Someone like yourself would make an excellent guardian for her." He explained while maintaining his regal posture and demeanor throughout his speech.

"I understand, Your Majesty. I would not let anything happen to the princess, even if it cost me my life," Aiden promised with sincerity in his voice before bowing to his liege once again.

"Good! Then it's settled. I entrust you with my daughter's safety and well-being from this moment forward. Don't disappoint me."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Asher, Cecil, and Scarlet all watched these scenes unfold in silence as they wondered how things would progress from here onwards. It was clear that a love triangle between Princess Sarina, the protagonist Aiden, and his childhood sweetheart, Elaine, would play out in this tale.

"Hey Cecil, do you think Elaine and Princess Sarina will end up getting married to him together? They seem really close in this scene." Scarlet asked her friend with a curious expression on her face while staring at the stage where the two young women were enjoying themselves.

"I don't know... They look quite close at the moment, but they haven't spoken to each other about anything related to their romantic feelings yet. It's hard to tell how they'll react when everything becomes known between them." Cecil answered with a thoughtful tone as she pondered over this question herself.

Meanwhile, Asher listened to their conversation with interest before speaking out loud. "Well, I suppose it all depends on whether or not the author of this play wants to make things dramatic for drama's sake. Either way, there's bound to be a lot of tension between all three characters, regardless of the outcome.

And if this story does turn out like the way I am expecting it to go, then it might become pretty interesting from here on out."