I have a lot of stories in mind and I seriously want to write 'em all! It's just that I wanted to finish this one first ;) Definitely I'll write Vince's story too and watch out he's coming again! :)

Thank you so much and Happy 35k reads to The Royal Contract!

XOXO

-Camilla Eldridge

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

I was laughing my heart out at Jeanne. He was running crazily! I brought him in the muddy place where the piglets were,

And guess what?

Right now he was trying to get one. While I laugh my heart out!

I told him that we will cook it as the main dish on his birthday celebration and he was excited about it.

What he didn't know was it was very hard to catch one!

I was still laughing. I'm sitting on a wooden long, high chair, my legs crossed and did I mention I was laughing? Never did I thought he will play my game. On the middle of the game the guards were asking him if he needs help but he said he doesn't.

His before sweaty shirt is now muddy and he was still chasing the piglets. I took photos of him, and when he said he didn't need help I asked the guard to take a real near photo of Jeanne. I have to frame that! It was his first!

It took minutes and finally when he dived he already caught one. The helpers help him and tied the piglets down. I stood up from my seat, stomach aching for what he just did. He was still cute though he was really sweaty and haggard. I smiled at him and shouted, "I would like to hug you and congratulate you for catching the pig but you're dirty" I said.

He was catching his breath, glaring at me. His hands were on his sides and slowly walking towards me. Uh-oh

I started to walk back, only to feel bodies behind me—the guards.

I looked at them, and they were not smiling at me. They walk towards me too, causing me to walk back towards Jeanne. Little did I know he was already behind me...

Lifting me...

And throwing me in the mud.

"Jeanne!" He was laughing and pasting muds on my face. His whole body was on top of me and as I struggle, the more muds were on me. I fought back and placed muds in his face too.

I love it. This little place where we can do all these things without even wondering if it will affect our status? I love it. We are just plain human here no need to protect our image.

"I surrender!" I finally said and he move away from me and lay down on the mad too and catching his breath.

"You're crazy" I said in between my breath.

"It was fun wasn't it?"

"It was!" I shouted and breathed again.

"I think we should go often here" he said and I looked at him. "It's a place where we can do whatever we want freely." He was thinking the same way as I am.

"This is where I spend my summer with my grandfather. He usually spends the weekends with me here. No calls from the office and any form of work interruptions. He was introducing me to this life. The life that gave everything to me but I wasn't really in love with farming."

"It gives you no thrill" he said in an as-a-matter-of-fact voice. "Yes."

I held his hand, "This life we're having is thrilling. I've started changing because of you Jeanne, and I guess I still can." I said with hope.

I looked up on the sky. "Medias, newspaper cover, paparazzi all over us, issues here, issues there, different talks, socializing with people. This will be your life on the next fifty years of your life. And it is what I want too" I said and looked back at him. "Because I want to be with you for the next years of your life baby."

He smiled and get up. "Come on muddy princess. Let's get up before you got any cheesier"

"Moment ruiner!" I said and held on his hand. To my surprise he pulled me up. His hand on my waist, our faces inch apart, my heart was on his heart, he was looking at me—with love. "You cannot be that cheesy on me baby" he said. "I don't want you to defeat me on that" I rolled my eyes. He smiled at me. "I love you" he said, his finger touched my nose.

Then he run.

Because the finger he used to touch my nose has a mud.

"Jeanne!" I shouted and chased him down.

I blindfolded him. "Aren't we there yet?" he asked for the fourth time. I rolled my eyes. He was like asking that after every ten steps! "Can't you just wait?"

"I've been walking non-stop and with a blindfold baby what do you expect?" he asked and grin, "How about I blindfold you later my wife?"

I pinched him and hissed "Stop!" he laughed and shrugged. "I didn't say anything" We continued to walk towards a small barn which I called "playhouse". It was especially build for me, made with love, by my one and only Papito. When I was a kid I requested a playhouse from him and he immediately did it by himself.

It was made of wood, the color of the paint is dirty white. I've never wanted them to touch this one. I am sentimental, and I treasure this a lot. None of them do have a key on it except the head of the maids and I, even granny doesn't have. From time to time I ask Trina—the head of the maids—to visit it and clean it up.

His back was on the door and I gently removed the blindfold.

He was dazzled by the rays of the sunset. "Everything you see is ours" I told him. He hold me on the shoulder and wandered his eyes around. "This is grandpa's favorite place. When he was still alive he will always go here with me and we watch the sunset together." I said. "And now, I'm watching it with you" he smiled proudly and teasingly. "When did you become this cheesy?" I rolled my eyes. "I am not liking it. You're beating me up with that" A really arrogant man!

There was silence as we once again watch the sun set. And because of it I thought of my disease again. I must eventually tell him about it and I will. I have decided that I will tell him about it tomorrow. After everything. After his birthday.

I got in to his back and hold him on the shoulders. I turned him, facing the door of my little playhouse. "This is what I really want to show you" He tilted his head and looked at me, seeking permission. I nodded at him and he slowly opened the door.

It was a small, four-cornered playhouse. The walls are painted with plain white, while the floor were filled by wooden tiles. There was a small air conditioner on the side that Trina opens once in a while. The three corners were filled with my artworks, while on one corner is where I do them. A long table, a round chair, all my painting materials and of course the three legged A-frame that holds on my canvases.

"These are your artworks?"

"Yes"

"They are great" he said.

Each of my artworks has a little spotlight like lightings. "This is a mini gallery" he announced, busy looking on each of my works.

"No. It is just my little place" I said. Jeanne is also an art lover, just like before, he checked out my paintings, including the photos that I had taken in and out of the country. He looked at them thoroughly. I was just watching him, still in front of the door, not moving.

"This is Zac" I froze as he point his on one of the pictures. I remembered what it was. It was his first day of work, and I visit him in surprise and took a candid picture where he was sitting beside two gentlemen discussing business.

"And how did you know?" I asked, there were three of them and with almost the same age. He winked at me and removed the said photo. "I've done my research too baby." He said, still looking at the photo. "He's twenty eight, heir of a known company, married his ex-girlfriend who recently died." And I was torned between asking what did he do and him saying that Zac's wife died.

"Wait. How did you know that? And when did she died?" He sighed and looked at me. "Over a month ago. She died because of cancer" I suddenly felt sad about it, no hatred nor loathe. I really did forgave them already. "This is so sad" I said. He come to me and hold my face with his hand and looked at me to the eye.

"Don't you ever leave me like that Katherine. You hear me? I cannot. I can never take it." His words didn't only reached my brain, it also extended to my heart. "Never. I will never" I assured him.

We stand there a couple of minutes cherishing the warmth of each other's arms. I have really fallen deeply in love with him and it's not just him who can't live without me. I, myself, cannot leave without him too. I tighten my hug on him. "Why does I have this feeling that you will leave me?" I rest my head on his chest, afraid of his answer.

He my face with both his hand, forcing me to look at him, "You don't understand do you?" he said. "You are my air baby. Without you I can't live" I close my eyes and hugged him again. I wish. I really wish.

"When was the last time you'd painted before your gift for me?" he asked, loosening up the mood.

"A year ago" I said.

"Where is that?"

"Guess which one is it" I said. He roamed around and it wasn't too long before he guessed one. "This is it" it was a statement.

I nodded. "Too obvious wasn't it?" It was a simple heart—painted with black. "Yes it is"

"What are you planning to do with all these paintings?"

"I am planning to sell them and give the proceeds to the charity responsible for the Education"

He tilt his head and asked, "Can I persuade you to sell it to me?"

"Why?" I frowned.

"I want to own them"

"I've made one for you"

"I will buy them Kathy." He said, giving no room for argument.

"Jeanne, get what you want then I'll sell what you don't want."

"But I want them all" Hard headed Jeanne.

I looked at him and said, "Jeanne. I can make another one for you."

"Please?" his eyes were like puppy eyes and you can't say no. I rolled my eyes and said, "Half will be sold half will be yours." He grinned from ear to ear. "I'm really loving the new version of my wife. She knows how to compromise..." he paused. "But sneaks out from her forty body guards" I rolled my eyes and grin. "I've mastered that already. Just like you I had body guards before. I was on seventh grade when I first had one. I didn't thought it was annoying..."

"Until I learned to party" I winked and walked away.

"Can you show me your dance moves?" he shouted, not moving where he was standing. "Well," I said, and turned to look at him.

"It's too sexy and you can't handle it." I winked at him seductively.