Different world

"Dominic!"

Anastasia rose from her bed, struggling with her oversized brown gown. She eagerly greeted Dominic, who had just descended from the window.

Dominic quickly kissed her lips, cupping her cheeks, smiling, and gazing into her blue eyes.

"I miss you, take me away from here!" Anastasia exclaimed with a melancholic look in her blue eyes.

Dominic remained silent, staring at Anastasia as if pondering something profound.

"My father has invited a prince from Martenesia, and he might marry me," Anastasia continued. "I don't want that to happen... I can't say I'm already married to you; he could punish you severely!" she added with fear.

Dominic sighed, then invited Anastasia to sit on a bed adorned with white silk sheets, pillows, and a blanket.

"The only way is you take me away from here!" Anastasia insisted impatiently, noticing Dominic's hesitation.

"Listen to me, honey," Dominic replied, nodding. "I won't take you away from here... but you have to do it yourself."

"What?" Anastasia narrowed her eyes.

"You have to leave after meeting that prince... I'll wait for you in my world," Dominic said with visible concern on his handsome face. He stared at Anastasia who immediately looked confused and said, "Maybe you don't understand; I'll explain everything..."

"Explain it to me if it helps me get out of here!" Anastasia demanded.

Dominic nodded, then took Anastasia's hand. "Forgive me for not telling you this earlier, but now you need to know and believe. I wasn't born at this time... I'm a man from the future... I came here through my sleep... And when I'm not with you, it means I'm waking up in my original world, a future world full of advancements and conveniences."

"What?" Anastasia squinted, seemingly confused by Dominic's explanation.

"I'm not immortal for you here; we will truly be separated because I don't know when I can return... I tried to come back through my sleep several times but always failed. And maybe this is the last attempt."

"What do you mean by the last?" Anastasia asked with her trembling lips.

"I mean... When I lose energy here, I will faint and return to my world... My body here will die," Dominic explained, cupping Anastasia's cheeks, and looking at her beautiful face. "I'm afraid I won't be able to come back, that's why you have to come to my world... We can live freely there... You'll be happy with me, without interference from your father and stepmother. I swear, everything will feel easier!" he continued with conviction.

Anastasia took a deep breath. "How... How do I do that? How can I meet you in that world when I don't even know how to get there?"

"You have to go to a cave behind the waterfall in the Delmonte forest... There's a witch named Viviane; she will help you get to the future world," Dominic explained.

"How do I get there?"

"You can ask George to take you; only he can be trusted and has the permission to get you out of here."

"Why not now? Take me there..." Anastasia pleaded.

Dominic hesitated, lips pressed together.

"I'm worried the prince will take me away," Anastasia said with fear in her eyes. "Some servants say he's cruel, he likes to sleep with the princesses he's going to marry, but when he finds out they're not virgins, he gets angry and resorts to violence, even insulting their families. I'm not a virgin anymore; I've given myself completely to you... I'm afraid he'll kill or even insult my family if he finds out," she continued.

Dominic bit his lower lip, glancing in thought.

"I hate my father, but I don't want him to be humiliated because of me," Anastasia added.

Dominic looked back at her. "But if you want us to go now, it means you won't see him again. Don't you want to see him one last time?"

Anastasia shook her head. "I don't want to. It would only make me reconsider this decision, and my life would never change."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."

Dominic held Anastasia's hand again, intense gaze into her eyes. "We'll leave soon... But now I want to cherish my longing for you," he whispered, then kissed the back of her hand.

Anastasia smiled, her eyes teary. "I love you so much, Dominic... I can't wait to see the beautiful life in your world..."

Dominic sighed. "Everything is beautiful and easy there; you can talk to me from a distance, delicious food, I have a car, a beautiful room... you can relax..."

"Really?"

"We can relax together... And you should know, we can style your beautiful hair better, wear nice clothes..." Dominic caressed Anastasia's lips. "And I can provide better makeup tools... elegant and sexy clothes. You'll be more beautiful..."

"And you'll love me even more?" Anastasia whispered.

"Of course... I already love you now... You're so special..." Dominic kissed Anastasia for a moment. "You're leaving your life here to be with me, so there's no reason for me not to love you..."

Anastasia nodded, looking into Dominic's brown eyes, then caressed his jaw and kissed his lips.

Dominic responded gently, slowly pushing her to lie down and continuing their intimacy.

Knock, knock...

Anastasia's eyes widened, looking at the door.

"What if it's my father?" she panicked.

Dominic quickly sat up, followed by Anastasia. "I think you should leave. I'll wait for you here."

Anastasia nodded, walking towards the door, and fixing her lightly disheveled clothes, while Dominic hid underneath.

"Rosalie."

"The prince from Martenesia has arrived; the king wants you to get ready to meet him. He invites you to visit Berovia Castle," Rosalie said.

"Why does he want me to go there?"

"I don't know. But for sure, the king will be accompanying you."

Anastasia fell silent, feeling uneasy if the prince had a chance to sleep with her and see that she was no longer a virgin, while she still wondered about Dominic's whereabouts in the future world. She felt she needed more time with him, but it was impossible to refuse her father's wishes.