The Flirtatious prince
1045 Words
Chapter Two
The Flirtatious Prince
Leonidas stared out of the window of the carriage.
He hated long travels. He could only see trees after trees and streets void of beautiful ladies.
He sighed as he shut the window.
He closed his eyes, trying to remember his conversation with his parents.
"Are you seriously shipping me off to a Duchy far away from the castle!" He yelled at the Queen and King.
"If you say it like that, Leonidas, it would sound like you are going there as a prisoner," The king said. "Think of it as a vacation, you know, you get to meet new people."
"Sure, Father. And the first place you thought of sending me to is Valewood, the duchy run by that evil witch Ophelia!" He exclaimed.
The King sighed.
Queen Eloise held a tissue to her eyes and sobbed.
"I tried to convince him not to, Leo, but he refused. I mean, I'm going to miss my precious little..."
"That's enough Mother. You don't have to fake that you're going to miss me. I'm sure you were in on it," He said.
The Queen sighed.
"Okay, fine. But it's a good opportunity for you, Leonidas. Besides, Ophelia isn't a witch. She is an amazing Duchess," Queen Eloise said.
Leonidas ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.
He knew he was exaggerating when he called her a witch, but it wasn't his fault.
He had heard a lot about her from the knights who were sent to Valewood for assignments and missions.
All the knights were frightened by her.
They said she ruled with an iron fist and that she hated it when people smiled, joked, or tried to have fun in her duchy.
He was told that she had never smiled since she was made a Duchess.
Besides, they had met when they were kids.
He was Nine and she was Seven. Her parents had brought her over to visit the royal family.
He remembered seeing her brown flowing hair and walked over to her to say Hi; but when she turned around and smiled at him, he screamed and ran away.
Almost all her teeth had fallen off. That was why he gave her the nickname 'witch'.
He shrugged as he remembered that experience.
"I refuse to go to Valewood, Father," He said and turned to walk away.
This made the King furious.
"Stop there, Young Man!" He yelled out.
He wanted to walk towards him, but the Queen held him back.
Leonidas stopped and turned towards his father.
The look on his face made the King more furious.
"If you disobey my order, then forget about your position as the future King of this Kingdom."
***
"We are here, Your Highness," A guard informed the Prince.
The Prince nodded as he waited for the formal introduction.
"Introducing Prince Leonidas! The Dragon Knight! Prince of Drakenshire and future heir to the throne!" His Valet yelled.
Just then, the door to the carriage was opened, and he stepped down on the red carpet that was laid on the floor.
He looked up. He couldn't help but admire the estate. It was a lot more grand than he had thought.
His eyes then moved from the estate to the nobles who had gathered around to meet him.
His eyes swept through them, looking for the witch.
As his eyes landed on her, he froze. He was shocked.
The Duchess stood quietly. Her long brown hair fell in soft waves around her face. Her green eyes were bright and sharp, showing a hint of mystery, but her face remained still and unreadable.
With high cheekbones and lips set in a calm line, she had a cool elegance about her.
She wore a burgundy velvet gown with golden details, moving with smooth, graceful steps.
A simple emerald necklace rested at her throat.
Her beauty came not just from her features but from the calm, confident air she carried.
As she got to him, he smirked.
Ophelia curtsied, bending her knees and lowering her body slightly while keeping her back straight.
"Welcome to Valewood, Your Highness," She said, ignoring the teasing look on his face.
She noticed how his eyes flickered with amusement at her formal greeting, but she refused to be drawn into his charm.
As she straightened up, he offered her his hand.
There was no way she could publicly reject it, so she placed her hand in his.
Her hand was soft and smooth like that of a noble woman.
With a smile tugging at his lips, he caressed her hand gently with his thumb and then placed a kiss on her hand.
"The pleasure is all mine, My Lady," He said as he winked.
Ophelia gave him a polite nod, ignoring the flutter of irritation his tone sparked.
She pulled her hand away and turned around.
"Come along, Your Highness, I'll show you to your room," She said as she walked away.
Leonidas followed from behind, sending flirtatious looks to the women in his path.
All the maids and Noble women blushed as he glanced at them. This made the men upset, but Leonidas didn't care.
If they were graceful enough to accept the King and Queen's offer, then they should be graceful enough to accept what follows.
He sure had a lot planned for them.
Ophelia stopped in front of a huge door.
She turned to Leonidas who was glancing at the maids.
"This will be your room, Your Highness," She said to him as she opened the door.
Leonidas looked into the room.
"Is it up to your standards, Your Highness?" She asked.
Leonidas nodded.
He was impressed. Indeed the room was befitting someone of the royal family.
"That's good to know. I'll be taking my leave now," She said and turned around.
"Wait a minute, My Lady!" He called out to her.
Ophelia stopped, but she didn't turn to him.
"I had a long journey here, and I am rather bored. Are you not going to find someone to entertain me for the night?" He asked.
Ophelia let out a light chuckle.
She tilted her head a little towards Leonidas without turning to him.
"I'm sorry, Your Highness, but this is my estate and not a Brothel."
- Writer
