Chapter 20
1367 Words
“This is what the princess needs to be done for today,” the queen said as she gave Liriel the princess’s agenda. The queen was looking at him intensely because of the argument that happened between the king and the princess. Eversince Liriel came back, the princess was starting to be influenced by him, the queen thought.
Liriel accepted the paper and assessed it.
“Yes, you do not need to go out for today except for the last part.”
The agenda showed that a wedding would take place at four in the afternoon. It was held on the kingdom of Ashrile and the royal family from Lenome were invited.
“You’d come with us to keep guard of the princess.”
Liriel nodded. They always need a knight because revolters were everywhere. Every year the revolters increased due to the killing of left-handed was still non-stop. People were, little by little, opening their eyes and the slums slowly increased as well.
Liriel nodded and bowed to the queen to get back to his station- the outside of the princess’s door. She was still preparing inside with her ladies-in-waiting. She has classes with her tutor in social studies, and next would be history. She would be also meeting a duke from the kingdom of Ashrile. He would be her date for the wedding of the second daughter of the King of Ashrile.
Liriel looked at the doorknob as he heard that it was being tested. He immediately flashed his emotionless face. Princess Slithen immersed but she just walked straight and did not even greeted Liriel. He did not bother why. What’s important for him was to do his job correctly. Gaining the king’s trust. He just followed Princess Slithen around. To the garden for a little stroll for her daily goal walk, everyday, and to receive vitamin from the sun’s light. She then went to the dining hall for her breakfast. There were a lot of food on the table but she was only eating alone. After eating, she took a break for how many minutes and then eventually went to her study room because her tutor was already waiting.
Liriel was just waiting outside because Slithen did not want him hearing her or seeing her study. After finishing the number of target lectures for today, Slithen immediately went to the throne room. The duke already arrived. One of the knights announced her arrival as she walked inside. Liriel stayed outside. The king, the queen, and the duke looked at her as their smiled flashed on their faces.
The duke met her halfway and reaxhed for her hand to kiss it. “Your highness,” the duke greeted.
The princess curtsied, “Your grace.”
“It is nice to finally meet you.”
Slithen smiled. “As do I, good sir.”
The duke laughed because of her response.
“Both of you can now excuse yourselves to know each other more. We already prepared some tea in the garden,” the queen said.
The duke face both the king and the queen to bow. “It is a pleasure to be with the princess’s acquaintance, your majesties.”
~•~
“How’s your stay here?” Princess Slithen asked to the duke as they arrived at the garden. They walked towards the tea table and as what the queen said, the tea was already prepared. They were also cookies on a platter.
“Hmm, I have only been here for hours but so far, it is great and delightful especially that I am now able to look at your face closely.”
Slithen could not help but giggle as the duke threw cheesy lines on her.
“You are funny, your grace.”
“And you are beautiful, your highness.”
Slithen shook her head while laughing. She reached for a cup of tea but the duke stopped her. “Calm yourself, first. We do not want you to spill your tea, right?”
Slithen stopped herself from laughing and took a deep breath. “I am now composed.” The duke smiled and let go of her hand. Slithen took a sip. She immediately laughed when he saw the duke was holding a cookie near her mouth. “Do you really need to do this?”
“Shhh,” the duke shushed her as he moved the cookie nearer to her mouth. Slithen took a bite and the duke finished it.
“Yum,” the duke commented.
“You are funny.”
The duke stood up and offered his hand to the princess. “Do you want to take a walk?”
Slithen accepted the duke’s hand and stood up. “of course.”
They were taking a walk around the palace as Liriel waas just following them.
“I am really glad to be able to be your date for this afternoon’s wedding. I never thought that I could receive such an opportunity like this despite having a lot of competitors.”
“Competitors?”
The duke laughed. “Do not tell me you are clueless?”
“What is it?”
“With the beauty that you possessed, there’s no way none of the bachelor’s here taken an interest on you.”
Slithen thought of it for a second. No one really showed interest on her aside five years ago, Liriel showed an interest on her but it no longer exist.”
Slithen shook her head. “None.”
The duke covered his mouth. “No way,” he reacted. “The bachelor’s here are blind.” The duke looked around and saw Liriel.
“Good day, sir knight,” the duke greeted Liriel as he moved towards him.
“Where are you going?” Slithen asked, panicked.
“What do you think of your princess? She’s beautiful , right?”
Liriel stood straight and bowed. “Yes, she is, your grace.”
Slithen froze and she felt some butterflies in her stomach.
“I told you,” the duke said as he faced the princess covering her view on Liriel.
Slithen looked down because of the embarrassment. “Thank you.”
The duke smiled and held her chin high. “Look up. A princess should not look down. Your face is too beautiful to be hidden.”
Slithen smiled as a response.
Their attention got diverted when they heard a bell rang.
“It is already lunch time. It is time for me to prepare for the wedding.”
The duke nodded. “All right, princess. I’ll see you later.”
~•~
The princess was already in the middle of wearing her dress by the help of her ladies-in-waiting when she remembered how Liriel agreed to the duke earlier.
“Princess, why is your face red? Are having a fever?”
Slithen felt her cheeks felt hot. She shook her head. “No, it’s nothing.”
One of her ladies-in-waiting poked her waist. “Our royal highness must be thinking of the duke.”
The three other girls giggled. “Our must be in love.”
“No, it is not,” Slithen denied.
“We saw how you laughed earlier with the duke, princess,” one teased.
“Let us just get this finish,” Slithen said to change the topic.
“If you say so, your highness.”
The ladies-in-waiting were smiling at her with tease on their faces but then they hasten their movements just like what the princess requested.
“I am sure your beauty will standout there on the wedding,” the duke greeted as the princess was now walking towards the carriage. She would sit next to the duke. The duke helpedd her get in and the duke followed.
“What about my knight?” Slithen asked as she noticed that the carriage was already moving but Liriel was still not there.
“He will be with the queen since you are here with me. You are in safe hands “
Slithen flashed a smile but deep inside she could not stop feeling a little bit sad despite of being angry to him, she got used to him being around.
- Writer
