Isabella was jumpy and excited. She was soon going to spend her life with Alexander and she will also learn his skills.
Peter could see the brightness in her face and the sparkle in her eyes. Her eyes were no more lost and lone. They were showing her excitement. A smile appears on the face of Peter seeing the full smile on Isabella's face but Jasmine had a scowl.
Jasmine was jealous of Isabella. Before her, Jasmine always helped Peter but now he cares about her and protects her. Even, Sam took the blow for Isabella and took all the blame for her. But soon her glare turned into a wicked gleam and her scowl turned into a smirk.
No one is allowed to leave during the night. It was a rule made ages ago for the protection of workers and the royals. But Isabella had gone. Jasmine has seen Isabella going the night. She has seen the silhouette and it gives her a picture of the man.
She had Peter and Sam wrapped in her fingers and now this well-built, masculine guy. With a sour expression and narrow eyes, she planned to make her moves. She already was once about to be kicked out of the castle forever, but now knowing that she meets some mysterious guy in the middle of the night. This news is enough for her to be kicked out forever if not dead.
No one has ever seen her leaving the castle at night except the guards appointed to protect her from shadow. They knew better than to question her but Jasmine saw it as a chance to bring her down. She had already spread the words between the other maids that she went out with a masculine man in the middle of the night. It started with one simple statement and soon became the main topic of discussion among them all while she was helping Peter in cooking.
Peter was about to ask Isabella about her happiness. Her antics have never prevented her from laughing, ever. But before he could've said something he was stopped with a clapping voice.
" My, my if it is not Miss Isabella. The girl who stays in the kitchen, stays away from people, acts all scared but chooses to roam around in the night with the men like a hussy. So, how much have you been paid f-"
"Jasmine!!"
Peter's face was red. With narrow eyes and clenched jaws, he kept his burning eyes on her. He could not understand why would Jasmine say something like that. He was fuming with anger and confusion.
He knows that she has a male friend. He knows that there was someone who helped her when she needed it. She was innocent and can easily be manipulated but that didn't give a right to Jasmine to say things like that.
Isabella was confused. She didn't know what happened. The words confused her. She has never heard 'hussy'. She could feel the hate towards her.
The maliciousness was present in the aura of Jasmine. Isabella started taking her steps backward seeing her hateful eyes. Maliciousness smelt like poison. It always meant to get hurt. She couldn't stop herself from shivering and walking back.
Peter once again opened his mouth to say something, but before he could they all were distracted with the voice of clacking. All three heads moved towards the new invaders at once.
The invaders were two Knights and one was Ethan, the Grand Cordon.
Ethan got startled for a moment seeing all the eyes towards them. It seemed like a heated argument. Isabella's face show fear, Peter's face showed anger, and Jasmine's face showed hate. It appeared to be a heated argument. He couldn't help himself but feels as if he walked into a family argument when in reality it was far from that, or maybe it was that.
"Miss Isabella, King has demanded your presence. Please, follow us."
Ethan was friends with Alexander. When he told him to personally escort Isabella to his study, he quirked his eyebrow at him and looked pointedly.
Seeing her fearful expression right now, he felt glad. He knows that he came at the right time to save her from whatever was going on. Her big doe eyes looked at him and arose his protective side.
He could see her expression from the corner of his eyes. Her face had a little frown, and she was walking slowly as if to delay her time. He was leading her to the study. With a simple thought, that maybe she is what they all need. A queen by heart.
Isabella had a frown on her face. She couldn't recall any of her encounters with the king to result in the current situation. She tried to observe the behavior of the people who were taking her. The two were behind her not noticing much and the one who was leading her to the king had a small genuine smile on his face. She was worried, but yet followed all the way.
Alexander waited for Isabella to arrive. The rumors have already started spreading that he has found a bride for himself. It makes him wonder how quickly rumors spread. No wonder, its believers are so high in number. He has also heard rumors about Isabella, which has disturbed him a bit. He couldn't help but close his eyes and lean back with a sigh. The weight of the crown was really heavy on him.
He was brought out from his thoughts by a knock on the door.
"Come in"
"Sire, Miss Isabella is here."
"Ah, Miss Isabella. Thank you for escorting her. And Ethan, inform our head chef, Peter's mother, to come here. I have some important task for her."
"Yes, my king."
There she stood, head down and fidgeting with her fingers. His smile slowly turned into a frown seeing her head low. He slowly got up from his seat and took slow steps towards her.
Sensing him coming closer, Isabella wrapped her hand around herself and wiped her sweaty hands. Her shifting from one foot to another didn't go unnoticed by Alexander. He felt once again some strange emotion inside him which he didn't like.
While learning the leadership skills and strategies of war he has learned one thing about his emotions. He has learned that he needs to cover his emotions and not control them. He has to hide his frustration and then use it for his benefit. An emotion can be hidden but never be stopped. Besides, it was not a big question about her capabilities.
Isabella wanted to take her steps but she couldn't. Alexander's aura was dominating, and a little bit dark. It reminds her of her father except the man standing in front of her was her king and not her father.
"Isabella, raise your eyes and look at me."
"S-sir. It is dis-disres-disrespectful."
Isabella couldn't understand why he was telling her to look into his eyes. She has never looked in anyone's eyes except Xander and some of her friends. He was the leader and her father never let anyone look in his eyes except her mother. He said, ' Looking in eyes is challenging and disrespecting someone.' She doesn't want to and neither needed to. She didn't want to disrespect the king.
Alexander was trying to make her see him but she was continuously refusing. He was a patient person when needed but right now he was slowly getting low on patience. He also doesn't want to act harshly with her. Alexander waited for some more time for her to raise her eyes and show him her big blue-colored doe eyes. The same eyes hold peace and storm. The one who are wise and naive. Seeing her not moving, he decided to use his last resort.
"Isabella. I want you to look at me and not to defy."
This was it. Isabella couldn't avoid it anymore. This was a command, and she has to follow it no matter what. She slowly took a deep breath and slowly raised her head upward to see why the king was so adamant to make her see his face. And when she saw it, she couldn't stop herself from realising a gasp. She was frozen and looked at front with wide eyes.
Alexander got finally happy when he saw eyes of Isabella o him. He could not keep his amusement to himself when he saw her eyes getting big. She was opening and closing her mouth, but no words could be formed. He could clearly see the wheels inside her head turning and he couldn't help himself from thinking what could happen. Maybe she will ask for explanations or maybe she will get faint but he didn't expect her to scream at him.
"XANDER!! What are you doing here??!! King will kill you, get out, get out. Get out now and put off that thing from your head."
ALexander's amusement was reaching on its perks. If someone would have told him that one day a petite-looking girl will take off his crown and push him out of his own office, he might have laugh in his face or maybe punished him severely. But, it was happening and he was letting it happen to him.
"My king. Do you need something?"
"Nothing my dear friend. We were just talking. Please, excuse us."
Alexander finally leads Isabella back to his office after being pushed outside and slowly made her sit. All the while she was in a daze with wide eyes and lost in some of her worlds. He was waiting to see a reaction. He knew it won't be impossible to convince her if she gets mad but he wanted her to react and not just look lost.
"You. Are. The. King.?"
Oh boy, here it comes.