"Your Majesty, Dinner is ready"
Diane held herself from releasing a groan. Is it everytime she's sleeping that these maids know how to cook? What is wrong with them?
"I'll be there. Give me some minutes" She managed to say and sit up.
She don't know how long she slept, but she knows it's long alright.
She stands up from then bed she is laying on and yawned widely and stretched.
She don't even know if it's the next day or not.
Oh wait... They said Dinner is ready. Meaning it's still the same day.
Urgh!
She prays her father won't say they should go on a night tour with those new people, cause she can't make it.
She needs sleep.
Forgetting herself, Lyla pulls the robe on her off and and wore another blue and beautiful robe. She stares at herself as her reflection showed greatly on the mirror and she sighs.
"Wonder what Mr Ryan have for me now" she whisper as she walks out of her room.
Coming out of the room, Esther and the other girls bowed deeply and greeted her.
"Hello Your Majesty. How was your little nap?"
"Interrupted" Diane snaps and Vilva giggle softly as they all accompany their Princess to the throne room.
"I saw her highness with Mr Ryan. Is he charming?" Esther gathered the courage to ask that question which is very unusual coming from her.
"A bit"
The three girls gawked as they slowed down and stared at the Princess.
They aren't gawking at her because of her sudden reply or anything, they are gawking because for Diane to answer them when they ask question?
This is a miracle!
To the maids, all thanks goes to God for making her to answer their questions without hesitation.
They all walk to the dining area with the maids chatting on the way. Diane talks only when they ask her relevant questions. If it isn't relevant, she'll just walk without looking back at the person that asked the question.
She have no time to answer such rough and irrelevant question.
The guards opened the doors wide for the Princess and her maids to enter.
Unlike Vilva and the rest, they just passed the guards that they usually blush at whenever they see them and hurriedly walked into the dining room with the Princess.
The guards stared at them shocked and then looks at themselves.
What made them this excited?
Seeing Ephesus again gave Diane goosebumps. But just for not making suspicion to rise in the midst of the Royal family, she walked to her usual place where she sits by the table.
"Hello everyone" she says and her reply comes in unison.
"Hey sleepy head" Andrew playfully threw at her as she sit down beside him.
She smiles widely like the little girl they knew grew up joyfully with them, causing Thaddeus to smile from the corner if the table that he sat on.
Samuel says nothing but have his eyes fixed in the food in front of him. It makes him remember the conversation he had with his Mother a few hours ago.
He look up at Diane to see her smiling and then he remembers the smile of his Father when he was alive.
Diane smiles and turned to face the food in the table. But when she does, her eyes got locked up in the eyes of Samuel who is staring at her with a sad and angry expression.
'I don't mean to interfere, but why is he staring at me like that?' she asked herself within.
Samuel don't stare for a long time because after some seconds of staring, he broke the eye contact and then all eyes settles on King Luke.
"I just want to let you know that tonight is going to be a night tour... "
What I'd tell ya.
"And Diane with her little brother Roy, will be leading you guys today"
Diane says nothing nor do anything that will seems disrespectful in the eyes of everyone seated here.
But the sign she sent that her father is in trouble, is when she drank the water that filled the glass in front of her.
Drinking the water means that each gulp signifies a slow death. As it drains, so does the person she's sending the sign to. And when it finally finishes from the glass, consider yourself dead.
Easy Peasy!
Diane drops the empty cup on the table and look up. Her eyes immediately locking up in the eyes of Ephesus that is seated opposite her after one of the men that came with Samuel.
King Luke did a face that signifies pity. Pity for himself though that he is soon going to be dead anyway.
And Diane will make sure the death happen when she have had enough fun after the tour, then she'll attack.
"So Samuel, I am just curious about your background. Do you have a mother?" Thaddeus ask with a lighted face.
He have something in mind doing. There's a plan being executed.
Samuel look up at him and embarrassment immediately flush his cheeks.
All eyes are on him, even the Princess that is rude!
"Yes, I do have a mother"
Thaddeus wait for him to say a word about himself. But he just kept quiet, feeling the answer that he have given them is okay.
Besides, it's just one question that Thaddeus asked, not two nor more.
"What about your Father?" He proceeded and Samuel hesitate before answering.
"No. He's dead"
Xelilah hand flew to her mouth in pity as a little gasp escaped her mouth.
Diane stare at him with squinted eyes, several questions running through her mind on a huge scale.
"What killed him?" Andrew ask.
Samuel hates himself the moment Andrew asked that question. But he still answer anyway.
"He died at war" his answer short and not too deep.
All his answers, his eyes have been fixed on his food.
"And how are we sure that you aren't lying?"
"Diane!" King Luke exclaims but the Princess don't budge.
If they are really serious about she marrying him, every single detail must be released.
And must be released truthfully.
She fixes her gaze on him and he also stare at her. They both stare at themselves.
Death glares passing through the eyes of each other and into their hearts.
"You can enquire from Harun if you feel like I am lying"
Diane says nothing but just stare.
Enemies on campus.
"I am sorry for my daughter's misbehavior and acts these few hours. Please pardon her"
King Luke turns to his daughter with an awkward smile and say:
"Diane, how about you apologize to Prince Samuel"
Diane says nothing but stare at the Prince. Trying to find somewhere where she can hit.
"Don't waste your breath. Cause that isn't happening" she say and stand up from her seat.
"Once you're all done, call me for the tour" A simple but powerful order came out of her mouth as she walked away.
King Luke sigh and shakes his head with his eyes closed. His forehead balanced up on his palm as he take deep sighs.
Non can interpret if it's sighs of relief or stress, though.
Diane however strode to the room of Samuel and carefully opened the door.
There's something this Prince is hiding.
And she's gonna find out.