The coronation had ended early than Isobel imagined. She could feel the support of the people as they hail to every promises she made to them. "Tessa must have really earn their trust" Isobel thought to herself as she smiled at the people who were all praising her.
After hours of standing, Isobel was already beginning to feel tired, they had just finished the rituals. The people all trust Tessa, Isobel has no idea how to retain that trust, she wasn't Tessa, she don't know the people as well as Tessa do. Isobel feared.
"My queen!" the manner in which the person called, he seemed to have been calling for a while now but she was too deep in thought to even hear.
"Yes" Isobel turned to who was calling, she stared trying to remember where she has seen the face. After a while of staring, she finally recognize him as the only man who came out to support Angelica.
"How may I help you".
"Congratulations my queen, I have always known you would be the best queen Atlantis ever had, now you finally got what you deserve, congratulations". His smile was mischievous, Isobel could tell he don't mean a word he just said. She looked at him for few seconds then laughed.
Aias was a bit confused and scared of her reaction, his mind finally calm down after Isobel Pat him on the shoulder. "You have been here since the era of my father, so I trust you, I know you can handle the party for me, I will leave that to you". Isobel said with a smile.
Aias slowly raised his head, he still couldn't believe what he heard. His smile was wide as he bowed. " My queen thank you for your trust, I will definitely prepare the best party for you.
Isobel smiled as she watched him leave in excitement. Her smile faded as she felt the sudden tight grip in her hand. "Come with me" Mark whispered to her ear. Isobel followed him quietly, she could feel his anger.
They had already moved quite far from people's sight when Mark became quite harsh with her as he angrily dragged her into a dark room. Due to the hard push, she staggered before standing properly.
"What are doing" Isobel was already feeling out of breathe when she managed to speak.
"Everything you did today was wrong what were you thinking, first you let Angelica live and now you are letting Aias plan your party, so you trust them huh, do you even know who Aias is". Mark was really angry, he was talking very loudly.
Isobel wasn't sure how to calm his anger as she covered his mouth with her two fingers.
Mark freeze the second she did it, he wasn't sure what was happening to him but he felt the sudden shivers, he was speechless as he felt his heart beat so fast. He haven't felt that ever since Tessa's death. His anger was slowly quenched.
Isobel opened her eyes widely as she also didn't expect her reaction, she only acted based on impulse. For a second she feared for his reaction as she stared at him. For the first time they were so close, she could feel his breath on her forehead.
"They... might hear you" Isobel managed to speak after a while. His reaction surprised her as she was expecting him to throw a tantrum but he just shifted few metres from her.
"I know what am doing, you need to trust me". Isobel whispered quietly as she still felt a weird feeling that made it awkward to stare at Mark.
A sudden knock on the door made their heart beat fast in fear. They looked at themselves then the door.
"It's me Andrea please open the door". They both made a deep sign of relieve. Andrea rushed in the moment Isobel opened the door as if been chased.
"What were you thinking Isobel" Andrea panicked as she spoke to Isobel.
"Calm down will you, the both of you listen to me, it's all part of the plan" Mark and Andrea looked at themselves in confusion.
"Think about this, Tessa is a nice person and that's why people love her, keeping Angelica alive only proves the length of my mercy and besides I don't want to kill anybody" Mark was still looking worried.
"As for Aias, I know he is Angelica supporter that's why I want to keep him close. Remember this, keep your friends close but your enemy even closer" Mark and Andrea stare at themselves in confusion.
" I want him to believe I trust him so he will let his guard down and when that time comes he will make a mistake so I will put him in the same prison with Angelica".
"You want to trap him but have you ever thought that he may trap you before you do him" Mark voice wasn't calm at all while he spoke.
Isobel had thought they would like the idea because it was a brilliant one but Mark is giving her the opposite reaction she expected. Andrea Patted her shoulder calmly "Angelica and Aias are evil so we need to be careful with them, we must not let them find out our deep secret". Isobel understood after Andrea explanation.
"I will still let Aias believe I trust him but I will be very careful with him because I know where his loyalty lies" she said as she smiled to Andrea.
" The party will be coming up soon so prepare yourself". Mark banged the door really hard as he left.
"Why is he still mad" Isobel asked in confusion.
Mark went straight to his room as he fell on the bed staring silently at the ceiling. The thought of Isobel been so close to him couldn't leave his mind, the scene kept on replaying in his mind. Mark covered his eyes in frustration.
"What are you doing?" The voice shocked Mark out of the bed, he didn't realize anyone came in.
"After knocking for a while I let myself in, what are you thinking about that makes you so lost" Andrea said. Mark adjusted his self on the bed "sit" he said after leaving space for her to sit.
"It's Tessa, I can't stop thinking about her, actually am confused. I don't know if she's happy with what am doing or sad, I don't know if this is the right thing, it's almost like we are replacing her with someone else".
After listening for a while Andrea left the room without a word leaving Mark speechless. Not too long before she returned with two jars of wine.
" We need to drink to the princess in hope of seeing her in five years time" Andrea said with a smile.
"This is Tessa's favorite" he said with a smile after taking a sip.
"Yes, that's why I brought it, it's really strong so be careful when drinking that". The wine seemed to be all he needed as he drank it without a word. Andrea was already beginning to feel bad for bringing the wine, she tried stopping him but her words were not enough to stop him from drowning his sorrows in wine.
"Bring more, it's really delicious" Mark said after been tipsy. He had manage to drink his and her wine, she didn't seem to want it so he drank it all within few gulps.
"Tessa.... Tessa" he called lazily as Andrea heart broke while watching him.
" You should rest, am leaving" Andrea said as she manage to stand up, before taking a step she felt him grab her hand. The warmth of his skin made her heart beat fast.
"Come here" Mark said as he drew her to himself. Andrea couldn't maintain her balance as her leg wasn't firm on the ground in the first place. She felt herself falling really fast as she hugged him tight to the ground. At that moment her world stopped all she could hear was her heart beat, beating fast against him strong chest.
Mark hand slowly tight her waist as he drew her to himself. Andrea found herself lost in his world as all she could feel were her hormones getting really disturbed. Mark slowly kissed her forehead before falling her sleep. Andrea pursed at that position, she had always loved Mark but she never would have dreamt of this moment, the moment he showed her love and warmth.
"T...e...ssa" he whisper before falling asleep finally.
Andrea finally manage to put him on his bed after so much stress in lifting him off the ground. She watched him sleep for a while, he looked so peaceful, she could barely contain the happiness in her as she smiled continually before leaving the room.
Isobel was sleeping soundly when she heard the loud bang on the door, she jumped out of her bed in fear as she saw the image of someone fall into her room. Isobel heart skipped as she slowly light the candle before her. Her legs where shaking on the ground when she manage to walk closer to the person on the ground.
Isobel gasp as she saw Mark lying helplessly on the floor, she bent over to him, the wreak of alcohol disgusted her as she closed her nose.
Mark turned to different directions on the floor, he was obviously not feeling very comfortable there, Isobel struggled to lift him up as she dragged him to her bed.
Mark fell tiredly with Isobel on the bed, she could barely bear the odour from him. She lay on the bed for a while trying to calm her breathe.
She felt the sudden weight on her as mark covered her with his body. " Tessa I promise I didn't mean to hurt you, I just didn't want you to loose your throne for wanting to marry me that's why I turned down your proposal to me, I love you Tessa, I love you". Isobel stared at mark confusedly, she had never seen that side of him, the tears in his eyes amazed her the most. For the first time, Mark was looking at her passionately.
" Did you know that night the king called for me, he told me that you said you loved me, I was really impressed, I never knew you would go up against the king for my sake but then he told me that if you marry me, the people will revolt against you and you will never get the throne. I didn't want that for you so I had to hurt your feelings, will you forgive me Tessa". Mark was carefully caressing her face. Isobel just stared at his eyes. "So this is how he looks when he loves" Isobel thought to herself as she stared in his eyes. At that moment he was really handsome.
Isobel heart begin to beat fast as she felt him getting closer. The thought whether or not to stop him confused her, she knows she has to stop him but her body wasn't responding to her mind, it remained in the same position.
Mark kept drawing closer and closer until his lips caught hers.