I ran towards the door with a wide smile. When I stepped out of the door, I noticed someone standing on my left. I turned to see who it was. The two people who were standing there looked at me in surprise. The first one was the shaman. When I saw him, I frowned. 'Was he there to create a new problem for me?' I wondered. The one standing next to him answered my questions without any words. When I turned to him my wide smile froze on my lips.
He was not the guy with messy hair and an unshaven face I saw yesterday. His clean shaved face showed off his youthful complexion. Not only that, his hair was combed backwards and kept in place with some kind of pomade. This exposed the faint scar on his forehead. Still, he looked personable and sophisticated with that slicked-back look.
I frowned at first, then understood it was him who did everything. Since I didn't want to continue to look at him with a smile I drifted my gaze away, back to the shaman. I could see the awe on his face now. It could be because of Victor who was standing right next to him. This shaman who had been trouble now looked at me with fear and a bot of hatred. I couldn't help but smirk. I raised and dropped my eyebrows once at him. At that time, I couldn't stop the smile from blooming on my face again. With that, my eyes once again drifted to Victor.
He was also looking at me in surprise, probably because he was thinking something like 'how could a woman be this insolent'. I didn't mind him as I controlled myself and rolled my eyes away from him. I started to walk towards the stairs. I could sense Victor's head-turning as in the direction I walk since his eyes were fixed on me. I just hurried.
As I was walking, I heard Nilo behind me saying 'Chief!'. With that, I paused in my track. Cheif? Is it to Victor? I couldn't imagine the shaman being a guard so it has to be Victor. I originally asked him to save my soldiers and free me but Victor seemed to have other plans. Why would he want to be my guard? Is he trying to find some top secrets of Astrana while staying beside me? I was confused, as I was going to turn and question him, Flora came up from the ground floor. She was wearing a pale yellow colour robe-like dress and as she walked towards me with a smile the end of the cloth flew in the breeze making her looks like an actress in a romance movie. Though she was, she is the female lead. Of course, the wind, earth, water, fire and sky will all work together to make her even more beautiful, not to mention Victor was standing right behind us.
I turned to see what Mr Marshrider doing. As expected, I saw him looking in our direction with so much interest and admiration in his eyes. His eyes were shining bright and were looking at her with a delight. As I now stood in the middle of these two, I turned to see what was Flora's reaction. She was also looking at him but there was no interest in her eyes. But there was a warm smile on her lips. I continued to look at these two for a few seconds by turning my face to the right and left. It created a huge sense of irritation in my mind.
These people who flirt never try to think about a single soul who might get hurt just by looking at them. I made a face at them then shook my head. 'Who cares? I'm not Edward anyway!' I fully turned to Shaman as I had a few businesses with him.
I walked to him, now and asked him "Why are you here?"
"Your Highness" the shaman bowed then looked up at Victor's face. My gaze too drifted with his and met with Victor's piercing eyes. "What's going on?" I confidentially asked him.
Before he could answer, the queen came out of the room. "Nana, You've already met with Victor?", the queen came out of the chamber.
'Does she really have to embarrass me by calling my pet name in front of this nasty piece of work?' I felt disappointed. When I side glanced at him, I could see that mocking look in his hazel eyes. "Who is Victor?" I carelessly asked the queen.
"He is. He will be the head of your guards," she said.
I was shocked to hear that. In the book, the princess used to have four guards. Three of them were unknown to the readers since they were never described. But the last one was a man in his late fifties. He was very fond of the princess. Evelyn had to kill him before she could reach the princess. This time, I couldn't say what happened to him. I can't find him either since his name was never mentioned in the book. Anyway, Victor being my guard didn't feel right.
I looked at him with a frown. He was still looking at me with a smirk. Judging from his expression, I could say that he was a bit happy with his current designation. 'What a weirdo!' I thought. Is he that happy to be with her? These love blinded fools,' I turned my head away from him.
It was not the right time to fight with him. I chose to scold him on another occasion. As of now, I was so sure that Nilo was Victor's subordinate. It made my life a lot easier. I can go wherever I go and plan things further. Since Victor had already trapped the shaman it's going to be easy for me to proceed with my plan.
"I have to meet your grand-uncle, Nana'. I'll be leaving now," the queen once again patted me on my cheek as she walked away. I was left with my royal guards and shaman.
"How come you're my guard?" I gritted my teeth as I asked Victor.
He was still smirking. I could see that he was not planning to answer, at least not soon. I sighed. But before I could lash out at him once again, Flora joined the chat!
"Victor!" she came and stood in between me and Victor with a smile sweet as honey. I could say the playfulness in Victor's eyes disappeared and some seriousness entered. Even Nilo who looked so cool so far seemed a bit focused in the chat. 'The power of the female lead!" I thought.
Since Flora was standing right next to me, I turned and observed the way she spoke with those men. At first, she bowed. Then she smiled. Then she politely spoke in her sweet voice. As she started to speak, the world felt like if it has been switched to slow motion. The way she talked, smiled and slightly moved were elegant. I was indeed mesmerized as I focused even further. I must have been forgetting to blink. When my eyes started to sting, I turned away from her, to witness Victor looking at me with mocking eyes.
"Crap! Why do I always get caught by him in embarrassing situations?", I shook my head. The world had already turned to a normal pace for me.
"Victor, blah blah blah" Flora finally said as she left us alone.
"Your Highness, to the dungeon?" Merlin excitedly asked me.
"No, not to the dungeon," I smiled at Merlin. "I have some other business to finish first," I glared at Victor who was still looking at me with mockery in his eyes.
"To the breeze hall!" I said as I walked to the stairs. I heard the four of them following me. In the midway, I changed my mind. It's not good to let everyone know about the deal between me and Victor so I chose to talk with him privately. I stopped and turned. The three of them had immediately stopped but Victor didn't and crashed on me.
"What the hell, Victor?", I stepped back.
"It's your fault, Your Highness!" he complained.
"But those three immediately stopped," I continued to blame him.
"I... Sorry that I lost focus" he apologized as if he had already realized his fault. 'What an actor!' I thought but didn't say that out loud. Besides, he was just a boy in love. It is natural for him to lose focus in his lover's thoughts, not to mention he had talked to her a moment ago. At that time, I felt bad for him. All his love was going to go in vain. She wouldn't reciprocate it no matter what.
I sighed.
"Victor," I calmly called his name.
"Losing focus is not good for you," I looked straight into his eyes and said. He too looked at me curiously. "I don't care what your problem is, but I don't think it's going to end well. Think it twice if you can!" I said.
He knitted his brow once then returned back to normal.
"I'll consider Your Highness advice," he said.
"Good for you!" I raised my brows once. I pointed at the other three of them. "You three, stay here!" I said. Then I pointed to Victor. "You follow me!" I said, then turned, started walking towards the breeze hall.