"Sir, your change!" The seller shouted, breaking Reign out of her trance. She turned back to the woman and grabbed her bag of fruits with a smile.
"Thank you ma'am, I'll be leaving now"
"Wait! Won't you take his change?" Reign shook her head.
"I can't do that, I'm sure he'll be back for it. Please excuse me" Reign took the bag of fruits then walked over to the spot Anna had told her to wait in but Reign couldn't stop her eyes from roaming around the market in search of that handsome god. Just who was he?
Just then, Anna and Jess walked up to her with a smile.
"See I told you there was nothing to worry about" Jess muttered. Anna sighed.
"I just couldn't stop worrying that something would happen because you have never been to the market before. I'm glad you are okay" She took the bag from Reign's hand and inspected the fruits.
"Ohhh the seller gave you fresh ones indeed" Reign smiled.
"I wouldn't have been able to get that if not for a handsome man that helped me out" Jess and Anna furrowed their eyebrows as they walked back to the house.
"What are you talking about, Reign?"
"Someone stole the money from my hand so I thought I won't be able to buy the fruits but then a very handsome man appeared and offered to buy the fruits for me. He was so handsome, Anna, I've never seen anyone like him" Anna gasped.
"I never thought I'd see the day when Reign gets awestruck by a man. You didn't even find Ian attractive" Reign nodded.
"And that's because I've never seen a man as handsome as the one I saw today, I really hope I can meet him again" Anna and Jess squealed.
"Oh my, is our innocent Reign in love?" Reign scrunched her nose.
"How do I know if I'm in love?"
"How do I know? I've never been in love" Anna said.
"Me neither" Jess replied and they both laughed.
"Let's go home before they start to wonder why we are taking so long," Reign nodded as she munched on a berry.
•
Isabella furrowed her eyebrows as soon as Reign, Anna and Jess walked into the house.
"And what took you so long, Reign?"
"There was a crowd in the market so it was hard to…."
"Whatever, I don't really care. Come stitch up my gown for me, I have to go Somewhere with my friends" Reign nodded and immediately followed her up to her room.
As soon as they went upstairs, someone knocked on the door.
"Hilda? Get the door" Hilda nodded.
"Right away Madam" She said as she walked towards the door.
"Hello, may we help you?" She asked as soon as she opened the door. The man nodded.
"I'm here to speak with Sir Jacob and Madam Linda on a royal decree" Hilda's eyes widened. What did the royal family have to do with this family?
"Oh! Please do come in, Sir Jacob and Madam Linda are inside" The man nodded then followed her inside.
Linda furrowed her eyebrows as soon as she saw the man.
"Hilda, who's this?"
"Madam, he's from the palace" Linda's eyes widened.
"Oh? To what do I owe this pleasure?" The man handed her a piece of paper which she immediately began to read. Her eyes widened suddenly.
"My daughter is betrothed to the second son of the King? How? Since when?"
"It's all said in the scroll madam. Please do read it and give us your final answer when I come over tomorrow and please know the King doesn't take no for an answer. Excuse me" Hilda immediately escorted him to the door while Linda stood there, speechless.
"What's the problem, mother?" Linda gasped as soon as Isabella's hand landed on her shoulder. She turned around and noticed Isabella and Jacob were staring at her weirdly.
"How can you space out so early in the morning and what's that you're holding?" Linda immediately handed it to him.
"It's a royal decree" Isabella's eyes widened and so did Reign's.
"For what mother?" Linda turned to Isabella.
"Apparently, you're betrothed to the king's son" Her eyes widened delightfully.
"Really? Is it the first one?! Tell me it's the first one!" Linda shook her head slowly.
"No dear, the second one" Everyone gasped except Jacob who had a frown on her face.
"The second one? Do you mean that ugly Tyrant?" Linda sighed.
"Dear you don't really know if he's ugly…."
"He is mother, why else would he always cover his face no matter where he goes and another thing mother, he's a tyrant that not only disturbs the kingdom but other kingdom too and kills whoever and whenever he wants. There's no way I'm getting married to such a man" Jacob sighed.
"It's a royal decree, Isabella. We can't go against it" Isabella screamed.
"No! I didn't push away all my suitors to be married to the devil, no way! I'll rather die than marry such a man, mother" Linda massaged her temples.
"We don't have a choice, Isabella. We may lose everything we own if we don't listen to the decree"
"I don't care. I have a reputation, Mother and this is just going to ruin me. I can't…. I won't marry such a man" Jacob groaned.
"There is nothing we can do Isabella, you just have to suck it up and get married to him" Isabella staggered on her feet and Linda immediately led her over to a chair.
"Reign, get her beer" Reign nodded and ran away.
"Breath, Isabella. Everything's going to be okay" Isabella shook her head.
"No mother, you have heard the stories of that Tyrant. He's going to kill me, I don't want to get married to him. Mother, do something" Linda hugged her daughter as they both cried. What could she possibly do?
Suddenly, something clicked in Isabella's head. She pulled away from her mother with wide eyes.
"Mother? Does the Royal family know me? Have they ever seen me before?" Linda shook her head.
"I've hardly even been to the castle but your father works close to the King, I'm sure that's why he considered you a great candidate to be his son's wife" Isabella shook her head.
"You're not getting the point, Mother. The king doesn't know my face and neither does the prince, right?" Linda nodded slowly as she wondered where her daughter was going with this.
"Yes, that's right but…."
"Reign can go in my place then" Reign gasped as the Mazer of beer fell from her hand and shattered into pieces….