He immediately shut his eyes as his face turned completely red in embarrassment and quickly turned around to have his back facing her.
"What are you doing here?" He asked, and Layah, who had just noticed his presence, opened her eyes and turned her head to look at him.
"Bathing What else does it look like I am doing?" She asked with a smirk hanging on her face, and Damien's hands balled into tight fists.
"Who said you could bathe here, in my personal bathtub?" With his face clenching in deep anger, he questioned, and Layah's lips curled into a grin.
"Ehh... no one, but since I needed to bathe, I figured I would use yours. I mean, the bathing water for the slaves is so nasty and worst, they have no tub." She replied, and angered even more by her reply, Damien's body shook in a rage and he instantly turned around with his finger pointing at her.
"What in the world makes you think that you can walk into my chamber, go into my bathroom, and use my tub?!!" He yelled at her, and Layah smiled awkwardly.
"Well, I just needed a bath. I am sor-"
"Her highness has arrived!" The voice of the soldier outside the chamber resounded, and Damien quickly turned his head.
"What is she doing here?" He asked himself with a bit of annoyance on his face and turned to look at Layah with seriousness apparent on his face.
"Stay in here and don't come out until I say so, understand?" In a threatening tone, he warned, and Layah slightly nodded her head.
"Yes, sir." She smiled at him and he scowled at her before walking out of the bathroom.
He made his way into the bedroom and shut the door behind him.
"My Princess." He bowed respectfully to Hazel, who had entered the chamber with a big smile on her face, and she shook her head at him.
"Just call me by my name, Damien. It annoys me quite a lot when you address me so formally." She complained, and feeling a bit awkward, Damien slightly nodded his head.
"Yes, Hazel," he said, and a slight burst of laughter from Layah resounded from within the bathroom.
He quickly turned his head and looked at the door.
His hands clenched into tight fists and he returned his gaze to the princess, only to see her staring intently at the door with narrowed eyes.
"Is... someone in there?" Hazel asked, and Damien quickly shook his head at her.
"No... no one is in there." He shook his head with a bit of nervousness on his face, and Hazel dwindled her eyes at him.
"I see." She nodded slightly and allowed a smile to emerge on her face. "Anyway, I came here because I wanted to let you know about my upcoming birthday, which is in two weeks' time." She said with a cheerful smile on her lips, and a bit of confusion ensued on Damien's face.
"Princess, there is really no need to tell me because I already know.mI mean, I am the general, so..it's not a surprise that I would know." He arched his brow at her, and she cleared her throat.
"Uhh...Damien, I know you already know. I just came to tell you because I was wondering if you could save me a dance... would really love to dance with you."
She said this to him with her face completely flushed, and Damien gazed at her, unsure of how to reply.
"Uh... princess, It would be so lovely to dance with you...but I don't dance. I don't know how to." He explained awkwardly and completely broken by his rejection, Hazel's face altered into a cynical one.
"I see." She slowly nodded at him with a forced smile on her slim lips. "I shall take my leave then." She turned around and proceeded to leave, but feeling a bit guilty, Damien quickly grabbed onto her wrist and stopped her in her tracks.
"Princess." He called her, and Hazel's heart instantly skipped a bit.
She slowly turned around and bit her lower lip as she stared at him.
"I-" Damien blinked his eyes and tried to allow a smile to form on his face, but because he seldom smiles, he found it really hard to do so.
He sighed and let go of her wrist. "Listen, I am sincerely sorry for not saving a dance for you. I just don't really dance, but…I can make up for it. "
"How?" Hazel asked.
"Well... you love strolling through the royal gardens, right? I can walk you if that's okay." He suggested it and, as though hundreds of butterflies fluttered in her belly, her face turned extremely red.
"Re-really?"
"Yes..." He nodded at her and a huge smile emerged on her face.
"Alright then. It's more than enough to compensate." She said, and glanced at the door.
She cleared her throat, turned around, and walked out of the chamber.
The instant the door was shut, Damien's face twitched furiously, and with rage in his eyes, he turned around and stormed towards the door of the bathroom.
He kicked it open and his body shook even more furiously on seeing Layah relaxed in his personal tub with a smile on her face. "You!!"