"My, my! Fancy seeing you here Miss Spade~"
Claudina looked up from her drink. Aidan was smirking down at her. 'Something's off…'
"Your Highness." She rested the champagne glass on her crossed legs. "How may I be of service?"
He leaned on the banister. "Why is Miss Spade so guarded?"
"Because I insulted you?"
He cocked his head. "So do you realize your mistake?"
"No." She smiled sweetly. "If you wish to ask for someone's forgiveness please go to your fiancée for leaving her while she's sick?" 'Should I kill him now? No Claudina no need to be impulsive. The time will come for me to strike. And besides his eyes… Where they always so red?'
"Pah! Please! Not that cold hearted woman again." He seemed annoyed. "Everywhere I go Rosalinda is all I hear! Rosalinda this, Rosalind that! If you all like her so much why don't you make her the next monarch! Honestly if it hadn't been for father I never would gotten engaged to a scheming woman."
She expressionlessly stared at him. 'I can see why dear little Lady Carlos went to seek the help of the suspicious herbalist. With a fiancé like him…well he does seems easy to manipulate I will give her that.'
"But Miss Spade on the other hand." She hummed to show she was listening. "Miss Spade however is quite different."
"Your Highness do you want to be degraded?"
"That's not what I mean!" He looked up pinching the bridge of his nose. "I am saying you are much more interesting then Rosalinda."
"Hm? Care to elaborate~" she asked teasingly.
He pulled at a stand of her hair. "You are independent, not submissive, eloquent with your words and heavenly to look at. Though she tells me off many times you are completely the opposite of her. And have I told how absolutely beautiful you look in red."
He bent down to kiss the tips of the hair strand. "So much so I have the urge to lock you up so none may see you. However I know you would hate if I take away your freedom so don't worry."
"I was not worried though?"
"Is that so?" he absent mindedly said, rubbing her hair between his thumb and index finger. "Miss Spade, what do you say? Do you wish to become queen? If you do I assure you will never be looked down on. You can have anything and anyone you want. You can even keep a lover if you want. Whatever it is that you desire I shall have it placed it on front of your feet." He looked her straight in the eye. "But agree to be my queen."
She blinked. 'Is he…crazy? No could it be…' She leaned forward to grab her hair out of his hands. She smiled in easy manner. "Your Highness I don't wish to be a home wreaker. So cease trying to convince me otherwise."
'He was drugged with a love potion. But when?'
"Also you just met me. And you can't decide you want to marry someone just form first sight."
She slumped back on the armchair sipping her drink no longer looking at Aidan.
He fidgeted in his place before casting a heated look at her and leaving.
She sat cross legged, swirling the contents of the glass. "So someone slipped a drug love potion to him. Effective love potions take a few hours to kick in. It hasn't been that long since he met me. So it was done prior of the ball.'
She slumped back. 'The only suspect I think is Lady Rosalinda. He said he visited her before the ball started. She must have slipped the potion in the refreshments she served. But I wonder why? It does her no good if Prince Aidan falls in love with someone else instead of her.'
'Unless that is exactly what she wants. If he cheats on her she could easily ask for an annulment. It's not surprising in the slightest. When the northern kingdom was invited for a celebration high society was given the live demonstration how much Lady Rosalinda hates her husband.'
Claudina snorted. "But to think he fell in love with his killer…" she mumbled.
After a while she got up to refill her glass. She mindlessly roamed the room drink in hand. 'Wonder when I will find the saints. Or did that crazy bastard killed them before I could?'
At last she did find them, huddled together behind some heavy curtains.
She wanted to sneak up to them but Sullivan loudly announced her arrival. "Hi Miss Fairy!"
She smiled at him. "Hello Sullivan." She turned to Anatole. "How did it go?"
He shook his head.
Claudina sighed. "I see…Well we were expecting something like that so don't you look down."
"Yes. So, we'll leave the rest to you and Oriane-...who are you looking for, Sullivan?" Anatole asked.
"Oh. No it's just Claudina is alone. Shouldn't she be with her escort?"
"An emergency came up so he had to leave for a bit. What were you all talking about?"
"Making a bet," Sylvester answered.
Interest sparkled in her eyes. "What's it about? Can I join in too?"
"If you knew what the bet is about I doubt you would be so eager."
"That's why I am asking what is it."
Shulia spoke for everyone. "Whether you can do the deed or have Aidan try you for lèse majesté." She added. "I am betting you can't. Not with how you joked about his lower regions not working properly." She laughed. "Seriously his face looked ready to combust with how red it had become. It was such a great joke!"
They all laughed remembering his red face. Even Anatole let slip a puff of breath.
"I wasn't joking though." They immediately stopped. "What I said about his lower regions is true. After the first night with Lady Rosalinda it spread like wild fire."
"…That's one of your pranks init?"
She tilted her head. "It's not. It's nothing but the truth."
"…Oh. A-anyways we're continuing the bet!" She turned to the others. "Hey all of you start the bet."
In the end Sylvester, Shulia and Oriane betted that Claudina would fail while Anatole and Sullivan betted she would accomplish it.
She wearily stared. "You…really are doing this huh?"
"If we can get some extra income we would gladly do it!" Sullivan chirped up.
They stepped outside the drapes. Claudina spotted Aidan ways off chatting with people.
"However I don't think the bet would be in your favor. So much money…" She shook her head.
"Oh yeah? What makes you say that?" Sylvester testily asked.
"A woman's intuition. He will ask me to stay while we are dancing," she nonchalantly said.
"Shulia what's a woman's intuition? Do I have it?" Oriane asked.
"I think it's best you don't have it. Anyways Claudina! There is no way he will ask you!" Shulia crossed her hands. "Look at him. He hates you." She pointed with her face to his direction. "No way is he going to ask you to dance let alone stay the night!"
"Yeah I agree." Oriane piped up. "With how you acted toward him…" She shivered thinking about it.
"I guess Miss Fairy's skills has failed~ Not going to lie but I am regretting the bet, not like I can call it off either," Sullivan said. "But don't worry Miss Fairy short comings are what make us humans."
She didn't answer them. She had a knowing smile that promised that the crown prince would ask her.
Before the first dance starts the orchestra started to tune up their instruments. On cue numerous women flocked around Aiden.
The saints looked at Claudina who continued to take small sips from her champagne flute. They exchanged worried looks. Though they admit Claudina was the most beautiful lady here but with her rude personality she would make men averse her.
Claudina rolled her eyes from one face to another. It rested now and then but always moved on. Meanwhile men flocked around her gazing at her silently but not daring to ask her. If they caught her eye she would nod and smile at them which left them flushed to their roots.
She went back to her wine. After finishing it she put away the glass.
"Excuse me milady?" She looked up in with a easy smile.
A tall red harried man boy stood before her with gloved hand outstretched. "May I have this dance?" he said nervously. "It's fine if you don't want. It honestly took a lot of courage just asking you," he quickly added
She aimlessly smiled. In a swift glance she beckoned the other saints to look at the spectacle.
She placed her hand on top of her chest and lifted her other hand to place upon his. "It would be an honor sir." She beamed eyes curling into half moons.
Just as she placed her hand on top of his, another hand yanked her off and dragged her to the dance floor. She sent a smirk at the gaping faces of the saints.
"I look away for once and somebody else is taking it…"
"Your highness what is the meaning of this?" she sternly asked.
"Don't play with fire, lass. You'll get burned."
The music started and the dancing begun.
People moved away to leave a big center in the middle. And soon the ball room filled with couples doing a waltz. Music echoed through the room as they swayed to the beat of it.
Claudina wrapped her arm around Aidan's neck while he placed his hand on her waist. Silently they moved back and forth to the rhythm.
"I am surprised you want to dance with me after our fight," said Claudina.
"Tsk!" He looked away. "I am being forced to do this."
He twirled her. "Oh? Who dares to force our Crown prince?" she teased. "Don't tell me it's your fiancée?"
"Has anyone told you are insufferable?"
They faced each other again. "Fufu~ Thank you~"
His hand on her waist tightened and subtlety brought their bodies closer.
"Your Highness…" she warned.
He didn't say anything, focusing on dancing. Again silence was between the two.
"Are you in love with Lord Arche?" he suddenly asked.
She was puzzled. "…No," she answered truthfully.
"Then why do you refuse to be my queen?"
She signed. "We are still having this conversation?" 'Yup. This guy is under the influence of a love potion. And a strong one too.'
"Is it someone else you have given your heart to? If you want a lover I'll let you keep one but just stay with me."
She signed again. "Your Highness I am not in love with anyone." She side eyed the ground. 'Not like I tried to fall in love with anyone form my timeline.'
"Then why?" he pleaded. He bumped their foreheads together.
She scowled. She dug her nails on his neck and hand she was holding. "What part of 'No' do you not understand?"
He frowned. She dug them even deeper leaving deep crescents in his skin. "This is why you are hated. You force your beliefs on someone when clearly they have refused the first time."
"This is why no one loves you. No one to care for you. A selfish, cruel and hypocritical man like you is better off dead."
"And this is why you will always be beneath Lady Rosalind Carlos," she finished.
Anger flashed in his eyes. "I first thought maybe you had some deep rooted grudge against the kingdom. I was wrong. You have hatred toward me don't you? Well too bad for you..."
His grip was now a iron grip. Claudina was sure she would have some bruises but she didn't wince. She won't let him have the satisfaction that he is hurting her. Just as he didn't wince when her sharp nail drew blood.
They realized they had been having a stare down when the music ended. Instantly she yanked herself out of his hold. But he pulled her back in caging her in his arms.
"Let go." She pretended to struggle out off his hold.
"I will never let you go. Never."
"You are insane if you think I won't claw your face off if you dare to something to me."
He wasn't listening. His eyes were clouded. She pretended not to notice. "I will ask Lord Anis to leave you behind. He is a friend of the kingdom so I am sure he won't refuse."
"What make you think I will stay? Let go of me!" She pushed her hands in front of his chest but he won't budge. "Even if you did lock me up I will still escape!"
Truth to be told if Claudina wanted she could easily overpower Aidan using the martial arts she learned from the soldiers in the frontlines. That's why she hadn't shouted for help yet.
"I doubt that. I will keep you in a gold cage and hid you from the public. No one but me will ever be able to see you. Hence why I am being generous. I will let you savor the last moments of your freedom. So roam free for how long you want but you will be back in my arms." Suddenly he grabbed her face. He glared down at her blazing eyes. "However don't even think of escaping with those saints."
She formulated a plan. She looked up, terrified. "Don't hurt them. Please."
He smirked. "That will depend on your cooperation." 'At last something I can use against her! I will make her mine tonight and bind her to my side forever.'
'Your intentions are as clear as day to me, crazy bastard.' She lowered her head.
"…Alright." She clenched her hands in his coat. "But you have to promise to let them go."
He sneered. "Anything for my future queen."
He touched her face gently this time and scratched her lips smudging her rouge on his glove. She angrily bit his finger. He tutted at her as if scolding a child. "That won't do...Unless you want me to pull off those lovely white teeth of yours."
She shivered. His sneer widened.
"Now run along dove, I will see you tonight. I am sure you will come to love me as I do you." He let her go and she stepped back.
Still keeping her head down, she smoothed out her dress, turned and left the dance floor without casting a single glance back. 'I want to burn these clothes... He dares to touch me like that! I will make his murder the most gruesome way possible.'
Making past the crowd she fought her way to find the comforting huddle of the saints. However she only found Sullivan sitting on a gold stool kicking his legs. On his hand was a glass of grape juice.
Music was starting again but Claudina decided to not to join in until the last dance of the night.
"Why is it every time I try to find you lot it's always you?" She took a seat beside him.
"It can't be helped!" he whined. "I am not tall enough for a dance partner. And people just assume I am a kid."
"Maybe if you drank more milk you wouldn't have been stuck in this height."
He gasped. "Don't be mean to me~"
She laughed at his antics. "Ahahaha! So where are they?"
He pouted. "They are probably dancing…" he stared in the direction of the dance floor. And sure enough Claudina found all four of them dancing.
Sylvester was dancing with a ginger haired girl who talked his ear off. Seeing his gentle smile only spurned her to talk more.
Anatole and Oriane were dancing nearby. The black haired girl was blushing as he twirled her while Oriane's partner the red haired boy from earlier was also red in the face.
'Well both Sylvester and Oriane are good looking and Anatole has a nice voice. But where's Shulia?'
She scanned her eyes for a gold dress among the dancers. Soon she found her. She appeared to have a hard time not stepping on her partner's feet. She was also mumbling apologizes to the kind gentleman who laughed it off.
She felt someone tapping her arm. "What is it, Sullivan?"
"What were you and Aidan talking about?" he whispered.
Whispering back she said, "You win the bet. Not only does he intend to keep him locked in a cage but he also wishes to make his queen."
"Whoa~ Just from the first meeting. Did he become obsessed?"
She remembered his eyes. "Love potion. And no I didn't use it."
"Dear me! Will you be alright? People who are influenced by love potions end up doing things that are questionable is putting it lightly." He tilted his head. "Love potions are quite dodgy. You can wrap some permanently with a single sip. Who's this brave soul who used it on a prince?"
"His fiancée."
He scrunched his face in confusion. "Does she not want to be married to him? He's a prince. Why would she send him to someone else's bed?"
"She doesn't want the engagement to happen. She hates him. If she can catch him committing adultery she can ask for an annulment."
"Ohhh boy! That's one heck of a way to ask for annulment." Sullivan suddenly stopped. "Wait that means there are people form Rosalinda to catch Prince Aidan in adultery. He might kill you if he finds out about the spies."
She nodded. "I have to be careful."
"Not just careful. Very, very careful."
The music was going to finish soon from the sound of the tempo.
"Sullivan."
"Gyse?" he said through mouthful of juice. She smiled fondly. "Can I count on you not to say anything about the love potion to the saints?"
He swallowed the juice. "Why?"
Her lips stretched into a thin pensive line. "I simply don't want them to know yet."
"Alright I will keep you secret!" He held out his right pinky. "I pinky swear to keep it!"
She blinked before chuckling in mirth. She held out her right pinky as well. They linked it together and swung it from side to side.
"However breaks it will have to swallow a thousand burning nails for breaking the promise!"