***
Clarrie covered her face with a brown shawl as she asked the people who passed by in the hallway near the prince's room about the location of the prince's room. She just thought that General Julius might be with the prince, and his room would be the first option to check on. Because as far as she knows, a general does not have enough time to sleep in their room to keep their awareness active.
Clarrie entered the prince's room when nobody else was in sight, and she slowly shut the door behind her—not knowing that a person was looking at her back. She stepped backward on her way inside while looking at the door; then, she took off half the shawl that covered her mouth.
"Who are you?"
Even though Julius had the face of Prince Zhang Wei, his attitude remained the same. His thought was being split an hour ago, and it was about him trying to fully mimic Zhang Wei's character or stay true to himself. Besides, there were only a few flaws between the two males.
By the second, Julius was holding a cold steel small sword that Prince Zhang Wei had given him four years ago. He stood alongside the candle holder, his gaze intending on the candlelight on the view. He still knew that the individual who came into the chamber's Prince had his attention fixated on its actions.
"I did not expect that you would occupy this room. Because based on the people I asked outside, they told me that no one is here, Prince." Clarrie said in a sensible welcome speech.
"You are not from here since you do not know the rules; No one shall enter the room or ask where I am. And you disobeyed my law. It shows that you are desperate to find me, so tell me, who are you? Or else I won't spare your life."
"Under this shawl, I am Princess Zina Foster. I already healed just today, and I wanted to go meet the General since my slave Clarrie wanted to ask about the physician's background." Unfortunately, Clarrie was trapped in the present issue, and her choice was to use the Princess's name. However, she felt guilty since Princess Zina did not tell her yet to start using her identity. Clarrie hopes that everything works out well.
"Turn around so that I can see your face."
Clarrie bit her lower lip as she slowly turned to face Julius. She did not stare at the prince's eye, but she could tell that the aura was someone who spent a great deal of time fighting, fixing, and protecting his people from making advances in his record for history's sake. At least, she learned after Zina told her on one occasion way back to London that the prince she'd never met would have the same buttery character just like the rest of the other Prince in the neighboring country. Clarrie also knew about Zina's engagement, but she informed her late that there were some reasons that the Princess could not marry the prince. She had little knowledge about Princess Zina's family's fortune; however, she understands that once the Princess gets married, it will increase—King Foster was the one who had a deal with King Wei to marry off Princess Zina so she could be an empress. It seemed her father had found one reason to continue his goal since he succeeded in giving his daughter a life she could not even decide on her own.
"Are you truly Princess Zina Foster?" Julius asked.
"Yes, I am your future wife, Prince," Clarrie responded firmly to prove herself.
Julius whispered a few words, but Clarrie did not hear them. It was fast to catch the words while there was a distance apart.
"You know, I think you should sit down because we will be together for life once we get married. Though I do not think it is wise enough to be with you because with your looks, you must be demanding or unfair when the weather is good, right?"
Clarrie's eyes slightly widened. The Princess was suitable, but the prince was not a good match for her, and it was her chance to save the Princess's heart in the logic of getting hurt one day.
"I am sorry, what? I do not understand your wit," Clarrie controlled herself from getting angry at the prince. Since she used the princess's name, she must not ruin her clean image.
"I think I said words that go for the smartest people to comprehend, don't you think, Princess? It would help if you had the slightest idea of what I told you about yourself. It is all to confirm that you and I will not encounter any problems. Now enlighten me, are you born to be demanding and unfair, as I said a minute ago?"
"If you see it that way by looking at me, then you are wrong, Prince. I am not born demanding or have an unfair choice for my people. Still, if you are not convinced, then there is nothing I can do more for you here. Therefore, I shall return to my room since General Julius is not here."
Clarrie was about to go for the door, and she recognized very well that her acting sucked and having no signs of giving out a gentle voice that she could not even do just made her bear do nothing about that, but it was almost natural. Nonetheless, she must tell the Princess that their identity was a crafty strategy.
"Wait, Princess," Julius called out, and Clarrie paused. "If I do not marry you, would you be happy? Because if you marry me, I think you will ruin my life, and I will ruin yours. Just in case it happens." Clarrie gripped the door knob hard as she imagined crashing the prince's skull.
He sounded like the engagement would burden both sides when she thought he was interested in increasing the princess and his fortune.
Clarrie was sure that there were more secrets that Princess Zina must know.