Eva could not help but wonder how these people had such unusual red eyes. Though the eyes of the servants she had seen earlier were red, they were not as dark as this man's.
Perhaps people in this kingdom have rare eye colours, like her?
But it was not just one person in this kingdom. She had seen so many of them since yesterday. Could it be due to some kind of genetic mutation? she pondered.
"What is it with my eyes, Miss Eva?" She heard him ask with a hint of curiosity in his eyes. They felt quite familiar, but Eva couldn't seem to remember where she had seen those eyes before. Although they look intimidating, strangely familiar and slightly unsettling even, she should not outright ask something like, 'Why do you have such unusual red eyes?', right? She mulled over what to say to him without sounding offensive.
"You have beautiful eyes", Eva replied nonchalantly with a straight face, leaving the two people at the place taken aback.
"Cough cough cough…", Maisie choked on her saliva and started coughing. She covered her mouth with her hands to stop the incessant cough. This lady was quite daring and bold to openly flirt with the king, she wondered.
Maxen stared at Eva with an amused expression. A low chuckle burst out of his mouth as his eyes crinkled with mirth. The sound of his laughter reverberated through every nerve in her body, causing Eva's breath to hitch in her chest for a second.
"Thank you, Miss Eva. I believe that is a compliment worth remembering. No one has ever said that to me before", he remarked with a charming grin.
Just as Eva was about to say something, her stomach grumbled loudly and she hastily wrapped her hands around her stomach while her face turned red due to embarrassment. She had never been in such kind of an embarrassing situation before. She wanted nothing more than to dig a hole and bury herself inside it.
When Maxen saw her face turn red in embarrassment, he bit the inside of his bottom lip to stop a smile threatening his lips , "It seems like you are famished. Let me lead you to the dining hall for breakfast ".
He stretched his hand forward, gesturing for her to walk alongside him before waving off Maisie to leave them alone.
Their footsteps echoed in the hallway as they walked in tandem. Eva's eyes moved around, taking in the paintings hanging on the walls, while Maxen's gaze was fixed on her. He listened to her heartbeat, which sounded like melodious music to his ears.
He could not help but wonder how her heartbeat remained so calm and serene, as if she was taking a casual walk in a garden rather than walking in a place crawling with creatures of the night. He also thought that she would be astounded by the opulence and grandeur of the castle, but she seemed unfazed, as if she was used to such grand things.
Feeling the intense gaze of the man, Eva turned her head to look at him.
"Have we ever met before, Miss Eva? You remind me of someone that I have met a long time ago" Eva heard him ask.
Wait, Was that a pickup line? Was he trying to flirt with her? She scrutinized his face, searching for any signs of insincerity. But his expression seemed genuine, and also a little curious. It appeared as though he was earnestly waiting for an answer, and not attempting to flirt with her after all.
Eva shook her head, her tone solemn. "Umm... I don't think that's possible. I've never been to this place before, so I believe you must have mistaken me for someone else."
Maxen's forehead creased into a slight frown upon hearing her words, "Are you saying that you have never been to this kingdom, or that you have never visited Veloris before?".
"This is my first time visiting Veloris, Prince Maxen", Eva lied. She knew that if she claimed to have never been to this kingdom before, they might become suspicious of her. It would be safer to say that she came to Veloris, the capital of Vicenzia, from a small town within the kingdom.
Maxen fell silent for a few moments as if he was in deep thought, trying to figure out something, "So where do you come from, Miss Eva? Did you come here alone or with your family?".
"I come from the North. It's just a small town that you probably wouldn't know", she tried to remain calm and continued, "and I came here alone".
Maxen noticed a hint of breathlessness and anxiety in her voice as she replied to his earlier question, and wondered if there was something she was hiding. However, he did not feel the need to pry into her past or her family background or any secrets she may be keeping. As long as she stayed beside him, nothing else mattered to him. His only interest was in her, and her alone. Moreover, her parents were not with her, which would only make things that much easier for him to win her over.
"That is great", one corner of his lip pulled up into a crooked smile as he gazed at her.
Eva wasn't sure what was so great about what she had just said, but she offered him a small smile nonetheless before training her gaze ahead. The castle was enormous; they had been walking for more than ten minutes and still hadn't reached the dining hall. Her frustration was beginning to mount, not just because of her hunger, but also because of her new shoes which were causing her discomfort. They were slightly tight, particularly around her forefeet and toes, making it hard to walk properly.
But the oblivious man, who was taking her on the long route to the dining hall to spend more time with her, was having a great time walking beside her.
As they approached a corner, Eva lost her footing and began to stumble forward. Her eyes widened like saucers and her heart lurched. But before she could hit the ground, Maxen swiftly caught hold of her waist and pulled her close to his chest.
Eva wanted to berate her clumsy self for trying to embarrass her in front of the 'prince' of Vicenzia.
Breathing a sigh of relief, she raised her head to thank him, only to notice how close they were standing. Her throat turned dry, her lips parting in a breathless gasp when she felt the firm contours of his hard muscles pressed against her body. He was towering over her with his hand still wrapped around her waist while his intoxicating masculine scent tantalized her senses. She had never been this close to any man before and no man had ever made her feel this way, causing her to feel breathless and slightly awkward.
"Are you feeling well?", her heart hitched when she heard his husky voice laced with a hint of concern. She felt her legs wobble and hastily took a few steps backwards and replied with an awkward smile, "Haha, I'm fine. I appreciate you catching me before I embarrassed myself".
Maxen's eyes narrowed slightly when she moved away from him. He took a step forward with his gaze settled on her shoes, "Are you experiencing any discomfort in your feet?".
"No. I'm really fine" Eva offered a small smile to him and asked, "How much longer until we reach the dining hall?"
"We are nearly at the dining hall, Miss Eva. It takes only ten more steps," he replied.
'Thank God', Eva sighed inside her heart.
They soon arrived at the dining hall, and the guards opened the doors for them. Maxen entered first, with Eva following closely behind. As they approached the long, rectangular table, Eva noticed four people already seated there. The four people turned their heads to look at Maxen and offered a polite bow to him. Since they were seated at the royal table, they must be members of the royal family, right? Eva wondered in her mind.
She sensed something peculiar about these people. Their daunting red eyes and intense stares made her uneasy. She felt slightly uncomfortable under their scrutinizing gaze. However, she knew it would be impolite not to acknowledge them. So she gave a bow and greeted them with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
While two girls who seemed to be the same age as her, returned her bow with a curious look in their eyes, the blonde man with intimidating presence glanced at her briefly before turning away.
The other young woman who was donning an expensive gown and extravagant jewellery, didn't even acknowledge Eva, as if she was nothing more than a speck of dust in her eyes.
Eva watched the lady come forward to greet Maxen with a bright smile on her face.
"Good Morning, Your Majesty", she offered a charming smile to him before taking his hand and kissing the back of it.