"How was your night?",Sylvester asked with a shining smile on his face as she sat down adjacent to him.
"It was...", Cordelia trailed while staring into space. Sylvester looked at her face expectantly , "...disappointing", she said at last .
"Why? Don't you sleep last night?", He probed.
He held a confused face at her answer.
"I slept but a little", she answered as she picked up her cutlery to eat her food.
"I get it, you are too anxious to sleep because it was your first time sleeping in a new bed, in a new place. It's okay to feel that way, but you'll get used to it", Sylvester spoke understandably before putting food in his mouth.
"Of course,Your Royal Highness", Cordelia responded, "Time is what I needed", after dropping her last statement. Ethan entered the dining room.
"Good morning, Grand Prince", Ethan greeted his elder brother in a light non chalant voice. He was the only one who can greet the Grand Prince casually. He only greeted the Grand Prince respectfully on special occasions.
"Morning Ethan", Sylvester responded
"Good morning, Lady Cordelia", Ethan also greeted her.
"Good morning, Prince Ethan ", Cordelia greeted while bowing her head slightly. Cordelia then turned her gaze to the Grand Prince, " Your Royal Highness, I almost forgot to ask, how was your night?", she asked, her eyes shining with curiosity. She was discreet with her question but also she wanted to know or perhaps have an idea of where he was last night.
Sylvester's countenance changed. The happy look faded and was replaced with something akin to bitterness. He became silent.
Ethan stopped eating and raised his head from his food and looked at Cordelia before transferring his gaze to his brother. He also had a grim look on his face. That was a very heavy question. He continued to look at his brother, anticipating for his answer.
Cordelia waited for his response but she began to have second thoughts. His lack of response proved that last night wasn't a good one. Something must have happened last night. But where would he be? what happen-
"My night was blissful", Sylvester replied with a smile. His facial expression returned to normal.
Ethan released a breath he did not know he was holding. He even placed his palm on his chest to calm down
Cordelia looked bemused for a split second before she smiled, "It's good to hear that, Your Royal Highness. I thought I wasn't the only one having a bad night",
"Why did you think that way?", Sylvester questioned.
"You were slow to answering my question. I thought it was also a rough night for you ", she replied.
"It was a bit out of the way but I had a good night".
Cordelia flashed her usual fake smile. It was less forced than before. She went to eating her meal. "Lady Cordelia, you did not ask about how my night was", Ethan complained in a childish tone.
Cordelia turned her head towards him.
Sylvester sent him a glare.
"Never mind. I had a blissful night too", he laughed nervously.
"Delia, eat your food. I want to take you somewhere", Sylvester said to her as he put more food on her plate.
"Where?",
"Eat first. You know soon", He said.
...
Minutes later, Cordelia entered her room to get changed. Sylvester told her that they would be going to the forest. Though he did not tell her what they would be doing there. Cordelia took it as a cue to hunt for animals. Cordelia took off her gown without the help of her maid. She really did not need that servant though. Also what she had in her mind let her not to call for her maid's help.
Cordelia wore a dark green light dress and packed her into a ponytail.
She got out of her room and went to meet the Grand Prince outside the Ivory Palace.
She saw Sylvester standing beside a tall brown horse. He was stroking the horse's mane gently. The horse snorted in response to his stroking and also wagging its tail at the same time. He brought out a fruit from his pocket and raised it to the horse's mouth which the horse gladly ate.
'Even animals liked him', Cordelia grumbled in her mind.
As if sensing her gaze on him, Sylvester looked over his shoulder to her.
"For how long have you been standing there?", He inquired with a smile.
"Not long", Cordelia replied.
Sylvester's green eyes scanned her physique up and down. The dark green dress stopped right below her kneels. The dark green color really brought out her beautiful fair skin, " Come over here, Delia", he beckoned with his fingers in a come hither motion.
Cordelia obeyed and come forth until she was beside him, " Your Royal Highness, what about my horse or should I go to the stables to get one?", she asked, looking around to see if another horse was there.
"You and I are going to ride on this horse. Her name is Echo. She is very capable in carrying the weights of two people",
"We are going to ride on her?", Cordelia asked as if not getting his words in the first place.
"Yes, you don't want to?", He asked with a raised brow.
"No it's fine", she shook her head negatively.
Sylvester climbed the horse and sat on the saddlebag, " give me your hand", he said to her.
Cordelia let out a silent hiss to her teeth before raising her hand to him.
Sylvester took her hand and lifted her up as if she was as light as a leaf and put her in front of him. Sylvester directed the horse to a roadway, snagged the reins which made the horse to neighed in response before galloping down the road.
Cordelia had never felt much discomfort in her entire life until now. The way his arms wrapped at her sides, the scent of his ocean musk that felt so strong despite the wind gushing past them–assailed her nostrils. The feeling of him at her back. Each millisecond, the hooves of the horse skated the ground, his body collided with hers. It even made her mind wander to the kinky places. That moment, she felt like shrinking or more like destroying his entire body.
When they reached the forest grounds, Sylvester pulled the reins and the horse stopped galloping but continued to move slowly. During this time, he leaned in on her and inhaled her sweet flowery scent. He noticed how his arms fitted her waist perfectly. When the horse reached certain clear place, it stopped. Sylvester jumped down from the horse and also helped Cordelia to get down.
"Wait here, let me bring something for you", Sylvester said to her and went to the westward direction of the forest, leaving her alone with the horse.
Some minutes passed and he was yet to be back. Cordelia seemed not to wait anymore and went through the path that he took, trying to catch a sight of him somewhere. Cordelia walked deeper into the forest and saw him picking flowers from afar.
Cordelia watched him while a thought creeped into her mind.
They were alone. No one except the two of them. This was the perfect moment.
Cordelia dipped her hand into the pocket of her dress and brought the small knife she took with her. She had decided to take her little of death along with her wherever she goes. She believed in golden opportunities and one just presented itself today. He was busy admiring and picking the flowers. He had his absolute attention on them. Cordelia raised the knife in armlength and studiously fixated her gaze on him, especially his neck. Her vision zoomed on the knife and his neck consecutively. He did not even attempted to move away but kept busy with the flowers. Cordelia figured for the right moment and throw the knife at him.