Now, because of that question everyone who was there gave full attention to Ariana making her feel some burden.
'It's my time already? Lets see what kind of person they are from this meeting before I'm thinking about the next step.' Ariana have it all planned in her mind. But before she can even said anything, Zayn beat her to it.
"Forgive me, Your Highness, but I need to clarify something about the princess. I'm sorry that I haven't been honest all this time. Each time a letter from the royal palace comes asking about the princess, I always gave the simple answer because I think I have the responsibility to handle any problem regarding her myself as her fiancee but now, something is change and all people should know this."
Alexander frowned in his head as he didn't get what Zayn trying to convey here. Ariana seems fine in his eyes, probably better than he ever remembers her. She always refuses to look at people's faces before and even got panic attacks if she was with people for too long. But this time, she can even smile freely. So, being better is the problem?
"Elaborate." The King ordered.
With Zayn speaking, now the attention is no longer on Ariana but she is still nervously waiting for their next expression.
"The princess fell in the lake at my residence and was unconscious for two whole weeks. During that time I already used various ways to help her but neither the doctor nor any of the expert could detect why she was unconscious. Miraculously, she opened her eyes, but a side effect from that she lost some part of her memories."
Silent... No one commented about it, not even a gasp or flinch. From Ariana's point of view, they take the news very well. Clearly, she didn't have any part in this family at all.
"You know this news you just told me is too big, did you, Duke?" Prince Aiden sounds firm now.
"I know. But it's not like Ariana is close to any of the other royal families in the first place. And each time the letter comes it always asks about when the wedding will be held or why Ariana didn't come with me on official business where she should be there. No one asks personally about what she is doing even though she is not in the public eye for a while and the question is always, why she didn't attend this or that as if questioning my credibility as her guardian."
"You.." Prince Ashton trying hard not to make a scene.
Sting. That is what feels like right now as this is the first time she heard it. The other Ariana might already know where she stands in this family that's why she doesn't feel comfortable every time she faces her family and now, she feels the same. But that doesn't mean she can accept this situation just like that.
'Damn, this is far more worst than I thought. I miss my family more now.' Ariana can't help but thinking about her family in other world.
But her sad feeling didn't last long as another realization came to her. She kept looking at Zayn who was sitting next to her with nervous eyes and a slightly scared face. She feels like this Duke has just dug his own grave.
'Why is this Duke so casual talking like that in front of these people? Here are the King and the princes of this empire. Does he have a death wish?'
Zayn realized the stare but he just ignored her completely.
'Tch, this man.'
"Did you really not remember anything?" Prince Asher asked now, looking at Ariana.
"I just remember some of the people's faces and names. I didn't remember any memory besides that. I didn't even remember who I really was. B-But, the Duke and the people around are so good and helpful to me all this time so it didn't feel hard. I feel as if I have been reborn in a very positive way." Ariana said with enthusiasm. She didn't mean to praise the Duke but she thinks she needs to do something to save his head!
This time, the look of surprised clearly visible on the four princes faces.
Ariana tilted her head a little watching them as she didn't know what made them feel so shocked. She forgets at this time that the previous Ariana never talked that long with so much confidence in her voice. Even when she asks the King to engage her with the Duke, she is stuttering!
"Is there anything wrong?" Ariana dared to think.
"Father." Prince Ariel addresses the King who has been silent for so long. His eyes seemed to say something but Ariana couldn't catch what he meant.
"I would like to talk to Duke Basileious in private for a moment. Princess, please follow your brothers. After all, it's been a while since all of you gathered like this."
Ariana didn't expect that. She thought she would be with Zayn all the time so her nervousness would not be so noticeable. She didn't know if she can handle this herself at this point.
It's a lie that she didn't want the Duke to be with her in this meeting in fact she relies on him. As this is like at the first meeting with all of them, she can't help but be afraid of her own expectation. And she had already been hurting before.
Zayn reached for Ariana's hand suddenly, a touch that is so soft like he is caring for her and she didn't deny it.
"It's okay. It won't be long." He said.
Even if he just said something simple and do the simple gesture like that somehow Ariana started to calm down. She finally nodded in understanding.
'Geez, am I used to rely on people like this?' Ariana gritted her teeth. She really didn't like what she just felt even if it was comforting her.
Now, only Zayn and Alexander were together in the room.
"Is that the only reason why you didn't tell me about Ariana's condition? Even if she is my daughter." Alexander began
"You said to me before when you gave your daughter to me, that I need to be responsible to her and not trouble the royal under any circumstances as she is my fiancee. So I did my best and she is healthy now, more from when she's living in here." Zayn is not afraid to speak his mind.
This time, both stared at each other sharply. Like they fight in silence.
"Looking at her now, it might be good that she lost her memories. She's no longer timid and acts just like a princess should be. Will you agree to cancel this marriage and give her back to me?"
Zayn didn't expect that but he didn't show it. He knows that question will trap him. It was as if the King wanted to see if he had fallen in love with the princess after all this time, or if he was really looking forward to today's arrival.
"I and the princess, we already agree to get married to each other, Your Highness. To cancel the marriage is no longer an option. Also, her positive changes, didn't you think it's thanks to the house of Basileious?" He said that in confidence. He knows, the King actually doesn't want the cancellation to happen anyway. Both of them wanted something from each other after all!
Again. The tension coming in between the two men.
After a few moments, the King finally made his decision.
"The wedding will be held early next year in the main hall here, the royal palace. All the budget calculations will be given to the house of Basileious this week as you agree to spend your own money for it. If nothing needs to be changed and you agree to all the conditions, we can start preparing for the wedding."
Zayn was a little surprised at that time. If the wedding is held in the main hall, that is just as if the King now considers Ariana like his beloved child even though all this time he ignores her completely. But, this isn't bad for him. In fact, he already plans to make a grand wedding himself. The grander the wedding, the more benefit he will get.
"Do you have any objections?"
"No, Your Highness. I thank you for your consideration."
~~~~~~~~~~
Outside,
Ariana now walks with her four brothers in an awkward situation. Prince Aiden and Prince Ashton are on her right, while, Prince Asher and Prince Ariel are on her left.
After parting from Zayn, she's been invited to stroll in the royal garden by the princes and she just can't say no. She loves the garden anyway, but not the awkwardness!
After a few a while, she felt the urge to break the silence between them.
"Have we ever walked like this before?" Ariana asked while looking to her left and right. As she didn't know who would answer her.
"Never." Unexpectedly, the four of them answered simultaneously making Ariana a little surprised.
"Oh, I-I see. Well... This feels nice. " This is real. Even if she feels the awkwardness, she likes being able to see them even though they turn out to be different from her.
Unknown to her, what she just said made the four princes' faces turn soft. They never had the chance to be like this with her all this time as she turned herself off after the incident involving their mother.
Also, they can't believe, her losing her memories turn out to be like some kind of blessing. As if they just got their little sister back, the same happy one just like when she was 5 years old before the bad things ever happen. They didn't want to admit it, but they did get stuck in those old memories all this time and were never able to get out.
"Do you really want to marry him?"