Ariana, who was still gasping for breath from walking too fast, said the question with a fierce face with both of her hands on her waist. She just did that so Zayn wouldn't think she was playing around then.
She is dead serious right now. She didn't even look at the guest who was with Zayn at that time. Really!
But to Zayn,
'What's wrong with this squirrel now?' That's what comes into his mind now, seeing her puffy cheeks that gasp for air.
At this time, the three newly appointed loyal knights stood faithfully behind the princess in the grand hall of the palace, trying to control their facial expressions at that time. They might be in trouble if they can't control their laughter in front of the Duke, right?
Even the head butler now turns his face in the other direction as he finds the situation too funny to handle. The knights, loyal and disciplined, struggle to control their laughter, their faces a mask of stoicism.
Meanwhile, Zayn and his guests are now a little gaping without blinking an eye at the bizarre behavior coming from the princess. She is just like a child who is trying to rebel right now.
It's understandable for them to feel weird as she is always a composed person and has never barged in like that here before. Not unless the Duke called for her. But now here she is, full of anger at that.
"Psst..." Unable to bear what was happening, the guest who was standing beside the Duke began to laugh while covering his mouth.
"Looks like our princess right here really became more interesting these past few days." He said, making Ariana, who had been ignoring him since earlier, glare sharply at him for a moment.
She didn't care who he was, but no one could interrupt her right here right now.
"Wow, looks like our princess has something important to discuss with the Duke. I will leave for a moment to give both of you some privacy. " The man nodded at Zayn to excuse himself and started moving out, but not before he asked the knights to follow him.
"Ahem, knights, I think you guys need to get out too. There is no need to interrupt lovers' quarrels, do we."
The three knights looked at each other, but as the Duke had instructed before, they couldn't ever leave the princess's side no matter what, so they were now starting to feel confused and looked at each other.
"Leave us."
Finally, Zayn gave the instructions.
Quickly, all the knights, together with the head butler, left the room.
Zayn closed every document on his desk before raising his chin to give his full attention to the princess now.
"I see you are awake now."
Ariana bit her lip because Zayn just ignored her previous question. She then crossed her arms to show her determination. Whatever it is, she needs this Duke to take back the order of her too much protectiveness. But perhaps her asking for help is just like asking for a war now.
"Why are you changing my room without even asking? I know this is your palace, but I have my own personal right, don't I? Also, what's with the knights? I can't even walk properly as they observe me too closely now. And sir Robert, it's not like it is his fault for what happened. It's all me and mine only, so please stop his punishment."
Zayn decided to get up from his seat now and move to the front of his desk.
This action made Ariana flinch a little as she didn't like the feeling of them being too close to each other, so she stepped back a little while letting the Duke lean on his desk.
This time, he also crossed his arms just like hers, making Ariana unconsciously drop her hands to the side. That's how strong his aura is. He makes people feel small just by his actions and stare!
But that doesn't mean Ariana gave up. She still stared at him fiercely.
"I thought you came here after reflecting on what you have done, but it looks like I was wrong. You don't seem to have even an ounce of guilt after causing trouble for everyone in this palace. " Zayn said in a calm voice, but his eyes were definitely full of anger, and Ariana could read him well this time.
Gulp. Ariana started to feel a little nervous at this time.
"I give you my words. What happened yesterday is not what you think it is."
"So what am I supposed to think then?!" Zayn started to rage. It looks like he has already held back long enough.
"What am I supposed to think when someone who doesn't know how to swim is jumping the lake and can't be seen afterward. This is the second time you've pulled this trick. So tell me. " This time, he controlled his tone, but still, he pressed on his words.
Ariana took a deep breath before anything. Weirdly, even if she knows she is in the wrong, she feels like she is getting angry right now.
"Well... I just thought maybe if I dive into the water, I might regain my memories back. Or I might at least remember one or two things and get into something. I didn't do it without thinking, and it's your own fault thinking I want to harm myself."
Zayn just watched her as if he were trying to figure out if she was lying or not.
"Also, I know very well how to swim. I probably didn't before, but I know now. I can prove it to you anytime."
Zayn now started massaging his temple, probably dizzy hearing all this.
"Whatever it is, I will not withdraw my order. The knights stay like they are, and you will live here on the east side whether you like it or not. Sir Robert knows very well why he is punished, so after this, if you want to do something, you should think about the people around you who will receive the punishment. I will not tolerate this kind of childish behavior anymore."
After saying this, Zayn wanted to go back to his work chair, but Ariana still didn't finish.
"Childish? You said I am childish? Woah, this is too much. Didn't you hear why I said just now that I didn't mean to harm myself, and even if I want to harm myself, that is not your problem. You hate me anyway."
Zayn turned his body again and now approached Ariana.
"It's true, I hate you, but as I said to you before, if you're trying to die, don't do it in my palace, my property. Do it where I won't be held accountable."
"You..." Ariana knows she can't win today, and it's really frustrating.
"Fine. But take back your words about the knights needing to always be with me. At least while in this palace. It's just too much."
Zayn smirked now.
"You still want to demand things, huh? Too much or not, it's on me to decide. Be good, and I might change my mind one day. And when I said one day, it might take 1 or 5 years."
Ariana now feels as if she wants to punch the man right in the face, but she tries hard to persuade her heart at that time so she doesn't do it. One more wrongdoing; she might be in the dungeon afterward!
"If you want to be somewhere without the knights, wait when I have time to go around with you. Only when I am there do the knights not need to be present, and that's the only relaxation I can give. Now get going, will you."
"W-What are you doing?" Ariana tried to free herself from Zayn, who was now holding onto her shoulders, but to no avail.
He quickly turned her body forcibly and started pushing her towards the door. He then opened the door, and after both legs were outside, Zayn left her and then locked his office from the inside.
All the knights, the head butler, and Lily, who had just arrived there, were stunned to see what was happening, but the one who had been with Zayn before was nowhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, Ariana can't believe she was treated like that. This is really a humiliation!
"You F***** A******!" She then let go of the curse that she had been holding on to for so long now to calm down.
"W-What did you just say, princess?" The head butler now dared to ask after seeing the princess smiling again.
Seeing all the faces that were looking at her with curiosity, she knew they didn't know about the words.
"It's nothing. I'm just blabbering." Ariana settles with that before walking away. She didn't want to be there any longer. So before she gets angry again, she better move right away.
After being in outer space on the east side of the palace, Ariana decided to just walk around the open garden ahead, and of course, she is still accompanied by her now newly pointed knights together with her exclusive maid, Lily.
"Lily, what happened there?" Ariana realizes something is going on in the lake where she jumped yesterday.
Lily was quickly at Ariana's side to answer.
"The Duke asked the carpenter and blacksmith to build a wall around the lake so that nothing bad ever happens again."
"What?" Ariana did not expect the man's actions to be so far-fetched.
"What a waste of the beautiful scenery." She can only complain to herself now.
"Don't worry. I'm sure they will make a beautiful wall there. After all, the Duke hires the best people in this empire. There will be some masterpiece here soon."
Suddenly, the voice of the man who was in the Duke's office before echoed there. He strode closer to where Ariana was standing with his wide smile, and Ariana still remembered that he had never stopped doing that.
'This smiling man... I need to be careful around him. ' Ariana can feel that this man is not like what she saw in her eyes and starts reminding herself.
"Do I know you?"