Some days had passed after Novio had paid their tribute to Xavier. It was drizzling and so everyone was inside.
Celine stood looking out the window. Today was going to be a long day. " Where's the crown prince?" She asked a maid. "In the gallery", the maid replied.
Ah painting again.
He had been painting recently and didn't want to talk to her. The crown prince Alexandro was still jealous because she shamelessly complemented lord Alec's looks.
She decided to see him. Celine left the room heading to the art gallery. The guards that stood there blocked the way.
"You can't tell me he's clearing his head. For five days his head has been filled ", she said wanting to enter.
"Please, miss, the crown prince wants no disturbance", that person who would later lose his life said.
Celine sighed. "Tell him I want to see him", she said and as the guard opened the door, she entered. She was fast.
No one could beat a gangster in his own game.
"Your highness", she greeted. He looked at her and back at his work. "You haven't seen me for days now, your highness", she said.
"Were you worried?" He asked and wanting to scoff, thought better. " It is only natural if I do, your highness", she said. What in Cilia was she saying.
It wasn't natural because they were neither engaged nor married. So why would he care if he hadn't seen her even for eternity.
" Natural you say, I painted the garden", he said and looked at her. He stood and moved to her. " Isn't it perfect"
"Yes, it is"
It was.
The crown prince Alexandro held her waist. "I've missed you", he said. That husky voice was making her heart beat fast and her head doing some traditional dances.
"How so?" She asked.
"I was busy throughout the five days and..."
"Or plain jealous", she said cutting him off.
"What do you mean?" He asked letting his hands fall to his sides. "You didn't want to see me because I didn't take back my word on how cute Lord Alec was", she said and he sighed.
"Well, you might never see him again" , he said and she nodded. "But I'm not taking back my words", she said and he scoffed.
Celine then realized that when he said that he had missed her, his expression never did change. Was this a sickness. Never to smile. She was sure it had something to do with his mental state or the past.
"I don't want you too, after all, I'm the one standing here", he said.
He'd made a good point and she couldn't deny the fact even if she wanted to.
Celine looked around, some of the paintings that were there was no longer there. Then she saw Alec, the picture of Alec.
Was he really that jealous?
"I drew it when I was little, I'll discard it", he said. Celine wanted to ask how he knew him, but the way he said this meant that he didn't want any discussions about him.
" You paint real good", she said facing him. "The only thing I paint good are things I love and hate, the others are just insignificant", he said and she turned to check that unfinished painting.
That painting that made them exchange words. She didn't see it, but, she saw another painting. It was her.
"Where's the unfinished painting?" She asked and he pointed at it .
"I finished it", he said and she went closer to it. The painting was neat and he emphasized mostly on her lips and eyes. She wondered what colour he had mixed to get such perfect blue.
"Wow, I feel important right now", she said.
Wait. He paints those he loves and hates...
Does that mean... "You hate me", she spat out the word unknowingly.
The crown prince Alexandro went to her with such long stride, he held her waist from behind. "You really are a fool ,aren't you, sweetheart", he said and she nodded.
" You suddenly became significant, I mean, important to me. So I don't hate it", he said and she laughed.
"That was me you were painting ", she said and turned to him forgetting that his hands were still on her waist.
Celine met his eyes staring at her face, she assessed his face. It was smooth and had sharp edges. His lips were alluring... Magnetic...
"I was", he said with a low voice that sounded like the voice of an earthly angel. It was husky, it was making her heart, her trait and everything take his side and abandon her.
Poor Celine.
She, Celine tried wriggling out of his grip, but felt overpowered. What the heavens happened to her years of training as a gangster. She was even once a leader.
" Why don't you paint me, sweetheart" he said.
"I don't want to. I may be important to you, but are you important to me?" She asked. Infact, she said anything that her mind could take hold of.
Those fleeing words. Her mind managed to grasp some and it was helpful... For now.
"Am I?" He asked. "It's cold, I'll leave first", she said and wanted to leave.
He was fast, she was blind. The crown prince Alexandro shut the door and held her.
" Tell me, am I important to you?" He asked.
Celine closed her eyes. She had to do this. She couldn't run away from this any longer. She had to complete her mission and go free. She just couldn't make him love her only... She had to love him too.
She needed to do this, if she wanted her only hope, her sister back.
"Yes. Yes,you are, your highness", she said and opened her eyes. He nodded, swiftly holding her waist. His large hands could break it in one second.
" Say it again", he said and she repeated herself. " I can't hear you"
"Yes. You are so important to me", she said and he hugged her. " I'll paint more of you, sweetheart. Now tell me I'm better than he, Alec"
Plain jealousy.
" Come on, sweetheart", he said.
" You are better than him, more cute and you're a sweetheart "...