"What a night!"
Rivienne jumped out of her skin once again. She shot her eyes at the entrance and stood up instantly, though Leonard did not move an inch.
"D-Daemon! What brings you here?" She stuttered. The crown prince, who had a mocking smile on the surface, walked to her as Rivienne stepped back. She knew he was furious by looking at his eyes. He pushed the chair aside and grabbed Rivienne's wrist, ignoring the blind one.
"W-what are you-"
"Are you flirting with other men, princess?" He smirked as Rivienne was stuck between the giant table and her fiancé's fury. Daemon pressed her to the table as his grip was making his authority on her. Rivienne's breath trembled.
"Is that what I just witnessed?" Inhaling her rose perfume, Demon asked. He stepped between her legs, that was trembling. Her shawl fell from her shoulders, revealing her pinkish skin under the colourless lace. Daemon's eyes ran on her collarbone and the swan-like neck. Unconsciously, his hand caressed her soft skin.
She winced, feeling the sudden warmth.
Rather than being embarrassed, she feared.
Daemon's eyes glinted.
It was better if she cried for him.
She feared losing him. He felt proud out of the blue.
"No! I would never! I was worried about-"
"You worried about this prick who dared to-"
As if something unspeakable came to his mind, Daemon swallowed his words. This made Leonard's thin lips curl up a bit. Amidst Daemon's loud voice, Rivienne stood clenching her eyes and breathing unsteadily.
Yet she was afraid to look into his eyes.
"Get out," Daemon said, looking away from her.
"It is not what I was-"
"I said get out,"
"But-"
"Is there anyone? Escort the princess back to her chambers," Demon yelled. Leonard flattened his face once again and wore his blindfold, ignoring the overflowing presence of the prince in the library.
The all-mighty and the reincarnation of the greatest emperor in the history of Vassilios was losing his temper and acting like a youngster in late puberty whenever he was with his most hated lady.
What a ruler we have here.
Rivienne went away, looking back at him with worried eyes, and then he turned to his advisor. He gritted his teeth and kicked to a chair to sit. Tommy, who had almost fainted at the back of a shelf, came to the prince's sight just in case.
He got ready to kneel.
"I see that you are still testing me," Daemon spoke, glaring at Leonard.
"I am not, your Highness. I was merely trying to speak with Her Highness. After all, she looked worried about something,"
"Looked?" Daemon scoffed.
"I apologize," Leonard gave what he wanted.
"Her Highness thinks that His Highness is taking Saintess as a second wife."
Daemon stared at the blind man for several seconds as his eyes brightened. "That is not a bad idea, though."
"Duke Carmillion is the one who holds the west, and your Highness cannot lose that strategy. Please clear the misunderstanding,"
"There is no misunderstanding. She left the tea party earlier, saying she felt dizzy. She is delusional." Daemon flipped the book in front of him casually. "What a foolish woman,"
When Leonard made his first painting all by himself without mimicking anyone and secretly to the point that even the brush did not know what it was creating, Daemon came to him like his grim reaper.
To find a portrait of his foolish woman and a painter's love in Leonard's possession.
"Everything is well prepared about the morrow, my prince. However, I am quite surprised to hear about the loss of the southern castle. I hoped his Highness Prince Ezra would be capable of handling the situation."
"Yes, Me too... You are late!"
Leonard wondered who he could be. It was the very first time that he could not notice the presence of a person coming towards him as he was a little taken aback. But he heard a familiar voice.
"I apologize, Your Highness," Butler Howard spoke as he placed the tray he was carrying. "May I brew you a tea?"
Back in the corridor, Rivienne who was on the verge of breaking into tears, held the maid's hand tightly. "It did not look like that? Did it? I thought his eyes were hurting, and Daemon must have misunderstood me," Her voice trembled. "What should I do?"
"Calm down, princess. I heard that you have to go to the temple tomorrow for the prayer. Why don't you prepare something for his Highness?"
"But he threw away my gifts, saying they're useless."
"Maybe Her Highness can gift something more."
"More? What is it?" After the discussion, she felt rather tired as she climbed onto the bed. The flames of the candles were gone, and a window was opened. The white curtains waved like ghosts in the gust as she stared at the ceiling, hoping for a nap.
It has been five months since she has slept soundly, thanks to the dream eater. It was not proper to invite a man to an engaged woman's room, however, he did not consider her as a woman at all. He would show up out of the blue, knock her out at once, and do whatever he would do after Rivienne slept.
He did not talk anymore as the war could steal not only the entire lives. Rivienne heard the news of the second prince's lost battle in the southern castle, and currently, his whereabouts were unknown. The Avalonian armies were well prepared this time, baring the hell in the Southern borders.
Her half-brother Aza was at the front line while her third older brother William was staying in the castle of Carmillion in the Western region, where the small tribes were in catfights. The empire was on fire while she was...
Now that the matter has come to this, she decided to see the physician in secret.
As it was a useless attempt, she walked to her office, and Sir Lance followed along.
The next morning, Rivienne prepared well to go to the temple. She chose an off-white dress and silver jewellery along with her favourite hairpin. She and her maid Anna were secretly preparing for Daemon's surprise gift as they had to work hard to hide it from Madam Barbara.
"Your Highness! Isn't it too much? Your Highness looked as if you were attending a wedding. Please wear something simple," Facing Madam Barbara, she wavered. "But I am the crown princess-"
"You are a laughing stock as it is now. Please take off that hairpin,"
"My brother gifted-"
"Your Highness!"
Anna showed up after meeting with the blindfolded man.