Who would believe that the king of this wonderful country would have eyes for a commoner, one with tanned skin who happens to work as a blacksmith?
No matter how Madeline tried to paint the picture, she just couldn't see it fitting into place. And if she were to look at it the other way, the king was the king, a man who ruled the country and held a title bigger than anyone. So, what could be the reason for noticing her? There was nothing she had to give to him, and Madeline knew that quite well. Perhaps the king did have feelings for her, but she did not feel the same for him.
"Oh!" Madeline exclaimed, holding her head and rubbing the lines on her forehead as her legs dragged on the floor while she walked towards the entrance to meet him.
"Can I hide? Can I run away from this place to a faraway land where no one could find me?" she muttered those words to herself, but it seemed she might as well have just said them aloud, for someone leaning against the wall heard her quite well.
"You have nowhere to hide, Madeline," Jo said, giving her a wide smile.
Madeline's head turned, only to find him leaning against the wall, watching her with his arms crossed over his chest. Sometimes he acted so maturely, like someone older than her who had come back to this world as a little boy.
"Watch your mouth," she gritted her teeth, pointing a finger at him. Then she looked ahead, completely ignoring Jo even as he continued to say little words just to annoy her.
"Ahh, seriously," Madeline sighed as she reached the door and raised her hand towards the doorknob. Her parents had told her where to meet the king, but the anxiety she felt was palpable.
For she was quite smitten in his presence, though he seemed cold, and she had rarely laughed with him except for Sebastian; she still found herself utterly eager to see him.
'No, Madeline, you must not think such thoughts,' she scolded herself. But how should she act now? Was this a dream? Would she truly become the wife of a man she hardly knew?
As she stepped out of the cottage, the warm early morning sun greeted her, bathing her tanned skin and kissing her brown hair as it swayed slightly in the gentle breeze.
She caught sight of him standing and staring at the field ahead under the shade of an oak tree, his back facing her, his stance poised.
Madeline had never imagined that even a man's back could look so fine. It felt almost criminal to notice such details.
His shoulders were broad, and beneath his jacket, she glimpsed the hint of muscular biceps. His well-fitted pants.. oh dear God, she shouldn't be focusing on that.
At the approaching sound of her footsteps, he turned to face her, stealing every breath from her lungs.
Why did he have to look so handsome this early in the morning? Now she felt acutely aware of herself, realizing she had just gotten up from bed, her hair still not properly combed.
"Mad... eline," he slurred her name and tilted his head slightly, watching her with a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. She was certain he wasn't the type to smile much at all.
Madeline nodded, walking towards him. It would have been awkward to keep a far distance when he had come all this way to pay her a visit. As she walked, she glanced towards the oak tree, trying not to focus on those narrowed, gorgeous black eyes and hair as dark as a raven's wing.
"Good to see you, my king," she said, holding up her dress and curtsying. This was her father's house, and she knew her family were likely watching her from behind a window. All she needed to do was to act like a proper lady.
He walked closer to her, close enough to make her eyes widen, yet for some unknown reason, she didn't move, her legs rooted to the ground. With a sly smile mirroring his own, she wondered what he would do next.
At the sight of her, Draven almost forgot to breathe. He had been thinking about what had happened yesterday, the words he had spoken to her. Yes, they were false; he truly didn't have any feelings for her. Yet, she was all he could think of throughout the night, her face a vivid image in his dreams. It was dangerous; he knew she was dangerous for him. Yet, in her presence, he found himself drawing near, against the warnings of his inner mind. Just as now, he reached for a strand of her fallen hair, tucking it behind her ear.
She shivered as his hand accidentally brushed against her skin, quickly looking away from his face to hide the emotions that flickered across her expression.
"Why don't you come in for tea?" she offered, glancing back at him. However, he was so close that she had to force her eyes to tear away from him.
A smile crept onto his face. He had been on his way to attend to a few matters when he decided to pay a visit. He had been expecting a scornful Madeline to greet him, one who would tell him to leave, one who would face him with hate. But despite the slight panic on her face, she generously offered him tea?.
"Of course, I would love tea," he replied. Maybe accepting wasn't the best idea, but it could be beneficial to get to know her people, perhaps to get them on his good side so they would help convince her to marry him.
Madeline nodded and turned, "Come with me—"
"Have you thought about my request?"
Madeline's head swayed abruptly, fearing she might fall in the attempt as she stared at him, her face void of concrete emotions except for her parted mouth. After composing herself, she cleared her throat and spoke, "I need more time." Oh dear Heavens, was there any reason at all to decline him? She needed to think this through.
"Very well," he nodded. "Shall we?" he gestured towards her house. Madeline nodded, leading the way without sparing him another glance.
It was as if her family had been listening to their every conversation because as they neared the door, just before Madeline could open it, it swung open and Mrs. Catherine greeted them with a wide smile. "My king, oh what an honor," she bowed, smiling too widely. "Oh, look at you, such a handsome fine man you are."
Draven stepped forward and bowed before taking her hand and kissing it. "A pleasure to meet you." He wasn't familiar with family gatherings; the only family he had, he lost many years ago. However, he could show respect in the best way possible.
Madeline swore she saw her mother fanning herself, but that didn't last long as Mrs. Catherine took Draven's hand and led him inside. Madeline rolled her eyes; her dramatic family would make this worse than good.