After the mass ended, Gabriel dragged Laila out of the church.
"You must be crazy. How could you enter the church like that when you are not a Christian?"
Gabriel let go of her hand to look at her while scolding her angrily
"I told you I wanted to see you I was just bored and thought it would be great to know what you were doing"
She said defiantly while folding her hands to her chest in annoyance
She secretly enjoyed seeing this monk prince's anger
She tried hard not to show it on her face
Gabriel let out an angry sigh and ran his hand through his hair in frustration
"You're playing with fire, you know that? I told you if people here found out that you're not only a Muslim but the princess of the Caliphate..."
*His tone was stern, but there was a hint of worry mixed with his anger*
There was an ongoing enmity between the European kingdoms and the Arab Caliphate in the East
The enmity was not only religious, but cultural, ideological and moral
There was a desperate war between the two sides, and the Christian side launched 5 crusades against the Islamic side to liberate the lands The Holy Land in Palestine is from the unclean Arabs **In the view of the priests and clergy**
There was a deep-rooted hatred towards Arabs by the Europeans, so her audacity in storming into a church to see him was madness
This little girl did not seem to realize that she was a prisoner here in the land of the enemy!!!
He moved closer to her, his eyes fixed on her face
He continued in a low and serious voice
"Every minute you spend here, it becomes more dangerous for you if anyone sees you, and if anyone discovers your true identity, chaos will ensue and people will look for a scapegoat and we could be in serious trouble"
Hearing that, Laila looked at him with a raised eyebrow
"Scapegoat? Do the people of this kingdom know that there is an Arab princess imprisoned in their king's palace?"
She said sarcastically
Hearing that, Gabriel sighed in frustration for the thousandth time while trying to explain to her rationally
"Everyone knows that you are imprisoned in the palace, but now you are outside, so if anyone discovers your identity, you may become a victim and a scapegoat for the people's hatred... You may not know this, but anyone from the Arab world is hated here"
He said while trying to explain to her with a little reservation
Upon hearing that, Laila looked at him in surprise with her big brown eyes with long eyelashes
She seemed astonished by the information she was hearing from him
Anyone from the Arab world is hated here in this kingdom?!
"You say that your people hate my people? Then why are you the ones who ask for Arab doctors when you get sick and why are you the ones who come to our country to study in Cordoba and Granada to receive education and knowledge? Despite the war between us, I have never heard of a single Arab citizen who made a racist scene that incites hatred towards a European Christian."
She said with annoyance while staring into his turquoise-green eyes.
Layla continued with annoyance.
"There are also many Arab Christians in our kingdom. Are you saying that if they came to the European kingdoms, they would be subjected to racism because they are Arabs?"
Gabriel admitted wearily
"Yes, despite being fellow believers like us, they are still Arabs, to be honest... Arab Christians are usually looked down upon in Europe because... how do I put this?"
He said awkwardly while scratching his head
"They are content to coexist with Arab Muslims and do not wish to join the European Christian world. There are even rumors that the telegram from Pope Peter VII to the head of the Catholic Church in Granada asking him to join the campaign was completely burned."
Hearing that, Laila laughed proudly while clasping her hands together
"Of course they are, my Arab Christian people are the best. We are united by one culture, one race, and one affiliation, even if the religions differ."
Hearing her proud tone, Gabriel smiled amusedly
"Your Christian people? What a strange Muslim princess you are."
"What's so strange about that? They are my dear people too. Imagine, for example, that there is a Muslim minority in Your kingdom and this minority refused to join the Caliphate because of their affiliation with this kingdom, wouldn't you feel proud?" "This will not happen. There are no European Muslims in this old continent and there will never be."
He said in a sarcastic tone while looking into her eyes as if he was hearing her tell a joke.
Hearing his sarcastic tone, she looked into his turquoise green eyes with her big brown ones.
"....."
The two parties communicated with their eyes.
Those turquoise eyes sparkled with a captivating shine while those brown eyes glowed with a cold glow.
The eyes were the ones speaking at this moment.
Layla opened her mouth to say in a soft and firm feminine voice while taking out a beautiful golden necklace from the pocket of her dress.
The golden necklace bore the name of God (Allah) in Arabic.
In front of his turquoise eyes, she kissed the necklace while looking at him with her cold brown eyes.
Gabriel's gaze was glued to the necklace as she held it in her hands, and his heart pounded in his chest as she kissed the sacred letters.
The sight of the golden jewelry on her soft brown skin and the way it touched her excited her. Her lips held a mixture of fascination and concern inside him. He had always been taught to view anything connected with the Islamic faith with suspicion and disdain
"May the One and Only God, the Eternal, who has not begotten, nor was He begotten, and to whom none is comparable," she said in a soft feminine tone as she looked into his eyes coldly.
Gabriel felt his heart flutter at her words. Her voice was soft, but her eyes were sharp and stubborn.
He swallowed his saliva, finding himself strangely moved by her prayers for his protection, even as his mind screamed at him to reject her belief system, her faith, and everything she stood for.
He found himself speaking before he could stop himself.
"May the light of the Holy Trinity, shining forever, protect you, Layla... and may its luminous presence never leave you."
Hearing that, those beautiful brown eyes softened as she stood before his eyes to put on her golden necklace.
"Peace be upon you."
She said the Islamic greeting calmly after putting on the necklace.
It was a well-known greeting that had already become famous in the world due to the Arabs' use of it. Her
He had heard this phrase before, it was familiar as Arab merchants used it often, but he had never heard it in such a cold, feminine context before.
He swallowed hard, trying to steady his voice and maintain his composure, but he found himself automatically responding in a weaker voice than usual.
"And upon you... peace."
As soon as the words left his lips, he cursed himself. It was an automatic reaction, a reaction to her greeting, but in his mind, he knew that it was not his business to speak her words of faith.
He clenched his jaw, trying to hide the inner turmoil he was feeling, but when he looked at her and the way her eyes sparkled and the corners of her lips curved into a small, satisfied smile, he felt his resolve waver a little.
Layla smiled a small, satisfied smile before pointing her finger at him and saying in a firm voice,
"I am a Muslim and the daughter of the Caliph of this world, and you are a Christian monk, the son of the German King Gunther III."
Her words were like a reminder of their situation and their worlds. And their different religions and races
Gabriel flinched at her words, and the harsh reality of their situation hit him like cold water being thrown in his face. She was right, of course, she was the daughter of the great Caliph, the leader of the Islamic world, and he was just a Christian monk, the son of an unimportant German king.
He took a deep breath and his facial expression froze as he met her gaze.
"Yes, that's right...."
He said in a firm voice despite the turmoil inside him.
He was a monk who had vowed to serve the Lord.
Those words echoed in his mind.
As the truth of her words settled in his mind, he felt a pang of guilt. He had vowed to live a chaste life and devote himself entirely to the Lord and the Church. And here he was, not only interacting with a Muslim princess, but also developing... feelings for her.
He clenched his fists, trying to suppress the conflicting feelings inside him.
"I just wanted to remind each other of our identities."
Layla said in a soft tone while looking directly into his eyes.
Hearing that, he took a deep breath of air before saying in a low voice.
"Yes, you're right. We shouldn't forget each other's identities."
After that day, Gabriel didn't isolate himself and avoid the princess.
After about two weeks.....
_____
She sat down Laila under the shade of one of the trees in the green garden of the palace while reading a small book in her hand
The book was in Arabic and had golden pages
She sat under the tree while the gentle breeze moved her beautiful black hair
This time she was wearing a beautiful pink dress with a yellow belt
While she styled her hair in the German style where strands of her hair were braided while the rest of her long hair was left straight
She actually didn't like such fashions very much
She preferred Arab clothes and dresses more but she was forced to wear these clothes because they were the only ones available in this palace and due to her status as a prisoner she didn't have the freedom to choose her dresses as these dresses were chosen by the palace maids
While she was quietly reading the book she heard the mocking and contemptuous voices of the servants as they walked near the tree under whose shade she was resting
"Oh my God, look at her, does she think she is beautiful even with this black hair and ugly brown skin?" I don't know why everyone thinks she's beautiful"
One of the blonde maids said to her colleague in a deliberately loud voice
They know she speaks German well so they said those words loudly so she could hear them
"You're right, even look at what that filthy Arab is holding in her hands, she's holding a book!!! How dare she hold a book when she's a woman?!" Even the European noblewomen in all the kingdoms couldn't even hold a book in their hands for fear of being ridiculed by society, but this Arab woman held the book with confidence "
Impure??
Laila listened to their loud chatter silently while reading the book in her hand
What no one knew in the corners of this kingdom was that the Arab princess imprisoned in the king's palace was being mistreated, ostracized and bullied by the maids because she was of a different religion and race from them
No one knew about this
Laila continued reading the small book in her hand silently until the maids left the place
The cold wind blew to blow her black locks of hair
"(And those who are patient, seeking the countenance of their Lord and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, and avert evil with good (The evil ones will have the best outcome in the home) [4]
I read one of the random verses from the Holy Quran, which happened to be one of the verses about patience.
The small book in her hand was a miniature golden Quran, which was the only thing she could take with her from her homeland.
She read the Quran in a sweet, affected voice.
The words of the verse were like a balm that patted her wounded and tired heart.
Despite the appearance of strength and arrogance that she showed, she was still a young child of 14 years old, regardless of being the princess of the caliphate.
The fact that she was imprisoned in the land of the enemy while being exposed to all this hatred, racism and discrimination based on her religion and race was unbearable to her heart.
Despite being exposed to all this, her pride as a princess did not allow her to confide in anyone.
Her pride did not allow her to complain to anyone.
While she was reading those sacred heavenly verses in her sweet voice, she did not notice the man who was watching her silently while holding a basket of apples in his hand.
Gabriel was watching her and listening to her as she silently recited those verses.
His blood should have boiled like a fanatic Christian monk just by hearing a Muslim person recite the verses of the Quran.
This was basically what he was raised on, but somehow he found himself watching her silently, mesmerized by the sweetness and purity of her voice.
Despite not understanding the words she was saying because they were in another language, it was clear that she was reciting the Quran because of her reverence and the sweetness of her voice.
Gabriel watched her for a while.
He was carrying a basket of fresh red apples in his hand, which he had brought from the church.
He was basically distributing these apples to the children of the common people who came to the church.
He had kept some apples for himself after asking permission from the priest, Awtar.
He wanted to keep some apples to eat with her.
A few moments later,
Gabriel took a step forward, his foot pressing on a pile of dry leaves.
He mentally cursed himself when Laila's head rose and suddenly she noticed him. He cleared his throat, which led to the strange feeling that he had been caught. Watching her
He said rudely while holding the apple basket
"I brought you something"
"..."
When Laila raised her head to look at Gabriel who suddenly appeared while she was reading the Quran, interrupting her distraction and spiritual immersion, the tears that she had been holding back forcefully all this time slipped from her big brown eyes at this moment
Gabriel froze when he saw the tears streaming down Laila's face
The sight surprised him, he did not expect this reaction
He quickly put the basket aside and his heart clenched when he saw her crying, he took another step closer to her
"I.....I didn't mean to interrupt"
He muttered in a soft and worried voice
"I just...I brought you apples"
Seeing this fierce princess crying was something Gabriel had never expected even in his dreams
How could a tough, fierce and strong girl like her cry like this?
Every drop that fell on her cheek seemed to tear apart Gabriel's usual composure. He watched her in silence, stunned by her fragility.
As her tears continued to fall, he found himself approaching her without even thinking about it. He reached out his hand, almost instinctively, as if to comfort her.
"Wait... Princess, why are you..."
He stopped mid-sentence, his voice hoarse, swallowing his saliva, not knowing what to say to make her stop crying.
He reached out his pale, masculine white hand to gently wipe the tears streaming down her cheek.
When Laila felt his cold hand wiping the tears from her cheek, her body trembled instinctively.
Gabriel's heart clenched tightly at the sight of it.
He had never seen her this weak in all his time with her. This was the first time he had seen those beautiful brown eyes shedding tears.
"Princess What's wrong with you?....."
He said in a softer voice
Hearing his tone, her pupils twitched as if she had finally woken up from her trance, and she instinctively reached out and slapped his hand that was touching her cheek.
"Don't touch me...."
She said in a hoarse feminine voice as she looked at him with her red and slightly swollen eyes.
Her small, sharp nose was also red.
Gabriel's hand froze in the air as she slapped her away. The sharp movement and rejection were a bit painful, but the worry he felt overpowered any offense.
"Wait... princess..."
He tried to say, but she was already speaking, her eyes red and teary.
"Don't you dare touch me again?"
Layla said in a sharp voice.
He took a step back, confusion and worry evident on his face.
"I... I was just trying..."
He said late, unsure of how to explain himself.
Seeing her in this fragile state made him Just confused, unable to form a respectful stance or say coherent words
His hand was still hovering in the air for a while, the words stuck in his throat, unable to say a complete word
He swallowed his dry saliva to sway his Adam's apple forcefully
After a while of silence, he finally managed to speak a complete, coherent sentence
"I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to"
He said in a worried voice, tinged with a hint of hidden tenderness
"....."
The silence that followed was heavy
Filled with the princess's soft sighs and the fluttering of leaves
Gabriel continued to watch her, his eyes glued to her trembling shoulders and tear-stained face. It seemed that all the usual boundaries and careful distance he had maintained before had vanished in the face of her pain
He said calmly
"Please tell me what's wrong"
He took another step towards her, his eyes never leaving her face. He wanted to reach out to touch her, to comfort her, but he knew she refused his touch Once he didn't want to cross that line again and yet the desire to help her was almost overwhelming
He repeated his voice low and pleading
"Tell me, let me help you somehow please"
"This is none of your business.....mind your own business"
She said sharply while wiping her tears harshly
The sharpness of her words was painful but Gabriel tried not to show it. He clenched his fist at his side and felt frustrated and helpless inside
He replied in a firm voice
"This is my business, you are in pain and I am here, I cannot ignore it"
"I said it is none of your business, get away from me!!!"
She said in a loud angry voice
Her sharp tone and high voice surprised him but he didn't back down
Gabriel opened his arms and his jaw clenched and said firmly
"No I won't go when you're clearly in pain, this is not my nature"
Hearing his tender words, Laila became furious and her eyes instinctively turned towards the stones thrown under the tree next to her and she reached out and picked up the hard stones
"If you don't move away, I'll hit you"
She said angrily while waving the stones in her hand
When he saw her reach for the stones, he felt uneasy. The threat of being hit by those stones wasn't his main concern. What worried him was Laila's state of mind and the fact that she felt the need to threaten him didn't leave his mind
He remained steady on the ground, even as she waved the stones at him
"And if I don't?"
He asked in a steady voice
"I'll really hit you on the head!!"
She said while biting her lips hard
Her words sent a shiver down his spine. The thought of her hitting him and the pain and potential injury wasn't scary to him. What worried him the most was the desperate and reckless state she was in.
Gabriel took a deep breath and took a step forward. He was standing right in front of her at this moment.
"Then do it."
He simply said.
He was so close to her at this moment that his legs touched the hem of her pink dress.
The closeness was almost erotic. Their bodies were so close that her dress bumped into his legs and her scent filled the small space between them.
He could see every tiny detail of her face, the redness in her eyes, the flush on her cheeks, and the slight twitch of her lips.
Gabriel stood still, his eyes never leaving hers.
He lowered his head so he could see her face better and said in a boyish, masculine tone while his Adam's apple moved forcefully in his neck.
"Hit me, Laila. Come on, do it." That"
His turquoise-green eyes were
looking at her intensely
At his confident words, Layla froze for a moment and tightened her grip on the stones.
She looked at him, her brown eyes swimming with a mixture of emotions: anger, fear, and hesitation. She seemed to be fighting an internal battle with herself.
Finally, she raised her hand, holding a stone in her fist, but her arm was hanging in the air and trembling. She couldn't bring herself to do so.
"I said get away…and I'll hit you with these stones, Prince Monk."
She said in a trembling feminine voice.
Her soft, trembling voice and the title she gave him seemed to stir something inside him. Despite a small part of him being annoyed, he couldn't help but find her endearing at the moment.
Gabriel didn't move if anything. He stood in front of her even more steadily, his eyes fixed on hers.
"Then hit me."
He said again in a steady voice.
"Do it!!"
He was close enough for her to smell his fresh, masculine scent, like the scent of grass after rain.
When she realized Then the stones fell from her hand and she pushed him away from her forcefully, causing the apple basket in his hand to fall.
Once he fell to the ground and the red fruits scattered on the grass, Gabriel groaned in pain while looking at Laila in disbelief.
"....."
Those charming brown eyes were looking at him coldly
Gabriel quickly got up from the ground to pick up the apples that were lying on the grass while grumbling in annoyance
"I brought these apples for us to eat together and now they are dirty"
He cleaned the apples with his black monk's robe before putting them in the basket
While he was busy cleaning the apples and complaining about the dirt, Laila was watching him silently
The sight of him cleaning the apples as if it was a great tragedy made her heart beat strangely. Her annoyance at his stubbornness was still there but a small part of her couldn't help but find this gesture amusing and endearing
After he finished picking the apples, he got up with his clothes covered in dust while saying in complete annoyance
"You are very stubborn and difficult"
"Then you moved away from the beginning. I wouldn't have pushed you away but you violated my personal space and crossed the line, monk"
She said Coldly
"Personal space? Boundaries?"
He said in annoyance as he clenched his jaw
"You slapped my hand and threatened me with stones! I was just trying to help!"
He repeated, his voice full of disbelief
Hearing his angry tone, Laila completely ignored him and looked towards the apple basket
"Where did you get the apples from?"
He followed her gaze to the basket and his annoyance seemed to ease a little.
He simply replied.
"From the orchard near the church."
The church owned many apple and grape orchards in the kingdom.
The grapes were used to make wine and were sold or drunk during the Last Supper rituals in the church.
He looked at her, gauging her reaction. The sight of her looking at the apples in the basket stirred something inside him. His anger faded as he focused on the present moment.
"They are good apples."
He said calmly, his voice becoming softer.
"Fresh and crunchy, better than anything you'd find in the palace kitchen."
Hearing that, Laila looked at the red apples in the basket intensely.
She was really very hungry at this moment.
The maids had been giving her leftovers, spoiled soup, and hard bread throughout her imprisonment here, and they only deliberately put delicious food when Gabriel was around.
Sometimes he would go to the church to pray, and at that time, she was The maids verbally bully her and give her food that even animals can't eat.
So seeing the red apple, she started to feel hungry.
The princess's intense gaze at the apple didn't escape him. He could see the hunger in her eyes and his heart moved unexpectedly.
"Are you hungry?" he asked, even though he already knew the answer. He lifted the basket slightly and offered her the apple.
Layla didn't refuse his offer, quickly taking the apple from his basket and taking a big bite of it.
"It's so delicious."
She said with sparkling eyes as she savored the delicious apple juice with enjoyment.
He watched her chew the apple and savor it, her face lit up with a childish pleasure that he had never seen before.
Gabriel felt a strange flutter in his chest as he watched her when he saw her reaction to the simple pleasure of the apple. He couldn't help but be moved.
"You've never had an apple this good before?"
He asked in a soft tone
"Of course not!! I have eaten the finest fruits grown in the Emirate of Andalusia every season. I have even tasted fruits from the East and the West, but for some reason apples have a very delicious taste."
She said with her mouth full as she chewed with enjoyment
Her words about the types of fruits she tasted seemed unreal to him. The idea that she had witnessed such luxury and diversity in fruits intrigued him. However, the pleasure she found in this simple apple seemed to surprise him
Gabriel crossed his arms and leaned against the tree trunk
"You have tasted fruits from every corner of the earth and yet you find pleasure in an ordinary apple?"
A hint of amusement in his voice
"That's weird to me too"
She said honestly as she swallowed a bite of apple
Looking into his turquoise green eyes, Laila continued with a small smile
"I even tasted the delicious mangoes from the Emirate of Persia. The mangoes from there were my favorites when I was still in the Alhambra"
Hearing her mention the mangoes from the Emirate of Persia, her words painted a vivid picture in his mind of vast fields of mango trees and the sweet scent of the fruit filling the air
He repeated as he thought about the words
"Mangoes from Persia"
"You say you liked them?"
"Yes, I loved them very much, and I also loved the Andalusian grapes as a dessert. As for the breakfast, I preferred the delicious Palestinian olives the most."
Remembering the lavish breakfast she had eaten daily in the palace of the Islamic Caliphate, Laila's eyes lit up as she took another bite of the apple.
Her words painted a picture of a life full of luxury and abundance in his mind. Every description of the food seemed like a gourmet experience from a foreign land.
Gabriel watched her as she described her previous meals. He was a simple man who had grown up in the church and trained to become a monk. His meals were simple and routine, the same thing every day.
He said in a voice with a hint of sarcasm.
"Here you are, enjoying a simple apple from the church."
"Well, it's really delicious. I didn't know that German apples were this delicious. Why aren't they more popular?"
She asked curiously as she swallowed her bite.
Looking into her brown eyes with their innocent childish sparkle, Gabriel began to feel a kind of curiosity towards this Arabian princess.
The Caliph's only and beloved daughter.
What kind of life did she lead before she was captured?
Her questions and childish honesty were a stark contrast to the image of the arrogant princess. It made him realize how little he knew about her life before she was captured.
Gabriel leaned against the tree, his arms still crossed over his chest.
"The church grows a lot of fruit. We don't export it. It's not grown for profit. It's just part of the church's self-sufficiency."
His words carried a note of pride. Growing its own food was a sign of independence and self-sufficiency for the monastery.
He watched her intently, wondering what other questions or stories she might share. The more he learned about her, the more interested he felt.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
"What else did you eat at the palace?" Red?"
The idea of her luxurious and rich cuisine was still fascinating to him. He had grown up in the church and his food was ordinary and repetitive. The idea of having so many choices and luxuries when it came to food was almost foreign to him.
When Laila had almost finished half of the apple, she replied while licking the juice from her lips.
"I also tried eating Chinese peaches. Peaches are a delicious fruit that is famous in the East."
I explained to him.
Peaches?
This was the first time he had heard of such a fruit?!
And from China!!!
"Chinese peaches?"
Gabriel repeated the words as if he was testing them on his tongue
The name of the fruit seemed strange to him and almost unknown
"From China, you say?"
He asked, his eyes narrowing slightly. The idea of a fruit he had never heard of before coming from a faraway land aroused his curiosity
"Yes, the region of China, specifically the Song Kingdom in southern China, they export a soft, reddish-yellow fruit called a peach."
She said as she finished her entire apple
"A soft, red and yellow fruit... a peach..."
He repeated the description, trying to imagine the fruit she was describing
"What does it taste like?"
He asked, fascinated by the idea of a delicious foreign fruit that he had never tried before.
After finishing eating the apple, Laila threw the apple peel away to answer Gabriel's question halfheartedly.
"It tastes delicious, soft and melts in the mouth. It's almost like sweetness to me."
"Delicious, soft, melts in the mouth, sweet..."
Gabriel repeated the description as if he was recording the words in his mind. The image of the delicious, soft, sweet fruit was forming in his mind, but it seemed very strange.
He said in a low voice.
"It's hard to imagine something this sweet could grow thousands of miles away."
"It's not difficult since a beautiful girl like me was born thousands of meters away in the northeastern Arabian Peninsula."
She said arrogantly.
Her arrogance returned as if a switch had been flipped.
Gabriel rolled his eyes and suppressed a whiff of annoyance. He muttered under his breath.
"It seems that modesty is not one of your virtues, princess."
"Of course it is not one of my virtues!! I am the daughter of the Caliph of the World Abdul Rahman III. I have the right to be arrogant and conceited."
She said with great confidence while pushing her black hair back arrogantly.
He raised his eyebrow at her words, a hint of anger in his eyes.
"Arrogant and conceited…"
He repeated his voice, carrying a tone of mockery.
"And the fact that you are a hostage here doesn't seem to mitigate this arrogance?"
"Even if I am enslaved, the fact that I am the daughter of the Caliph of this world will remain, and history will write about me as his daughter."
She replied while looking at him with a sharp sideways glance.
Gabrielle narrowed her eyes as she spoke. Her arrogance was infuriating, yet he could not deny the spark of intrigue that her trust in him had ignited
"Your pride is impressive, princess."
His tone had more than a hint of mockery.
"But have you ever considered that perhaps history will never remember you as anything other than a hostage?"
"History is always decided by the winner, and my father always wins."
She said arrogantly as she looked at him intently.
Her confidence and faith in her father's victory was unshakable. Her sharp gaze was defiant as she spoke.
Gabriel met her gaze and narrowed his eyes.
"History is not certain. No one can say what the outcome of this war will be."
He replied, his tone carrying a warning.
"The one who will win this war is my father. Remember that well later."
Her words were filled with certainty, as if history had already been written. Gabrielle couldn't help but feel angry at her arrogance, however…
He shook his head slightly.
"We'll see about that, princess."
He muttered, his tone carrying a hint of defiance