Chapter Twenty Nine
1185 Words
I don't know which was more awkward. Is it expecting that the Crown Prince would actually stop in front of me and start a small talk as if we really know each other? Or is it realizing that he's going to do the opposite and then you'll realize that it was the right thing to do and try to act normal while he was in the vicinity but you only end up acting like a bad actress?
Maybe both were equally awkward. And maybe both scenarios should have just stayed as imaginative scenarios in my head. But that wasn't the case. The Crown Prince really did try to ignore me despite the fact that our eyes met when he walked past me.
It was a weird feeling. It's as if we have a secret affair that he was keeping from anybody else. Well, technically, yes, but that only made me feel sadder than I already was.
"What's gotten into you?" Jang asked while we were having our lunch at the court servant's kitchen. Kaylie had joined us and was also watching me anxiously. And the reason why they were like this? I have no appetite even though it was pork and egg stew that we were having right now, which is one of my favorite things in the world, especially if it's partnered with cornbread. "Are you sick?"
I shook my head because obviously, I wasn't ill. Not even close. The reason why I was like this was the fact that the Crown Prince had not yet contacted me despite his promise that he will talk to me as soon as possible. Why is he not still asking for me to come to his room? Why is he not even looking at me when both of us are in the same room?
It has happened a lot, us being in the same place but as expected he just acted like he could not see me. That, I could understand but when the night came? I don't think I have slept early ever since we went to Kajos and it's already been five days since that traumatic journey. I have expected him to already call for me. In fact, I have been waiting for another letter coming from him.
But not a single letter came to me, so it confused the hell out of me. Should I just go to him and ask him what is happening? Maybe he found out something and he did not want to bother me?
There are a lot of questions in my head for him just like what happened to his trip to the underground prison cells in the dungeon. Did he talk to that blacksmith named Tyroh? And if he did, what did he discovered about the golden bracelet? And what about that golden bracelet? When is he going to return it to me? Should I just ask him about it?
I know that the Crown Prince isn't going to nick it but just in case he wants to keep it for a longer time, I think the Crown Prince should inform me, right? I mean, I let him borrow it thinking that he's just going to check on it for a day or two and then he will return it to me again after that. But that's not what is happening so I just feel so anxious and I think I am starting to overthink this.
"Rainha, no offense, but you look like you need some rest," said Jang to me. "Right, Kaylie? Our friend here is not well, right?"
Kaylie vigorously nodded. "You sure are!" she said nodding. "Maybe this is caused by stress from what happened to your aunt. I think you need to go back to our quarters and rest, Rainha. Go. We'll just tell Madame Morris about it. I'm sure she'll understand."
"Yeah, but I don't want to go back to our quarters. It's boring there when there is no one around," I exclaimed sadly. "And besides, I almost forgot that I'll have to see Blasie."
Jang looked offended at what I said. "You are what?"
"Oh, did I not tell you yet? Blasie is coming here to the Palace to come and see me..."
Both of them were confused at this because it was not a secret that I don't like Blasie. So I know that they are wondering what is about to happen when the two of us meet.
"Oh come on," I said to them because Jang looked like Madame Morris just told her that she was going to lost ten pieces of coalstones this month. "It's not that bad. I already talked to her, remember? I went to her house to ask her a favor about informing Garreth of what happened to Aunt Milca."
"I know that," Jang responded. "And I know that this time is the same. You are just going to talk about Garreth's response, right?"
I nodded. "I hope she has some good news. I hope my brother told her something to relay to me."
"Like what? Clues about your aunt's whereabouts that only Garreth knows?"
"Something like that." This was the reason I was uninspired right now. My mind and body were not yet ready to face Blasie. I am still not over all the worries and theories that I have about why the Crown Prince is not yet asking me to go to him. Talking to Blasie for me needs a lot of attention and acting and right now I am not in my best disposition to do all of that. I think I really need to rest then if I wanted to meet my brother's future wife, so finally, I heeded my friends' advice.
But just as when I was already heading back to our quarters, I happen to saw the Crown Prince walking in the direction of the garden. This made my heart beat faster because something tells me that I should follow him and know where he was heading. So I looked around to see if somebody saw me started following the Crown Prince and thankfully there was no one around.
I tried my best not to be noticed (especially by the Crown Prince himself) so I needed to hide from sight whenever I could see that he was about to turn around to check if someone was following him. Luckily, he did not manage to spot me so I just went on following him until we reach the garden. The Crown Prince walked into the frosted plants and began to talk.
"Are you still here?" he said to something that I could not yet see (I was hiding behind the steel, decorated gate that separates the garden from the rest of the castle.
At first, I don't know who he was talking with but then I saw someone come out of the bushes which were covered in powdered snow. It was a girl, and I just thought that maybe this was a girl that the Crown Prince was now seeing. That thought alone tore my heart into a million pieces.
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