The Knight's Beloved (Royal Entourage Series #1)

Chapter 2

The gates of the palace opened, revealing the elegant structure of the castle. This is not the first time that I am here, but I am always in awe of how it looks. Maybe it’s because I dreamt of living in a palace since I was a child. It was my own little secret because I know it’s impossible for me to be able to fulfill it.

Father talked to a knight while I was busy looking around the place. Gold and diamonds are all on the wall. Just in the wall! People are all laughing and telling stories while some are dancing to the happy music that is playing.

The knight looked at me, and I smiled shyly. He’s tall with a pair of deep blue eyes and shiny, long blonde hair. His thick brows make him look so serious. He stared back at me with his neutral face, and I couldn’t do anything but just look away.

Was I staring for too long?

“Fitch!” I heard one call.

It was another knight walking towards the person I was looking at seconds ago. I looked once more and saw the knight, apparently named Fitch, talking to the other knight who called him. He even gave me a glance making me immediately turn my back at them.

I saw Shenna at the other side of the room, and she was waving at me. I walked towards her and finally got relieved that I was away from that knight, Fitch.

“Wow, Zafria! You look fabulous!” Shenna beamed as she saw what I was wearing.

I shook my head and praised her back. “This banquet is grand as always,” I commented as we took a drink from the drinks table.

She nodded. “Well, we cannot underestimate the elegance of the royal family,” she said. “Especially now that the King is going to announce that the First Princess is going to marry the Crown Prince of Fresoria.”

I agreed. Of course, the King would not want any less than royalty for his first daughter.

“I heard the Prince and the Princess are not on good terms and are not getting along well,” Shenna said.

I looked at her with narrowed eyes. “How did you know that?” I asked.

She smirked at me, and then I knew she used her power of invisibility to gossip inside the palace.

“It’s bad to eavesdrop!” I scolded her.

She rolled her eyes and just looked at me boringly. “No one saw me anyway!” she defended as she drank grape juice from her cup.

I just shook my head at her.

“But here’s the thing,” Shenna began again, and I looked at her. She looked around before leaning closer. “The Prince has another woman,” she said in a whisper.

“What?” I asked in disbelief.

“She’s not a royalty, and that’s why they can’t be together,” she continued.

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Is the Prince going to continue the marriage even though he loves someone else?”

I feel bad for the First Princess. I’m not sure if she likes the Prince, but if she’s going to have an adulterer as a husband, even if he was the Prince of the wealthiest kingdom, it will be a devastating life for her. Nobody deserves to have a cheating husband. 

“I think so. It’s not like the Prince has a lot of choices right now,” Shenna replied.

I sighed. “Well, I can’t help but feel bad for the King and the Princess. A huge banquet is held because of a supposed happy engagement, but it’s not a happy occasion at all,” I told her.

Shenna looked at me. “You should not feel bad. Not all royal marriages are happy, to begin with,” she stated. “All of them are pre-planned and pre-prepared. All of them are written way before the little princes and princesses are born.”

I sighed once more. I guess that’s the downside of being a royalty. They follow different sets of rules to be able to live up to their family. A royalty does not have the right to decline a particular royal decree because it makes them less of a royalty if they ever do.

“It’s a good thing that we’re just women with powers and not with royal blood!” Shenna told me as she giggled while we made our way towards the dance hall.

Loud, lively music was playing while Shenna and I danced to every beat of it. It’s not every day that there is a royal banquet, so when it comes, we enjoy it.

Another set of food was served as the number of guests started to increase. It’s evening soon. I bet the number of guests would be doubled by then.

“Zafria!” Mother called me as Shenna and I were eating at a table near the huge flower vase in the corner of the room. We prefer this area because we could easily observe what the other people are doing. We love doing that—even at school.

I smiled at Mother and waved.

She looked at me and then at Shenna. “It seems like you are having fun,” she said as she sat on the empty seat beside Shenna.

I nodded. “Shenna and I just danced. We got a little tired, so we’re eating to rest.”

“That’s good,” Mother replied and nodded. “Your father and I are just going to meet with our friends from Fresoria. I trust that you and Shenna will behave and not cause a commotion.”

“Of course, Mrs. Zed! Fria and I will behave and just enjoy the party,” Shenna said it like she meant it.

“We will not cause any commotion, Mother. I promise that,” I told her and her stare lingered at me for a few moments before finally nodding at me.

“I have to go. Your father is waiting for me,” she said as she kissed my temple and gave me another look of warning before leaving the table.

Shenna looked at me and shook her head. “You did something that made your mother worry, didn’t you?” she asked me.

I made a face and shook my head. “I didn’t. It was just a small incident in the kitchen,” I said.

“Small?” She raised her brow.

“Yes, small. I kind of tried to control the plates in the kitchen, but I was startled when she called me, so I lost my concentration, and they all fell on the floor.”

Shenna looked at me in disbelief. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” I deadpanned.

Shenna laughed her heart out while shaking her head at me. “No one should really surprise you when you’re using your mental abilities. You get distracted, and then you lose the game.”

I shook my head at her. We continued eating and drinking and occasionally dancing to the music played by the royal band. Looking around, everyone is busy, happily interacting with one another—a sight I don’t get to see often.

It amazes me, as a matter of fact. How can royal celebrations bring people all closer together?

I heard a story about one of the trainers we have in Petharia who met her husband in one of the royal events of King Zion. They apparently met up and exchanged a few letters until her husband asked her to be with him. Right now, they have three children—beautiful daughters—and she’s pregnant with another child. They’re hoping it’s a boy this time.

“Look at that knight!” Shenna squealed against my ear as she pointed at the left side of the hall.

I looked in the direction she’s pointing at and saw Fitch looking at me, wearing his neutral expression still. I narrowed my eyes and tried to read his mind, but I couldn’t. Or maybe he’s not thinking about anything at all at this very moment.

“He’s not that handsome.” I lied, and I was going to stand my ground.

Shenna gave me a dull look. “Seriously? You think he’s not handsome?” she asked me like she’s mocking me.

I looked at him again and then back to Shenna. “No,” keep on lying, Zafria, “he’s not handsome to me.” He’s…dangerously endearing. And maybe his eyes are too dark that one is allured to know him better.

Shenna scoffed at me. “Do you have problems with your eyes? Do you need to see a specialist?” she asked.

I pursed my lips in a thin line and excused myself to go to the washroom. Good thing Shenna didn’t bother coming with me. I needed to regroup. I needed to reset.

Fitch’s stares are too much for me to handle. And I wonder why he’s staring at me? He hasn’t seen me before this party! Why is he eyeing me like I did him wrong in the past?

I took a deep breath and stared at my face in the mirror.

Do not stare at him, Zafria. Do. Not. Stare.

I chanted those words inside my head as I walked out of the restroom. I was feeling a little better as I chanted inside my head. I felt like I was cheering myself up, and it’s working.

I walked back to the hall, but as I was about to enter, I saw a door in a different hallway going to the right-wing of the castle. I suddenly had the urge to walk over there, not thinking if this is dangerous for me.

A gold door welcomed me at the end of the long hallway.

I turned the knob and opened the door just to get mesmerized at the terrace of the castle. It was full of flowers. There was a hammock at the left side of the balcony that looked like it’s made of silver with a little touch of nature because of the ferns around it.

Indeed, this was a breath of fresh air.

But the most spectacular part of this terrace is the overlooking of almost the whole kingdom of New Crysland. Almost, because I couldn’t see Petharia from here.

However, it was just beautiful beyond words. I am amazed at how the royal family and the people living in the castle could witness this every day. I am in great envy!

I leaned on the fence and placed my chin on my palm as I stared at this nature’s beauty. It’s almost nighttime, that’s why the sky has turned orange, but nevertheless, it was so beautiful that I couldn’t have imagined I would be able to see this kind of sight in my whole life.

I sighed dreamily. “How I wish I lived in this castle too…” I mumbled as I continued to admire the view.

Fresh air, nice view, being in the palace—everything just feels so right.

“I guess you’re in the wrong room…” someone said in a dangerously low voice as I heard the door closing, and my eyes widened in sudden fear.