Red

Chapter 19 - Aspen's POV

The Talk

I don't know what game I was playing. But what I do know is that while playing, I might not only lose my heart, but Violet's heart too.

I just left her room that smelt so much like her, a scent that I could have around me forever and never get bored of it. I wanted to do it, to commit the sin, at least it was a sin for a young lady of her age.

Even if we had done it once, I couldn't ruin her again. Kissing her however is a whole different story.

When I first saw her as I came into the room, no more than an hour ago, I saw how exhausted she looked. Eye bags rested upon her pretty face and her hair in such a mess that I couldn't put my hands through it like I wanted. She smelt nice and that was all I could think about, even in such an important meeting as what the future will hold for Katai.

"Don't you agree Prince Aspen?" A man who I did not recognise asked with such power in his voice that I was scared to do anything other than nod my head, expressing validation to whatever he said, which I did not listen to.

Once again, I let her get into my head to knock me off my feet when I needed to concentrate. My kingdom and duty were more important. It's not like I was going to marry her. She wasn't even noble, I couldn't waste my time on her, Alyssa however...
She wasn't noble but the general's daughter and grieving. She sat next to my father as we talked about what we were going to do concerning Red infiltrating my castle.

When I am king, no such thing shall happen.

If I ever find the sociopath that calls himself Red, I shall make him pay for all the pain he has caused.

The group that was in charge of the generals death and I left the meeting room to go see his body one last time before the burial ceremony after the final challenge. To honor him.

But what they don't know is that he impregnated my mother, no one knows apart from us, the princes. We vowed to keep it a secret till the day we die, because we don't want to hurt our father more than he already has.

The body was still laying on the bed, but no blood was around him. One thing I must admit is that Red certainly knows how to make a clean kill, I wonder from where he learnt it.

I went closer to the dead, the scar on his forehead must have hurt. A chill went through my body simply thinking about it. He must now die with a marking, another man's symbol carved on him.

...

Today was a day of planning and meetings! My coronation was in just a bit over a month and my father kept on repeating that for him, he was ready a month before the actual event.

My fitting was first and a petite woman who I knew as Camila, Violet's maid, came in.

"I came for the seamstress." I informed her but the harsh look on her face gave me the impression that she knew and didn't particularly care.

"Look, you have done so much for V-Lei, how about I grant you a favor!" Her face lightened with hope and awe. A prince's favor was to be thought out well and not to be taken for granted.

"A job." She abruptly babbled.

"Don't you already have one? A maid or seamstress, whatever you are." I inquired.