The young prince took her hand as soon as she finished dressing into something neat.
"You look good. You're a noble with a high rank, considering that you have expensive jewels and a magnificent dress," Louis said as he observed her overall appearance.
"Do you expect me to woe a noble?" she said as she turned around.
"No~ I am just helping you a way out," he said
"I can't go. Elijah has all my belongings, and I need them to find my birth parents," She said as she again felt disappointed.
"Then should I tell them that you are my maid so that you can stay in the castle for a long time" He decided for himself.
"I will take the risk," she replied.
The young prince leads her to the room full of nobles and royals. Everyone's eyes were so focused on her.
"She is a beauty" men admired her presence as they sipped wine.
"She has hazel eyes," the women said as they were focused on her presence.
The trumpets were blown as the royal family entered the room.
"The king, queen, and princes are here! Bow down," they announced, and Ayla just obeyed their order because she did not want to lose her head.
As soon as she lifted her head, she saw a very familiar man, and as she rekindled her thoughts, the man's features were very similar to those she saw in Kaastiana's land.She just stood there in the corner and watched the crowd enjoying the party.
"I have been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?" Elijah asked as he went to her willingly.
"Not to mention that you are dressed like a noble, and those girls despise your wellbeing here," He warned as he took a sip of the wine.
"Why would they despise me when they can see that I am not interested in men" she replied and ate a grape.
"They despise you because you are alluring to many men. The men do not want to dance with other women except you. You have made such a great impression," He said with a whisper to her ears and smiled at her.
"It was all prince Louis' fault. He was the one who dressed me up in the princess' chambers," she said as she took a glass of wine from the tray.
"Then you should give me y---" he was cut off as soon as a man offered his hand to her.
"My lady~ if you want to avoid the attention, you should dance with me. Your first dance will not encourage all of the men in this room, and you will no longer dance with another" he offered her a choice of being seen by many.
"You really have to do this?" Elijah said
"Well, it's up to her to deci---" he stopped talking as soon as she grabbed his hand.
"Let's go then," she said.
The man took her to the middle of the dance floor.
"You quite marked your name in every man's heart in this court, and I applaud you for that," He said
"You're familiar. Have you been out of the country weeks before?" Ayla asked him
"No~ why would a crown prince go out and endanger himself?" he asked
"You're the Crown Prince?" she asked as she remembered the time in his quarters earlier this afternoon.
"Yes, I am. Can't you see the symbolic mark on my cape?" He said as he raised her eyebrow and signaled her to see the left part of his shoulder.
"Then that means I have gathered so much attention from the crowd. You told me that--" Ayla was stopped from talking.
"Yes, you will get more attention since you want peace. Other men will no longer want to dance with you since no one will dare to lay their hands on the Crown prince's possession," he said as he smirked.
"You are a sly fox," she said
"I'm offended that I am being compared with an animal," he said as he lifted her.
"It was a compliment," she replied, which made him laugh
"Your words are the opposite of a compliment," he said.
"Oh well! I must say that you are a good dancer," she said as the man put his hand on her waist and she put her hand on his cheek as a sign of seduction.
"And now you are seducing me," he said
"I am not," she replied
"I know I will be hanged soon because I am dancing with a crown prince," she continued.
"Serdruan doesn't punish innocent lives," he said as he turned her around three times.
"Well then, your king is displeased seeing you dance with another when you should be dancing with a powerful duchess, a princess, or even a queen to strengthen their military alliance," She told him, which made him smile wider.
"I am quite impressed. You know how politics works," The prince said, but they were touching each other's hands this time.
"Thank you for the compliment," she said
"Well then. I should go and meet someone who will strengthen my military power," he said as he left her behind.
Elijah quickly pulled her out of the dance floor.
"You shouldn't be dancing with him. He's engaged," He warned her
"Engaged?" she asked him.
"Yes, he was. Only the king of Serdruan can break his engagement and his betrothed," Elijah told her.
"Who is he engaged to?" she asked him.
"Why? Are you interested in the Crown Prince?" He asked
"Don't overthink about that. I don't wish to be hanged or accused of being an adulterer. Unless you will report me as a spy from Kaastiana," she told him, which made him speechless.
"I spared you because I know that you are not a spy," he replied
"How can you be sure of that?" she asked him as she looked at his eyes directly.
"I cannot see any bad intention of you, and I can feel your pure aura," he replied
"You didn't tell me about who the king of Serdruan tied his son to?" she asked again.
"It was the young queen of Egothedia," he replied
"But why isn't she here?" she asked him again.
"It was because she was long gone, ten years ago," he said
This time she experienced headaches again. It was one of those memories that she thinks it wasn't hers.
YOU ARE READING
The Bloodshed Crown
Historical FictionErytheia Knight who was the queen of Egothedia was lost since she was at her six years of age. She was engaged together with the Crown Prince of Serdruan Alexander Le Normand III at the age of four through a public announcement by their parents. Thi...
