~HEARTS & FANGS~

5. PRINCESS ZOË XING👑

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...5...

PRINCESS ZOË XING👑

Two weeks passed by with her acting just fine, not trying to escape or to even do something remotely mischievous. She was lax, just enjoying her freedom to the fullest. She bounced around the house delighted, especially the left wing where he resided due to the library, for she loved books, especially loved the ones he had. She also frequented the flower garden and the kitchen. She loved watching food being made for she was not good at doing so. She was a disaster at cooking meals. She also liked the small stream close to the garden, the one running through his manor. She never thought of escaping via the stream for it wouldn't get her far away from his manor. She liked swimming in the shallow watercourse, playing at the very edge for she could not swim and then lying in the sun, basking in its warmth.

He knew all these because he watched her from a distance, wanting to be half sure that she will do just as she had promised him and not try anything funny. And his suspicion was refluent with each passing day. It ebbed away, little by little until he could no longer distrust her anymore. She would keep to her word for a while. He was sure of it. She had been giving him the cold shoulder ever since then. Now, that was the only thing that bothered him, her blatant silence at his appearance. She would completely ignore him if he spoke to her, no matter what he did to provoke her speech. She would be stubbornly mute if he cornered her, even when he kissed her. She would leave the room instantly if he entered into it. It was quite frustrating yet rather challengingly fun to him -trying to conquer her resolve.

'What are you thinking about?' the third prince's voice broke into his reverie. He turned away from the window of his study to his brother, the little prince.

'Her,' was his tired reply to his brother.

'Well, that should not bother you too much for I can see that she is quite promising. She is finally settling in and accepting her fate from what I have observed.'

'Little, I see that too. But, she is not settling well with me. She is putting me out of the picture and that is what bothers me,' he confided in him, going to take a seat.

'I do not blame her for doing so you know.'

'What did you say?' he asked although he had heard him.

'First, you are crass and rough. You are absolutely no woman's dream. I support you being out of the picture. You will utterly demean its value,' he said taking a seat with an evil smirk on his face.

'Why you little imp,' he cussed out at him, angry and quite hurt. 'I'm your brother.'

'Well I'm just saying,' he said to him with a nonchalant shrug.

'Oh keep your stupid thoughts to yourself Maximilian!' he scowled. Maximilian chuckled, enjoying teasing his brother who was struggling to collect himself. His brother was only ever not composed in matters concerning his woman, the one he kept. 'Why are you even here?' he demanded. They got serious.

'The bimonthly council meeting is around the corner First. It is just four days away.'

'I am aware of that. You tell me that every day now you know?'

'You shall be housing only three of the clan leaders this month. The centre prince normally does but that itinerant bastard Jasper is nowhere to be found and I doubt he will show up in time for the meeting or even show up at all,' the little prince lamented. The emperor stared at his brother long and hard. 'What is the matter?' the little prince asked when he wouldn't stop.