Haven And Chaos

64) Maya versus the Princess

Stray eyes were beginning to dart our way from the guests who passed by heading for the drinks. Even though we kept smiling at each other not to draw attention to us at this party, one could still see the hostility in our eyes as we glared at each other.

"Hmph! Let's go Mia, we'll have someone teach this bastard a lesson later," Lori said taking her daughter's hand to leave. But two burly men and one woman in the palace's guard uniform showed up from the direction where the dining area was, possibly from a back door.

Lori and Mia stopped to face them. She scoffed and gazed at us again, her fake smile faded. "Are these your minions playing guards, little duke?"

I pinched my nose bridge murmuring to myself, "Oh boy, here we go again."
This drama was stretching a bit too far. Now the guards were involved. Had they spotted us on the CCTV and were here to kick us all out?
At least that would save me a lot of time and effort to blend in with these high-class nobles.

The guards halted in front of us and then, taking us all by surprise, offered a deep bow that was only reserved for royal families.
My brows lifted as my lips slowly parted from the unexpected shock.
It just didn't make any sense. Was he a royal member? But his supposed father wasn't even blood-related to the imperial family.

Argh! Now my head was spinning trying to solve the puzzle Stan had presented.

"Your Highness, who among these three do you need to leave the ball?" The female guard asked eyeing us keenly.

Stan gestured his chin towards Lori and Mia. "I want them gone and completely out of the palace. That shouldn't be a problem for dear Abel, right?"

The guards nodded bowing before quickly and swiftly pouncing on the mom-daughter duo who looked too dumbfounded to blink normally. "This is a joke, right?" Mia asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"Please exit the hall this very moment. Causing a commotion in the palace will earn you no less than six months in prison," one of the two men reminded them in a professional tone that also possessed an edgy lining.

"It's them who are supposed to leave. Do you know who I am? Do you know my family?" Lori squeaked desperately as the guards began leading them towards the empty dining area.

"Ma'am, we don't care who you are as long as you're not above the crown Prince," the female guard responded sassily.

The urge to clap for her made my palms itchy. But the sight of the two being dragged away like criminals because of their resistance was more thrilling. I just wished I had my phone and record this amazing moment and post it for the world to see.

A few murmurs came from the small crowds closest to us that had witnessed the incident and eyes were directed at us...at Stan. All wondering, just like me, who the hell he really was. No son of a duke had this much power.
Without a word, Stan walked over to the large table a little distance from us and picked up two glasses of wine, and then came back.

"Out with it. I can read your face like a cover," he said and then chuckled gently while handing me one of the glasses.
We walked over to a different spot that had a better view of the entrance, spotting the new arrivals as they descended the stairs, their clothes looking damn gorgeous.

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GALE'S POV
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The light flooding the hall from the large windows illuminated almost every person down there. As they held their bows and curtsies, Paula and I walked down the stairs step by step, hand in hand.

She was all smiles while I held my professional face which was in between a half smile and a poker face. My mind had wandered off with my eyes trying to find a particular redhead among the five I had already spotted.

"Rise!" Paula's gentle order came as we left the stairs. "This looks much more lively than last year's."

"Indeed."
I couldn't only agree with her for I was too distracted by a certain redhead in the dress I had personally picked out for her.
Who was she talking to? I couldn't see him with his back at us and with all these bodies moving our way, eager for a chance to speak with Paula.
Tonight, I was not the highest person in the room. And I was okay with it because it was too draining being the center of attraction.

Maya smiled at the man in her company and I instantly lost my senses. I was about to tear myself from the princess and abandon her but she clung tightly to my arm.
"... look beautiful, My Princess," one of the eager nobles surrounding us complimented.
Paula shook it off with a light chuckle.

"Thank you, thank you."

I leaned closer to her ear and asked, "What would you like to drink?"

She turned her head, letting me share her breaths, and then stared into my eyes for a second or two.
I saw a certain spark that I may have mistook for attraction in those eyes and ignored it completely straightening. If she gazed at me with that kind of charm, people would mistake it for something else. And I was not ready for any romantic drama in my life.
Especially with the princess.

"Walk me there, Gale. I'll decide when I see the options." She smiled sweetly.

"Okay."
I, without excusing ourselves from the crowd around us, changed our direction towards the table placed near the outer corner, walking closer to Maya and whoever she was talking to.

"Is that... Stan?" Paula squeaked excitedly.

I followed her eyes and they ended up on the man Maya was with.
My jaw immediately clenched. "You...you know him?"

She turned her face at me and nodded smiling. "He's Prince Stanley, the second son of King Miles."

The name sounded familiar. And then it clicked. He was the son of a mistress King Miles had had before ascending the throne two decades ago. The world knew little of him, and I had gathered this much from our intelligence when we were tasked to investigate King Miles' past by the Emperor when his family usurped the throne from the previous King who only ruled for a few months. That was back in the war period.

Paula pulled me towards them, which I didn't resist. I wanted to see them and hear what they were talking about that was making Maya smile so widely.
We made eye contact a few steps from where they were and I frowned when she deliberately averted her gaze to fall on Stanley.

I indeed did feel my blood rushing through my body in a viscous flow as wild thoughts filled my head of how badly I could smack his face in front of her.

"Stan?!" Paula called.

The male turned around while still smiling.
The smile faded by half upon laying eyes on me and I reciprocated the feeling by hardening my gaze.
"I thought you wouldn't make it."

"Princess." He placed his right hand on his heart and gave a short bow. "You look charming as always."

Paula giggled hugging my arm even tighter, pressing the side of her boobs on it. Was she doing this on purpose?
There was still the big question at the back of my mind that I hadn't figured out yet; who had invited Maya here?

"Who might this be?" Paula asked looking at a frowning Maya.

"This is-"

"Amaya Ermold, your Highness," she introduced offering a curtsy that looked intentionally clumsy. "Pardon me, I'm a little tipsy." This little minx. Her confidence was impressive, but knowing when to yield when facing absolute power was called being wise.

Paula laughed it off. "It's okay Maya. By the way, I love your dress, is that from Louis Vuitton?"

Maya smiled fakely at Paula, "I don't know, it was a gift."

I chuckled in my mind. Didn't gifts come in boxes?