𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐀𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞

9. New dancing teacher

Arielle groaned inwardly as she entered the study hall for her morning training. The "future queen training," as they called it, felt like more of a punishment than preparation. From the moment she had arrived at the palace, her schedule had been packed with classes on etiquette, history, politics, and everything in between. But nothing was as torturous as her lessons with Madam Reeta.

The strict woman towered over Arielle, her sharp eyes scanning for any sign of laziness or carelessness. "Again!" Madam Reeta barked, her voice cutting through the room like a whip. "Walk straight, with your back upright. The books mustn't fall!"

Arielle balanced three heavy books on her head as she tried to walk in a straight line. Her feet wobbled beneath her, and she barely caught herself from toppling over. Madam Reeta clicked her tongue in disapproval.

"I cannot believe that a grand duke's daughter is this hopeless!" she scolded, her voice full of disdain. "Were you never trained at all? You don't even know how to walk with grace! And your posture is atrocious!"

Arielle gritted her teeth. Of course, she wasn't a grand duke's daughter. She was Su Mi, a modern-day girl who was nowhere near equipped for this level of royal torture. But she couldn't exactly tell Reeta that.

"Sorry, Madam," Arielle muttered. "I'll try harder."

"You certainly will," Reeta snapped. "You'll be here all day until you can at least master the basics. We cannot have the future queen embarrass herself before the court."

Arielle sighed and continued her endless march. She silently prayed that Aiore would fall for her soon so she could escape this torturous training. But there was no sign of her icy fiancé anywhere. The only people she saw were the relentless instructors, and none of them had any mercy.

After what felt like hours, Madam Reeta stopped her once more. "You don't even know how to dance!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "This is simply unacceptable. I've never seen someone so ill-prepared. It's shameful."

Arielle opened her mouth to apologize again when she heard a familiar, cheerful voice from the doorway.

"Perhaps she needs a new teacher," Aldith said, strolling into the room with his trademark grin. "You're being too hard on her, madam Reeta."

Reeta pursed her lips, clearly annoyed by the interruption. "She has to learn properly, Your Highness. There's no room for leniency."

"Then let me take over," Aldith said smoothly, flashing a charming smile. "At least for the dancing. You know how much I love a good waltz."

Reeta looked scandalized. "But-"

"It's settled then," Aldith cut her off, turning to Arielle. "From now on, I'll be your dancing teacher. How does that sound?"

Arielle couldn't help but chuckle, feeling some of the tension ease. She nodded gratefully. "I think I can live with that."

Reeta muttered something under her breath, clearly displeased, but ultimately agreed to let Aldith take over the dancing lessons. Aldith's easygoing nature was a breath of fresh air after the rigid structure of Reeta's teachings. Arielle couldn't help but think how different Aldith was from Aiore. Aldith was warm, friendly, and always wore that sunshine-like smile. In contrast, Aiore was distant, cold, and said as little as possible.

As Aldith led her to the ballroom for their first dancing session, Arielle found herself wishing-just for a moment-that Aldith had been her target instead of Aiore. Life would have been so much easier if she had to win over someone like Aldith. He was funny, joyful, and so kind. How much simpler it would be to fall for someone like him.

But that wasn't her mission.

Ufff, what a pity!

Dinner that evening was tense, as usual. Arielle sat at the long dining table with Queen Ezra, who watched her carefully. Every move Arielle made felt scrutinized, as if the queen were silently judging whether she was fit to be a part of the royal family.

"How are your lessons coming along?" Queen Ezra asked, her tone sharp but polite.

Arielle straightened her back, forcing a smile. "They're going well, Your Majesty. A bit challenging, but I'm learning."

Aldith, sitting across from her, chuckled and leaned forward. "I'm her dancing teacher now, Mom. I'll make sure she doesn't trip over her own feet during the royal ball."

Queen Ezra's eyes softened slightly, though there was still a hint of disapproval. "Aldith, you mustn't neglect your duties. You are still a prince. I haven't seen you attending sword lessons recently."

Aldith waved a hand dismissively. "I'm not the crown prince. I can enjoy myself a bit more, can't I? Besides, Aiore is the one burdened with all the responsibilities."

The queen's expression tightened, but she said nothing more, likely withholding her lecture because of Arielle's presence. Arielle noticed the subtle tension between the queen and Aldith but chose not to comment.

Her thoughts drifted to Aiore. Why hadn't he joined them for dinner? Where was the king? She hadn't seen either of them all day. She assumed the king must have been busy with royal affairs, but Aiore? For someone she had come to think about constantly, his absence gnawed at her more than she expected.

And then, to her surprise, she realized something. She missed him. Even after all his coldness and silence, she found herself wishing he were there, seated at the table, his unreadable eyes meeting hers. The thought unsettled her.

She shook her head slightly, refocusing on her meal. Missing Aiore? That was absurd. But the longer the dinner dragged on without him, the harder it was to push the feeling away.

After dinner, Arielle excused herself and returned to her chambers, her mind swirling with confusion. Aldith had made her laugh today. His warmth had been a welcome relief from the rigid training schedule. But Aiore... his absence had left a strange emptiness she couldn't quite explain.

As she prepared for bed, she lay back on the soft pillows, staring up at the ornate ceiling. Was she actually starting to fall for Aiore? She didn't know how to feel about that.

Tomorrow would bring more lessons, more training, and likely more of Aiore's cold distance. But tonight, as she closed her eyes, all she could think about was him.