The World Is Still Beautiful (King Livius)

Chapter Four

Livius was simply annoyed at the fact that Amari was near him..

It angers him that Nike is dangling his soulmate before him and expects him not to feel or do anything about it.

He's starting to think about his promise to Nike and falters at times about it..

Back then he was so sure he will be able to resist his soulmate.. But now when he has her before him... He's not so sure anymore..

"Why is Amari always sad?" Livius overheard a maid whispering to her colleague when he walked past them.

"Maybe she's homesick?" the other maid suggested.

"Homesick? That could be the reason..."

"We can just ask her? She's not royalty so we don't need to be so formal with her right?"

"Hmm... We could but I noticed she's especially quiet and reserved.."

"Come to think of it you're right. She might not tell us anything.."

Livius decided to tune out the rest of the conversation as he made his way back to his room..

He opened the door and was stunned when he saw Amari standing at the balcony, stroking some birds perched on either her shoulders, her arm or fingers...

He was pleasantly surprised. He has never seen anyone able to be so friendly with birds before.. Heck it's impressive to him...

Like under an enchantment, he closed the door quietly and took a few steps towards Amari.. But the birds's sensitive hearing alerted them to his presence and they quickly flew off..

Amari sensed someone behind her and whirled around to look into violet eyes like hers..

"I never knew you like birds."

Amari just shrugged her shoulder as she gave a smile to the king..

"Have you always been close to them?"

Amari nodded her head as Livius began to get annoyed with her.

Why won't this girl say anything?!?

He thought about the maid's comment; that Amari is too quiet and reserved.

But this is ridiculous! He is the king and yet here she is hell bent on communicating with him using body languages!

Livius strode forward and grabbed her chin to stare into her eyes..

"Why won't you answer me? Why won't you talk to me?"

Again, silence as Amari trembled a bit from fright. But she never looked away from Livius's eyes..

"Is it..."

Amari continued staring at him..

"Is it because.. you dislike me? You hate me?" Livius whispered as he felt a heart wrenching pain in his chest..

He don't know how to handle it if he hears that... his own soulmate.. rejects him..

He knows that it is selfish of him to feel that way considering from the way he treated her but he can't help it...

Amari shook her head slowly as she tiptoed with a raised hand and ruffled his hair.

Livius blinked in surprise before frowning at her.

"I'm not a kid you know."

Amari grinned before pointing at him, and tracing a heart shape over the left side of her chest..

"You love me?"

Amari frowned, shaking her head.

"Oh... You mean... you're answering my previous question on whether you dislike me or not?"

Amari's eyes sparkled as she nodded her head..

Livius's eyes softened..

Other than Nike, he has never sought for anyone's approval of him before...

He felt so touched by Amari's answer that over the course of the next few days, Livius brought her out to the garden to play with the flowers and butterflies because Amari's eyes shone brighter than the stars whenever she flits like a busy bee from flower to flower..

Of course Livius used the reason that he was just helping her get accustomed to life at the castle. Even Nike joined them sometimes when she's not busy singing songs to summon the rain..

In other words, as days passed by, Livius's feelings for Amari began to deepen...