The Red Princess

Part 13

Wanda dressed up properly, and entered the castle, to meet Natalia. To her surprise, Natalia called her to her chambers and demanded time alone.

"Good noon, your grace" Wanda greeted her.

"Good noon, welcome Lady Wanda" Natalia said with a smile, "please have a seat"

Wanda nervously sat down, when the maids lay the trays on the tables, Natalia asked them to leave, closing the door on their exit.

"So! Wanda! Do you know about your brother's love life? " Natalia asked.

Wanda choked on the lemon cake that she was having, and Natalia rushed to her, patting her back and giving her water.

"Are you alright? " Natalia asked.

"Yes, thank you, dear princess" Wanda said. Natalia blushed and sat down.

"Only your brother has the right to call me that" she said with a wink.

"Princess, I don't understand " Wanda said.

"Your brother confessed that he loves me, I just wanna know since when" Natalia said.

Wanda looked down, "Princess, his love for you is timeless, I bet he him self doesn't know since when. He has always loved you, he cares for you, he worships you" Wanda said, "You have no idea how deep his love is"

Natalia smiled, "that's why I have called you. I want you to enlighten me" she said.

"But, don't mind me asking Princess, aren't you getting engaged to Prince Logan? Why does my brother's love  matter? " Wanda asked boldly.

Natalia sighed, "I have realized I rushed my decision without thinking, I should have known better. My suitor doesn't necessarily have to be royalty, at least I don't think so" she said.

"Does my brother stand a chance? " Wanda asked innocently.

"If he didn't, why would I call you? " Natalia winked at her.

Wanda smiled heavily, "Okay, great. Ask whatever you want. In fact, let me tell you his deepest secret. Princess Natalia, you are the biggest inspiration to his art. You are part of his poetry, his paintings, his sketches, his songs, everything. He is crazy for you, literally crazy. He has a sketch for every emotion of yours" Wanda blabbered.

Natalia listened carefully, trying to focus, not wanting to miss anything.

"I want to see them" Natalia said, "my sketches"

Wanda sighed, "You have to ask him, he doesn't always show me" Wanda said.

"Okay, I will " she said, "Anyways, tell me something else. Why didn't he tell me? I mean we were so distanced, I would have never known. Why did he do that? "

"Because it would have hurt him more " Wanda said in a low voice, "if he had lost you after getting closer"

Natalia imagined Steven's innocent face, tears in his blue eyes, and it hurt her like anything. She never wanted to see him hurt.

"Thank you Wanda, now enough about me, tell me what your brother likes, tell me everything about him " Natalia said.

Wanda laughed, "He only likes you, for him, happiness is a synonym for Princess Natalia" she said, "Just your smile is enough for him"

Natalia grew so fond of Steven, no one had loved anyone like that, not that she heard of, no love story was as great as Steven's love. She blushed heavily.

"Lady Wanda, its going to be difficult, but, I have to reject Logan, and I can't do that until I am certain, so, please keep the subject of this meeting a secret, don't tell your brother too" Natalia said.

"As you say, your grace, may I take your leave now? " she asked, "my fiance awaits me"

Natalia nodded with a smile and Wanda left. She lay down on the bed, and blushed at her thoughts, the feeling of that beautiful night making her shy and happy.

"Oh Steven, what have you done to me? " she said.

At night when everyone slept, Natasha changed her clothes to commoners, hid her face with a hood, and the darkness of the night, rode off on a different horse, towards Steven's home.

Steven lay there in his room, bare chest, staring at Natalia's sketches, adoring her features, when suddenly there was a knock on his window. Getting alert, he stood up, and carefully opened the window.

"Help me in" Natalia said, shivering with cold.

"Princess? "Steven was shocked for life to see her, outside his house, in common clothes at this hour of night.

"Help me in, you can be surprised later" she said.

He bend down, and grabbed her waist, pulling her in easily, and then closing the window. Good thing his room was always locked for his privacy with his art.

"My dear princess, what are you doing here at this hour? You should have called me" he said

Natalia ignored him and started looking, luckily for her, the sketches lay on the bed, and she grabbed on instantly.

"No, my princess, don't " he said but in vain, she had already turned it. Her jaw dropped, as she stared at herself in that sketch.

She looked at him, and he cursed himself internally. She sat down, and started inspecting each one, tracing the lines with her fingers. Her pupils dilated, her mouth slightly open.

Each one a masterpiece, each one showing her beauty to the fullest. Portraying her different emotions.

Steven felt embarrassed, what would she think of him? A stalker, an obsessed lover. He lowered his eyes when she looked at him, unable to see the tears she just developed.

"Where is the one from the night we shared? " she asked.

Steven's hand trembled, but he gave her the one never the less, he had kept it aside, in more covers then the others. She stared at it for long, Steven uncertain of what she was feeling. Until she kept it aside, walked up to him, tiptoed grabbing his shoulders.

"Where are the ones with our.. closeness? " she asked, her voice naughty and seductive, her eyes teasing and demanding.

"Uh.. My princess I.. I didn't draw them" he said hesitantly.

"Why? " she asked, seductively curious, sending shivers down his spine.

"I.. I couldn't " he said.

"Its okay, draw them now " she said, moving back.

"What? " Steven was shocked.

"You heard me, draw the sketches of our closeness, now. I command you Captain. Can you refuse your princess? " she said with authority .

Steven stood there shocked beyond life, as Natalia took a seat beside his bed.

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Natalia is going to play with his innocence😂. Steve is so cute and adorable. Oh Natalia, get the beast out will you. Do give your reviews