Kingdom of Lies

Chapter 5

My Nan gave me some sweeties that I thought would be bomb but they are mank and I'm thoroughly disappointed-I wanted to add them to my stash and stuff my face with them but-alas- it wasn't meant to be.

Smh. Thanks Nan.

LEGGO.

"Wait-you actually beat Jace?"

I sigh for what felt like the millionth time. "Yes Isabelle."

"In an actual duel?"

"Yes Isabelle."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure."
It was a total lie. In reality,I wasn't sure at all of what had happened on the mat.
It sure looked like I won,but everytime I thought of his lazy smirk-I felt like I had lost a bet I didn't even know I had placed.

It had driven me crazy for the past two weeks,replaying the scene constantly in my head. I had been practising daily,in case the opportunity of fighting him again ever came up. Isabelle had come to visit me today,and still didn't believe I might have won.

"Just...wow. I've fought him since he was a child and he is hard to beat. I'm surprised someone as tiny as you could beat him up." She remarks,taking a sip of her tea. I roll my eyes and continue to thread the small needle through the soft fabric in my fingers. One of my dresses had gotten ripped and I was in the middle of mending it.

Isabelle eyes my work distastefully.
"You know you have maids that could happily do that for you-right?" She reminds me,as if speaking to a child.

"I know,Isabelle,I just want something besides throwing daggers to occupy me.I've been so bored in this castle lately." I reply. She sets her tea down.

"I bet Jace could keep you occupied." She waggles her eyebrows.
I roll my eyes at her,hiding my slight pink flush.

"Isabelle!" I scold,scanning the room just to make sure Jace hadn't magically appeared in it.
She shrugs,unabashed,and continues to sip her tea.

"I'm just saying- you have a perfect distraction all wrapped up in a delicious gold wrapping every night,you should take advantage of it." She states.

I raise my eyebrows. "I thought Jace was like your brother? Isn't it a little weird to refer to him as "delicious" ?" I say,reversing the pressure. She doesn't seem to care though.

"Sure-he's like a brother,but that doesn't mean I can't admire him. Angel knows the crude things he's said about my legs." She mutters into her cup.

By the Angel-this was one strange kingdom.

There's a knock on the door and I look up to see Helen hovering in the doorway.

"Yes,Helen?" She curtsied before stepping into the room.

"Milady,the king is requesting your company in the study." I nod and stand up,placing the dress I was mending on the table in front of me.

"I'll be back soon,Isabelle."

"Take your oh-so-precious sweet time,sweetheart." She winks at me over the cup. I roll my eyes for the hundredth time and follow Helen out of the room. The walk there is silent as Helen guides me to his study.
We enter through large oak double doors and into quite a big room.
A stained glass window on one side casted filtered rays of light over the desk in the middle of the room where Jace sat at. He was writing something on a piece of paper and didn't look up.

"Thank you,Helen,you may leave now."
She curtsied and quickly left the room.
I stand still for a moment then move towards the desk until I am two feet away.