“It’s a lady, actually a woman, and right now she’s in this palace. Avalon am I right?” King Aiden asked.
She pretended not to know what he was talking about.
“What are you talking about? I don’t understand”
“I am confused,” she replied, trying to be innocent.
“Stop playing games; did I look like a fool to you? You are in touch with mom?” He asked and gave her a luthal glare.
“What are you saying? Mum, the last day I saw her was the last time you set your eyes on her. “Princess Avalon denied the allegations.
“Liar, what rubbish!” He rose on his feet.
“Guards go to Queen Twinkle’s room and bring the person in there. No one should get out of the palace,” King Aiden said in an authoritative tone, and the guards bowed their heads and left immediately.
He used his power to hold all the power in the palace down.
“King, why are you doing this? Why are you overreacting?” Princess Avalon shouted, but King Aiden didn’t give her a glance. which shows he didn’t give a damn.
He adjusted himself on the throne. A few minutes later, the guards dragged Lee to the living room.
“Let go of me, What’s my offense? Is it a bad thing I am checking through the palace and I mistakingly get into the queen’s room?” he shouted, trying to release himself.
“Hey, what are you all doing, what’s your problem, leave my boyfriend alone!” Princess Avalon shouted; she had already let out a few words before she realised that she had just called Lee her boyfriend.
“I mean leave him alone; let him go. Did he look like a woman to you?” She tried to talk back to her words.
Lee smiled despite still being strongly held by the guards.
“What’s this? Is this the person I asked you to bring here?” King Aiden thundered.
“Your Majesty, this is the only person we found in her Majesty’s room.”
“She was sleeping, and he was glaring at her,” the leader of the guards said.
“You all can’t do anything properly; can’t you recognise him? Let go of him; this is not the person I asked you to bring” He paused.
“I still feel her presence in this palace; check through and make sure all the doors are shut and no one gets out of the palace.
Any strange thing should be reported,” King Aiden said in an authoritative manner, and they all left with a bow.
Lee adjusted his clothes.
“So mean, did I look like a lady to them?” he said, dusting his shirt.
“What are you doing in the queen room without permission?”King Aiden asked.
“Your majesty, we all heard him say it was a mistake. He’s only checking through the house. It’s been a while that he has been here, and the settings of the building have changed.
Why don’t we leave him out of this?” Queen Dylan suggested.
“Yes, my king, I got into her room by mistake. The room belonged to the eldest queen before, which was your mom, and it has been empty for years, but on seeing light sparkling in the room, I have the feeling the room has been rearrange.
So I chose to take a look, not knowing that her Majesty was staying in there. Forgive me,” Lee said and bow slightly.
“It’s okay, but you should always try and make sure you are with someone when you are trying to take a tour of the house. Sorry for how they treated you,” King Aiden apologised on behalf of his guards.
“You are welcome, brother. Sorry I mean King, but can I still refer to you as brother?” He asked.
“Yes, why not; you will always be my brother? Don’t just tamper with the laws so you won’t get on the list.
You know I hate subjects I can’t trust, and I feel like you are on trial for such. Be more careful with me,” King Aiden instructed.
Lee glared at him for sometimes and smiled.
“I won’t do such; I will always remain truthful, my king. And please, my lord, I have agreed to get married to Helen, but can you please allow me to go out with the princess tonight?” Lee asked.
“You know royalty doesn’t go out at night; it’s dangerous; the enemy might get through us. And I can’t risk the life of the only surviving daughter of the royal.
You can spend time with her in the palace,” King Aiden disapproved.
“Brother, please, I will be fine. Trust me when I say that. You shouldn’t worry about me. It won’t take much time,” Princess Avalon said Making an unhappy face..
“Only if you are innocent tonight. And even if you are innocent, you shouldn’t leave the palace without the guards. Your safety matters to me,” King Aiden said.
“I think mom was smart and must have escaped from the room. This is her house; she knew everything about this place. She must have escaped,” Princess Avalon thought to herself and smirked.
“Why do you keep silent? Don’t you have anything to say to this?” King Aiden asked.
“It’s your choice, King; as long as it’s for our safety, I am cool, but I don’t really welcome the idea,” Princess Avalon replied.
“If you insist you don’t want guards, no problem, but make sure you call for me whenever something not pleasant is about to happen.” The king instructed.
“Yes, my Lord, we will surely do that,” Lee said with a smile.
******
“Master Lee,” Helen called out, running after him.
He stopped and frowned.
“What do you want?” You must be very excited that I will be getting married to you, right? I can’t imagine you will be called my wife,” Lee said and spat angrily.
“I don’t want to get married to you either; you aren’t the man of my dreams. In fact, you are so mean; I am only tolerating your indistinct behaviour because of the princess; if not, I know my worth. I don’t need a guy like you,” Helen said with an eyeroll.
“Imagine what rubbish, you haven’t even become my wife and you’ve started acting like a queen, and again, how can I be your type of man when you are just a lowlife person? The poor eat and dine with the poor”
“I know a guard will most likely be your type of man,” Lee said, adjusting his shirt.
“Lee, that was too much; why on earth will you say such things to her? Why have you become so mean?” Princess Avalon asked from behind.
They both turned to look at the Princess.
Lee couldn’t hold himself as he kept glaring at the princess intensely.
She walked closer to them.
“You caused that; why would you play with my emotions? Because right now I don’t feel like I have any emotions left in me,” he said and left angrily.
Helen, who already had teary eyes, let the tears stream down her cheek.
Princess Avalon moved closer.
“I am sorry; I never knew Lee had changed so much.
Don’t worry, you both will get along. I know he’s a nice guy and will show up.
I am the reason for all of this. I am so sorry, please forgive me; you shouldn’t worry, everything will be okay,” Princess Avalon said, wiping away her tears.
“I am very sorry, my princess; I don’t think I can be happy with him. He had really changed; he is now a chameleon. We need to be very careful with him. He is not the Lee you know; he’s not your Lee again.
A devil now resides inside of him. Please, my princess, why don’t you let him live his life the way he ever wanted to?
I know you feel sad about hurting his feelings, but you aren’t the first person to do that, and you certainly won’t be the last.
It’s a normal thing that happens in a relationship, and I think you have some good reasons for that,” Helen said, hugging her tightly.
“I guessed you are right; it’s high time I let him go. I realised this after seeing what happened here; he was so mean and never treated you with respect; I am so sorry for that. I made him like that; I make almost everybody uncomfortable. I am a useless fool,” she cried.
“No, my princess, you are a good person.” “I trust you and will forever do,” Helen coaxed her into a hugged and cuddled her.
******
Guest room
Lee was in the room, scattering everywhere.
“No, Avalon, why are you doing this to me?” Why do you make me fall deeply in love and then neglect me?
Why would you jilt me for royalty? Why do you choose the throne instead of me?
Do you really think I can live without you? I have never planned a life for myself without picturing you in it.
I am supposed to be mad and should hate you forever after you cancel our marriage. The marriage I thought would be a good and memorable one was shattered, and I can’t get myself to hate you.
You make me a worthless person who drinks around till my parents think of getting me married to another lady so that we can both travel abroad.
I don’t want to love anyone again except for you. I love you, Avalon, and I will make you mine even with the last drop of blood in me”
“I know you still love me; you are forever mine,” Lee cried, settling on the bed.
He brought out a small picture of Princess Avalon he kept in his wallet and kissed the photo.
After pouring out his heart, he chooses to take a walk to the garden.
He strolled lazily to the garden, looking around for beautiful flowers.
He saw a flower and admired it. He scents the flowers and imagines Princess Avalon in front of him.
“Lee, don’t be mad at me; I am very sorry; I was so foolish.” You are the only person I love and want to love forever.
“Please will you embrace me?” she said with tears in her eyes.
A smile erupted from his lips.
“Yes, my princess, I love you so much and will never stop loving you,” he said, running to embrace her.
“Leave me alone; who are you?” The gardener’s woman shouted.
He came back to his senses. He released her at once.
“Sorry, it was a mistake; I thought you were Avalon,” he said, apologising.
“It’s okay, but you should stop daydreaming; how can you imagine me to be the princess? I am just a gardener.
Young Master, I think you need some rest,” the woman advised.
“Did you know me?” he asked.
She smiled.
“Who wouldn’t know you? I have served here for years, even before our baby; you always come here to get flowers for the Princess, and she also did the same.
Both of you can’t do without each other. It was so cool seeing how grown up and smart you both have become,” she said.
“Oh, thank you; I forgot. I stopped coming here to get flowers after we both travelled out of the country for our schooling,” Lee said, smiling.
“Oh, I was wondering why you stopped coming, but I am very sorry you won’t be getting married to the princess,” she said with a bow.
“It’s okay; I just realised that love is sometimes a punishment. Love hurts a lot; I never want to fall in love again.” He quivered his lips, feeling regretful.
“No, young master, you shouldn’t give up on your love easily.
There might be a reason behind this.
If Princess didn’t love you, she wouldn’t have asked you to marry someone so close to her.
And she wouldn’t be coming here every morning to collect the flowers you like most, and she gave me some money to distribute as charity to the needy.
She gave me money every day to give to the poor with the flowers she always asked me to make for her.
Then inside, she always wrote something on paper, and when I read it, It was boldly written that: Pray to God that Lee should forgive me for hurting him.
“I am sure there’s a reason behind that,” the woman explained.
“Mother, I have gotten the flower princess asked for,” Xee shouted, running towards her mother.
“Really, that’s smart of you Give it to me; she will come for it tomorrow morning.” The woman said it with a smile.
“You are really a smart boy, but can I have the flowers?” I will reward you greatly.
“You can get another one for the princess,” Lee said, and bend to his level.
“Don’t worry, the princess always takes care of us.” I won’t sell this out; she promised to send me out of the country to study, and I promised to reward her.
Then she asked for a bouquet of roses, which she said was for someone special.
So I am sorry, I can’t give it out” Xee refused.
“Smart boy, but please,” Lee pleaded with a pout. Xee smile.
“I will give it because I am Xee and I am smart. I will find another one for the princess,” he said, smiling.
He stretched out the flowers and his second hand. Lee wanted to take the flowers, but she shook his head, negatively signalling him to put money in his hand.
Lee smiled and played with his hair. He brought out some money from his wallet and put it in his hand.
He immediately gave him the flowers and gave all the money to his mother.
“Take good care of yourself and enjoy; I have to get back to work. Never give up on your love. You might not have this chance again,” she said before leaving.
“Princess, I know you love me a lot, but why are you doing this to us? Why are you punishing us like this?
I am cold toward Helen because I don’t want to stand a chance of falling for her.
Don’t I have the chance to know what the problem is? Why is everything so unclear to me?” Lee thought while strolling back to the palace with the flower in his hand.
He saw something and picked it up. He was so shocked at what he saw.
TBC