60

Noah
I banged my knuckles aggressively against the hand rails of the balcony. What was Eugene up to? I reminsiced on the moment when I confronted her about it, she simply got up from her seat, laughing away while cleaning her hands with her napkin.
How did she know Ashely Boark? Do she stalk him all the way to the bakery?
Or, did she ask Daniel?
With red tainting my eyes, I asked a guard to call up Daniel to my chambers.
“Yes, my Prince. ” he answered while bowing before walking away.
I walked quickly towards my chambers with my hands clenched into a fist, the guards standing close to my chambers door opened it and I stepped inside briskly, popping out the buttons from my shirt sporadically.
How did she know about Ashley Boark?
I was still deep into thought when Daniel walked in, his eyes groggy from sleep with his head bowed.
“My Prince,” he greeted, “How may I be of assistance to you?”
“Did Lady Eugene on any condition ask you where I was headed almost every day?” I asked him, my naked chest exposed to me.
“No, my Prince.” came his response.
I noticed that he still had his head bowed towards me so I told him, “Raise your head, Daniel. ”
And then he did it slowly till we were both looking at each other, eye to eye. I advanced closer to him and placed an open palm on his clothed shoulder.
“Did she threaten you, Daniel?” I faced him squarely.
“No, my Prince. I rarely speak with Lady Eugene.” he answered.
I let out a sigh of relief, a sudden feeling washing over me. I remembered Nadia and I then touched Daniel by both shoulders.
“Then, can you help me?” I asked.
“Anything you desire, I would do for you, my Prince.” he answered. I was a bit taken aback by his undying loyalty for me as I tries to regain my composure. I don’t know how Eugene got to know about Ashley and I was now certain she was following me around Midon if she was that idle or she had someone do the dirty work for her.
Then why did my mother never ask me about her?
“I saw a woman with a scar on her right hand just below her knuckles in the palace and I think I saw her outside this walls, ” I started, tilting my head from the left to the right, “-And I have a bad feeling about her.”
“Do you want me to execute her, sir?” Daniel blurted out.
Placing a hand on my hip, I shot a disapproving look at him, “Execute who? Why would I ask you to do that?”
“You seemed to be in a state of urgency and panic.” Daniel remarked.
“Don’t ever talk about executing a woman, Daniel,” I warned him with a smirk whole turning my back away from him and proceeding to sit on a gold antique chair.
Crouching low to interlock my fingers with my eyes focused on Daniel who was still rooted at his initial spot.
“Find out if there’s any woman called Nadia in the royal secret service or among Eugene’s staff in Edgemor Cottage. ” I told him.
“Yes, my Prince,” Daniel answered. I dismissed him afterward. I stared in my empty room and I let out a scoff.
“Eugene, how dare you try to manipulate me?” I mumbled, placing a hand under my chin.
***
The next morning, I watched Eugene at breakfast, wondering why she was here instead of being with Rose. I heard my mother had resumed in feeding my father and Daniel had been kind enough to tell me that my father was still ill in bed.
I played with my fork, pinching the scrambled eggs as my eyes landed on her.
“Why are you looking at me, Noah? Shouldn’t you be eating your food?” Eugene stated.
I laughed and placed the eggs in my mouth, munching it with my eyes still fixated on her. Then I got up and pulled my seat backwards.
“Where are you going, Noah? It’s quite early.” I heard Eugene mutter. I lifted my head as we began a staring competition.
“Nowhere.” I answered.
“Hmmm, okay.” Eugene chuckled. For a moment, I felt like probing her on how she knew about Ashley but I knew it would result into something else. What was she planning to do?
I walked out of the royal dining hall with a hand in my pockets, I was about to ask for Daniel when I sighted Matilda with her personal servant running behind her.
“Good morning, ” she spoke. I made no attempt to give her a response. Not like it was needed, “I would be leaving for Arendelle today. Would you see me off?”
“No.” I shook my head.
“You are honest and brutally rude,” she let out a laugh, “Then would you promise me something?”
“I can’t promise to love you, Matilda.” I answered with my eyes facing the walls filled with portraits of my grandmother, Queen Meghan.
“I want you to promise me, that you would marry me. ” she asked.
“Why? So you won’t have to marry a old King?” I retorted back.
“Maybe,” she tilted her head, “At least, I would have a man closer to my age.”
“I know you’re only bothered about the merger and what your father wants. ” I told her.
Matilda shook her head in denial. I crossed my arms across my chest, my eyes facing the portraits in the hallways.
“Promise me, ” she demanded, reaching for my arm but I took a step back.
“I can’t.” I spoke with sincerity.
“But you’ll get married to me, regardless.” Matilda blurted out.
“Then why ask me to promise you that?” I shot up a brow, “Why? Are you scared that I would be married to someone else or you’re just insecure?”
Matilda shot a glare towards me as she bade me goodbye with a radiant smile on her face. She walked past me, brushing my shoulder and promising to send letters. I turned back to look at her retreating figure in a frock.
I wondered why she asked me such ridiculous questions. First, it was the merger which blew up my relationship with my mother and sister and then it was my heart, which was hilarious by the way.
I rather give me my heart to a horse than give Matilda. She acted cold, insane and now weird.
I walked towards my chambers and sighted Daniel. He greeted me, bowing. I asked him where Madam Clarissa was and he told me, she wasn’t anywhere near the left or the right chambers.
I inhaled sharply and he asked if I wanted to leave. I answered in the affirmative, letting him lead the way. As we walked through the lonely passageway, I asked Daniel to drive slowly.
“Yes, my Prince, ” he answered.
Even as he drove with no one looking at me, I was still skeptical. I looked back, watching out or any one on foot or in a vehicle that was acting out of place. It was still morning but I still felt a odd feeling.
I told Daniel to stop driving and I then spoke;
“Did you ask about Nadia?” I asked him.
“I did, this morning but there was no one with that name.” Daniel promptly answered.
Brushing my head against the hard rest of the vehicle, I inhaled sharply while thinking of who to trust or what to believe.
****
“Are you avoiding me, Ashley? ” I asked her, watching as her face turned red. When I entered the bakery, I was a bit saddened when Ashely didn’t say anything and a bit worried. When Damien brought up the idea of going to get flour, sugar and some paper bags, I jumped on it in a hurry and wanted to speak with Ashely. She seemed a bit flustered when I mentioned her name. When I walked out of the bakery, she kept a safe distance from me.
“No, why would I?” Her answer was prompt and quick.
“You’re lying.” I tilted my head to look at her properly with a smirk.
“Why would I lie?” Her voice was smooth and soft.
I fondled the back of my neck, watching her eyes dart away from me.
“Do you remember what I asked you over the phone? Is that why you’re avoiding me?” I blurted out in a hurry. I had a hunch that was why she didn’t want to walk beside me or try to speak.
“What did you ask me?” Ashely answered. I clicked my tongue, wondering why she wanted to play this game with me. Did she really want to go down this road?
“I asked you a question, why are you responding with another one. ” I asked her.
“Shouldn’t we be focused on getting what we were meant to buy?” came her sharp response. I was appalled by it and how eager she was in trying to make me lose interest in her. She was about to walk past me when I held her wrist to keep her in place.
“Why are you doing this to me?” I told her, “It hurts.”
I watched as her facial expression changed. The corner of her lips twitched into a smile.
Why the hell was she smiling?
“I don’t remember what you asked me and even if I did, it doesn’t matter. ” she shrugged nonchalantly.
I felt as if my heart collapsed as my grip on her wrist lessened and then I finally let go of her.