Royal Chapter 4

Kadline's POV (Centertown of Matias Kingdom, Beaumont, Belgium)

He accompanied me as we stepped out of the coffee shop after he paid for our drinks. I hold on tight on my clutch bag and I'm trying not to look on his eyes because I think my face is already reddish. I don't like what I'm feeling right now. He started walking so I followed behind but he stop when he noticed that.

"Why don't you walk beside me, Princess Kadline?" I unintentionally met his gaze and suddenly look away. I'm getting uncomfortable right here.

"I-I don't know where we are heading to. So, I'm following you behind." I said without looking at his handsome face.

"I don't know too, I'm just tracing this road. And I don't mind walking beside you, perhaps, I'd rather be close to you so I can protect you." He grinned and it made me laughed a little. He's really something.

"I'm starting to like your flowery words right now."

We continued walking beside the road. The town is now crowded with people who want to buy anything on the roadside market. We're both quietly walking until I saw a flower stall. The old lady sells fresh different flowers and as far as I know myself, I love flowers especially tulips. I suddenly rushed to the stall and look closely at the tulip.

"Let me guess your favorite flower, Milady" I look at him while he started to look in the flowers on the stall. The old lady lit up her face when she looks at me. She recognized me and she bowed for showing curtsy. I smiled and silently give her a sign to not spill anything and let this man beside me guess as much as he can. She immediately understands what I'm trying to say so she nodded as a response that caught Lucius' attention. He looks at the old lady and switched to me. I raised my eyebrows and look innocently.

"You have a guess now, Sir?" He tilts his head and gets back looking to the flowers. It looks like he still not made up his guess yet.

"Hmm.. let's see if I'm right. Roses?" I shook my head as my response then he frowned.

"How come a lady like you don't like roses? Every woman I know love roses."

"I'm not like them, Sir Lucius. I tell you, I'm different." I gave him a wide smile as he smiled at me too.

"Sunflowers?"

"No"

"Daisy?"

"Still no"

"How about Daffodil?"

"Uhmm, no"

"Chrysanthe---" He got interrupted by the old lady.

"Her Majesty loves tulips. I'm sorry to interrupt, Your Highness. You two just look good together. I'm seeing future rulers in my stall." She said while smiling to genuinely that what she said had melted my heart.

"Oh, you got me overwhelmed Mrs.--?"

"Fergnon, dear"

"Mrs. Fergnon, you've got clear eyesight. I thank you for saying it for me." We all laugh about what he said. I never thought that I will have a good time here, together with him.

He quickly picked one red tulip from a bunch of tulips with different colors. It looks pleasing to my eyes. I'm thinking if I should buy them and spread it all in my room. My thoughts vanished immediately when he reaches the flower to me. I look at him smiling as I reach the tulip. It is the first time a man handed me my favorite flower.

I got the urge to smell the flower and I got startled when a sudden strong wind blows, that my hat got blown away. It fell and landed near my shoes. I am about to pick up the hat when he picks up my hat first and handed it to me.

"Thank you, Sir, for the flower and for picking up my hat for me."

"It's my pleasure, Milady"

I placed back my hat on my head and we courtesy to Mrs. Fergnon to express our gratitude as we continued walking. We're walking gracefully when he breaks the silence between us.

"I want to know more about you, Milady," He said, looking at me while walking. I look at him directly in his eyes. I can sense the sincerity and determination in him. I predict that I'll be seeing him as often as possible because I got this feeling that he likes me. I stop walking and face him.

"Duke Lucius Giustiniani, to be honest, I'm starting to like your personality. I even enjoyed this walk with you. I'm looking forward to seeing you as soon as we can--"

"I am too, the moment I saw and heard about you yesterday." That caught me off guard and made me stutter.

"Y-You don't have to s-say that. Anyways, I think I need to go back before my brothers will start to rage because they're maybe now, looking for me." I look down and grab my dress to walk comfortably. I'm about to walk, passing him when he stopped me by holding in my left arm.

"Can I accompany you on your way back to the shop?" It took seconds for me to answer him. I agreed and we got a calash (horse carriage) to ride on the way back to the shop where my butler left me. When we got there, I bid him goodbye. I didn't say anything before the carriage goes but I am expecting him to visit me in the palace. I hope he got this thought in his mind.

----

Luana's POV ( The Great Palace of Matias Kingdom)

As soon as we got back on the palace, Olivia made her way to the kitchen and my annoyed brother, Lucifero approaches me. He looked bothered that he raised his voice on me without notice.

"Where have you been?! I've been looking for you and your sister!"

"I-I'm just right here, r-roaming. What's the matter, Luci? Something happened?"

"We have a visitor and Father is expecting us to join with him on lunch, complete. But unfortunately, you and Kadline can not be found. Good thing now you're here." We're now walking in the hallway to the living room. I didn't know that we're expecting a visitor today. I'm not even informed about anything since yesterday and I'm kind of irritated right now but I can't let Luci notice.

"I'm sorry for not telling any of you where I headed to and I won't do it again," I said while I hid my left hand on my back, fingers crossed.

"You better be, Luana. I won't let anything bad happens to you, same with your sister." I nodded like a good girl I am. I'm now focused on our way when he asks about Kadline.

"Do you know where she is? With the help of the guards, we still can't find her. Do you somehow know where she is right now?" That made me nervous about my sister. I can't just tell Luci that I saw her in the Centertown with Prince Lucius enjoying the time of their lives. Come on Ana, say something. I have to not let her down since she asked me earlier for help.

"A-Ahm s-she's... just somewhere near the palace, maybe. I don't really know." I uttered without looking at my brother. When will that princess go home? She's putting me at risk!

"I better tell the guards to search out near the palace. You go ahead in the living room. Everyone's right there. You should meet and greet our visitor too." I'm about to complain and stop him because I don't like interrupting meetings like this but he went on his way already in the opposite way. I sighed and resume walking all the way to the living room.

When I reached the living room, the guards opened the door for me. I stepped in and thanked the guards but came to a halt when I saw a familiar man sitting on the couch, talking to my brothers. My eyes got widened when they all turn their heads on me and they stand up. He also got shocked but moved on right away with a smile. I took a deep sigh and walked towards my brothers. I curtsied first before speaking.

"Good morning," I said and stepped beside Alfonso and Lothair. The man is on the other side of the table with also, another man beside him who looks a bit older.

"This is my youngest sister, Luana Cecilia Amelriana Georgette Matias and also, the youngest in the family" Alfie said. He's looking at me straight through my eyes. I didn't know that he will be our visitor today. If I just knew then I wouldn't come here to greet him.

"I am Prince Dominique Kael Lavemruse from the Netherlands and this is Algernon Buenovis, my butler, It's a pleasure to meet you again." He said as he bowed to me but I frowned when my brothers noticed the word 'again'.

"Again? Have you two met before?" Lothair calmly said. I bit my lower lip because of the nervousness I am feeling at this moment. I don't know what to say. If they found out I went out of the palace without a butler with me, they will surely be mad. Especially, when I never asked for permission to go out. I suddenly look at Prince Dominique and my eyes widened as a sign that never spills out anything but unfortunately, this prince isn't cooperating.

With a smirk on his face, he proudly said "I met her earlier on the Center Town when I'm on my way to the palace, buying apples with her maid. We had a little talk." I'm doomed.

"What? You went out without a butler?" Merovecho said unhappily. I lowered my head, getting ready with all the scolding.

"Do you know how dangerous it is outside?" Costello said with a frown.

"I-I was just..." I tried to explain but I was cut off with Prince Dominique.

"She's with me. When I learned about her, I immediately ask her if I can accompany her on her way back to the palace. You don't have anything to worry about." He confidently said. I frowned at what I heard from him. What was that?! It's a lie.

"Good thing you are there, Prince Dominique. I am sorry for the inconvenience. She really is unruly sometimes." Alfonso said as they all bowed for respect at him. Everything's still not sinking in my mind so I prefer to not talk around them and keep my peace. But this annoying prince keeps ruining my peace.

"How have you been, Princess?"

"I am fine, thank you for your concern." I glare at him and he's still smiling at me. I hate him and his guts.

We got interrupted when a maid told us to go to the dining hall for lunch. We get up and walk together. Alfie and Prince Dominique talk about something I don't want to listen to because I can't focus on anything right now. My sister isn't back yet. Why was her meeting with Prince Lucius took that long? Where on kingdom did they go? I'll absolutely ask her when she arrives.

Our Father and Mother are on their seats already and waiting for us to join them. We curtsied and went on our seats. I sat beside my mother, who immediately grabs my arm and whisper on my right ear.

"Please be good to him."

"Why?" Why is everyone acting so nice in front of this annoying prince? What so good about him?

"You'll see him very often in the palace."

I want to ask more questions to my Mother when the dining hall door opened and came to my beloved sister, Kadline with Lucifero. She's still holding her tulip that I saw earlier on the Center Town. They curtsied to all of us before sitting beside me. She went all smiles like nothing happened, that she's fresh from her grooming room. Prince Dominique introduces himself to her and she did too with all charming smiles that she's also giving to everyone. After a foreword from my Father, we began eating while they're talking about something I'm not paying attention to and I finally got the chance to speak with Kadline.

"I saw you earlier with him" She startled when she heard what I whispered. I was about to say something more when I heard my name got mentioned by my Father.

"I hope you, Prince Dominique and my precious daughter, Luana, will get along well, for you both will be as one the very soonest."

"We're happy to accept you in our family," my Mother happily said that leave me shocked.

What? I'm tying the knot with him?!