7 : THE HOSTAGE

CHAPTER 7

NEOLA

He was here. Flesh and bone in front of me.

I watch his eyebrows turn slightly upward before he tighten his grip on my shoulder, steadying me.

"Lou? Is that you?" He slid his hands down my shoulder and I felt a shudder down my spine. My mind had to take a couple of seconds more to believe the fact that he is here right in front of me. "What are you doing here in Seattle? Are you---?" I shrug. A rather wrong move I did because that made the ring on my finger catch a little bit of the suns rays- which blow my cover.

Oh, damn.

His eyes trailed up from my finger to my face. I could almost see his brain processing it all-the night we spent together at his engagement party and the happenings after that-retrieving every memory he could get from his blurry ones.

In an instant, I was pulled away from the alley and down to a narrow street. His grip on my wrist makes it impossible for me to move but I still tried to break away from it. After a couple of tug from him, I felt him halt as he turned abruptly, eyes aglow with anger.

"You didn't even tell me goodbye when we were in Paris!" I breathe out a sigh, thanking my luck of being so discreet. I am so lucky to find a way of still continuing this act of me being another person and not being caught. "You just want the ring, right? You're not even contented with that because you decided to even snatch my dress shirt, not to mention my pants..." I almost laugh at this as I watch him fume with anger.

Who would've thought that a crown prince will be so worried of a stranger, stealing his pair of pants?

I couldn't contain it. I bit my finger to stifle a laugh. "And you think I'm trying to be funny here?" He snapped at me, turning my mood, sour.

He yanked at my wrist again before a black limousine stopped in front of us. He open the doors and pushed me in. "Wait. I haven't said goodbye to my family."

But his glare is enough to shut me up as he got inside. He signaled something to the driver and I watch the city blur past me. "There's no time for that, princess."

Guess I should say goodbye to Seattle for a while?

*dream*

It was so dark and I know it. It's always been like this. Same setting, same time, same voices.

I am hiding deep in the forest.

I could feel the tug inside my stomach, that monster gnawing on my guts.

I haven't eaten for three days.

"Run Loisa! Run!"

My zia's words. I can hear it echoing-echoing deep inside me- consuming me like the wild forest fire.

I am a deer trapped in a wild forest fire.

"Run Loisa! Don't look back, Lou..."

*end of dream*

I sat up from my seat as I woke with a start.

What the hell? What a very weird dream!

I blink back a couple more times before I realise that I was no longer in the limo. I am now inside a room, a very beautiful Victorian room.

It was absolutely grand.

There is a chandelier gleaming on top of the bed like twinkling stars, plush carpets on it's floors to keep someone's foot from the cold and couch on which some devil is getting very comfortable sitting at it as he stare at me.

"I see you are awake now, m'lady." That voice. I will always know who owns it. No matter how loud the crowd is, I could hear it. No matter when I lost my sight, I will always remember the face who owns it.

"I probably should say that you're not so blind to see that...your grace." I stated with my lips puckering, forgetting the way I spoke of him so highly inside my head when he give me that devilish smirk.

"So, it's 'your grace' now?" He stood from his petty throne and took a couple of strides to reach my side. "I take that you finally know how to show formalities?" I just glared at his face but my concentration is slipping away.

How could you stay angry to someone who looks like a living Adonis? Those pretty blond locks and that green orbs don't do me any mercy at all.

I pinch myself on the side and wince. How lucky should I consider myself to be here-Staring at this perfection who is glaring at me?

I blink again only to see him biting his lip. Geez! I won't last a day angry to this man. He is doing funny things with my heart and stomach. My heart perked its invisible ears from the attention as my traitor stomach churns to that.

"I could see that you are also hungry." He offers a hand and I wistfully glance at it, making me almost cry as I remembered the past. "I shall take you to the dining hall and have you eat. You wouldn't want to be stuck here without food, yes?" His hand still awaits for me to take it.

I bit my lip and shrug. It will just take us what-Five or ten minutes to reach the dining hall? And, another thing is that I could possibly let go of his hands once I have stood from my bed.

I nodded at myself as I took his hands. He abruptly pulled me up from the bed and I almost let go of it as my body tingled with that contact. My legs shook beneath me so feverishly before I notice it, I am already collapsing down.

But his grip hold me up.

"Your legs are weak for sleeping for about a day and probably, your stomach do you no good for being empty that long. " he whispers on my ear before he straighten me up and hooked my arms on his.

"I will be escorting you down the hall until you could already support yourself..." I didn't realise that we are already walking out of the door and to the hall as I stared at his green eyes.

Without any other thought , I inspected the paintings aligning the walls on either side of usmaking me wonder, "Where are we?" His eyes drifted down to me before his lips twitch. "We are in one of the vacation houses here in Seattle."

I bit my lip. So, we're still in Seattle?

"I will lead you down the hall and wait for you at my office. We have so much to discuss, m'lady..." And with those words, leaned in and press a kiss on my cheek.

I could feel my heartbeat quickening as I spend more time, gripping his arms. Seeking for support, I tighten my hold of him as we descended the flight of stairs that seems to go on forever.

"Argus," his voice startled me that I'm even more surprised of the sudden appearance of a royal knight beside him. "This is Lou. Lou this is Argus." I silently acknowledge him, staring at the badges on his chest. "Argus, please accompany the lady to the dining hall and ask Gigi to serve the food I ask for her."

Luke pulled at my hand and transfer it to Argus, who gladly took it and settle it on his own arms, "Yes, your grace." Argus started to pull me but Luke's voice made Argus pause.

"And afterwards, Argus, I would like you to guide her to my office. I will be waiting for her presence to discuss to her about the royal matters concerning the king," with that, Argus bowed his head at Luke before answering.

"Yes, your grace. I will make sure that the Lady will be at your office once she finishes her meal."

I snorted. I do not need a baby sitter for goodness sake!

So much for being royal...

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