THE PARTY 2

*BACK AT THE PALACE*

A maid is walking through the hallway with a tray having a kettle and cup when all of a sudden she is being pulled into a corner by someone. Minutes later she comes out with some sort of terrified look as she continues on her way.

*KNOCK KNOCK*

She knocks on the door

"Come in," Darren says and she pushes the door open and gets in.

She places the cup on the table in the middle of the room and pours the contents of the kettle into the cup.

Darren takes his seat, picks up the cup, and starts to blow on his tea. When he looks up, he grimaces "Anything else?" he says to the girl who has been standing there after her job was done.

The maid just stands like a statue who didn't hear what he said and her eyes are becoming moist like she is holding back tears.

Ignoring the girl, Darren raises the cup to his lips, and the girl yells

"Don't, Your Highness!!" she falls to her knees as she says so.

Darren furrows his brow "Don't what?!!" he asks annoyed.

"Don...Don't drink the... tea, your Highness. It's... it's not safe" she stutters.

"Princess Adriele asked me to bring the tea she made for you but on my way to your room" she hesitates "On my way here I was stopped by a masked man, and he put something in the tea, he told me to make sure you drink it and to keep my mouth shut or else he would kill me and my family* she tells as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Darren's eyes flashed with darkness, not the fact that he might have been poisoned, he had already discovered it when he sniffed the tea but what makes him angry is the fact that Adriele made the tea especially for him but he can't drink it now.

" So why put yours and the lives of your family members in danger?" he asks in a less concerned tone.

"Your highness, her majesty is a good woman, she takes care of her subjects, my family included. I would not wish for her to go through any kind of pain" She says sobbing.

She shifts her hair to the side to expose her slightly sun-kissed bare neck, her top has been pulled down to show a part of her bare chest. A lot of men may be enticed by this act but not Darren, he barely spares her a glance with that excuse of what she calls seduction.

"You can leave now," he says

Though a little annoyed, she reluctantly heads out, at least she has done a great deal of favor to him, and now he owes her his life. She couldn't help but smirk.

"It won't be long till I get into your heart my prince," she thought.

A few minutes later, inside the room, Darren is getting dressed in a blue up and down, his hair combed backward. He looks stunning.

"Your Highness" called out a man who just walked into the room.

"Oh, Isaac, you are here. How do I look?" he asks straightening his coat.

"You look great," he says awkwardly. "Is this why I was called?" he pondered. He had always wondered what was wrong with this Prince of theirs, one minute, he's an erupting volcano, the next an ice-cold block, sometimes warm, and some other time all of them at once. He's like an actor who has to play different roles in the same play

Darren ignoring Isaac, goes to pick up the cup of tea, gives it to Isaac, says a few words to him. Isaac nods and leaves the room with the cup

Taking a final look at himself, Darren heads to the party venue

**************

*AT THE PARTY*

Slow-paced music is playing and the dance floor is filled with people.

"May I have this dance?" Mr Rovero asks stretching his hand towards Adriele who is seated and watching the people on the dancefloor, especially Harley and Killian. She felt a little embarrassed when Harley kept pestering Killian for a dance, but she couldn't do anything about it can she, the girl was too headstrong

"I'm, I'd love to," she says taking his hand

"I did not get a chance to fully congratulate you on your wedding and becoming the next Queen"

"It's ok My Lord, thanks and today's all about you, so happy birthday to you on behalf of I and Crown Prince Darren" she bows

"Thank you, may I ask you a personal question?"

Adriele did not think much about it and accepted "Yes"

"Where were you born?" he asks with an expectant look.

"I was born in Silverland and I have lived there all my life" she answered honestly

"Hmmm," he humphs

"Is there something wrong?" she asks a bit worried.

"Oh, nothing, you just look like someone I used to know," he says, trying to ease her mind

"Ok" she nods in understanding

"May I take it from here?" a familiar voice asks stretching his hand out to Adriele