Heated conversation

The dining table was filled food to each ends. The aroma from the table spread through the air awakening everyone's taste buds. Ariadne sat beside her mother, her father and brothers were not in the kingdom at the moment hence the rest of the table was filled with Draxan's family.

"How is your relationship with Draxan going?" the queen asked her daughter in a hushed voice.

Ariadne thought back to the hug that Draxan gave to that other woman. She looked up to her mother with clear eyes. "I will break him so badly, he will never confidently utter a woman's name from his lips ever again," Ariadne uttered coldly.

Queen Isabella gazed at her daughter with surprise. From her observation, she found that Ariadne liked the gentleman quite a lot but her words told her differently. Her daughter was emotional, she didn't know how to hide her feeling and expressed everything she felt upright.

So she had no doubt that even if she was right, that fact had long changed. She shook her head. She was looking at Draxan's family and she would have to be nice to them and probably promise them a good life for their son.

But how was is possible when her daughter wanted nothing but to break their son apart. He would be returned to them in one pieces but his confidence, self-esteem and dreams will be no more by then.

"Announcing the arrival of prince Draxan Mercier and princess Kethra Dundragon," the page announced.

The queen turned her eyes to Ariadne. The explanation in her eyes was clear. 'I had no idea she was coming back.' Ariadne like the others looked to the door, it didn't surprise her that they had come together.

They seemed very close at the garden that it was a given they come together. Her eyes met with Draxan's, her husband flashed her a smile, his eyes lighting up on seeing her.

Draxan parted with Kethra who went to seat opposite to Ariadne. He pulled his chair next to his wife anf settles down to have his meal. To his left was the princess and to his right was his childhood friend Nadja.

"Hey," he said to Ariadne. Ariadne didn't even bother to look at him, she waited for the servants to serve her meal. The sooner she was done with the stupid feast the better. "Are you still angry about earlier. I said I was sorry, it won't happen again," Draxan explained himself thinking that she was upset over Nadja sitting on her bed.

Ariadne pressed her lips together, str could feel the burning stare from across the table watching her. The girl was not even making an effort to hide the fact that she was watching his interaction with her.

"What difference does it make if you are sorry?" Ariadne inquired raising her gaze to meet his. "You are not that important for me to care," she whispered in a flat tone of voice.

Draxan was speechless, he was being nice to her and taking the initiative to apologise to her since he saw that his action offended her. But she outright showed him just how uncultured she was. She can't appreciate a kind gesture or return one with kindness.

She reminded him of his first impression of her, he had defeated her earlier in front of Kethra but the girl was right. The crown princess was arrogant and had an ego the size of Acceradia. She was not nice and was inconsiderate to other people's feelings.

"Why did I bother, it is pointless to reason with her," he muttered looking away from her. Nadja who sat next to him heard their talk. She placed her hand over his hand and offered him a comforting smile.

Ariadne tightened her hold on her spoon. Her eyes moisten, she looked ahead to find a smile on Kethra's face. It was more of a smirk than a smile. Probably to mock her.

She felt humiliated, the way that Draxan spoke to her in front of all the prying eyes was displeasing. The servants served each one of them food to their plates, everyone gave a word of thanks before digging into their food.

The princess chewed on the food feeling a burning rage at the pit of her stomach. She was furious at Draxan for everything that happened since morning. The food was tasteless in her mouth but she forced herself to swallow.

"I don't believe we have had the chance to officially meet princess," Draxan's mother spoke. "I am Esvele Mercier," she raised her hand for a handshake with the princess.

The Queen nudged Ariadne to get her out of her thoughts. Ariadne raised her eyes to see the woman's hand in the air.

"I find it very annoying to meet a woman who raised a boy like Draxan," she let out. The looks of shock in everyone's eyes was evident when they heard her words. "To raise him to think that he can equal a woman sadly makes you an embarrassment to motherhood," she added. Her voice sharp and cold.

Esvele lowered her hand and eyes. Such were words that she had heard often but not the last part that Ariadne spoke, that was knew to her and hurt.

"Stop it," Draxan said in anger. His voice raised as high as his frustration. His mother was being nice to her but she on the other hand was poking at his mother's wounds.

"See," Ariadne said pointing at her husband. "A man who dares to raise his voice at woman, that too in public without any shame. How can you hold your head high and be proud to call him your son," Ariadne let out.

This was just the beginning. She had many more plans awaiting her husband and with her goals clear in mind, she had no hesitation.

Draxan wanted to speak and defend his mother but held himself back. His voice would only drive to make matters worse for her. He gritted his teeth in anger and helplessness, at times like this, he really hated the helplessness that came with being a man.

He couldn't stand up and defend his mother's honor just because of his gender. "You failed in raising him and now I have to pay the price of your incompetence by putting up with this. Shouldn't you be ashamed to show your face to me?" Ariadne asked.

"I am sorry for th~"

"Will your apology change the fact that I am married to a pathetic excuse of a man, who understands not his duties as my husband?"

Draxan clenched his fist, he bit his lower lip to control his anger. The questions raised at his mother hurt him. He was angry at Ariadne for putting his mother in that position. Raising such questions to her when the mistake is his.

"I am the one you have a problem with. Why not question me instead?" he questioned to her. Ariadne met his stare and smirked. The image of Draxan hugging Kethra in her sight, her blood boiled with anger.

"You only have this problem because she is unfit as a mother to properly raise her children with the right upbringing," Ariadne uttered.

"And you, I am sure the Queen must be very proud to have raised a broken and emotionally damaged girl such as yourself," Draxan stated.

The whole room went quite. Ariadne's lips shook lightly, her eyes wide with surprise at his words. Her breath hitched, her hands too weak fell to her side as she looked directly into his eyes.

"I have lost my appetite," she spoke and got up from her seat. She hurriedly matched out of the room, her anger shooting up to the highest level.

"I hate you Draxan Mercier," she shouted at the top of her voice.