Head up

King Nixon had his gaze on Cyan the whole time. Even when the maids greeted him, his attention was fully on Cyan and everyone noticed this.

Cyan was beginning to feel uncomfortable. "King Nixon, is there something on my face?" She asked him in annoyance. Those in the hall were shocked.

They all knew how much Nixon hated disrespect and this woman was showing it clearly in her voice. She was even looking at him straight on. They all expect Nixon to get angry. They even felt pity for her.

Instead, he just chuckled. "There is something on your face." He said with an hint of amusement in his voice.

They all waited patiently for what he wanted to say. "What is it, if I may ask you?" Cyan asked him. "Beauty. You are so beautiful." He replied her tenderly.

They were all shocked. What was going on!

'Did he just compliment her?' Yoddal thought in her head in surprise. Never in a billion years did she think her brother will say a woman is beautiful. 'I'm I missing something?! Hear the tone of voice that he's even using?' She wondered.

Cyan on the other hand felt awkward. Her face burned in embarrassment. Even she was surprised by his response. 'I did not know that the King of Nirias is this shameless.' She thought to herself. She did not know what to say.

After a few moments of silence in the hall, Cyan cleared her throat. She turned to Richard. She was back to being the bold and confident General.

"Don't you think that you owe that lady an apology?" She asked him pointing to Yoddal. "You literally accused her of a crime that she knew nothing about." She said.

Richard turned his gaze from Cyan to Livius. Livius understood what he was trying to pass across to him. And so he stood up and walked towards Yoddal. "We are very sorry for accusing you without any evidence or proof." He said gently.

Yoddal still kept her head down. "Oh, never mind. It's okay. I'm not angry or anything." She said. Her voice sounded weird as she was trying to not sound the way she does normally.

Cyan wondered what was wrong with the girl. 'Does she like General Livius?' She thought as she knows that ladies try to change their voice into a cute one to please the man they like. She did not even raise her head up. 'Is she being shy?' She wondered to herself.

"Can you lift your head up?" Cyan found herself asking. She was curious as to whether she truly liked him or not. She majorly asked her to raise her head up to know whether or not she was blushing.

She had thought that the girl liked the Soldier. 'Maybe I was wrong.' She thought. She did not know why but she was really intrigued by the girl.

"Uhmm...I prefer being like this." She said. Cyan could hear the anxiety in her voice. 'Does she like this nonsense General that much?' She thought. She had unconsciously began to root for the girl and the Soldier. More over, she never really liked General Livius, or any of the royal family. Or anyone related with them.

"It would be nice if you raise your head up." Richard said to her. He did not want a situation where he would be reprimanded for the disrespect of a maid in his Kingdom. He did not want to seem unfit in the presence of the two powerful people.

"I'm sorry but...ouch!" Yoddal exclaimed at the end due to the pinch which was given to her by Mena.

Nixon knew that the voice was very familiar and was akin to that of his sister. But he brushed it off. 'There is no way that is Yoddal.' He thought to himself. Lilac was however very worried for her princess. 'What would happen if she were to raise her head up and His Majesty sees her?!' She thought. 'Her lover is even here!' She thought glancing at Steve. Her worry skyrocket-ed.

Yoddal paid no importance to Mena's pinching. She knew that the woman was trying to make her raise her head up, but she did not care. What was of importance right now was her brother not seeing her. If she could just manage to leave the place without her head being raised...

"Come on, raise your head up." She heard Steve saying to her in a very gentle manner. Her heart melted and she was about to raise her head up when she remembered that her brother was still there and it would ruin everything if she were to raise her head up. She shook her head vigorously.

Nixon was beginning to be annoyed by the stubborn maid. Every one was telling her to raise her head up and she was refusing. What annoyed him the most was the fact that she had all of Cyan's attention. Her attention was not on him and he knew that if he were to say anything to her (that is to Cyan) at that moment, she would not reply him.

"Raise your head up, now!" He said authoritatively. She should do whatever it is that she wants to do and let him have Cyan's attention to himself.

Cyan saw how she took a sharp intake of breathe on hearing King Nixon's voice. 'Is it King Nixon that she likes now? What is wrong with this girl? Why is she so confusing?' She wondered.

On hearing her brother's voice, from the tone he used, she could tell that he was angry. She could feel her heart beating very fast. Is she to raise her head up now or not?

"Raise your head up, stubborn girl!" Richard said to her in annoyance. If care was not taken, he would be insulted all for the sake of a maid.

The same way Yoddal's heart was beating very fast, that was how Lilac's heart was also beating very fast. Everyone was already telling her to raise her head up. If she did not, they would know that something was up and so, she reluctantly raised her head up.