Princess of Roseven

Belladonna quickly calmed her expression, she gave the king a gentle warm smile.

Wanting to make a charming first impression after they had not seen each other for a long time.

"Princess Bella, welcome to Cobalt. Sorry for not being able to welcome you when you arrived" Cassius nodded politely to the woman who was his old friend.

When the man was still a prince, the two of them often hunted together, attended parties together and visited each other's kingdoms.

As far as Cassius remembers she did not invite the princess of Rosever to come. Gwyneth must have done it, Cassius gave his sister an annoyed look for having invited the princess without his consent.

"No problem Case" Ignoring everyone around her, the princess hugged him.

Ophelia moved away awkwardly. Just a short hug because Cassius let go of her slowly, he was a bit surprised by the princess's behavior.

Long before he met and eventually married his wife, Belladonna was the king's ex-girlfriend. Even so, they broke up on good terms.

"Just a casual call please, don't call me with that frill" Bella gave a smile as her hand was still on his chest, before she pulled it away.

That woman is still as beautiful as ever. Reunited with her now, Cassius thought of a cold and haughty princess whom he had fallen in love with.

'Those days have passed' He reassured himself.

"Looks like it's been a long time since we've gathered like this, how about we have dinner together after this?" Gwyneth stepped between the two of them and took her brother's arm "Case, you won't refuse, will you?"

Cassius removed his arm from her embrace and glanced at Ophelia who was standing away from them.

She stood awkwardly, feeling misplaced between them. Cassius approached her and took the girl's hand, he led her to meet them.

Ophelia dropped her gaze to the floor as her gaze met with Gwyneth's.

"Who is she?" Gwyneth asked, glancing at Ophelia with a fake smile.

From her face she looked like a friendly noble lady, but Cassius had known her longer to know that in her heart she was mocking Ophelia to the full.

Belladonna is one of the members of Gwyneth's circle of friends who think that humans are lowly people, born to be servants of the vampires.

"Hello, what's your name?"

Ophelia tried to smile at the princess when Bella spoke to her "Ophelia, Your highness"

"Are you one of Case's thirst quenchers?" it was heard that the princess was holding back a scornful laugh behind her kind words.

Thirst quencher? What's that? Ophelia didn't know what she meant.

Cassius gave Bella a warning look, he wrapped his arms around Ophelia's waist "Ophelia works to take care of my son here"

He held the girl close to him. Protecting her from the stares of the two women in front of him.

"She's just one of the palace's servants, it doesn't matter" Gwyneth waved her hand "You can go now, you're not needed anymore"

She shooed Ophelia away.

Ophelia widened her eyes and looked at Cassius.

"No" The man hugged her tighter "stay with me"

"Ah that's very interesting" Bella chuckled, she turned her attention to Ophelia "you must be so close to the king? I've been waiting for Case to come back from somewhere he went with you, I've never waited this long"

"It's your own fault for not telling me first you were coming" Cassius answered Bella flatly.

"I was meant to surprise you!"

Cassius took Ophelia away with him, leaving his sister and his ex-girlfriend gaping in disbelief "I can't come to dinner today. Enjoy your time ladies"

"Case! You chose that maid over us?!" Gwyneth shouted loudly.

Meanwhile Ophelia catches Princess Belladonna's eyes don't leave her when the king leads her away.

A look that implied that they wouldn't end here.

*****

"Your Majesty, why did you refuse Princess Gwyneth's invitation for dinner?" Ophelia asked ask him when they arrived at her bedroom.

"I'm not in the mood" Cassius replied curtly.

"Princess Belladonna looked very happy to reunite with Your majesty"

"I didn't invite her here. My sister did, so let her welcome her guest"

"But Your majesty should at least doing it out of respect for Princess Belladonna who has traveled a long way to come to the prince's party. Rosever isn't near."

Rosever Kingdom is next door to the Cobalt kingdom. Although they're not separated by ocean, the two territory are separated by dense forests, mountains and steep hills. Princess Belladonna had to spend at least five days traveling in a horse-drawn carriage.

"You think so?" Cassius asked softly.

Ophelia had been annoyed with him ever since they came back from the boutique. He didn't want to make her even more mad with him.

Ophelia sighed, she grabbed both of the man's palms and clasped them.

Cassius blinked at what she was trying to do. The girl simply clasped her hands, covering his wide palms with those tiny slender fingers. Cassius smiled.

"Your Majesty has to do that in order to protect good name, right? What if word that the princess is not well welcomed in Cobalt palace spreads?" she spoke while still holding his hand "Your Majesty's good name can be tarnished"

Cassius couldn't help but chuckle softly "You care so much about my name, you seem to be starting to like me"

The so confident sentence made Ophelia let go of his hand. She crossed her arms, the scowl back on her pretty face "I just don't want my king to be talked about in the neighboring kingdom!"

Cassius chuckled again, he stroked the girl's hair and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

Ophelia froze. Instantly her heart pounded against her ribs like a hammer.

"Alright love" He cupped her face.

She looked away in embarassment. Afraid that the king will see that her cheeks are the color of tomatoes now "I will go to prince Averio's room after this"

"No need, just sleep"

"But..." she pouted. A day without seeing the boy made Ophelia already miss him.

"You can meet again tomorrow. For now I will tell my son that his Lia Mommy needs sleep"

"But Your Majesty..."

"I know you're tired, go to sleep"

Cassius brushed a thumb on her lips, trying to wipe away her pouting lips. For now, he had to keep the girl safe.

Because no one knew what kind of reckless act Belladonna would do given that she always harm any woman who was close to him.