Painting

Chard and Kira walked away from the king's chamber, reaching the hallway in no time, despite the stares they receive from the maids along the way. Chard didn't try to talk to her and merely let her curiously look around the castle.

The girl didn't even hide her emotions at the majestic paintings hanging on the walls.

Flowers were arranged in the corner of the hallway, and the small curving of wood in different shapes of animals placed on the walls was just breathtaking.

She observed everything, amazed by the lively atmosphere of the castle, she has lived in the mountains area where all she could see was a serene environment most of the time, but here it felt much more like home. Like you, I'd never imagined seeing a wood curved into an animal, they were so beautiful.

Soon, her mouth was left gaping open upon the sight of the large painting of a woman, it was mesmerizing, her beauty could be seen in how the person drew and painted with a lot of love and care.

Her blue eyes reminded her of someone, but she couldn't nitpick whom, the skin had some extra fat, giving the woman a sight to be admired, but she couldn't be more sure.

She approached it and her slender fingers caressed it slowly, the curvy hair sliding down her back and k reaching her waist. The clothes were just simple, like those of a village girl.

Her eyes took every single detail in the painting, the barefooted girl sat on a stone playing with a wild fruit in her hand. She didn't even hear Chard approaching her.

He smiled seeing her reaction, "welcome to the king's wild imagination paints collections, milady. These are just a few. There are many collections in his antique room too, these are the things he does. Mostly when he is thinking, planning and every so often when he's stressed, he will curve or paint".

"Does the king of Rivea have a lot of spare time in his hand?"

Chard just smiled and observed her slowly, if she been someone else, he would not have bothered to explain it. But she is the king's beloved now, and he couldn't help but explain it to her.

"I heard even in Rosario he liked painting, but his father didn't allow it because he was a crown prince, he did anyway, going against his father's wishes".

Her tired body looked more colored than when she arrived here earlier, and her smile made her look pretty.

"The king just likes to curve not because he has spare time but because it is his passion, milady."

They left the paintings as the two of them approached the maids in the hallway, they looked at the figure in awe. The fact that he was escorting her lessened their ill feelings towards such a simple woman, whom their king shamelessly carried into his bed chamber.

"Is that her? The girl the king brought to his bed."

"Yeah, I think so, even the king's loyal servant is escorting her."

Thanks to the maid's antics, gossip had spread among the castle servants that their King had carried a woman from his carriage to his bed chamber, it spread widely like a desert fire.

This made them curious about this controversial type of girl, wondering what was special about her. They were disappointed, she was just a simple girl from the village but nothing special.

Thinking of their king marrying a daughter of the Lords or one of the princesses from one of the kingdoms.

Drey had always given them mixed feelings about the ladies he had interacted with.

Her hair was the most eye-catching thing they admired, it looked soft, long, and curvy. And her round small, was she still a minor?

They have never seen His Highness with a woman around him, let alone carrying a girl, except for Lady Trina, whom he considered his younger sister. They thought their heartless King had no eyes for women. He had always been surrounded by men.

"What are you all thinking? Chard scoffed at them, how dare they talk like that? Little Kira was always the best.

Since they couldn't argue with the loyal servant whom the king trusted the most, no one openly asked about her or elaborated on anything again, he dismissed them from the hallway, even those who were working.

Soon, enough they reached the dining room where the room was the largest she had come across so far. It was also the place where the king likes to hold the meetings rather than the courtroom.

Her mind was in awe, the chandelier hanging down the vast room and the colors here were just breathtaking, how c tame his room be the only room with dull colors?

She proceeded without even looking her way when she hit her nose with a hard chest, this earns her a small moan as her hand flew to rub it when another hand bit her and rubbed her

nose slowly and carefully.

She raised her eyes only to meet with his face, his eyes turned black, and a smile curved into his lips.

"It seems you have missed me a lot, milady, you couldn't wait to run into my arms as soon as you saw me."

Kira, "…."

A gasp escaped her mouth.

He was enjoying all those emotions displayed on her face when she turned around seeing all those eyes on her, she gritted her teeth, and he couldn't help but smile more.

She looked around searching for Chard, only to find him behind the king, his eyes telling her, 'you see I tried to alert you, but you didn't even hear me,' a look settling on his face.

She was done for this time, how could she run to the den of lions and continue to be alive?

The Lords at the table gasped at their interaction. They had never seen this side of their king before. Since he started building the kingdom, he has always been serious, and his stoic face void of any emotions. But now that smile showed how he is more handsome than anyone in this kingdom, when they remembered his bloodied hands, their thoughts dropped drastically.

"Who is she, His Highness??" one of the Lords was bold enough to question him.

The king turned to them, and they lowered their eyes quickly. How bold of them to stare at his woman. Some of them even drooled over her, he yearned for more than just to pluck their eyes out of their sockets.

"Do you care about her, or do all of you want to feed your curiosity?" He threw back the question.

They were surprised, how could they not know the man who stood up to fight for the kingdom single-handedly? They were ashamed of their thoughts.

"She will be your future queen, l will take your eyes away if you ever stare at her like that," he warned them swiftly and the woman in front of him stiffen.

This shameless man had just declared a hand in marriage, which hasn't even been accepted yet.

Planning an escape, her thoughts formed bubbles in her mind and she wore an evil smile.

Drey was alarmed now, what is her little brain planning? Turning to the lords, he had a smile plastered on his handsome face.

The lords were surprised, is he the same person or someone they had been exchanged for? She brought up a side of him that was so different from what they knew.

He was a handsome devil. A chameleon, one of his type.

They did not take his words seriously.

"You are dismissed!"

They all looked at him, they were just in the middle of the meeting, for goodness!

"But your highness, we haven't....."

"Are you questioning His Highness's decisions?" Before the Lords could even finish, he snapped at him.

"No, no! Your Highness!"

"Then you are all dismissed."

They bowed and moved out quickly, nobody wanted to linger around anymore.

His lips curved when he saw them quickly disappearing. How pathetic, how can they think about the woman in front of him?

"Since we have to remain alone, would you like to join me milady for lunch," he dramatically bowed as he stretched his hand for her to take shamelessly, she had to hit him back for what he did earlier?

Her smile widened, and he knew this well was not a good sign.

But he still stretches it, "how about I leave after taking lunch with you?" She made a deal with him hastily.

"And what if I have already planned your stay here, milady, would you stay hungry?"

"....."