The Slap

"May I know what has captured your attention, Your Highness?" The man in front of Suri asked politely, genuine curiosity laced his voice. 

"Ah, it's nothing, I-I just…" Suri glanced at the tree where Maxieno had been sitting leisurely just moments ago, yet this time, she saw no one there. A deep frown creased her brow. The girl's gaze wandered to look for the whereabouts of Maxieno who had disappeared mysteriously.

Was she having a hallucination? But Suri was absolutely certain that she had seen Maxieno sitting on a branch of the tree just now.

"Princess?" The man queried. He glanced to the side, seeking the source that distracted her.

Suri cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. She reassured herself that what she had seen must have been a figment of imagination. Perhaps because Maxieno's frequent and intrusive appearance, she kept thinking about the man. 

Somehow, the whole situation was becoming irksome.