Fabia sat down in a corner preparing Caius’s medicine while he and Aletta were sitting on the bed, talking about one or two things. Caius was getting better, except for his constant trembling whenever he gets startled and some bad dreams that remind him of the unfortunate incident that occurred to him. Fabia was glad he was doing much ok these days, and with Aletta constantly around him, plus the female guards the king had put on him, things were almost moving smoothly.
She glanced at them once again to see Caius whispering something into Aletta’s ear which made the both of them giggle like children, making Fabia shake her head in mirth. She was very happy Aletta was always there to keep him company whenever she was too busy making medicines with the herbs Felix brought her, but then she also noted how rarely Aletta leaves the room these days.
Infact, she sleeps on the bed beside them and spends her night here. When Fabia had asked what was wrong and why she wasn’t using her room anymore, the woman had waved off the topic saying she just wanted to be together with Caius all the time. But that was only half of the truth.
"You know Aletta..." Fabia stated as Aletta walked over and took a cup of water to her mouth. Fabia’s eyes were still on the leaves she was crushing inside a small pot, the gingery scent of the leave floating softly around the air, "There’s been this rumor going on about you being the prince’s Fiancee,"
Aletta’s body trembled, and she spluttered out the water that was already going down her throat, followed by little coughs that she had to massage her chest to stop. Aletta’s hand clutched the handle of the cup, but she quickly covered it up with a smile, "Rumor right? Guess maybe that’s because I came to the palace with him," she dropped the cup and made to walk away when Fabia spoke again.
"It’s actually not a rumor. He’s told everyone that you’re his, and he’s yours,"
Aletta’s throat badly itched, and she struggled to keep her breath even, "Why would he even say that?"
But Fabia wasn’t even listening, "Is that the reason why you haven’t returned to your room? You don’t want to see him? You know he can barge in here too anytime he wants, right?" Fabia threw her a knowing look.
"What do you mean by everyone knows?" Aletta took a quick glimpse of the female guards standing by the bed. Do they also know? Is that why Fabia didn’t bother to talk about it somewhere more private?!
"It’s exactly what it sounds like. You haven’t been going out, and that must be why you didn’t know. I even had to drag you out the other day to watch the games. What I’m trying to say is... There was a rumor and he didn’t bother to step in and cut it off from circulating... And from your reaction... " Fabia stopped crushing the leaves and arched a wicked brow at Aletta, a lazy smile hanging on her lips.
"It’s really not like that!" Aletta threw her hands up in the air, "It’s just... I don’t know what’s going on either,"
She’s been trying very hard not to recall the last incident that happened between them, and how she had ended up running out of the room. She had been praying and hoping after everything not to cross paths with him anymore, but that wouldn’t take too long. Eventually, she would.
All she has to do was think of a reasonable explanation to give him as to why her tear was able to bring her room back to life, which was proving to be, obviously, very difficult.
"Well, you can’t stay away from him forever. If you don’t go to him yourself, our door won’t keep him away for long if he wants to see you." Fabia continued on.
"I know..." Aletta sighed, looking at the door for a second, "I just don’t know what I’ll say to him."
"I’m still finding it hard to believe that you can stand in front of him without melting to the ground," As if the statement had struck an idea inside of her, Fabia turned around and looked up at Aletta with curious eyes, "How did you meet him, anyway?"
Aletta found herself blushing from the question, making Fabia even more suspicious of their relationship.
"For how long have you known him?" She questioned again.
Aletta blushed harder, unable to keep her face calm and indifferent.
"Don’t tell me you’re in love with him?" Fabia arched a brow.
"What? No, I’m not!" Aletta denied it straight out, but there was no getting through to Fabia as she could already see the growing feeling blooming more and more in the woman’s eyes.
"I don’t even know what to say anymore," Fabia let out a long sigh, then turned her attention back to her work. She already had so much on her mind worrying about Caius, whom who sitting obediently on the bed waiting for the women to finish their conversation so he could continue from where he stopped with Etta, "I just don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t have anything that would heal a broken heart." She whispered the last part with her lips set into a thin line, making Aletta stare at the ground hard.
It’s not like she isn’t trying to get rid of them. Maybe it was because she isn’t mingling with the male gender much and that’s why she still has Zoan occupying her heart. And now she’s stepped into something with him she cannot get out of easily, and she was at his mercy.
Dreams don’t always come true. A one-sided love doesn’t mean she should expect him to feel something for her. Men like him falling in love was as rare as the sun rising at night, and the moon coming up in the daytime-impossible! Except some kind of classic, once-in-a-millennium miracle that would make him one day...
Aletta immediately slapped herself to snap her thoughts out of it. She can’t dive too deep whenever it comes to Zoan, or she would get lost in his suffocating air.
"What about Princess Raziah? It’s been a few days since I saw her," Aletta asked, trying to change the topic. When they had seen one of the Princesses that participated in the games return with the fat and fast horse Raziah had taken with her, it was enough confirmation that she had been knocked down.
After that, it took a while for her to return so much that the king himself had quickly left to find his wife. Aletta almost couldn’t believe what she was thinking regarding his Majesty to his first wife.
There was this softness he stared at her with that could melt the toughest of hearts, and the way he held her hand as they returned the other day had everyone staring at them. He looked so possessive of her, while Raziah was looking very out of it. Aletta couldn’t decide whether she was right or wrong because it would definitely be the biggest shock if his Majesty...has fallen...
Aletta shook her head again, trying to clear her head again.
"She’s as she’s always been. Maybe a little worse. She’s never really...good." Fabia shrugged, recalling how Raziah’s cold eyes had turned worse these past few days whenever she goes to change the white clothes covering her wound. The woman was only getting worse with every passing day.
"I’ve always wondered if she was born like that, or she developed it and it stuck to her at some point," Aletta spoke up too, watching the way Fabia was preparing the herbs, but her mind was somewhere else. She can’t keep hiding her. If she stays here and Zoan comes to meet her, she might get Fabia involved and that was the last thing she wanted for anyone around her.
Walking up to Caius, she took his hands and squeezed them a little, "I’ll be gone for a short while." She smiled at him.
"Take me with you," He pleaded, making her cup his cheeks.
"Little by little. You’re not fully recovered, and you always have to be in bed. Once you’re able to use your legs again without feeling any pain, let’s take another tour around the whole palace! How does that sound?!" She reached out and pulled his nose a little, making him smile back at her.
Caius nodded gingerly, "I can’t wait!!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
"I can’t wait either. All you have to do is to have your rest, take your medicine and you’ll be back on your little feet before you know it," She added, and stood up from bed to leave the room. Caius kept waving at her, and his joyful eyes were warming her heart as she waved back, and softly closed the door behind her.
Aletta knew she couldn’t get rid of the nervousness that was churning up her insides as she thought of where she was heading right now. She had only one destination in mind, and that was no other than Zoan’s chambers.
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