Chapter 6: Unconsciously In Love

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I spent my entire night awake, thinking and rethinking over nothing in particular. I went to the mirror, sitting before it. I was brushing my hair even when I knew I still have to take my bath.

“Go get some rest, and try not to think too much.” Seriously? Get some rest? Well, I think I’m breaking that statement.

I don’t know why but I just felt like getting the shower ready without Erica’s help. And surprisingly, she was shocked to walk in and I was done with everything. I even had my room dressed up for the first time.

Since the alpha had permitted me to exploit the fortress on my own, I think I’ll start that exploration from my room.

And hey, I didn’t even get the chance to know his name. Like seriously, Diana, you’re such a jerk ass. 

“Seriously, your highness, are you for real?” She asked still with the shocked face.

“ I don’t think I understand what you’re trying to say.”

Actually, I do understand.

“ For the first time since thirteen years you just dressed up your room. I mean, it’s unbelievable.” She drops the tray of food on the table. “There must me something that must have triggered you.” 

“Nothing serious. Just happy, so I felt like doing something.” I said with a shrug.

“ Do you mind sharing this happiness with me?” She crossed her hands around her chest.

I smiled halfway. “ It’s been years since I had my freedom, and last night I just got it back.” I shrugged again, changing the topic. “ I need to visit the garden, I’ll eat when I return.”

“Don’t you think your meal will get cold before you get back?”

“ Then I’ll eat at lunch.”

“ You keep avoiding almost every meals served to you, don’t you think it kinda looks unfair. It’s almost like you’re avoiding us or something.”

Honestly, I ain’t avoiding anything or anyone, I’m just not used to the meals. It’s thirteen years, I get it, but I still haven’t adapted to anything yet. 

“I’m trying, and I haven’t stopped trying. The truth is, it’s just so difficult for me. Everything in here isn’t as I expected, it’s a lot different from my home.

I wanna accept here, everything and everyone but. . . I feel like I can’t, and trying mean I’m only pretending. I want to be plain with everyone, and the truth is, I don’t feel like eating anything right now.”

Erica nodded her head, I know she still feels hurt. “ I’m sorry.” I left the room to the garden. And for the first time, I was walking alone without having any guards to escort me.

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WRITER ✓

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Erica returned to the kitchen with the tray of food in her hand, and he was coming from the other direction. She doesn’t know why he was taking the same hallway with her, he could have just taken the other hallway.

He looked at the untouched food, then at Erica who’s head was buried to the ground. “Who is the food meant for?” He asked.

“Her highness, Sir.” She answered.

“Aren’t you supposed to be heading to her room?” He asked.

“ She. . . She said she isn’t hungry.” She replied.

“ Is that what she said?” He asked to be sure.

“ Yes, your majesty. I persuaded her to eat but she insisted she wasn’t going to have a bite.”

“ Is she in her room? “ He inquired.

“ No, she isn’t. She went out to the garden.”

“You may go.”

She had refused to eat last night, why would she do the same this time? He had thought her refusing to eat was only because she was shy or ashamed.

But it doesn’t look like any of that was the main reason. Something must be behind this refusal.

He stood by one side of the garden where Diana won’t have to see him. She wasn’t doing anything, other than sitting under a tree, making paintings of the grasses before her.

After she was done with that, she took a plain empty sheet, placing it on the board. She thought of what to draw but there was nothing left in her head to think of. He left his hiding place, standing behind her.

“If you don’t mind painting a picture of me.” He suggested.

Diana quickly stood up from where she sat, bowing her head. “ Your majesty.” She greeted. “ I’m sorry I didn’t notice you earlier.”

“It’s okay. So what do you say about my request?” He asked.

Diana was speechless for a second, but ended up nodding her head. “I can. I will paint a picture of his majesty.”

Diana stood up, picked her drawing equipment, so as he stay under the tree where he can make poses without the sun interfering. She was going to stay under the sun but he insisted she remain under the tree with him.

He leaned against the tree, shoved his hair and dressing it in a stylish way. He rose one foot against the stem, looking to the side.

First Diana wondered if he could maintain the same position until she was done drawing. So, she quickly began to sketch a figure, but tried her possible effort not to make any mistake.

She was halfway done with the sketch, but got distracted as she tried making slight dresses on his face. She was staring at him that she almost forgot what she was supposed to do.

His side view was a center of attraction, which was strong enough to capture it’s beholder even without getting the chance to stare at his front view.

She was thrown back to reality by the noisy sound of the bees passing above her head. She continued drawing, and she made corrections where needed before going into the colouring.

She spent about two hours to finalize her drawing, and after she was done. She smiled. “I’m done, sire.” She informed.

He stood in position, fusing his both hands into his pockets. Diana was about to take the board to him but declined seeing him coming instead.

She was silently wishing he won’t reject the painting. He was quiet as he studied the painting thoroughly. It was so nice like he had just taken a picture of himself. She was just so perfect for his liking.

“I’m impressed, Miss Alessandro. I think I’ll have this hung in my room for future reference.” He was staring at her, and she was staring back. The smile on his face seemed unfading as he kept looking at her, then back to the painting.

Diana shyly looked to the ground, with the invisible blush on her cheeks. She never expected he’d love it this much. Not to talk to the extent of having it kept under his custody.

He decided for a walk together, Diana was a bit uncomfortable with the idea but she had no choice. They started walking, slowly, quietly.

“You remind me of someone so dear to me.” He began, breaking the silence.

Diana looked at him, she was trying to analyze who he was actually talking about. Does he have someone in his heart already?

“Really?” She forced herself to smile.

“Yes. My mother.” He said. Diana hated herself for thinking too far. “She was the closest thing to me since my boyhood. Though, I didn’t get the chance to experience a fatherly love, she was always there for me.” He said coldly.

“ What happened to her?” She asked.

“ She died in a plane crash fifteen years ago.” His voice grew soft at every word he spoke. “ I wasn’t aware she was leaving to Spain that afternoon. I was at my office when I got a call that she was dead.” 

I know how it feels to lose the people you love. Though mom can be a pain in the ass, but I can never imagine the pains I’ll have to undergo just to bare the news of her death.

“Though I haven’t seen this woman you speak of, but I can tell she really was a great mother and the most beautiful woman on earth.” He looked at her, even with the agony in his eyes, he still forces himself to smile.

Diana thought of something else to say, some thing contrary to his pains. Thankfully, there were berries around the area, she plucked one, pointing it at him.

“Do you love berries?” She asked, changing topic.

“ No.” He frankly said, looking away.

“Come on, berries are sweet. Taste it and you’ll see for yourself.” She persuaded.

“ I have never tasted berries since I was a child.”

“ Maybe you can change that fate now.” She insisted he was gonna eat the berries.

She dropped one into her mouth, chewing it slowly, her eyes not leaving his. “Mmm. It’s tasty.” She made a face that shows she was definitely enjoying the taste.

He ended up taking a berry from her hand, dropping it in his mouth. It took a minute before grinding on it. Diana was watching to see his reaction, and to her amazement, he swallowed it.

“How was it?” She asked.

“Tastes good.” He took another, and when Diana saw he was indeed enjoying it, she plucked more which they both ate. 

After they had eaten enough, Diana wiped her mouth with her palms but ended up staining her left cheek. He walks close to her, wiping it off with the tip of his thumb.

“You just did something not even my mother could. She never succeeded in convincing me to eat berries, but you did in just a minute.” He smiled. 

Diana blushed.

“ Maybe I should have the maids serve us berries every night and morning, what do you think?” He suggested. 

The smile on her faded immediately as he said that. What does he mean? She thought.

“Erica told me you’ve been starving yourself for quite some days now, do you hate the foods cooked here? Or maybe, I can have your meals ordered from the food store in town.”

Diana felt guilty and ashamed of herself. She walked away, turning her back to him. “I keep asking myself why I still haven’t adapted to everything, it’s just so difficult for me to. Everytime I starve myself, I get hurt. It’s just me and I have to endure it all. 

I want to understand your lifestyle, I want to live like you do but, I think I’m just so scared to learn.” She turns to look at him.” I want to learn your lifestyle and I want to become like you are. I don’t want to feel scared anymore. I don’t wanna be scared of anything, or anyone. . . Or you.” A tear escape her eye, quickly she cleaned it off. “ I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

Another tear rolled out, this time, he wiped it off. “It’s okay to feel scared, we all do feel scared.”

“ You don’t. You’re great, strong and. . . you don’t fear anyone, people fear you.”

“ That doesn’t mean we are the greatest nor different from other humans, it just shows how much we can defend ourselves. It takes time to achieve this goal.” He pulls her into his arms, cuddling her like a child.

Diana has felt what it’s like to be at home twice, but none felt safer than in his arms.

To Be Continued…