Chapter 8: Changing

“Oh, I should do that,” he said. “Phew thank goodness she changed the subject. I really needed to change my thoughts elsewhere,” he thought.

“You should.”

Austin walked over to the drawers and pulled out his clothes.

“I don’t get it, we’re in the new era, but your father still wears clothes like he’s back in the ancient days.”

“Well, we’re still in the ancient days, but also mixture of the modern days as well.”

“Yes. Yes, we are.”

“But knowing my father he wants to keep everything traditional.”

“Oh.”

“That’s why he is considered to be an elder.”

“I guess.”

“So, you don’t usually wear these traditional clothing?”

“Umm. Not always.”

“Oh.”

“I only wear it when I have too.”

“I see,” said Agatha, as she slipped on her top layer of dress.

“I majority wear these type of clothes when I’m coming to see your father or the elders. They still believe in the ancient ways and these clothing. So, I won’t disrespect. I will do it.”

“That’s thoughtful of you.”

“Yeah. I guess so.”

“But they are pretty,” said Agatha. She toss her ripped wedding dress over the folding screen.

“Yeah, in certain aspects. But they’re too much sometimes. Too many layers. Too much to put on.”

“I guess, but I still like them.”

“Oh. You do.”

“Yes. At times.”

Then Austin thought about seeing her in the lingerie. He thought to ask, “Are you into the modern clothing too?”

“Yeah, I like some of them. Such as the panties, and thongs.”

Austin face flushed red again. The thought of her lying naked on the bed brought many things into his mind. Vivid and dirty things contaminated his brain.

“I like my traditional clothing with twist on them. Such as off the shoulder or having puff and laces.”

Austin covered his face in embarrassment as he remembered the laces on her body. “This woman is going to drive me to the brink of my death, I just know it. She doesn’t even know what she’s doing to me right now,” he thought. “How could someone whom I hate, and dislike even make me like this,” he continued thinking. “No. No I cannot think like that. I was set on making her sister my mate, I shouldn’t be thinking like this.”

Agatha came out from the folding screen and said, “I’m done.”

Austin was finishing up tying his belt. He turned around and looked at Agatha.

Agatha was in a beige and red dress. Her sleeves matched perfectly with her dress. Her long hair drifted behind her. Her bright blue eyes was shimmering beautifully at him. She was looking rather stunningly in front of him.

Austin froze. He thought, “So beautiful.”

Agatha tilted her head at him again. “Is something wrong?”

Austin shook his head. “No. Nothing is wrong.”

Agatha softly chuckled at him.

Austin slightly gasped at her laughter. He was breathing fast as he tried to focus his thoughts somewhere else besides her beautiful smile. His eyes went to his inner clothing and noticed it needed to be fixed. He shifted his clothing to align with each other. He then put on his outer layer of clothes.

Then out of the bloom, Agatha reached her hands to his waist.

Thump. Thump-thump. Austin could hear his heart beating rapidly. The scent of mating was drifting through his body. It was empowering his senses of thought. He gulped and thought, “This is it. This our que to mate.”

Agatha reached for his belt and was fixing it.

Austin frowned as she wasn’t taking off his belt instead, she was tightening it.

Agatha rotated his belt to where the center piece correlated with his chest. “There, much better,” she said.

“What?” asked Austin.

“Your belt.”

“Huh?” questioned Austin.

“Your belt. It was crocked.”

“Oh.” Austin sounded disappointed.

Agatha withdrew her hands.

Again, he noticed her slender small white hands. They were rather pretty indeed. For someone locked in a prison cell she doesn’t look to have any deformities.

“Are you okay?” asked Agatha, looking at him with puzzlement.

Austin couldn’t find any words to say to her as he was locked by her beautiful blue eyes.

“What’s wrong?” questioned Agatha.

“Nothing.”

“Well then let’s get going.”

Austin nodded.

Agatha smiled at him and walked towards the door.

Austin thought, “One year. That’s all it’s going to take. One year and we will end our bond. Our mating will no longer exist. I will no longer be married to this curse woman.” He then sneaked a peek at Agatha. He looked at her as she exited the door.

The sun’s rays were shining brightly at her. Making her glow as she stood at the door.

“Wow. What a beautiful bride I got,” he thought.

Agatha walked out the door without second glancing at him.

Austin felt irritated. “Pfft. What am I even thinking. I don’t even like her. I shouldn’t develop any feelings for her. Whatever happened this morning was all an accident. No such thing as gods or goddess trying to make us mate,” he whispers.

After checking his appearance again, Austin followed her out the door. When he got outside, Agatha was gone.

“What? Where did she go?” he thought. He looked around and she really wasn’t anywhere.

“Is there something wrong King Austin?” asked the maid.

“How odd she was gone before I could even make it to the door,” whispered Austin.

“King Austin?” asked the maid again.

“What?” he asked.

“Is there anything wrong?”

“No.”

“Then please your highness, follow us,” said the maid.

Austin following them noticed that Agatha was nowhere to be seen. He then stopped in his tracked and asked, “Where is she?”

“Who?”

“My wife?”

“Oh, you’re talking about the curse princess?”

“Yes,” said Austin, with annoyance.

“She went ahead already.”

“Really?”

The maid nodded her head. “Yes. She left already.”

“Alright.”

As Austin walked through the halls of the palace, he thought it was strange how she disappeared so fast. Her footing was so quiet. Even he, the sharpest listener, didn’t notice her leaving.

“Your highness, we should hurry. It’s near afternoon now.”

“Oh,” said Austin. He looked up into the sky. It was indeed late as the sun had already risen high into the sky. He frowned and thought, “Were we taking that long in the bed?”

Some of the maids were giggling.

“Please, this way,” said the maid, ushering them to the great hall.

Austin followed the maid into the great hall where King Leonardo was waiting for them.