Unexpected invitation

" You're jealous." Vincent concluded and gave her a smug look.

He could see it in her eyes and also hear it dripping from her voice.

" Yes, I'm jealous, you can say that." Minerva replied and climbed off the bed to pick up her boots from the other side of the room which was so awestricking.

Vincent was left speechless on the bed as he moved his head to see her putting on her boot which would be twice his foot size. ' so small,' he thought.

Minerva's hands were unsteady as she tried to put on her other shoes but couldn't. She was feeling the rush of emotions; from her father's sudden death and disappearance to the strange people looking for her and the dragon at the academy followed by her new found feelings for Vincent, she was trying to bottle everything inside.

" Come, I'll help you," he offered and lifted her up in the air before carrying her to the bed. Vincent carefully placed her on the bed and went down on his knees to help her wear the boots.

Holding her small foot, he smirked at her and Minerva rolled her eyes, blushing severely. Was he mocking her tiny foot? She pulled her foot away from his hand and placed it on his chest seductively.

Vincent was quiet as he watched his red hair acting in a play with him. His body tensed knowingly, feeling the heat engulf him but he remained calm.

Minerva starts moving her foot, drawing invisible circles on his chest before moving it upward to his thick manly neck, just when she was about to move it upward again, Vincent caught it and pushed her against the bed, locking her eyes under his hot burning gaze.

His gentle lips teased hers as he continued without end. Minerva wanted those tongues inside her mouth but he wasn't giving her.

Then, a knock on the door followed by a voice. " Vincent!" The door flung open and a golden dress came into view. Minerva pushed Vincent to her side and stood up. What's wrong with me?' She thought.

Her eyes met with metallic blue eyes that stared at her with a look of surprise mixed with displeasure. The lady standing in the room seemed twenty, her dark brown hair neatly braided around her head and pinned into a bun. The golden dress tightly fit around her body pushing out an eyeful of cleavages.

Minerva bit the inside of her cheek and bowed absentmindedly at the elegant lady.

" Who's she, Vincent?" She asked and shot Minerva a cold glare before looking at Vincent.

Calling him directly without adding any formalities to his name, Minerva immediately knew she was someone close to Vincent.

" You don't have to know."

" Why? I have the right to know who she is and what she's doing in your room… no…on your bed, Vincent."

" Ciara! I'm a man and could have tens of women with me. What's wrong if I have Minerva in my room?" Vincent fired back at his sister.

Ciara smirked and threw an irritating stare at Minerva who was cowering in a corner. " So she's Minerva, the one of the girls who caused trouble in RedShire. You were the one who brought her right? You're so dumb to be fooling around with a lowlife, you would be the King in a few months yet this is how you act," Ciara kept berating Vincent who was quiet, suppressing his anger.

" Don't talk with me in that manner Ciara… I'm not a …"

" Where's Riona? You left her, she hoped you would come back for her yet you were carried away by…"

They were suddenly interrupted by the opening of Vincent's door and two people came into view. Behind a petite lady was Stan, already dressed in his royal tunic. Watching him pant heavily, Minerva immediately knew what happened. Stan has been chasing the new lady towards Vincent's room.

" Vincent, you're back. I was so worried you were hurt by the dragon and rushed here the moment I heard you were awake," she said breathlessly and pushed forward only to freeze on her feet.

Seeing a certain red hair standing beside Vincent made a frown appear on her face and she looked at Ciara.

" Princess Ciara, who's she?"

" Who are you?" She questioned and stood in between Vincent and Minerva who was quiet and feeling lofty before the elegantly dressed ladies.

" I'm a new hunter, it's nice to meet you," Minerva then bowed before rushing out of the door before any more questions would be thrown at her.

Vincent didn't want to spill everything in front of Minerva and purposely kept silent. " You know what to do," he whispered to Stan who nodded in understanding before dashing out of the room.

The moment the room became quiet, Vincent glared at his elder sister before scowling at her.

" You ungrateful runt, is this how you treat your beloved brother? Embarrassing me in the presence of a guest?" He asked with sarcasm.

The RedShire royal family became a mess after the King married three more wives to the first and ever since, there have been fights and conflicts between them.

" You're not my brother, so unfortunately we share the same father. Riona is the best partner for you. A woman with political power and beauty, a warrior who has brought down a kingdom to ashes, smart, brave and filled with wisdom Vincent…not a village girl."

Ciara eyed the girl beside her with a wicked smile. " She's so caring."

Riona blinked at Vincent before shrugging. She had heard stories of how the crown prince Vincent kept rejecting any female partner his parents were searching for him.

***

Minerva admired the beautiful corridors filled with breathtaking sparkling chandeliers and creamy painted walls with amazing arts and painting on them. Royal guards were standing at each side of the corridors wearing armor and tunics, just as she had read in storybooks.

Huge doors were on some parts of the hallway and large balconies also. Stan watched quietly as Minerva kept looking at everything in the castle up to the flower vases on the edge of the spiral staircase with silver railings.

Noise came from the next corridor they bent into, servants were moving up and down there with heavy things with them. When they walked past the door, Minerva caught sight of the extra large room with huge chandeliers dropping from the dark ceiling. At the middle was a red long carpet with a long dinner table at the far end of the room close to the platform.

" His Highness invited you to dine with him later, I would bring something for you," said Stan who has been quiet the whole time. He didn't support the Crown Prince's choice of woman but he couldn't take power into his hand, he lived to obey his sworn prince.

" O…okay," Minerva replied shyly with a blush before they left the hallway.

They were a few feet away from the door when someone stopped Stan from going out.

" Where are you going, Stan?" A female voice asked as heels clicked on the floor. Minerva turned to look at the person to see an old woman with a man as old as her.

Stan cleared his throat before bowing, " Your Majesty, I'm escorting Vincent's guest to her home," he replied before raising his head.

The woman frowned and shot Minerva a dry look. " Vincent didn't tell me he had a guest. A female guest."

" Let her be Roseline, as you heard, she's his guest." The old man beside old Roseline said and looked at Minerva for a short but meaningful period of time. " You have nice hair dear, so rare and beautiful," he complimented Minerva with a smile and she bowed in appreciation, not knowing how to honor them.

" Did you spend the night here?"

" Roseline!" The old man who was Roseline's husband yelled at his wife. " Stop questioning Vincent's guest," he said in displeasure.

" What's your name dear?" He asked.

" Minerva," Minerva replied. Within the short time with them, she already likes the old man to Roseline who was so questioning.

" That's wonderful, Dalton," he called and Vincent's brother came into view with a smile on his face upon seeing Minerva there.

" Here I am gr…"

"Don't grandpa me, hand an invitation for the dinner ball to her." He said and Minerva with Stan felt wind in their ears. An invitation? From the King's parents? Stan shook his head in shock, he was underestimating Minerva before but not anymore after what he was seeing.

Dalton's eyes widened for the briefest moment before he strode towards Minerva to hand a copy of the invitation to her. " Vincent has good eyes," he whispered to her.

Minerva was still surprised at the sudden invitation from the old couple. She curtsied with a smile and was about to leave with Stan when Vincent called, " grandfather, what are you doing up so early in the morning like this?" He asked as he made his way down the spiral staircase into the overly large room.

" Shut up darling, we know you brought home a girl and you didn't say anything about it. If not for my sweet Dalton, we wouldn't have known. Look at her, so beautiful and composed," Roseline pointed out towards Minerva and Vincent turned to see her standing there.

He ignored his Grandparents and walked to her with a smirk on his face. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into his embrace. " I thought I told you to take her away from here Stan? Why didn't you hurry, my Grandparents won't let Minerva leave them," he replied angrily.

Minerva pulled her small head from his embrace, " really? Why ?" She asked to see Vincent push his hair on the side of his face back up only for it to fall back. " They have never seen me with a lady." He replied while staring at her.

" You're beautiful," he murmured with a smile and kissed her lightly to Minerva's surprise. She didn't expect that from him and her face instantly turned red.

" Did you see that? Vincent kissed her…oh…how I missed my young self, remember how we used to do that in my room all day?" Roseline asked and her husband nodded in agreement.

Minerva smiled and placed her hand on his chest, " I'm going back to school, won't you take me there?" She asked. After what happened the last time, the guards might not want to open the gates for her.

" Minerva, I would like it if you lived in the Castle with us in our quarters, Dalton said you're a hunter…that's wonderful."

Minerva turned speechless.