Chapter 3 - The Balcony Collision

Chapter Three; The balcony collision

 

Adrian's POV;

 

The conversation was going great until the princess started making moves on me.

 

Her fingers dragged as she placed them in my hand. I pretended not to understand what she was trying to do, she moved her seat closer until our seats were touching each other.

 

Her gown had a slit cut on her upper thigh. She let her gown freely expose her thighs, I looked up to her face and she gave me a smile.

 

“This is the kind of woman, my mother had selected to be the next queen”

 

I thought. I took a sip of the cocktail and put down the glass. I knew it right from the time I saw her that she wasn't as good as she represented herself.

 

She might think that whatever she was doing just now made me want her or accept her to be my bride.

 

“Please excuse me Seraphina”

 

“Would you mind telling me where you are off? Just asking in case your parents asks about you”

 

“To get some fresh air, I will be back shortly”

 

I said leaning. If I kept sitting there pretending I tolerated what she was doing, I could suffocate to death.

 

It was calm and quiet outside, standing at the balcony far away from where the press and paparazzi people gathered. I felt at ease. The smell of the ocean waves calmed my troubling soul, I wanted to stay here even longer not wanting to go back inside.

 

I loosen up my tie and adjusted my belt, I stared at the sky. The moon was particularly bright tonight, it shone brightly on the ocean creating a beautiful scene.

 

I heard a sound from beside me, I turned to see a man resting on the marble walls, his tie loosened and his shirt unbuttoned, I couldn't see him clearly.

 

He turned to me and looked away, I walked to check who he was, it was the same guy who looked hatefully at me.

 

“Running away from your subjects, your highness?”

 

He asked without turning, he faced the ocean and didn't even greet me.

 

“You aren't supposed to be here… Ethan”

 

I said reading off his name from his tag.

 

“ You shouldn't either, I guess even princes need a break from the attention showered on them”

 

Ethan said still not looking at me,

 

No one has ever spoken to me in this manner, not even the close people I have hanging around me. My presence and title wasn't even acknowledged by him, he talked to me like I was a commoner.

 

I felt a sharp burn of anger, remembering how he had looked at me and made hateful comments at me earlier inside the hall.

 

Anger wasn't the only feeling, curiosity filled my heart, I wanted to know about this man. Something electric and hot slid under my skin, a feeling that I refuse to accept and will not name for fear of jinxing it.

 

“You are bold”

 

I said with low tone,

 

“I'm just honest”

 

Ethan said tilting his head over to my face.

 

“Maybe honest to a fault”

 

“I doubt that”

 

“You do realize that you are talking to the Crown prince of Valderra”

 

I asked. Ethan scoffed

 

“That doesn't make you any different from other humans”

 

Ethan said to my face and walked away, he pushed me aside and went back to join the others in the hall.

 

For a moment, the mask slipped. My heart thundered. I could hear my heartbeat. I tried to feel that same peace I felt a few seconds ago but it was impossible to do that now, since this strange man has succeeded in adding to my troubles this evening.

 

I went back into the hall, my parents were still discussing with Seraphina's father, they seemed to get along, as they smiled or laughed every second.

 

My mother saw me and waved from across the hall, I walked to her and she excused herself from my father to talk to me alone.

 

“You don't seem very acquainted to your wife to be”

 

Queen Isabella asked. My mother knew me and had studied me carefully, there was no point lying to her as it would only make her pester me the most.

 

“It's about the bride, she isn't what I expected”

 

I said after a brief silence.

 

“What's there not to like about her? I carefully ruled her out as the perfect woman for you”

 

“You really don't see her, do you?”

 

“She has the best qualifications, in academics, wisdom and character of course I see her, you are the one who is being picky”

 

“I don't like her”

 

I blurted out, I was done beating around the bush.

 

“I'm sure you are just nervous, your face says otherwise”

 

“How so?”

 

“You seem to have fallen for her, it's written all over your face”

 

“How can you tell?”

 

“Whenever you find something you really like whether it's a hobby or an object you have this smile on, and you are bad at hiding it”

 

“I don't think that's true”

 

“Come on we shouldn't be talking about this tonight, enjoy your night first with her, common she's a very sweet human”

 

“But mother..”

 

“Go meet her, get to know her more I'm sure you will like her”

 

Queen Isabella said leaving.

 

I took a deep breath and walked to her. She was still seated on her seat and probably waiting for me since I left.

 

“ Pardon my manners, I must have been gone for long”

 

I said sitting down.

 

“Not at all, your highness”

 

She said with a smile.

 

Her smile was the problem and not just that her reaction towards everything I said was the same.

 

I don't want to be stuck with someone who was fine with everything I did forever.

 

I poured some wine into my glass and just as I lifted her head up, I saw Ethan pass by, seeing him reminded again of his blunt behavior