Finest of the finest

Chapter 4.

Subtitle: finest of the finest.

Seeing that Alice had began to cry the kings heart aches as be stared at her pitifully.

Even if he doesn't want to be involved with her he wouldn't want to hurt her which is exactly what he has being doing for the past eight years.

"Alice... Father is sorry for making you cry, don't be angry and refuse to come to the ball tonight.."

He tried coaxing her like he's always done with Cynthia but it was obvious that it would not work on Alice, she was one stubborn girl.

His hands reached out and patted her hair but she swat it away in anger.

"Please do not act like you feel sorry for me! You and I both know that you despise me and want me gone from your life, im not your beloved daughter so your coaxing won't work on me!"

Alice yelled and snapped at the king, trying to dry out her tears.

"ALICIA do not anger me! When I say you'll come to the ball you have to come!"

The king didn't know when he had yelled at her, Alice scoffed in anger.

"What will happen if I don't come? You'll have your guards beat me up? You'll dispose me back to the mountains where you've locked me up for years? Then I'll be glad to not come because trust me it's way more peaceful in the mountains and I don't have to worry about seeing faces of people who will annoy me!"

Alice was still rebellious.

The king gnashed his teeth at his very stubborn daughter and turned to face the guards and Lara who stood at the door.

"Leave us!"

He ordered and they bowed before exiting the room.

The king immediately sat down next to Alice.

"You have to come to the ball Alice, you have to find a suitable suitor to marry you! What will my subjects say when they discover that their first princess does not yet have a suitor even on her own birthday?"

The king asked her in a mild voice.

Alice cast him a wild glance.

"Oh so you do not want your subjects to call you an evil man for not getting your daughter engaged even when she has come of age? Haa..... Here I am thinking you atleast cared and wanted to make up for what you've done to me, turns out you only want more name to yourself that you won't mind giving the bad egg of the family a very grand wedding, just great!"

Alice mocked.

Her father only sighed not knowing how to explain the situation of things to his daughter.

"Let me ask you one last question your highness, I won't ask this again after you've answered me so be honest!"

Alice said and the king nodded.

"Do you really think and believe that it was me who murdered my own mother? You've blamed me for it ever since that day and I just want to be sure for the last time that you believe I would do such a thing at the age of ten!"

Alice said.

"You didn't kill your mother.. I don't just believe so, I know you didn't do it!"

The king said which shocked Alice, she stared at him for a long time not knowing what to say or do.

"Your my child Alice, you were born out of the love me and your mother shared and it's enough for me to know you won't take away what gives you joy and happiness!"

Her father added rubbing her purple hair gently.

Alice could only shed tears of relief.

Finally the one person whom she wanted to believe her said he believed her, she was relieved that he didn't think of her as a murderer, but why would he call her one even if he knows it wasn't her, he framed her.

Does he perhaps knows anything about the incident!

The king on the other knows the exact reason he framed it on her even though he knew she did not do it.

Alice's eyes snapped to him and she swatted his hands away from her head again while glaring at him.

"You knew I didn't do it yet you framed me for it and let people of this town call me a child murderer! I was just a child and didn't know much yet you blamed it on my innocent self!

I grew up alone and had nightmares and trauma that's still huants me till date.

People hated and called me names, the princess title which was rightfully mine at birth was ripped from me, no one greets me when I walk past them because they now consider me lower than they are!

Do you think it was easy for me? If you think so then it wasn't! It was not easy for a ten year old to eavesdrop on her father being with another woman on her birthday!"

Alice didn't know when she yelled it out loud.

Her father looked at her in shock.

"So you knew... You saw what was happened that day..... Goodness Alice.."

Her father stuttered in shock.

Alice stood to her feet still glaring at him.

"Yes I saw what you did, you cheated on mother! You never loved us, it was hard for me to see that and then also witness my mother being slaughtered a moment later! And to think you knew all along that I didn't do it but blamed me for it is very much more heartbreaking than you not believing me.

You locked me away in a lonely mountain when I only wanted to be cuddled by you, I only wanted you to take care of me and tell me it will be all okay.

It hurts, it hurts that you knew I was innocent but allowed me to suffer, I had many nightmares and could not sleep for months not recovering from the shock of all the pain I went though.

You don't deserve to be a father at all! It hurts....."

Alice broke done and fell to her knees still crying, all the tears she had managed to keep in her came rolling out like he rain.

Her father could not talk and could only stare at her as guilt clouded his face, he knew he doesn't deserve her at all but only wanted to atleast give her a good live even if he can't protect her.

He gently bend over towards her and rubbed her shoulders, she didn't stop him like she usually does but just cried in his arms like a baby.

"I'm Sorry Alice. I never wanted to hurt you, you were just a kid and didn't deserve the pains you've gone through, but believe me I only did it to protect you, after your mother was killed I could only blame it on you in other to find a reason to hide you away from the cruel world.

You don't have to forgive me, but please come to the ball, I want to marry you off to a man who would take you far away from Mariposa and take good care of you because I can't do so myself.."

He said as he coaxed her, Alice sniffed and began to sobber up.

"You claim to do all this for my safety but won't tell me who your protecting me from, I won't ask you either. But I promise you that I'll find my mother's killer, if that person has anything to do with you I will forget the fact that you are my father and take you both down!"

Alice snapped I am angry tone.

Her father opened his mouth to say something but she cut him off.

"You should probably go, your favourite daughter may be looking for her dear father. Thank you for the gift, I shall attend the ball as you have asked so you don't need to worry.. but mind you, I shall not be marrying anyone you choose for me to marry, I shall choose my own husband myself!"

She blurted out shocking her father more.

But he only nodded, rubbed her head and walked out of the room after telling her to get ready sooner.

Alice laughed crazily and sat up, she could not believe she had just cried her eyes out like a baby in from to of the man she hated.

"Lara dear!"

She called out to her friend who walked in a while later.

"Are you okay Alice? I heard you yelling from a distance!"

Lara asked her friend to be sure she was okay.

"I'm Totally fine Lara you don't have to worry about me, let's go take a bath shall we? And oh, your wearing the yellow dress tonight cause you attending the ball with me, your birthday is also in a few days so you'll get a good suitor!"

Alice smiled and Lara dragged her Into the inner room.

"Easy Alice, we may fall, and besides the dress is yours, I dare not wear it!"

Lara retorted.

"Nonsense! You and I are tied on the hip Lara, what's mine is yours!"

Alice said and Lara smiled.

"But still Alice, I do not want to get married, I only want to be involved with you!"

Lara yelled and Alice smacked her head.

"Come on dear friend, I also do not want to get married, but what can we do? It's a tradition we must follow no matter what! Besides... You also have your life, I've told you several times that your a friend to me not a maid!"

Alice said and Lara smiled.

"Your so thoughtful Alice.. but i'm not marrying just any man, I want the finest of the finest!"

Lara joked and Alice laughed heartily.

"Trust me lara I told the king I was choosing my suitor myself not the other way round!"

Alice answered.

"Lucky you... And oh while you and the king are busy chatting Inside Vincenzo came by in search of you!"

Lara said.

Alice looked at her with a flat face.

"What does he want?"

She asked.