Chapter 12: Poem

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“How about a poem competition?” asked Prince Brayden. He was still looking at Agatha.

“Very well. Very well. It’s been a long time since the great hall has had some laughter. How about Juniper, you start?” asked King Leonardo.

“Humph, you two can play that game of looking at each other,” thought Juniper. “But I have my own ways of making you jealous too.”

“Make it as interesting as you can,” said King Leonardo. He clapped his hands together.

Juniper got up and started the verse of poem with the moon. She then turned to Austin and said, “King Austin, please continue the verse.”

Austin got up and recited his poem. His poem of the moon was par with war heroes. Everyone was praising how talented he was. It went around in a circle traveling from those who wanted to verse about the moon.

Then it was Brayden’s turned, and his moon poem was full of mystery. Everyone nodded their head as his poetry was quite mysterious.

Soon it was Agatha’s turn. “Humph, you want to embarrass me, no thanks. I will show you that even though I was forgotten I’m well gifted in my own way. Even without the help of my father I will succeed in my own way. I will make my own mark,” she thought.

Agatha stood up and talked about her poem. She compared the yearning of the moon with love and romance.

The crowd, shocked to hear such well-versed poem. They all stood up and applauded her. They all went wild with their comments and praises.

Agatha chuckled in shyness.

“Wow, what a way to talk about the moon and it’s lover,” said Prince Bo. He got up and also applauded her.

Prince Brayden also clapped loudly as he had never heard such a good poem before.

Austin was also stunned by her speech of poem. He was left again speechless. He also stood up and applauded loudly at her. He thought his wife was illiterate since she was locked up in a cell for most of her life. But didn’t expect his wife to be smart and was able to recite such a good verse.

Juniper clenches her fist tightly. “How could this curse brat take my glory,” she thought.

King Leonardo frowned. His neglected daughter was locked up for so many years with no one to speak to so how did she get so good at reciting poems. He held up his hand and the crowd went silent.

Agatha looked at her father.

“Now, Agatha, how are you good with literature and poems?” asked King Leonardo.

Agatha said, “While I was in my cell, down in prison there was this famous philosopher. He was always reciting poems, literature, war stories, heroes, reading from memories, and writing what he didn’t want to be forgotten. So, from there I listened and learned off of him. Studying what he was saying.”

“Oh. So that’s how you were so good.”

Agatha nodded.

Austin looked at his wife with a stunned expression. “Wow, no wonder you are so good,” he thought. “Looks like you might be of use after all.”

Prince Brayden stood up and went to Agatha. He took the cup that she was drinking tea from and poured some liquor in it. He raised the cup and said, “To the smart, talented, and beautiful Agatha.”

Agatha thought that if he drank her cup, it would be an indirect kiss.

Austin was frustrated that Prince Brayden was straight forward flirting with his woman now. Just because his woman is beautiful and smart, he is aiming for her. Not only that, but the fact that she happens to be the most gorgeous and stunning woman in the great hall he is purposely going for her. Unable to hold onto his anger he got up from his seat again and took his wife’s cup from Prince Brayden’s hand.

“What-” stuttered Prince Brayden.

“I will take drink for my wife,” said Austin.

“Oh. Very well, King Austin.”

“Yes.”

“Cheers,” shouted everyone.

Everyone down their cup of liquor.

Austin finished his drink with a “gahh”.

Prince Brayden finished his cup and smiled at her.

Agatha chuckled softly as Prince Brayden had some liquor at the corner of his lips.

Prince Brayden smiled at her and said, “If I saw that beautiful smile and heard that lovely laughter of yours before, I wouldn’t have hesitated to marry you.”

Agatha shyly giggled at his words.

Austin’s hand squeezed tightly around his cup.

The young women seating around her also giggled loudly. Whispering that Agatha was so beautiful that the handsome Prince Brayden couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. That and many other men whose gazes are falling upon her.

Irritated, Austin sat next to Agatha. Agatha frowned as to why he sat next to her.

Austin stared at her and had the look of, “Don’t you dare look at me like that.”

Agatha didn’t say anything and scooted over for him to sit next to her.

Austin looking at his wife asked, “Would you like something else besides liquor?”

Agatha frowned. She didn’t understand why all of sudden he was worried about her taste of winery.

“Would you?” he asked again.

Agatha’s frowned deepened.

Austin, irritated by her silence, snake his arm around her waist. He pulled her into his embrace.

Agatha let out a small moaned of, “Ahh.”

The young women giggled with surprises. They couldn’t suppress their shocking expression of how Austin was behaving around Agatha. How protective he is of her.

Agatha was uncomfortable. She thought, “What is this man doing? Why is he doing this all of a sudden?”

“Princess, do you by any chance need rescuing?” asked Prince Brayden.

Agatha looked up at him.

“My wife needs no reasoning to be rescued from her own husband,” answered Austin.

Prince Brayden frowned.

“Prince Brayden,” said Juniper. She ran to him. “would you like to have a drink with me?”

Prince Brayden looked at her and frowned. “Who are you again?”

“It’s me. Juniper.”

“Oh.”

Prince Brayden was losing balance and nearly fell on top of Agatha.

Austin pulled Agatha to him. She nearly kissed him on the cheek. Her breath was so close to his face that he could feel her breathing next to him. He looked at her. He gasped at how beautiful she was in her dress. Her red lips was secretly seducing him.

“I think that’s enough drinking for Prince Brayden,” said Prince Bo running over to his brother. He was helping his brother to stand correctly.

“Oh. Why is that?” asked Prince Brayden, trying to settle himself straight.

“You’re drunk brother.”

“Did I have too many to drink?”

“Yes. I believe you did.”

Prince Brayden looked at Agatha as she caught his eye again. “Who is this beautiful woman?” he asked. He reached out his hand to touch her face.

Agatha tilted her head and stared at him.

Austin saw that Agatha wasn’t moving. Frustrated, he tightened his hold on Agatha and moved her closer into his embrace. He then smacked Prince Brayden’s hand away.

“How dare you!” shouted Prince Brayden, wobbling.

Austin didn’t flinch at his words.

“Prince Brayden,” said Prince Bo, trying to steady his brother.

“Who is this man?” asked Prince Brayden, hiccupping.

“Her husband,” answered Austin.

“Husband?”

“Yes.”

Prince Brayden’s hands went to his face, and he laughed. He pointed his finger at Austin and chuckled, “Aren’t you in love with the King’s favorite daughter Juniper? So, why would you marry this beauty instead?”

Austin frowned.

Juniper stared at Austin. Austin avoided her stare.

Agatha pulled Austin’s arm away from her waist and scooted away from him.

Prince Brayden laughed.

Austin stared at her with his cold eyes.

Agatha looked away from him. Even as she looked away, she could still feel his glaring at her.

“Come on Brayden. We need to get going,” said Prince Bo.

“Where are we going?” questioned Prince Brayden.

“Home.”

“Why?”

“Ah, trust me. It’s about time we leave.”

Agatha also stood up and took a bow. She turned to leave the great hall.

“Wait. Beautiful woman where are you going?” asked Prince Brayden, half drunk.

“Have a good night, Prince Brayden.” Agatha bowed and left.

Austin stared at his wife as she left him alone in the great hall. “Just you wait till I get back into the room. I am going to teach you a lesson,” he thought.

“Wow, I cannot believe that that beautiful women is the cursed princess,” said one of the princess in the great hall.

“Yeah. To imagine a curse princess being married to that dying pack of wolves,” said another princess.

Austin clenched his fist tightly.