Heartwarming laughter

"Or are you intending to meet a fellow farm boy from the mountains, that's why you are so eager to leave from here, milady?" He asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

She gasped as her mouth remained wide open.

"I will be having lunch with you, My King," she said politely, this heartless man will go to the mountains punishing every man he heard her talk to.

His smile broadened how could she not know how the mind of his troublemaker works he just teases her more.

And he will make sure she wasn't going to return there, he was also tired of traveling there every time, so why just not make her stay here?

One of his problems would have been solved because now more than ever he needed to make sure nobody hurt her, and he couldn't be more sure about it.

At least nobody would go against that old man on the mountain. He can sense danger on his own, he was a cunning one, and he was not so worried about his wellbeing, at least not now.

"Even if I met with them, that's not something you should interfere in," she murmured to herself as she proceeded to the chair.

"Shh! Don't talk about other men in here. You can only talk about me if you feel like talking about men," he murmured as he pushed the seat slowly before she sat down, avoiding being intrigued by his eyes.

His gaze darkens as he stepped back, putting an appropriate distance from her chair. The signaled the maids to start serving the food as he took to his seat.

She felt the immediate loss of warmth that had enveloped her body a moment ago. She glanced at the lazy smile that he was struggling to keep on his face as she felt a pain in her heart, she didn't plan to go that far.

Furthermore, she only wanted to argue that she has not accepted his marriage proposal, even though he hasn't talked to her about it first.

This man will hold a grudge, no matter how she explains there was no one in the mountains with whom she's acquainted, she has always turned them down since he started seeing her as a woman.

This is one of the reasons she heard refused to step into the castle. She was eager to know more, not just as a king, about the man who saved her life, d if he loved her.

'Did I just think of being in love?'

Shaking her head inwardly, she pulled the plate of food in front of her and dug in silently, it was delicious.

Did he ever feel ashamed when he said such twisted words? Because even if he didn't, she certainly did to hear them." Marriage."

Drey sat still, his fingers fiddling with the tablecloth placed aside his plate, looking intently at the woman immersed in her food.

"My King," Chard stepped beside his sit.

"What are you, a thief?" He clicked his tongue.

Chard still stood in protest, wondering whether his king was angry. There was no way he could have been angry, was he not happy a while ago, sending a group of lords out of the dining hall?

"Should I arrange a room for milady?" he grinned at him as he informed what he was thinking.

"And who said that we want a separate room?" He glanced at him.

The fork in Kira's hand dropped on the floor immediately as she gazed at the man who hasn't been bothering to touch his food.

She strutted back, bit her lips hard, and stared at Drey.

"Did we just make a deal and I won the bid, why are you pretending milady," he said, being considerate, "I don't want people to think I was forcing a woman into my arms. It will tarnish my name, but I won't mind if it's along yours."

This will make all the men out there fear being with her, and he wouldn't be having competition, this alone made him want to jump in celebration, how lucky.

He was sorrowful and his eyes formed puppy-like eyes, the black eyeballs lost their shiny pearl for an instant.

She couldn't take it anymore as her anger subsided, he had already done a lot for her, why not grant him this one wish? But will it be only one wish he would want?? She could have never thought about his endless wish list.

She nodded her head in Richy's way and looked at the man who looked lonely when a glint of happiness flashed across his eyes when he saw her accepting to stay in his bed chamber.

A triumphant smile plastered on Drey's face wide enough to catch everyone's gaze in the dining room except for the woman whose face was now buried into her food, was the food much more attractive than him??

Richy couldn't believe his eyes, did Lady Kira just been deceived by his sad pretense look and fall for it?

He wanted to voice this out aloud, but he was cut short when he stumbled on his feet, he looked up to be met with a warning glare to move out to complete his duties.

'What….!!, that's my friend who is being deceived for God's sake!'

He immediately replies to her as he runs to his safety, he knew if he opened his mouth the unwanted words will accompany his good intentions.

She raised her head when she saw him run limping, what happened to him? A maid approached her and gave her a clean fork, her gaze returned to the food as she ate to her fill.

"Is it to your liking?"

"So delicious!"

She continues to savor her food without lifting her head.

Drey smiled, nodding in agreement at her words. "I knew you would like the food here. I would ask the butlers to prepare more during dinner". He was celebrating this, and he didn't look at the girl's face.

'I'm already fat how more does he want me to look? Like a pig!'

'Ahh' she screamed inside her head, how come men out there are looking for slender women and here he was planning to fatten her.'

She does admire Lady Trina's slender figure. When she visited them in the mountains, men would ogle at her, she was so elegant and beautiful.

She turned her face slowly to the food, the best thing about her mood, it can't be affected easily.

Her lips were oily but strangely, they didn't look disgusting. Instead, her lips look softer and fuller.

He couldn't bear to look anymore and turned to look at his food. But still, his mind was on her cherry lips, he raised his hand and wiped some off her lips. And she immediately stiffens.

"There's more oil and food on your lips,"

he said as he didn't remove his hands from her lips.

He brushed some leftover food and brought it into his mouth. And this shocked the girl. Her face blushed and glanced at him.

"Shameless, you are crazy!" she said under her breath.

His lips curved upwards as he said lightly, "the taste is not bad."

"___"

Kira's face flashed and glanced at him in surprise at this ill-mannered king.

Drey asked innocently, "didn't you say to yourself that it's delicious?"

"Or what were you thinking milady, were you building a castle in your head about us tasting....."

Before he could finish his sentence, Kira's hand flew to cover his mouth. She couldn't let him say another word. Since she now got his attention, she stated.

"I..... I. Didn't say anything," her voice lowered in the end. And if it's delicious, why not take them from the table, there's plenty. Take them from there, not from my lips."

Why would he taste it from her mouth, to begin with? After finishing, she took her hand away from his lips.

Drey smiled broadly, and he moved closer to her, "here tastes a lot better," he said, brushing his thumb across her luscious lips, how he wish he could taste them now.

"....."

"Drey Winger!! You are crazy!" she shouted, her hand forming a fist.

Drey heard this and smirked.

The laughter seemed to come deep from his chest, a pleasant one yet heartwarming. When was the last time someone called his name and yelled at him, he can't even remember.

They all fear, but she was a brave one who even comprised a fist in front of her King ready to blow a punch across his face.

Kira's face turned red when she turned, and all the maids and the butlers were surprised by her braveness.

'Did he just yell at the king?'

She immediately covers her face with her small hand and the man broke into more laughter, 'who was a brave lioness a while ago, and now wanted to dig a hole and bury?'

"Such a sight early in the morning!" the man who can't seal his mouth spoke.