Chapter 18: Keep Away

The following afternoon had barely just broken, and everyone was already antsy. Isla had been in her portion of the adjoined room, after briefly accomplishing her smaller responsibilities around and off the castle grounds. She was now in the bedroom with her door closed, and had been in there for a good half hour.

However, Liam had been looking for her everywhere else. Knowing that literally anyone could be a Scath wanting her, Liam worried. He knew quite well that she could take care of herself, but with the inability to find her, he was getting more and more worried.

When he made it back to the bedroom he found the door closed to her side of the room. Liam sighed in relief. She was safe, just in her room doing whatever it was, she was doing.

He knocked on the door using the rhythm of knocking he always did for some reason. Three knocks. Two in direct repetition, the third after a brief paused moment. "Isl, You in there?" He asked for assurance.

"Yeah. I have been. I was just changin'. What's up?" Isla responded as only a single word didn't register through Liam's ears when she'd said, she was just changing.

Liam nodded. Okay. She was fine. She was just changing.

"You're welcome to come on in." Isla informed.

Liam nearly coughed on nothing. His face flushed, "What?!" No, that couldn't be right… that was.. what she said. But.. no, he was not going in there. She needed her privacy. He was not going in there while she changed. Creeping thoughts or not, his butt was staying out here, in his respectful room. Even though he couldn't wrap his head around the fact that she was going to just let him come in. She was always so private, however he was still staying out here. "No, no. That's okay. I'll let you change in peace. I don't need to. You deserve no e-eyes, watching you, while you change."

Isla shook her head, "Let me-? watching..? What are you talkin' about? I'm not still changin'. Why would I tell you, you could come in if I was?" She began walking to the door.

Liam's face burned red, "W-well you- well, you see, that's just- that's just how I felt a-about it. I-I don't know. You just- you just said you were changing, then you kinda just invited me in. I- I know it-it didn't sound right. I just- just-"

Isla opened the door. "I said I was changin'. Now, I'm not." Her eyebrows scrunched as her ears and cheeks turned from pink to red in under a second.

Liam began furiously rubbing the back of his neck. He readied to speak, but the words got caught, before they reached his throat when he noticed Isla's dress.

It was simple, yet elegant at the same time, much like her normal taste in clothes, at least the simple part. She was what made everything look elegant.

The dress conformed wonderfully to her shapely figure, only slightly flaring out at the bottom. It was night blue with faded purple, appearing as a galaxy with over dozens of white specs, resembling stars. It was strapless, and excellently accentuated her… everything. From her hips, thighs, waist, butt, and cleavage.

It didn't show a lot of cleavage, but some. It was all enough to get his eyes looking without trying. Well, if he were being honest, anything she wore always had his eyes, checking her out.

Isla was fortunately too busy, gathering her wild bunch of curly hair to notice Liam's eyes roaming every inch of her. She glanced back at him. "How does it look?" She asked hopefully.

Liam's face surpassed 3,000 degrees. "Hot!- Good! Great- it looks hot- amazing! But I- I thought- I thought we weren't attending." He continuously reminded himself to keep the word "hot" out of his public description of her.

Isla slightly grinned, "Thanks, L. Uh.. that's true, but we have to look like we are attending. If we're goin' around the castle in our regular clothes at this time there'd be a question. Brooklyn's idea. So unfortunately that means dressin' up for a little while."

Just as Liam sat on Isla's bed, he remembered that Everett was normally the one who made her clothes. "Wait! You didn't-"

"No. Again unfortunately. Brooklynn helped me get this commissioned from the Tailor." Isla explained, not sounding very pleased.

Liam had tried to remain respectful by not checking her out so much, but it proved a challenge. "Unfortunately?"

Isla sat down beside him, "I'm not sure you noticed, but it's a bit.. too much. The concept is nice I suppose, but it's really conformed and shows a bit too much. Probably why she used terms I'd never heard before."

She wasn't wrong. Brooklyn had had a tendency to be fond of dresses not unlike Isla's. This was clearly not a dress or even an outfit Isla would normally wear. She was far too modest to wear the kinds of dresses Brooklynn did.

Liam gave her an awkward smile, "I didn't notice, but you still look great. N-Not for those reasons, of- of course."

Isla let her shoulders relax, and she returned the smile, "Thanks."

Liam put his hand on her far shoulder, and Isla scooted closer to him, bringing her head to his shoulder. Liam began to soft her upper arm.

Just then, Leo burst in, and Liam and Isla quickly moved out of position and away from each other.

"It's time." Leo said excitedly.

Both of their backs slumped.

"You realize for the first part of the plan Isla and I need to stay here, right?" Liam questioned.

Leo nodded, "Yeah, I was just saying. Everyone's taking their positions. You taking your's?"

Liam's expression dulled, "Yep. We're in our position."

"Okay. Oh! And nice dress, by the way, Isla." Leo said then complemented, before walking out and closing the door once more.

Liam's and Isla's cheeks went pink, thinking back to the comfortable position they'd just been in, that they so quickly moved out of the moment Leo had come.

"So.. uh.. Would- would you like for me to do your hair?" Liam offered.

"Um.. Sure." Isla agreed, then turned her back to him, so that he could style her hair. "You know we really aren't in position. We're supposed to be in Jon's room, remember?"

"Yeah, but at this time we're best staying in here." Liam braided her hair, then wrapped the braid into a secure bun, unlike many of Isla's solo attempts. "Alright! All done." He chimed and Isla turned to face him again.

"Thank you."

Liam, for some reason found himself lightly chuckling. He noticed a loose strand of hair falling from Isla's bun. He must've missed it. He gently took the strand and softly put it behind Isla's ear, his hand brushing against her cheek.

Isla relaxed, even more at the feeling of his touch.

Suddenly, they heard King Henry's voice speaking to a nearby guard, sounding as if coming closer.

"...Just looking for the guest of honor. Can't have a Birthday gala without a Birthday Prince." They heard him joke in the distance.

Oh, no. They hadn't expected that.