Hazel Eyes

Next Morning.

Hadrian got up from bed very early in the morning since he had less sleep thinking about the conflict situation. The reason why he was more concerned about the conflict situation is because of how bad the situation would affect his childhood bestfriend Alexandria since she spent all her life growing up in Agland.

He went to take a bath and as usual it took his maids three hours to finish him up.Even at the end of those three hours, they still felt sad saying he left so quick.

After taking his bath, he wore his training clothes selected by his maids and headed out to train.

Today his trainer was different. It was Daccian.A man who trained his students as though they were on the battlefield. Hadrian came closer and without warning Daccian swung his sword at him. And that signified the beginning of the fight.

Daccian wouldn't allow them to pause for a breather or even break for food. They would go on for hours upon hours until the end of the training.

He was more difficult to deal with than the others.

As they were fighting, Hadrian's friends together with Arabelle arrived with Arabelle in the front lead.But as Hadrian turned to look at them, he got distracted by Arabelle.

Arabelle wore a golden red high thigh slit gown. The shoulders of the clothes were off shoulders and her beautiful skin shone brightly under the sun absorbing the sunlight.

And to top it all, her red lipstick and nicely done hair was all you needed to fall for her beauty.

In his distraction he felt something seep into his skin and something warm slide down his arms. Daccian's sword had cut through his skin.

His friends rushed out to his aid and took him to his room where he laid on his bed. The maids treated his sore with Arabelle as an assistant.

"Hey are you okay?" Arabelle asked with great concern.But before he could answer, the door creaked open and Daccian stepped in.

"Hey you have to apologize to Hadrian!" The angry Archie spoke up once Daccian entered.

"Apologize? Apologize for what? He should apologize to himself for allowing himself to be distracted. If he was in the battlefield his enemies would have trampled over him already". Daccian explained.

"Wow that was nice, thank you lovely Daccian!" Arabelle said with sarcasm.

"You're always welcomed". he replied and left.

"Hey how's the pain like?" Arabelle asked Hadrian.

"I am surprised you don't know he was distracted by you, Arabelle". Charles said with Jealousy filled tone.

"Whatever Charles" she rolled her eyes and sat by Hadrian. One by one they all left to the garden with the exception of Arabelle who was roaming around his room as if she was in the art gallery. Queen Stella entered the room and run to her son.

"Hadrian! Are you okay son?". she asked observing the bandage on his arm. Hadrian blushed red when he saw Arabelle's face with the expression 'aww' written all over her face.

"Mother, I am fine.Look". He said as he raised his arms up and turned it round to show her how okay he was. All of it was facade to show off because he was shy of Arabelle's presence. His face however betrayed him as pain was plastered all over his face and more blood oozed out of the wound.

"Hadrian stop that!!! You're just worsening it". His mother said and hugged him tight.

But the guard entered the room breaking the mother and son bond.

"Your royal majesty, your highly respected presence is required by the King."

"Take good care of yourself okay?"

"I will mother. This is nothing".

Her mother walked away with the guard and took one last look at her son. Arabelle also left with his mother.

*************

In the king's special garden.

The king was lying on one of the sofas placed in his garden where he patiently awaited his wife, Queen Stella. Once he, Egbert wanted something he would get it no matter the circumstances. He had to take action very quickly. His wife entered the garden and walked like the queen she was all up to him, curtsied and sat on the sofa across him.

"Your highness?" She addressed.

"I wanted to tell you something of great importance". he introduced.

"I am all ears your highness". She said.

"Good. As you know my very good friend Magnus is refusing to make Frostland and Agland one land. Which will make things easier for us. It would help us be powerful amongst all the lands olin the kingdom of Meanor and beyond. But he is failing to see the sense in that.Therefore if he doesn't want to do so friendly I will have to take over with force".

"What are you proposing?" Queen Stella asked.

"I have to gain Allies. And you can't gain Allies without having a good relationship with them. Therefore I am going to use Arabelle. Her father is a very good warrior and a king of Rockfire town. He has the best army in the whole of Meanor".

"But how can you use that girl?" The queen asked.

"By betrothal. She will be betrothed to Hadrian".

The queen went blank.

"But what if does not sit well with the two of them?"

"I DON'T CARE!!! I just want you to let him know. You are excused!".

'Of course you don't care. You think marriage is a joke. You will get your son betrothed all in the name of your selfishness'. she said in her thoughts and left the garden.

The queen decided not to make Hadrian aware of his father's decisions yet. He would have to heal first. She cared about her children very much. Cassandra was already married now since she was 21. Their eldest brother Harford was also married.

************

Night time.

Hadrian was in the bathroom and the maids were washing him up but this time carefully. But not because he had a hurt so they wouldn't be permitted to drool. This time it took about five hours because they had to be extra careful. While he was still bathing Arabelle entered with a golden food cart.

She strolled it aside and sat on the edge of the bath.

His lower body was hidden in the steamy soapy water but at least she had a view of his too abs.

"Hi, Arabelle" he greeted breaking her gaze from his abs to his face.

"Oh hello Hadrian. I brought dinner".

"Thank you". He remembered Alexandria suddenly. How she wheeled the food cart because she cared he hadn't come for dinner then. And how they shared their somewhat first kiss. And that was a memory he would keep forever. Even though he was no longer a virgin, Yes! He was just 19 but he had already broken his virginity. It was a normal thing for princes in his land. He loosed his virginity at age 15. He never felt how he felt when he first kissed his bestfriend by mistake. Alexandria.

"Hey... earth to Hadrian". Arabelle waved at his face.

"Oh...ha! Just reminding on some good memories". He smiled.

"You didn't leave with Archie and Charles?" he asked.

"No. Note that Arabelle never forgets things. I told you yesterday after our training that today you would take me to town!" she reminded him.

"Oh...Uhm".

"No excuses please. Oh I forgot your wound. Oh sorry poor you!" she said acting sad. If there was one thing Hadrian hated that was having pity on him.

"I am coming". he said.

"Excuse me, I am sorry I didn't get that?"

"I said I am following you to town".

"Yes thank you Hadrian". she said and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

After his bath, his wound was redressed. He drank some medicine to aid with the wound's fast healing, wore some clothes and headed out with Arabelle. They took the horses and disguised as commoners. To the market they went!.

The marketplace was busy but never lacked fun, food,and laughter. They got off the horses and fastened them somewhere. And they walked through the people. Hadrian felt like he had never before. He felt so free. Like he could whatever he wished. He lat out his hands and ran through the crowd. Arabelle had done this several times and it was always a stress reliever.

"Hey come let's join this dance group". She said as she whisked Hadrian away for a dance. They swayed their bodies to the music and sank their sorrows away. Hadrian was happy. Arabelle was happy.

But Hadrian was so immersed in the dance that he bumped into someone.

"Oh.. I am so sorry miss. Forgive me I didn't see you coming. I would have made way then please accept my apologies!" he ranted.

The lady just stared into his eyes. She had covered her head with a veil which only revealed her eyes. They both stared into each other's eyes for a very long time. Hadrian didn't know why he was so drawn to her hazel eyes. Arabelle after looking for Hadrian all around finally. Found him staring into somebody's eyes.

"Hey Hadrian what are you doing here?" he asked.

"I...I am just...". he said without completing his words and stared deeper.

The lady walked past him and he turned and stared at her back.

"Hey it's time we left. Our absence must not be known".

"Yes, yes let's... let's.... let's go.... let's leave. Alexandria". he said.

"Alexandria?" Arabelle asked stunned.

"Sorry Arabelle!"

"Okay.. I will make sure we don't come back here again. This is just so weird. Or are you tipsy?" She asked walking him to where they fastened their horses.

**********

Back at the palace.

Hadrian went to bed but he couldn't sleep.He felt some kind of connection with the lady he bumped into. Her eyes he had seen them somewhere before. But he didn't want to approve of his heart that he was right. She couldn't be that lady. She was banned from coming to Frostland so it certainly couldn't be her. He thought. He stood up from bed and went to his window and looked into the direction of the market. He wanted to go there again to look for her.

" Where are you coming from, Hadrian?"

"Mother!" he turned only to see her leaning on his door he was so engrossed in thinking that he didn't even hear when she came in.

"I saw you with Arabelle". his mother explained.

"We...we..we went to the marketplace".

"And you know too well how dangerous that is right?"

"I know.. mother. I am sorry".

"You should be".

"Anyways why are you not in bed?"

"I...I nothing mother".

"You kids think you can lie to us parents? Well that's adorable because you can't you just can't. It's either you say I don't want to tell or you tell!"

"Mother...I think I met Alexandria at the marketplace".

"It can't be her son! Go back to bed".

He went back to bed and his mother gave him a kiss on his forehead, turned out the light and left.