16 I Don't Need the Prince! 13

When Rey reached Ariel, he was out of breath, but more so worried. He stretched both of his hands ready to pick Ariel up to carry her to the infirmary but chose to awkwardly retract his hands behind his back. It wasn't appropriate for him to carry her, especially a lady. When he looked back at Ariel, he realized what he had just done and lend out his hand again.

"Are you alright, Lady Ariel?" still very awkward, he could only ask of her wellbeing. He was rigid in his movements and could only put his utmost best gentleman performance to compensate.

Ariel took his hands helping herself up but almost fell down again from the pain. Rey supported her with his other hand, but once again retracted it. Ariel, without support, fell down once again. Her little face winced in pain, and she glared at Rey.

Rey laughed it off trying to maintain his cool, and once again helped her up.

Ariel slowly stood up revealing the ruined dress she wore. There were various spots of dirt layered on her dress. It had small tears lacing throughout revealing the inner skirt underneath. All in all, an unfitting appearance for a lady.

Rey looked at her small hands in his and realized there were shards of rocks embedded in them. Her palm was not in good condition either with scratches of varying depths covering her hands; some had blood seeping out of it. He grabbed her other hands realizing it was also in the same condition - damaged.

"Do you need me to help you to the infirmary?" he flipped her hands over constantly scanning her palms. He slowly picked out the bigger rock pieces, before saying, "Let's go. I'll take you to the infirmary."

He started to pull Ariel, but how could Avina let her plan fail again.

Instead, Avina stumbled and reached out to grab Rey's shirt. Putting on her most pitiful look, she pleaded, "Can we not? I don't like doctors."

Yes, even Avina cringed saying that. But what can she do, all the other novel MCs act cute and they always get what they want. Let's try their tactic!

Surprisingly, Rey fell for it. He looked at the pleading kitten Ariel, and his heart went soft. Her little uptilt eyes and pouting lips asked the people around her to pamper her. She was not at all similar to the rumors spreading about her - conniving and mean. Instead, she was sweet and cute.

Realizing what he had just thought of, he blushed. Coughing into his palm, he struggled to retain the last parts of integrity he still had. "Then, sit over there. I'll ask an attendant for a medical kit."

Quickly, he led her to the nearby gazebo before setting off to find an attendant. Avina watched him leave before hurrying to tidy her messy hair.

'Give me a monitor to see how I look,' she needed to at least look a little presentable once the prince comes. What princess was ever in a mess when her prince came?

When a monitor popped into her mind, she realized how futile her efforts would be. Her hair was a bird's nest, and her pretty little face had smudges of dirt staining her cheeks. She looked like a dirty kitten! No matter how much she combed her hair or rubbed her cheeks, it did not get better one bit!

Maybe there's a prince out there who doesn't care for looks…

Putting down her hands, she could only adjust her position to look more piteous but graceful. She scooted left and right, putting her hands to the side and in front, tilting her head this way and that way, but could never feel satisfied.

Maybe today was not her lucky day, but as she was moving around annoyed with every single position, someone came into the gazebo.

"Ariel!" looking at who called her name, she was stunned. Her movements froze as her hand was still holding her skirt adjusting it. Her little body stood upright before embarrassingly blushed. Gosh, he witnessed me adjusting my position!!

George had found her. One of the guards said they saw a lady walking into the garden. Testing his luck, he spotted a head of platinum hair sitting in the gazebo. Not wanting it to be a figment of his imagination, he hurried there. Once he saw her, he could not be any more relieved. She was safe.

Avina stared at the prince who finally found his princess. His forehead dripped with sweat as his original neat and tidy hair fell shadowing his eyes. He panted out of breath and she visibly saw his body relaxed. In his eyes, there was a small smile and the corner of his mouth hooked up.

George walked towards Ariel and grabbed both of her hands. He was about to ask her why she had left the room but saw how scratched her poor hands were.

He looked at her hands, before realizing her dress was also ripped, and then realized her hair was puffed into a ball of dirt, and the small smudges of dirt on her cheek.

His cute adorable kitten had an unexpected adventure and turned into a small ball of dirt.

Avina noticed how quickly his gaze changed from happiness to shocked, and finally concerned. At the very least, he wasn't disgusted. Letting out a sigh of relief inwards, she once again acted like a spoiled kitten.

Ariel gazed embarrassed at George before retracting her gaze to her lap. She slowly pulled out her hands from his grasp leaving them clutched together at her chest. Hesitating, she said, "I-I'm sorry. I wanted to come to the garden first. Didn't expect I would fall though." She laughed awkwardly, before looking up at him. His expression had changed once more. This time, she didn't know what it meant. Her laughter died, before retrieving her head to look back at her lap. Her hands clenched together in many positions slowly exuding sweat.

Why did his gaze look so bad? I shouldn't have left the room…

Slowly, balls of water pooled in her eyes urging to fall down her cheeks. Trickling one by one, tears fell down her cheeks condensing at her chin, and plopping down at her hand. Silent sniffles played out the gazebo, and her figure appeared to be wane and weak.

George, finally snapping out of his thoughts, noticed Ariel's distress. He didn't know what to say to comfort her. He had promised to treat her better, but she had gotten injured in the very palace grounds he should have guarded. And now look at this, she was crying. All because of him.

His hands hovered over her down casten head before slowly patting her. His mother in the past had always done so when he was feeling down, maybe it would help Ariel. His awkward warmth froze Ariel before she cried even harder.

Her hands reached out to her eyes rubbing the neverending tears away. Her silent sobs became louder echoing through the whole gazebo.

Flustered, George patted her even faster saying comfortingly, "There there."

When Avina was just about to latch onto George to cry into his chest, she was interrupted!

"Lady Ariel, I'm back!"

Blast this! This Princess does not like today! It could rot with all the other lollipop lickers!

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