17 I Don't Need the Prince! 14

When the mood had reached its peak, someone interrupted the scene. Running towards the gazebo, Rey came carrying a medical kit. His original neat appearance was rough with his neck ribbon untied and a few buttons unbuttoned. His hair shined golden green in the light reflecting the morning. When he came closer to the gazebo, he noticed there was an extra person inside.

Moving closer he spotted a guy with blonde hair. Worried about what he might be doing to Ariel, he quickened his pace. The more he came closer the more he felt that back to be very similar. Soon, he could see the profile of the man.

He nervously stood still outside the gazebo awkwardly holding the medical kit. Not knowing what to say, he could only let out a small embarrassed chuckle and greet the prince. "How do you do, Your Highness. I didn't expect to see you here."

"I didn't expect to see you here either." Putting down his hands off of Ariel, he replied curtly to the man. Straightening his back, he hid the figure of Ariel behind him.

Rey could only keep silent. He did not know what else to say. Tell the prince he saw his fiance being a mess and went to fetch a medical kit? It's disgraceful enough Ariel is a mess, but even more so to let someone else see her, especially someone not her family or fiance.

"Then I will leave the kit right here. Good day to you, Your Highness," Rey could only back off leaving the kit at the entrance of the gazebo. Laughing, he bid the prince goodbye before making his way out of the garden. He peeked once more behind George to see if Ariel was okay, but couldn't even take a glimpse of her hair thanks to George.

George, after making sure Rey was long gone, walked up to pick the medical kit. He opened it before taking out antiseptic and a roll of gauze. He slowly started cleaning Ariel's hands and bandaging her. Ariel's sniffles resounded as he wrapped the gauze around her small palms.

Avina pursed her lips looking at George bandaging her hands. Although the plan failed somewhat, at least she still managed to see George and discover the schemes of Amanda and Earl John. Many failures, but yielded good results.

"Let's have a maid change your clothes," breaking the silence, George asked her to come inside the palace to change into a new dress. Not rejecting his offer, Avina was lead back inside the palace, and several maids attended her cleaning up her dirty appearance.

A while later, Ariel reappeared in front of George perfectly clean head to toe and with a new dress. George invited her once more to view the garden, and the two headed off.

Avina, taking the time cleaning up, paid attention to the monitors. After Rey left, he wandered about the garden and managed to see Jane standing beneath a tree. Wondering if she was lost, he greeted her before asking. Jane, who was planted specifically underneath the tree, did not meet the Prince but instead met Rey. Unable to ignore his presence or greeting, the two conversed for the morning finding many topics to discuss on.

Rey was slowly astounded by the vast knowledge Jane knew, and Jane grew livelier learning of Rey's easy-going but respectable character. Rey had expected to meet Ariel today in the garden, but who would have known he would meet another kindred soul. Soon, the two became close as two friends who met once again.

On the other monitor, she looked at Amanda and Earl John talking in an inconspicuous hallway. The two seemed to fervently discuss their plan eyes glowing with greed and ambition. Avina, sadly, did not have the time to hear their conversation because she had to meet the prince.

As the two walked together going back to the garden, Avina noticed how similar the route they took was to Amanda's and Earl John's. Sure enough, verifying her speculations in the next minute, the two of them ran into Amanda and Earl John.

Both Amanda and Earl John did not think they would meet the prince. One, they were both here without being granted an audience nor having reasons for being here. Two, they had thought the Prince was already in the garden and perhaps have already met Jane underneath the tree.

Amanda was the first to snap out of her daze and went to greet Prince George. Following her, Earl John greeted him as well. Then came Ariel's greeting and the two sides greeted another.

Suspicious of the two's presence, George said, "I did not know you two would visit today. I would have let the maids send you to a lounge to wait first." George shook Earl John's hands silently observing the eyes of Amanda's and Earl John's. Amanda remained calm not expressing any clues, but Earl John was less prepared and a small flash of anxiety was seen in his eyes.

Unable to find a suitable answer, Earl John tensely laughed appearing guilty. Amanda clenched her fan tightly in her hands witnessing the foolery Earl John was displaying. If she knew Earl John was dim-witted she would never have partnered with him. Thinking him to be as smart and cunning as herself, she made a deal with Earl John, but she has now realized the folly of it all. He wasn't smart enough to act calm! He was blowing their cover right in front of her!

Maybe George sensed Amanda's annoyance towards Earl John, but he quickly glanced at Amanda. Amanda quickly placed her calm face on, before covering up Earl John's mistake. "We had wanted to visit the Royal Garden. I heard that the rare dahlias were blooming again." Still maintaining her smile to the prince, she used her fan to hit Earl John at his thigh.

Perhaps Earl John grew another brain cell or lost it again, but he nodded vigorously at Amanda's comment, and repeatedly said, "Right! Right!" Amanda felt another headache ensuing from Earl John's reaction but what was she supposed to do? Hit him again? It appeared to not work at all.

The corners of Avina's mouth started to tilt up looking at this funny scene, but she had to maintain her innocent pure facade. She could only tightly hold her hands together hoping it would relieve some of her laughter. She looked over at George wondering what he planned to do.

He had a thoughtful look on his face alternating from looking at Amanda to looking at Earl John. In the end, he did not pursue the matter with Amanda but took Ariel away to see the garden. Grabbing her hands, he held it beneath his armpit and lead her away bidding farewell to these two liars.

After George left, Amanda let out a sigh of relief and Earl John did the same. Unfortunately, before he finished, Amanda already hit his chest harshly with her fan. Baffled, he looked at her. What was she doing hitting him with a fan?

"You idiot! What kind of lousy performance was that!" Amanda fumed with anger pointing her fan at the direction Prince George and Lady Devera had left. "Luckily Prince George believed my lie or else we would have blown this whole charade!" She berated Earl John for his horrible performance. "Go find a traveling theatre crew and take lessons!"

Earl John could only keep his head down subjecting himself to her insults. Repeatedly, Amanda hit his head with her fan making a clacking sound each time. Although Earl John wished it would stop, what could he say? That he was actually good at acting? That he did not need lessons from a theatre crew? But then what of his nervous wreck in front of the prince? He could only remain silent.

Avina watched all of this on her monitor, and her lips this time tilted high up, and her entire face radiated joy and amusement. George, clueless, thought she was excited to see the garden. Resolutely, he decided to take her to the garden every week if that was what she wanted.