Ch 14 A secret

Every girl present there shouted,

"ME..ME....."

Even the noble ladies were shouting like commoners. They were going to get disappointed. I smiled widely on seeing them being so pitiful.

" Your highness, everyone is waiting."The announcer said again. He was also impatient. 

He smiled and took the crown for the beauty means me. 

" I choose..." He said. 

My heart was in my throat. 

" No one" he said. 

His voice echoed in my ears. Every sound in the background dulled. My heart dropped to stomach like an apple from a tree. 

I was hurt. First, he played with those maids and then, mocked me. Now, he was denying me. How could he? My heart was hurt. Tears filled my vision. I felt like no one at that moment, the most pitiful girl than those girls. 

I stood up and ran to my room. Amy called me but I didn't stop. I didn't want her to see me being a crybaby. 

I ran to my room and closed the door. Tears rolled down my eyes, wetting my cheeks. Amy knocked the door and shouted,

" Princess, Are you alright? " she yelled. She was worried for me. I didn't want her to make sad. 

" I am okay, just tired." I said.

" Are you sure? I am worried. Please open the door, Princess." Amy said with a chocked voice. 

I clutched the door handle tightly and cleared my throat. 

" I am okay , really. I want to be alone...Please." I pleaded. 

" Okay.....but I will come to check on you later." She said.

I heard her walk away. I slipped to ground and sobbed silently. 

I was not a mistake. Why was he hiding me? He could flirt with any girl but can't even talk with me. I was his lover afterall. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was warm. Someone was caressing my head. It was soothing. I opened my eyes slowly. It was dark. 

" You are up." He said. 

I couldn't see his face but I knew he was there. I was in bed. I must have slept after crying.

The bed shifted and he got up. He lighted some candles. Warm and faint light spreads into the room letting me see his face. 

I got up and sat. He came and sat on bed facing me. 

" Why did you run away? And you never showed in the afternoon ball." He asked.

Like he didn't know. 

He smiled and said," I told you to never run away from me." 

" Stop it." I said in an angry voice. 

I was irritated. It was not the time for jokes. 

" Okay...." He said in a serious voice. 

I averted my vision to gaze out of the window. 

" I know why are you angry?" He continued. 

So, atleast he knew he was wrong.

" But I am not sorry at all." He said.

I looked at him with wide eyes. He was really saying that to me.

" Then, what are you doing here?" I said angrily. 

My blood was on fire. I eyed him hardly.

" If looks could kill, I would have died a thousands death." He said with a little laugh. 

" I am not in the mood to chit chat....go away." I said. 

" Ouch...." He exaggerated and pointed his hand towards his heart. 

" You words are weapons." He said playfully. 

He was making me more angry. I climbed down the bed and said" Enough

Get out." 

I walked to open the door. But, before I could grab the door handle he hugged me from behind. 

" I didn't choose you because...." He whispered close to my ear. His warm breathe fanned my ear. I felt his lips moving when he spoke. 

I got goosebumps. Suddenly, I wanted to hear more. So, I didn't resist and let him speak.

" I am selfish. I just want to keep you to myself. I felt like if I will show you to world, then they will steal you from me.....

I....You...You are only mine. I don't want to share you." He turned me around so that I was facing him. " You are my secret, I don't want to share. I have shared my parents with my elder brother, maids and butlers......

I can share anything.....Not you....

Not your love and I promise you, I won't ever leave you. You don't have to be jealous of anyone." 

I looked into his eyes full of promises reflecting me. 

" I want to say more but I don't have words." He said. 

" Really...." I asked

He nodded and said," One minute."

He went to grab something. I was confused by what was he going to do?

He came and showed me the tiara for the beauty. It was similar to his. He put that on my head. 

That small gesture was so sweet. I felt fluttering sensations again. His closeness, made my heart beat fast. He lifted my hand and kissed it. I was like flying in sky. 

" You are my beauty and my most precious thing that I want to hide from everyone." He said in his deep voice. Shivers generated in my body. I hugged him and said," You are also my most precious thing." 

He chuckled and said," You are my secret lover." 

I smiled into his chest. I was secret lover of a prince. My prince. We parted.

" Your highness, I didn't make cookies." I said. 

He lifted his left eyebrow. He could do that too. Why did I find it so hot? 

" What did you call me?" He asked in husky voice. 

Why did I feel like I was in a problem? His face was distracting. He was still lifting his eyebrow and I found my concentration getting destroyed. My brain just short circuited. 

" W..What?" I stuttered.

" What did you call me?" He said in a darker voice coming towards me. He was like a predator. He had so mamy different sides. 

"Your highness." I said while gulping.

" Call me Alaric." He said while smirking. 

"W..What..b..but..." I was struggling to form words. 

He took a long step towards me and I flinched backwards on his sudden movement.My back hit the door. He placed his both hands on the door trapping me in. 

He smirked and said," You are all red." 

I was blushing. 

" I like teasing you so much...You are so cute." He said. 

I blushed hardly. I wanted to dig a hole and hid in it. 

" Say my name." He whispered close to my ear. 

I shivered and gulped.

" Madeleine.." he whispered my name. 

It sounded like sweetest prayer from his lips but at same time the most sinful thing. How could my name could sound like this? 

" I am waiting...." He said again. 

I gathered my spilled and broken courage and cleared my throat.

"Al..." I was interrupted by the knock on the door. 

My heart jumped to my throat.

" Princess...Are you awake?" Amy asked. 

She was outside. What will I do? I was panicking and he was just smiling mischievously.

" Go..." I whispered to him. 

But he shaked his head in a no. 

"Please go..." I pleaded. 

" Princess, Are you alright?" She asked in an anxious voice.

" Yeah, I am alright ...Wait a second." I told her. 

He was rooted to his place. He was smirking. 

" You just have to call me by my name." He said. 

" Princess..." She called again and knocked on the door 

Yeah , he was right. I motivated myself. It wasn't so difficult. I inhaled deeply. I could do it. I could.

" Al...Alaric" I whispered .

His pupils dilated with joy and he smiled brightly. 

" Now, go...." I whispered.

" Don't want to" he said playfully.

I chuckled and pushed him back. He was going backwards, his eyes on me. He knocked down a flower pot.

" Princess, Are you alright?" Amy asked again.

" Yeah, I am coming." I said. I signed him to go fastly. 

" Dream of me tonight." He shouted and jumped down from the window.

I saw him go with wide eyes. He was really going to give me a heart attack. 

I sighed in relief. He was gone. But, I didn't want him to go. 

" Princess." Amy knocked again. I forgot her for a second. 

I hid the tiara under my pillow and opened the room. She bursted into my room and bombarded me with questions.

It took me hours to convince her that I was alright. I also apologised to her for my rude behaviour. She told me we will be returning in a few days.

Alaric 

I imagined her face when she was calling my name. She was blushing hard and she was embarrassed. I pushed her buttons too much . But, when she called my name with that sweet voice of hers, it was worth it. 

Bells form heaven were ringing loudly in my ears. 

The moment was already passed. But, I was still stuck in it, like I was freezed in time. She was indifferent to how much she mattered to me?

I also came to know her weakness. She was really in a daze when she saw how I lifted my one eyebrow? 

For the first time, I was proud of my weird quality. 

She was like the moon with a side that everyone can see and a side that was hidden from everyone that contained secrets. But, I saw her hidden side and I was her secret. 

Night was still young and I was dreaming of my moon, my beauty. She was sleeping in my arms under the stars.