Matchbreaker

There is a saying that matches are made in heaven. Maybe that's true. Nonetheless, the matches in the universe I was living in was made in Venus's head. Consequently, I brushed off the complicity and was determined to break off these matches.

For this, I woke up early the next morning, took a warm bath and dressed in a teal green gown. Later, I sat in front of the mirror and let Lilly and Violet braid my hair into Dutch braids. They powdered my face then set me free.

When I reached the chamber door, I was welcomed by Henry and Merlin. When the three of us reached the ground floor, we came up against Victor and Nilo.

"Your Highness!" the two of them bowed at once. These days, Victor had already started to pay respect properly. I didn't know what made him change but this rather formal and unfamiliar greeting annoyed me. Also, it gave an illusion that we had already grown apart for some reason.

"Nilo, Henry, and Merlin! You three bring the breakfast to the prisoners!" I said. "Victor, you come with me!" I continued as I started to walk in the direction of the crown prince's palace.

He silently followed me without arguing. I still remember the last time I asked him to follow me like this. He inquired me about where we were going. Within a few seconds, he asked me how far this place was. Later he asked me why I chose him instead of Henry or Merlin. However, this time was different. He was just following me without asking a single question.

I stopped suddenly and this time, Victor had already crashed on me. I turned to him and tilted my head.

"Where is your focus?" I asked.

"What focus?" he replied. I shook my head in annoyance.

"You are not being yourself these days"

"So?" he asked.

"If you are worried about Flora, stop worrying. We are about to find a solution to all these problems," I told him.

He frowned once tried to say something then stopped himself. With knitted brows and an unreadable expression, he question me again, "What Flora?"

"What do you mean 'what Flora'? I know you love her or at least have a crush on her. I'm going to help you make her fall in love with you"

"Why?"

"Because I don't want my brother to marry her!"

"Why?"

"You don't need to know!" I said.

"Why don't you just focus on your marriage and stop annoying others?" he asked as he frowned further looking fiercely into my eyes.

I was taken aback by his sudden fury. I looked at him confused for a few seconds then gathered myself. "I don't need to answer you. Do I?"

"Whatever!" he carelessly said as he started walking towards the princess's palace.

"Go ahead! I'll tell the queen to behead all of your subordinates!" I shouted behind him.

He paused then turned towards me with the same fiery eyes. Then stood there trying to control his anger. I could see his struggle clearly on his face and finally he somehow calmed himself down and reached me.

"I've never seen a woman so cruel as you!" he spat the words in between his gritted teeth.

"I've already told you to learn to be around me. Hadn't I?" I knitted my brows as I raised my eyebrows.

"You did. I never learnt" he audibly mumbled.

I frowned then started to walk towards the crown prince's palace once again. Again, I could sense Victor following me without speaking a word.

When I reached the second floor where Edward's chamber was, I tried my best to walk as slowly as I could since I didn't want to raise anyone's suspicion. Of course, I was there to spy on Victor's bedroom I had to be extra careful. Before I could reach Ed's chamber I saw the prime minister coming out of the giant doors of the chamber.

I immediately ordered Victor to hide then hid carefully behind a pillar. Since it was a very huge pillar, the prime minister couldn't see me anymore but I was never a problem. Victor was still standing in the prime minister's way without moving an inch!

"Vic..." before I could signal him, the prime minister had seen him.

"You? Aren't you... Her Highness royal guard?" the witty minister immediately identified the intruder. "What are you doing here?"

I believed that Victor would somehow grapple with this situation and wouldn't rat me out.

I was wrong! I was thoroughly wrong! That nasty piece of work pointed out the pillar I was hiding behind and told the prime minister "I'm accompanying Her Highness!".

I started to wonder what wrong did I do to this guy in my previous lifetimes? What sin I do so he is making me pay in this lifetime?

In the meantime, the prime minister had already turned to me. His curious eyes found me prying the scene immediately. I had no second to waste so I immediately turned and seriously examined a sculpture on the pillar.

"Minister, what does this sculpture means?" I asked.

"Oh, Your Highness!" he bowed once then he turned to the pillar and said, it depicts a creature that is capable of making anyone fall in love," he said.

I nodded in acknowledgement. "I see. Its aesthetic appeal had got me carried away" I continued looking at the sculpture which almost looked like a butterfly.

"Astrana got many more sculptures of great aesthetic value. There is nothing Your Highness doesn't know" the prime minister replied.

"There may be. But this... this one got something in it. I couldn't say what exactly it is" I pretended to appreciate that butterfly sculpture for a few more seconds then turned to the humans.

"You may leave, minister," I said as I confidently started to walk towards the chamber entrance. Once I heard the prime minister stepping down, I immediately turned to Victor and glowered at him.

"What?" he nonchalantly asked. I could say he was taking revenge on me for something. I just couldn't guess what exactly was it since there were many causes for him to do so.

"Why didn't you hide that huge head of yours somewhere?"

"Sorry. I didn't hear your order" he lied.

I gritted my teeth and was about to say my next words but before I could, I heard a crunch. Followed by that, I heard a few more crunches. All these were coming out from the chamber.

Within a few seconds, I heard a man's voice.

"You, can't you do a single work properly?" It was Edward.

"I apologize, Your Highness!" said Flora.

"What apology? You've already placed a wedge in between me and my sister" said Edward.

"I didn't..." Flora tried to say but Edward interfered. "I've seen so many women like you. Your stagecrafts won't work on me!" he finished. I naturally frowned listening to this unpleasant conversation.

"What's wrong with Edward? Why is he suddenly behaving like someone with a sister complex?" I wondered. Although Edward had treated Flora with disrespect even in the book, he had never gone this far. This seemed a lot harsher than what it used to be in the book.

Suddenly I heard a few more crunches. Edward must have broken something again. I understood where this was going. It was the typical trope used in Romance please. Edward will go berserk on her then he will come back to apologize. This way, he started to grow feelings for her.

When I was thinking this, Edward abruptly pushed open the chamber door. I immediately dragged Victor out of the way and hid behind the opened door. I had already covered Victor's mouth and waited for Edward to leave the area.

Once he left, I turned to Victor who was also looking at me. Unlike the last time he embraced me like this in the dark, this time I could see half of his face. This was the first time I took a close glance at Victor. I should have stopped there. I accidentally locked eyes with him.

To be honest, his blazing hazel eyes were compelling. They were beautiful. There got their gravity thus I ended up inching towards him, a bit! I stopped midway realizing what in the world I was doing then.

'Atty?? Really?? Are you that lonely that you can't stand a man's powerful eyes?' I scolded myself internally and moved back.

He was still and looking at me without even blinking. To break that awkward atmosphere between us, I spoke some nonsense.

"See... I told you. F...Flora and Ed...Edward, they are quite a b...bad match," I stammered.

"We shouldn't let this happen!" I whispered to him as I took away my hand that was covering his mouth. I paused since I was not sure whom I was talking about then. I didn't speak for a few seconds.

Within this time, I had already pulled myself together.

"Now hurry. Go and comfort her," I said finally looking at him with determination. He looked at me like he wasn't willing.

"Don't pretend to be tough, Victor. I know that you have eyes for her. Just utilize the opportunity!" I insisted.

"Utilize the opportunity?" he asked as he tilted his head looking into my eyes as if he was willing to devour me with his eyes. Although I wondered 'what's with that look' I ignored his gaze.

"Yes!" I nodded.

"Ok. I'll do that from now on!" he smirked once then walked inside the prince's chamber and at that moment, I felt a slight discomfort rising in my heart!

'Could be acidity!' I just ignored it!