Chapter 16: Lies and Kisses

In The kitchen Gabrielle stood, reminiscing on the kiss, as she cooked. She touched her face having a flashback of Ansel kissing her. She smiled softly, her cheeks turning rosy red.

The sounds of vegetables seering in a skillet and the aroma of bell pepper soup filled the kitchen.

"Milady," Josephine cheerfully called out, entering the kitchen, "I've finally found you."

"I didn't know I disappeared," Gabrielle bantered, giving a light chuckle.

"Well you did leave me all the way in the Guard Chambers," Josephine chuckled, walking over to her, "I should've known you were in the kitchen since you love cooking so much even though you're not permitted to be in here."

She looked over at Josephine, her eyes beaming with a love gaze. "I thought you said Ansel always gives me my way," She sighed with a slight smile.

"Why are you looking at me like that," Josephine inquired.

She looked down at the skillet hiding her blushing face, "No reason," She responded, giving a long sigh.

"Something happened didn't it," Josephine gasped, a smile drawn on her face, "Tell me, tell me. What happened between you and His Majesty?"

Outside of the kitchen Hattie and Nylah stood, listening in on their conversation.

"Why are we just listening in on their conversation? Shouldn't we be going in there to intimidate that floozy," Nylah questioned, her heart filling with rage.

"No," Hattie snapped, "His Majesty came back into the Guard Chambers all too happy. I need to know what happened between the two of them."

Inside the kitchen Gabrielle and Jospehine continued their conversation, unaware of Hattie and Nylah listening in.

"Well when His Majesty followed me out he grabbed my lower arm and gave me back my bear," Gabrielle hummed, continuing to cook.

"Okay, what else? Because there's no way you're looking like that after having your arm grabbed," Josephine prodded, her eyes filling with excitement.

"Well he… He told me that he missed me and that he missed hearing the sound of my voice and then he… He… He kissed me," Gabrielle swooned, giving a long sign.

Rage filled Hattie's heart as she continued to listen in.

"Eeeeeeeeeek," Josephine squealed, jumping up and down, "No way, His Majesty kissed you."

"It was only on the cheek," Gabrielle giggled, shushing Josephine, "But it was so breathtaking. I'm supposed to be meeting him again in the Guard Chambers with his lunch. He said he'll be waiting there for me."

Josephine beamed, grabbing onto Gabrielle's arm, "If you've ever doubted His Majesty's feelings for you. Now it should be clear as day. His Majesty is in love with you."

She looked over at Josephine, a smile painted on her face. "I was thinking about confessing to him after giving him lunch," She bubbled.

"That's a great idea and then you can come back and tell me all the details and after we can throw it in Hattie's face. She'll never be able to live it down," Josephine cheered, tugging on Gabrielle's arm.

Outside if the kitchen Hattie stormed off, Nylah following behind her.

"He kissed her. What are we going to do," Nylah prodded.

"We are going to enact phase 3," Hattie replied, leading her to the Guard Chambers.

Outside the Guard Chambers they stood, watching the new recruits leave.

"Nylah stay here and wait for Gabrielle. When you see her point her in my direction… Today she's going to see when it comes down to it His Majesty will always choose me," Hattie plotted, entering the Guard Chambers.

Back in the kitchen Gabrielle finished up cooking lunch, plating it on a silver tray.

"Oh this is so exciting! You two are finally going to be a couple," Josephine cheered.

"Speaking of couples, I have a question for you," Gabrielle said.

"What's the question," Josephine inquired.

"Who is that Brown Haired Man you're completely obsessed with," Gabrielle jested watching Josephine's mouth drop.

"H-How d-did you k-know," She stuttered, looking down.

"The same way you knew I was in love with Ansel. It's all over your face," Gabrielle joshed, pointing at her.

"Well that's… Me and him are… It's nothing," She mumbled looking up at Gabrielle.

"Didn't seem like nothing to me. The way you looked at him tells me that you're in love," Gabreille teased.

"Why don't you worry about confessing your feelings to His Majesty," Josephine huffed, stomping her foot.

"I will, but you'll have to tell me about your beloved if you want details about what happened," Gabrielle chuckled, grabbing onto the tray.

"That's bribery," Josephine pouted.

"I know, isn't that cruel," Gabrielle laughed.

"Fine you got me… I'll tell you all you want to know but you can't tell anyone," Josephine remarked.

"My lips are sealed," Gabrielle promised, walking out of the kitchen with the tray in her hands.

She walked through the hallways, fear overwhelming her mind.

'What if he doesn't like me back… What if I'm seeing something that isn't there… Oh Ansel… I really hope you like me…'

Inside the Guard Chambers Hattie and Ansel stood.

"Your Majesty," Hattie chirped, bowing to him.

"What do you want," Ansel questioned, annoyance filling his voice.

"Your Majesty I just… I just want you to know that I like you a lot and…"

"Enough Hattie," Ansel interrupted, his eyes darkened with coldness, "I've already told you that I'm in love already and it's not with you."

"But why, why can't you be in love with me," Hattie shouted, balling up her fists, "I try my hardest to make you happy. I cooked for you, I follow you around. You know that I like you and still you reject me for some floozy you barely even know! How can you do this to me? What did I do to deserve this cruelty?"

He walked over to her, his eyes fired with anger. "Stop Hattie, just stop," He scolded, "You want to know why I don't like you? You sneer your nose up to those who are less fortunate than you. You think you're above everyone. You try to use power to trample on those you feel are beneath you. All I see in you is pure evil and I would never make someone as evil and as cruel as you my queen. You are not deserving of that title. The fact of the matter is if I were not king you would not love me, but Lady Gabrielle loved me before she knew. She sacrificed everything for me without even knowing who I was. She's the kindest, most beautiful, most wonderful woman I've ever met. For her I would lay down my life for. For her I would give the world and one day she will be my wife. Now get over yourself before you lose everything."

Outside the Guard Chambers Gabrielle stood, seeing Nylah standing there.

"Well look who it is… Why are you back," Nylah grumbled.

"I'm bringing Ansel lunch," She sniffed, rolling her eyes.

"Oh so like a servant? How pathetic. His Majesty would never disrespect Lady Hattie like that. She isn't permitted in the kitchen, probably because His Majesty is in love with her," Nylah retorted.

"Yeah okay Nylah," Gabrielle scoffed.

"If you don't believe me, go look for yourself. She's with His Majesty right now," Nylah smiled, pointing her towards Ansel and Hattie.

She walked over to the doorway, being noticed only by Hattie and watched as Hattie kissed Ansel.

Gabrielle's heart sank as she saw Hattie looking directly at her, she (Gabrielle) had a flashback, remembering Kenton's rejection.

Sorrow overfilled her as she felt her heart snap.

"See I told you, you will always be second choice," Nylah whispered in Gabrielle's ear, mocking her.

Tears filled her eyes as she ran away, missing Ansel pushing Hattie off of him.

He grabbed on to Hattie's wrist, watching her eyes fill with satisfaction. "You disgust me," He roared, "Don't ever try that again."

"You're hurting me," She whined, pulling her wrist out of his grip.

"Stop trying to challenge Lady Gabrielle's position. We are never going to be together. I'm going to have you thrown out," He fumed.

"You and I both know you can't do that because of your father's permanent decree. So just get used to me… I'm always going to be the better choice," She challenge, giving a smirk.

"It's also in that decree that if you push against me, I can have you banished, and you are pushing it," He growled, tightening his fists.

"That's only if I do something major. Don't disrespect the wishes of the deceased beloved king. Kingdom Florian and the Royal Army will be in an uproar," She chirped, turning away to leave.

"Hattie, you will fall one day… I can't wait to have you thrown out," He shouted, watching as she left the room.

In the hallways Gabrielle continued to run, tears streaming down her face.

'How could I have been so stupid, so dumb… I'm an idiot…'

She continued to run, finally bumping into Josephine and Cobsworth.

Their eyes widened as they looked at Gabrielle's distressed face.

"What happened, Milady," Cobsworth exclaimed, worry roaring in his stomach.

"He doesn't like me, he's in love with Hattie," She cried, tightening her grip around the tray.

"What are you talking about," Josephine queried, "His Majesty can't stand…"

"He was kissing her," She wailed, interrupting her, "They were kissing. He was playing me this whole time. He doesn't like me."

"Milady there has to be some misunderstanding. His Majesty would never willingly kiss Hattie," Cobsworth reasoned.

"Yes, His Majesty is in love with you Milady, please let's figure this out," Josephine added, trying to comfort her.

"He doesn't love me and never did. I was stupid for thinking that he did…" She lamented, "I'm stupid for letting this happen again. I should've never believed him."

She tossed the tray to the floor, running back to her room, locking herself inside.

Cobsworth looked at Josephine, rage filling them both.

"I'm going to His Majesty right now to see what is going on," He fumed.

"And I'm going to find those two idiots," She added.