A Lioness Versus A Demon

Ana gasped as her eye twitched. Did he just flirt with her? Ha! He must be mocking her. That was the only thing he could do.

When she kept glaring at him but did not reply, he shrugged his shoulders and started eating the pie again when she gritted her teeth.

"Father.. Is there something you wanted to discuss with me?" asked Rowan this time with a very calm voice but his eyes were narrowed at the face of his father too and the room turned thick with tension.

"No! I just wanted to have a meal here. Is there any problem?" he asked back with a smile and all Rowan and Ana could do was nod and curse him in their heart.

"How was your day, Rowan?" she asked, ignoring his presence since she knew that the argument was not going anywhere.

"It was good, my lady." he smiled ignoring his father too when she shook her head.

"You did not need to call me that formally, i am going to be your mother soon. You can call me mother but if you are not comfortable, you can call me by my name. We do not have much difference in our age anyway."

"Cough cough! Cough.." She closed her eyes and counted till twenty before throwing a glare at Garrison who was behaving like a jerk again.

"My child is only ten, lady Anastasia." he reminded her gently, trying not to choke again. Was she saying that he was a pedophile if she did not have much age difference with his child.

"I know that, my lord.'' The voice came out through gritted teeth and then she turned to look at the child again who had an awkward look on his face.

"How did you get the injury? Do you want me to reprimand the teacher? How could he be so negligent with a child." Garrison felt the urge to remind her of his age again, but he scratched his neck and let it go as she was looking more ferocious now.

Like a tigress protecting her wounded child. The thought brought a smile to his face.

Ana was still worried about Rowan when she heard Garry laughing and felt her temperature rising again. How could he be so cold as to laugh at the injury of his son. He was not a human but a demon.

"This is nothing, my lady. You do not need to worry so much. My teacher told me that a few scars are the medals of growing up. It would not matter." ha! She scoffed at the hypocrisy.

"I wonder how many scars that teacher had on his body." she snickered as she picked up the glass of her juice and gulped all at once. "Anyways, since you are injured, take a break. We will go shopping tomorrow. I will write a letter to your teacher informing them so they do not hold you liable." she smiled when he blinked and looked startled by the information.

"Going shopping?" he repeated blankly. He had never gone out from the palace except to the family of other nobles like count, the family of his mother and her family that other day or some royal events where his presence was necessary. Except that, going to visit a pretty place or market was only a luxury he could dream of.

He looked at his father instantly. He looked disposed of the news too.

"Yes, my mother told me that I should buy you gifts for our marriage. So, I thought it would be better to take you with me since I did not have a good idea about your measurements and your likes and dislikes.

I have booked an appointment with madam Louise. I am sure you will like her collection." she beamed with joy but felt that there was something amiss, and asked, "you did not want to come with me?" she had never thought about his view.

Martha had told her that it would be good to buy gifts for the child, so she assumed that Rowan would like it too.

"He can not go out." It was Garrison who filled in the details. "We mostly have traders in the palace that bring the best goods from all around the world. So, he did not need to spend time under the son looking for clothes." his majestic voice had a touch of authority as if his decision was absolute when she frowned.

"How is that the same? Going out is an entertainment that gives you a change, the four walls of the palace can not give that. And I am sure a little son would be good for the growth of the child. I am taking him with me tomorrow." she deadpanned as she looked at Garrison with resoute eyes.

"He did not want to go with you." Garrison replied in a calm voice as he picked up his glass of wine and took a sip elegantly. His Adam apple bobbed and she felt heat rising to her skin.

How could just the act of sipping wine be that seductive and affect her when she only hated the man.

She shook her head and looked at Rowan again who was staring at his father and sighed. She felt defeated but in the next second, she smiled again. It was a tough task, she should not expect the child to change in a day. It would take time of course! She assured herself.

"If you are not interested then it is fine. I will ask the traders to come to the palace only." she nodded her head in understanding when Rowan felt something tightening around his chest and he shook his head.

"No! I would like to go out with you and roam in the market, my lady… I mean.. Anastasia."