CHAPTER THREE

"Your last name is Hart?" Theodore looked almost as shocked as Seth as he took a seat on the chair beside the bed.

"If your last name is Hart then that means..." Seth mumbled loudly to himself.

"Yes, she is his majesty's daughter." Louis confirmed Seth's suspicions.

"Impossible." Theodore stated coldly.

"No, it's not! I am your daughter, look at my eyes! It's grey, only the royal family has that..." Ariella pointed at Theodore as she said that, her eyes filled with unshed tears.

Ariella suddenly covered her mouth with her hands, preventing her from stepping out of line even more. Her face was burning due to how embarrassed she felt at that moment.

"I-I'm sorry..." Ariella apologized to Theodore but before he could reply, a knock was heard from the door.

" Who is it?" Juliet asked softly to the person behind the door.

"It's me, Mina. Count Whitlock has arrived." Mina, the girl behind the door spoke softly.

"Louis." Theodore called out.

"Yes, your highness?" Louis wondered why Theodore was calling him instead of attending to his duties.

"Handle that for me, hurry up." Theodore waved his hand at Louis who was giving him a frustrated look.

"Of course your majesty, but if you don't mind, may I ask you something?" Louis forced a polite smile as he asked that.

"What Is it?"

"What will you be doing in the meantime?" Louis asked his question.

"I plan on having a lovely talk with Arianna." Theodore answered his question with a smile of his own, his grey eyes looking at him with amusement.

"It's Ariella..." Ariella mumbled quietly under her breath in order not to be heard.

"I thought you didn't believe that she was your daughter?" Seth asked.

"I don't, but she has the grey eyes of the royal family. I might as well show her some hospitality." Theodore's smile was wiped off his face by the time he was done talking.

"Of course your majesty. I'll get her dressed as soon as possible!" Juliet said hurriedly as she nervously dashed out of the room with Ariella.

"I have to go as well, there is some important business I have to attend to." Seth abruptly said as he too dashed out of the room.

"Take care, your majesty." Louis followed right after Louis.

Soon enough, it was only Edward and Theodore left in the room. neither Theodore nor Edward said anything to each other.

The atmosphere was tense and the overbearing aura that was coming from Theodore made Edward uncomfortable.

"Would you like anything to drink?" Edward asked professionally.

"No." Theodore replied snappily.

"How about something to eat?" Edward asked again.

"No." Theodore didn't even look at him as he responded to his question.

"Ok then, how about-" Edward quickly shut up when he noticed the cold and threatening glare coming his way.

He didn't react as much as he should have since he was used to this kind of treatment. The king has been like this since the accident that happened about seven years ago.

"Can't you see that I'm trying to think?" Theodore returned to the way he was before as if nothing happened.

Edward just sighed and quickly looked away, quietly muttering a quick apology.

The two of them sat in silence for some time until a soft knock came from the door. Mina walked in with Ariella following right behind her.

Mina was a short and slim girl with blonde hair and deep blue eyes. Her maid outfit was longer than the others and on her hands were a pair of silk gloves.

"Juliet was busy so she asked me to bring her here." Mina bowed as she explained why she was the one who came instead of Juliet.

when she was done talking, she gently nudged Ariella to the front.

Ariella's long blue hair was styled into two space buns and her former dressing which was just an oversized shirt was changed to a lilac dress.

"I'm ready." Ariella did a cute twirl as she came to the front.

"Ok then, let's go." Theodore stood up from where he was sitting and turned to look at Edward.

"In an hour I want lunch to be served in the pavilion." Theodore ordered.

"Yes, your highness." Edward let out a slight smile as he agreed.

***********

"Umm, what are we doing here?" Ariella asked shifting away from Theodore.

"It's been seven years and I never knew a place like this was here, isn't that funny?" Theodore calmly said as he brushed his fingers on the vines surrounding the wall.

Ariella was finding it hard to breathe, she didn't want to be around here, she didn't want to go back. He wasn't going to send her back right? No, he can't, right?

"You aren't sending me back, are you?" Ariella asked with a shaky voice.

"What if I am?" Theodore turned to look at her with a serious gaze.

Hearing his response, Ariella flew into a panic, her eyes shot open in fear as she rushed toward him, hugging him tightly by the leg.

"Please don't send me back! I'll do anything! I'm your daughter, please..." Ariella pleaded with him, the latter just gazing at her with an unreadable expression.

"Calm down. I wasn't being serious." Theodore sighed and picked her up awkwardly. He wasn't used to physical contact, especially with children.

"Really? you won't?" Ariella seem to have come down almost immediately as she swung her legs back and forth.

"Hmmn." Theodore hummed in agreement but Ariella didn't get to rejoice after what he said next.

" But, you have to tell me everything about that place," Theodore said seriously as he glanced at the wall.

Ariella pouted, her nose scrunched up as she thought seriously about his request.

"OK." It was a short and simple reply, but that was all he needed to hear before the both of them left the area.

*********

"What do you like to eat?" Theodore casually asked once they were seated. A bunch of maids was busy setting up their food.

"Anything."

Ariella said absent-mindedly as all of her attention was only on the food that she was about to eat.

"They didn't teach you manners where you came from?" Theodore asked the basically drooling Ariella who had already stuffed two bite-size cakes and her mouth.

"I'm hungry!" Ariella barely managed to say as she gave him a pointed look.

Theodore just rolled his eyes and took a sip of his tea.

"That's all you're going to take? Aren't you hungry? " Ariella asked looking at him with a worried expression.

"I wasn't hungry in the first place, it's not even afternoon yet." Theodore's response made Ariella look down in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, everyone went out of their way to do this for me."

"It's not a problem, it's their job." Theodore just glanced around the area looking at every single maid, butler, and guard that was awaiting more orders from them.

"Yeah but still... I'm thankful." Ariella whispered the last part and then continued eating.

She smiled to herself as she took another bite, she liked it here. The feeling of freedom and unforced happiness was delightful.