Beautiful

The day ended with Alexander having a gloomy attitude and face. He had checked on his father one last time before he ended for his chambers to retire for the night. While striding through the hallways, he spotted the knight from earlier, who had actually defeated him in a duel. He was standing in a dark corner talking to someone who could not be clearly seen. But she was a woman.

Alexander had not even got the chance to know his name, let alone be his disciple. But since the chance had availed itself, he was not going to waste it. Take wide steps, he moved in their direction without breaking eye contact with the knight. However, the pair was engrossed in a hearty conversation and did not notice the prince's arrival.

At first, Alexander thought that the knight was ignoring him. But after eavesdropping in their conversation, he understood that they did not notice him. The woman was standing in a dark place and only her clothing was visible. Her melancholic and smooth voice filled and charmed the air as if spell bounding someone. At this rate, Alexander yearned so much to see her face.

Clearing his raspy voice, Alexander now caught the attention of the two. The knight looked at him indifferently before he bowed slightly, as usual. "Sorry your highness. I did not know you were here," he sounded apologetic and sarcastic at the same time. This behavior angered Alexander to the core. How could someone be so disrespectful especially to the crown prince.

"Who are you talking to?" He asked saving the trouble for another day. The knight seemed awestruck by the sudden question and took a quick peek at the woman in the dark.

"She is just a maid," he said, sounding uninterested in her. But Alexander wondered what maid could pique the interest of such a strong knight.

"What is your name?" He asked the knight, pretending to be uninterested.

"Gareth. Sir Gareth is my name your highness." Alexander memorized his name silently before turning to the woman in the dark.

"Show your face woman!" he commanded. He just wanted to see this man's taste. Maybe he could use this in the future to lure him to be his master.

The womanly figure stepped into the moonlight revealing her beautiful face to the world. Her looks were otherworldly and her face shone brightly under the moon. She exuded a certain aura that could not be matched to her maiden status. Her maiden attire danced rhyming with the cold wind and her face was plastered with a warm smile that seemed to spell bound any man that looked at her. To sum it up, she was extra ordinarily beautiful.

Alexander was awestruck and he seemed to hold back the words he so much wanted to utter. Never in his lifetime had he seen a person as beautiful as this maid. But since she was standing there, she served as a perfect testimony to his fears. He only thought that such beauty belonged to fairies in stories and books that he read when he was young. Not that he had not seen many beautiful women before. In fact, one of the criteria for one to be chosen as a crown princess was beauty. But still, none of them could hold a candle against this beauty.

"What's your name beautiful?" He asked softly. The maid blinked twice at him, her long eyelashes accentuating with her looks.

"Isadora is my name your highness," she said, her voice sweet and warm. Alexander plastered that name in his mind and heart too. 'Isadora'. He repeated it in his mind.

"Such a beautiful name for a maid," he complimented. She looked down embarrassed by his advances. Meanwhile, Gareth's insides were fuming in anger. How could this man possibly come and snatch his beauty from him? And to make the matters worse, he was flirting with her, in front of him. Were it not for his title as a prince, he would eventually be dead right now.

Alexander sensed the anger in Gareth and he stopped understanding how he was feeling. He was flirting with his, he didn't even know the relationship between the two. But judging from their looks, it seemed that they were either brothers or cousins. Gareth's features were also at another level. He was strikingly handsome with raven black hair and a well-toned body that every woman would desire.

The two men stared at each other coldly, their gazes carrying hidden meanings. It seemed that rivalry would emerge between these two. Alexander turned to the woman in front of him and smiled at her. "See you around beautiful." He said before he left Gareth a cold stare and walked away.

"What exactly was the meaning of that?" Gareth asked Isadora once the prince was out of sight.

"You saw what happened while you stood there. What else do you want to know?" She asked staring at him angrily. He just heard and saw everything while he stood there and now he was questioning her? How tragic? But it was clear that Gareth did not like the prince. It was like he held a grudge against him.

"Don't forget the reason why you came here," he said breathing heavily. At that moment, Isadora's eyes sparked with bewilderment and an idea struck her mind.

"What if I use his advances as an opportunity to get closer to him. That way, we will both get what we so much desire from this kingdom." She said, a glimmer of hope shining in her amber eyes. Gareth seemed to be deep in thought before he nodded in understanding.

"And you also have to play your part. You will take him in as your disciple." Gareth was about to go against the idea but he gave up when she gave him that 'remember who is in charge' look.

"Fine," he gave in, sighing in defeat. Isadora looked at the castle with an evil smile plastered on her beautiful face. It was only a matter of time before she got what she wanted.

Alexander reached his chambers with a lot swirling in his mind. As he strode across the room, he couldn't help but smile contentedly. Her beauty was top notch and he knew she might be a perfect candidate. Of all the beauties lined up, only one had qualified. But Alexander was not the one who approved her. It was his mother, queen Victoria. She was the princess of a neighboring kingdom that was their ally. It was evident that the queen had high hopes in her, and she had the potential. However, the so arrogant prince did not acknowledge her, but he took her in to fulfill his mother's wish.

As he lay on the cozy bed, he devised a plan to bring her closer to him. An idea struck his mind and he knew that this was it. A wicked smile forms on his face and he knew that it was just a matter of time before he got his hands on her. And given his looks, this was a piece of cake to him. But what he didn't know was that she was a hard nut to crack.