Help Me

NOWEL

''So, you write poems?'' I filled her cup with tea.

''Yes.'' She smiled, ''I have written some that I would love to share with you, but I didn't bring them along with me while I was traveling to Derish.''

''That's okay. I understand.''

''But, Your Highness, music is my favorite.''

''Music?''

She nodded happily. I can see the enthusiasm in her eyes. ''What's so special to you about music that you love it so much?'' I had to ask.

''Beauty.''

''What?''

''Beauty. It's beauty, Your Highness. Music is life and beauty. I love its beauty.''

I blinked. What is so beautiful about music? It is a bunch of rhymes or words spoken on a higher note and volume that sometimes...piss me off.

''Speaking of beauty, Your Highness, I have never seen such beauty His Majesty possesses before in my entire life! His Grace is so beautiful and charming with...this set of eyeballs that can drive a woman crazy, any woman crazy. And I am starting to wonder if His Majesty's beauty is out of the ordinary. It looks magical and screams...demonic to me."

Suddenly, I started coughing at her words. "Excuse me?"

''I am sorry Your Highness, where are my manners?'' She looked down with a guilty smile on her face.

I sat still and tried to comprehend the meaning behind her words. It screams demonic to me. Don't tell me Elys has got to her too with his persistent tales of Michael being a demon---which is true---but...

I sighed as silence fell on us. Both of us holding and staring at the liquid occupying the small ceramic cup. Is she also suspecting Michael to be anything but ordinary? Why does she look so troubled after saying that?

"Erm, the tea is getting cold, why don't we take a tour around the castle to show you some interesting paintings?"

Her entire expression changed and her eyes big with thrill. "Oh my, Your Highness! Yes! I would love to see them with you by my side!"

Great. I forced a smile on my face.

"Shall we?"

"Yes! Please."

.

.

.

''Wow. This Castle is huge! How old is it?''

''About five hundred years old or less.''

''A-mazing. Look at these lovely paintings. They are so captivating.'' She said as her beautiful slim hands explored every large painting and sculpture. My eyes found a bracelet with a little dressing of diamonds on it.

''That is one beautiful bracelet you got there.''

''Oh,'' She stared at the bracelet with pure admiration. ''Thank you.'' Her face heated up as her fingers ran over the little bracelet.

''His Majesty gave it to me.''

The air around us stilled. My heart slowed to half the normal beats as my eyelids flickered with shock.

What?

''What..''

She turned to face me with a puzzled look, ''What happened, Your Highness? You look pale.''

''The bracelet,'' My voice shook as I began, ''Who did you say gave it to you?"

''His Majesty of course. He gave it to me as a gift for being so strong to survive.''

What? Again, I am in disbelief. Am I in some weird dream at the moment? Could someone wake me up because it is turning into a nightmare?

''Michael gave that to you!'' I yelled, frightening both of us.

''Is. . .there a problem with that?''

Oh no. No dumb-brained! It is fine to receive gifts from another person's husband and display them shamelessly in front of the wife.

A very decent thing to do, Hazel.

''I am really tired. I would head back to my chambers to get some rest. You should too.''

''No Problem Your Highness. Should I walk you to your chamber-''

''No!'' We both flinched at the sound of my voice and the anger laced around it. It is not my fault somebody has been flirting around with a Princess from Mori- Whatever!

I sighed again.

''I mean, no. Thank you so much Hazel for the wonderful evening we both had together. You made my day.'' I nodded before leaving.

I reached out to wipe a tear that escaped my eyes as I left and tried so hard to bottle up my feelings.

I met the walking living version of the devil incarnate on my way back to my chambers but ignored him and walked passed him without a single word.

We both did.

Gifts.

He is giving her gifts? How? When they have just met in less than three days. Is there more to their relationship that I have been denied knowing about? What else has he given to her aside from the pretty bracelet?

You just walked passed the person who gave another woman a fine gift in less than three days while it took more than two years to become this close to him.

Lightning revealed his looming figure briefly.

Look at him.

We are this close but miles apart.

Talk to him.

Would he respond?

I took in deep breaths as the rain poured down heavily from the sky and the outside world became darker every minute. The hallway would have been silent if not for my heart beating fast.

Why is he still waiting? Turn around and leave like you used to do. Was it that dark for him to see that I was not Hazel, his latest obsession?

We stood there, unmoving. My heart somersaulted the moment he took a step forward. The slightly lit hallway did nothing but make him look darker and devilish.

I involuntarily took a small step backward as he towered above me. His god-like face twitched as he stared at me.

Oh, eye God please spare me a frown. Or that was what I thought he wanted to do. But shivered the moment he cupped my face with his...clawed hands.

I panicked.

Is his...demon form about to be let loose?

''Why do you look like you want to cry?"

Lub-dub

Lub-dub

Lub-dub...was the slow rhythm of my heart. A tear trickled down my cheeks in response to his question. The light folds on his forehead eased as his eyes softened. My nostrils picked up a strong scent coming from him. The scent of alcohol. He has been drinking. He moved closer and, "Not only you feel like crying, princess. But seeing your tears made me feel strangely torn and sorry for you."

I didn't know what to say. The cold touch of his fingers on my cheeks was distracting.

"What has this devil done this time?" He asked as he shockingly placed his head on my shoulders causing me to tense up. "Did I unrighteously force another kingdom to the bounds of slavery and the dumb court of yours is pissed about it?"

I let out a shaky breath at our closeness. He is killing me emotionally and making it difficult to try and understand who he is. I sighed deeply for the third time in the past hours.

The gorgeous enigma rested still on my right shoulder, interlocking his arms around my waist. Which made to wonder how drunk he is to even hold me like that.

"Michael?"

No response.

"Michael?" I tapped his broad shoulders but he made no movements. What should I do? There are no guards around to help me drag him to his room. I should have allowed  Princess Hazel of...Mokibid or Moriabid to escort me to my room. She would have been helpful in this situation.

I tried calling out to Gorgeous multiple times but he didn't budge muscle.

"Princess," I froze at the sudden sound of his voice, "help me."

What?