Alvin almost rolled his eyes at the scene before him. Of all the guests, why did he have to be assigned to the Queen's family? The mother and daughter just wouldn't stop fawning over each other, and it didn't help that the said daughter was someone he wanted to get away from. He didn't know what she was thinking in her head, but the last thing he wanted was to be associated with her in any way. He still could not wrap his head around the fact that she thought he fancied her. That was the strangest thing he had ever heard in his entire life.
"Where is your brother?" Susan's father asked.
"He is probably in the painting room and doesn't realize what time it is now. I hope you bought me something on your way?" Susan answered, looking at her parents hopefully.
"Of course!" The mother said, smiling. "The servants are with them. You will see them when we arrive in our chamber." Susan looked behind them excitedly at the servants, who were carrying several bags, following them. She spared Alvin a glance again and noticed how he just kept his gaze ahead. Was he feeling timid because he was in the presence of the family of the girl he fancied? Was this by chance... a reality check since he could see how different they were from each other? Susan wondered, feeling a bit down.
"Have you been taking your classes seriously?" Her father asked.
"Yes, father." She lied. How could she take her classes seriously when they kept changing instructors?
"That is nice. I can see some changes in you already. I think you can go back home with us now," her mother said.
Susan noticed how Alvin's steps faltered as he looked at the side before he continued walking ahead as if he had heard nothing. Susan could not help but feel bad for Alvin. He couldn't even hide how he felt for her. Why did her mother have to mention something like this in front of him? Meanwhile, Alvin was trying to suppress his smile of relief. He really hoped that this couple was going to take this girl away from here. He didn't like her and was also fed up with monitoring her. That was going to be less work for him.
"I still have more to learn. So I will stay for a while." Susan said, and when Alvin's strides broke again, she confirmed he was eagerly listening to their conversation and was now glad she was staying back.
"Really? It's a surprise that you are willing to stay back and learn." Her father said suspiciously, just as Alvin led them through the flight of stairs.
"Isn't that what you've always wanted?" Susan asked them.
"Of course! It's what we've always wanted. In fact, during this banquet, we are going to pay close attention to the families and find you a suitable partner!" her mother said joyously.
"What?!" Susan asked, frowning. At the same time, they arrived in front of the chamber assigned to them, and Alvin turned around and left impatiently, already tired of listening to them. Susan's eyes followed Alvin's back until she noticed her father was about to follow her vision before she looked at him, shaking her head.
"I don't want to get married! I'm just 18!"
"What do you mean you are 'just' 18? That is already too mature. Should I remind you that by the time I was 16, I already had you and your brother?" Her mother asked her, frowning slightly.
While an argument was brewing between Susan and her parents, one was already going on between Harold and Alicia.
"Just don't cause any trouble. Don't leave your chamber unless it's for breakfast or dinner or I send for you. I will have them deliver food to your chamber during lunch, and..."
"Excuse you?" Alicia asked in annoyance.
Seeing how Alicia's eyes were already flashing, Harold could tell that she was going to be unreasonable, so he decided to back down a bit.
"I'm just trying to say that I need you to stay out of trouble," Harold explained calmly.
"And I'm a kid who has to be locked up in her bedroom just to prevent her from getting into trouble?" She asked, rising from where she was seated and moving closer to him.
"That is not what I mean..."
"So what do you mean?" She snapped at him as she poked his chest. Harold gritted his teeth and grabbed her hand. They were in the courtyard and anybody could see them. Not that what she was doing mattered much to him, as he was already used to her and her nasty, unreasonable temper, but he didn't want the aristocrats to have a bad first impression of her.
"Can you be reasonable for once in your stubborn life? I thought you wanted the aristocrats to like you?" He asked in a low tone.
"You are the one being..."
"You said you trust me, right?" He cut in before she could finish, and she blinked at him in annoyance. Although she was angry with him, she couldn't deny that she trusted him.
"What has that got to do with this?" she asked grudgingly, and Harold's gaze softened.
"Because I need you to listen to me. For your safety, trust me and stay in your chamber until this banquet is over. Please," Harold added softly.
Hearing the worry in his tone, Alicia frowned. "We've already been through this. I will mind my business. I won't even talk to anyone unless I'm talked to first."
"If I'm not there, don't talk to anyone. Do you remember the names and titles of everyone I asked you to memorize yesterday?" He asked.
"You promised to remind me when I meet them in person!" She reminded him.
"You're going back to your chamber now. I will get the book, and you will remain inside your chamber memorizing all the names until it's time for dinner," Harold said, and motioned for her to move.
"So you're no longer angry?" Alicia asked, refusing to budge as she eyed him.
"Angry?" Harold asked in confusion, and then he scowled when he recalled that he was mad at her.
"You can't touch any man or let any man touch you anymore," he said in a warning tone.
"Apart from you?" She asked, eyeing him curiously.
"So you want to touch me?" She asked, batting her lashes in a flirty way, and Harold sighed.
"You don't have the time to joke around. Let's go," he said as he took her hand and dragged her along with him. "But I need to use the kitchen this evening. I told the chef already," Alicia said as she followed him.
"If you want to do that, make sure you know all the names in the book by this evening or I won't let you out," Harold said as he dragged her along.
"Are more people coming today?" Alicia asked as she tried to match his pace while they both ignored every other person they walked past.
"No. The others will join us tomorrow."
"What about Hellion? Will you be able to take me to him today?" She asked, and Harold shook his head.
"No. We can't do that until the banquet is over," Harold said, and Alicia looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"I won't spend the night in your chamber tonight then," Alicia said defiantly, and to her surprise, he nodded in agreement.
"We can continue with our deal after the banquet," Harold said, making her frown at him as she stopped walking and forced her hand out of his. She had expected him to argue that she spend the night with him regardless, but seeing how he easily agreed, she eyed him suspiciously. What now? Harold wondered as he stopped to look at her.
"No!" Alicia said with a stubborn glint in her eyes.
"No what?" Harold asked in confusion.
"Few days ago you were trying to make me spend thirty nights with you, and all of a sudden, because your child bride is here, you want to spend the night alone?" Alicia said, unable to keep the annoyance out of her voice.
"My child bride?" Harold asked in confusion, wondering what she was talking about.
"You think I don't know that the girl who was walking with you earlier and smiling stupidly was your little chosen bride? You want to lock me up in my chamber so that you can have time to frolic around with her, don't you? Haha! I am Alicia Queen. I ruin plans for a living." She threatened him.
Harold's confusion cleared slowly when he realized what she was talking about. He had completely forgotten about the girl being his chosen bride until she mentioned it. Was that why she had been glaring at the two of them earlier? But why was that bothering her?
"Hold on!" He put his hand up to stop her from speaking further as his brain began to work fast to interpret what was happening with her right now. "Is this jealousy?" He asked her curiously.
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