128 Chapter 128: Ugliest shades

Hazel pressed her lips and looked ahead. She saw the gates nearing. Her eyes narrowed down to the small alley near the gates where she could enter.

But Hazel widened her eyes when they passed through the alley without any stops. Startled, Hazel pulled her hand making Delia stop in surprise. Confused, she turned around and saw the Princess pointing in one direction. Still not getting the hint, Hazel asked, "Basket?"

'Oh, right!'

Delia had a look of realization and nodded her head. They hurried into the alley and Hazel entered the basket gracefully making Delia's lips twitch.

Just before closing the lid, Hazel looked at Delia and smiled, "Don't worry, Aunt Delia. Your niece will protect you." 

Delia cracked a smile and shook her head. Taking a deep breath, she picked the basket and approached the guards who smiled at her.

She saw one of them frown and ask, "Where is Fred?"

Delia shrugged and said, "It looked like he had some business to take care of."

One of the two guards looked at her and asked excitedly, "Did Fred say anything before he left?"

Delia pressed her lips and her brows knitted together as she tried to remember. Then she raised her brows and tilted her head, "He did say something about" looking at their excited faces, Delia frowned, "dinner?"

It was as if they were waiting for that word as they succumbed to laughter making Delia stare at the clowns. Looking at her, the guards grinned, "Finally"

Delia pressed her lips, not understanding them but didn't dwell on it. She was glad that the guards were distracted enough to not offer any help or how pale her complexion was.

Entering the castle made her feel like she was walking on a pathway of thorns. One slight mistake and the thorns would pierce you. She walked hurriedly while sweating profusely.

Her main mission was to let the princess enter the room without anyone noticing her absence. Her body relaxed when she saw nothing amiss within the castle.

The guards chatting, the maids running about, the silence - all in all, the situation was normal which made her frown.

'Did the Crown Prince not notice her absence?'

Delia stopped in front of the princess's room and let out a huge sigh. She looked around 

She looked around anxiously before placing the basket down. The princess emerged from the basket and smiled, "Is everything alright?"

Delia patted her chest and nodded, "I think they haven't noticed your absence, Princess."

"They didn't notice?"

She murmured, "That seems not likely. My brother would have noticed my absence."

Delia frowned agreeing with Hazel's deduction. 'How could she forget that?'

Hazel continued mumbling ignoring Delia.

"So, if he knew what happened. Then that would mean he is waiting for me?"

Hazel drew her brows together when she didn't hear Delia's response. Instead, she heard loud claps and a cold voice accompanying it, "You are right, my dear sister. So, would you like to tell me where you have been for the entire afternoon?"

Hazel and Delia flinched at the frosty voice behind them. They stiffly turned around and saw Hezekiah leaning against a pillar and watching them with a smile..but not a smile.

Delia gulped as she staggered a step behind.

'It's over...over'

While Hazel composed her face and stood her ground. 

A beautiful smile graced her face as she called out sweetly, "Brother... where have you been? I was looking all over for you."

Hezekiah raised his eyebrow with a smile still playing on his lips as he glanced at his baby sister. His eyes narrowed at the speck of dirt on her pretty blue dress which made her entire being emit frostiness.

"And, apparently I wasn't found in the mud, right?"

Hazel's smile stiffened and looked down to find a tiny smear of dirt on the edge of her dress. Her lips twitched as she thought, 'Only brother would notice this smear'

She chuckled, "I fell down when I was looking for you."

A steeled expression crossed his face as he spoke, "Hazel, Where were you?"

'Ah-ho!' 

Hazel gulped as she looked at her brother who was trying his very best to control his fury. He never called her Hazel unless he was truly angry.

Seeing that she had no intention of replying, his cold eyes shifted to Delia who instantly fell on her knees.

"It's my fault, Crown Prince... I am to be punished. It's my negligence which caused this incident to happen."

Hazel frowned and stood before her maid and shouted, "No... it wasn't her fault. She didn't know." Similar emerald eyes stared right back at him and said sternly, "It's my fault. If you want to punish someone, punish me. I was the one who acted without thinking."

Hezekiah looked at the ten-year-old who was glaring at him. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. He didn't know what to do with her. When things become hard, she knew how to behave like a princess. But he wasn't in any mood to praise her after hearing from his hidden guards about her absence.

He frantically looked everywhere until he heard how Delia had to go outside the gates. He didn't need to check to know what his sister had done. He had the urge to punish every single person inside the castle.

Hezekiah looked at her and said harshly, "You are right. You should be punished."

Hazel held back the shiver and stood her ground resolutely. She would never allow her brother to harm Delia when it was her fault, to begin with.

"You are to not leave your room for a week."

Hazel looked into her brother's eyes and nodded coldly before turning away from him.

Hezekiah sighed as he rubbed his temples, "Freya, you will never understand why we are doing this."

Hazel smirked and turned around to look at him and smirked. She left with her words echoing in the silent hallway, "And you...brother would never understand how it feels to be trapped."

...

A week passed by calmly without much disturbance. 

Everyone could feel the coldness between the Crown Prince and the Princess as days passed, but either of them didn't try to resolve it.

After three days, Hezekiah finally gave in and visited his sister but Hazel resolutely stood her ground. He tried many times to explain to her the reasons why he couldn't let her roam around freely.

But each time Hazel countered with, "So, you want to cage me here?" which shook him badly.

Hazel ignored everyone as she thought of the day she played with them. Even though they didn't have lots of things, she could see the happiness in their eyes. They were satisfied with what they had making Hazel wonder why she wasn't?

She looked around the room, all the beautiful things and luxury items made her feel bored. She had everything but why was she caged? Why couldn't they bring her out? 

The world outside was exciting.

Hazel sighed when she thought of her brother. She couldn't bring herself to hate her brother so she decided to throw a tantrum. A silent one which was far more ruthless than wailing.

Somewhere in her mind, she knew they had reasons but boredom could literally ruin your rationality, right?

She didn't have anything to do here. All she did was play and dress prettily. She felt like a beautiful vase which was only meant to be looked at.

The only time he managed to see some countenance change was when he had asked her, "Do you think the people outside... everyone would love us?"

Hazel was stunned at his question. 

'Would Audrey hate her?' 

Hazel pressed her lips as she stared at her brother who shook his head. He knelt down to her level and wrapped his arms around her and said,

"Freya, you haven't seen anything in this world. There's so much to it other than the things you see. You have only seen the beautiful side and yet to see the ugliest shade."

Hazel closed her eyes as her heart twisted in pain. She didn't like seeing her brother like this. She leaned towards him and murmured, "Show it to me."

Hazel leaned back and looked into his face, "Show it to me. Don't cage me inside."

Hezekiah caressed her cheek and said, "I would never let you see that world."

"I would be a failure as a brother if I even let you see a glimpse of that world." 

His eyes softened as he rubbed her head fondly, "You deserve to shine and live in the beautiful world. Leave the ugliest parts to your brother."

He stood up and turned his back on her as he said, "I wish you never see the ugliness of this world, Freya. I will make sure to pave a way for you, miles away from the darkness. Even if this decision would make you abhor me, it will not change my decision."

He looked at her and said firmly, "My Princess ought to live only on the beautiful side."