Chapter 28: call me mother

When I looked back, Killian was staring at me intensely.

'Was I looking so happy just a moment ago?' I looked around to see my image in the walls, but they all were covered with the portraits of ancestors, it was looking more like a museum than the dining hall of a child.

"Did you do this?" his voice brought me back to the current predicament.

"Huh?" it took me a second to realise what he was asking but I had already responded till then.

"The pie," he asked me again patiently. His eyes were searching for my soul. Looking deep into me. I shivered, this habit of being afraid with his eyes did not leave me no matter what.

"I don't know what you are talking about." I feigned ignorance. As I was not sure how much he trusted me.

What if I told him that Isabella wanted to hurt him and he would not believe. One step at a time right now.

"Then how did you give me an assured look? I am sure you knew about the pie. Did you change it from raspberry to pineapple." he asked again, this time with more patience.

Though Kilian was a child, just like his father he was a man of few words. This was the first time I had seen him speak so much in a single time. But still, I did not know how to answer him. Because I knew about Isabella's scheme due to my past life.

If he asked me how I knew about the pie, how would I explain it to him? I bit my lips. I could lie but I did not want him to be suspicious of me, so I sighed and nodded, closing my eyes.

I closed my eyes as I did not want to see his reaction, but now anxiety was killing me as he did not say a single word. I opened my eyes slightly, peeking at him and oh my! What a sight to behold.

I instantly opened my both eyes to confirm that I was not dreaming, I still blinked a few times to be cleared.

Killian, the frost prince of the Forchestire empire was smiling. As if the frost melted, and spring came.

For the first time in the past 16 years, I saw his eyes looking warm. Unconsciously I moved further close to him, and when the realisation hit me my hand was already on his cheek, I snapped my hand back afraid that he would jerk it off.

But he just shook his head smiling and then continued eating his pie.

'En! That was it? No more questions? Further drama? I did not know now whether I should be disappointed or feel relief.'

"Stop that" he spoke without looking at me.

"Stop what?" I asked, looking at myself. I was not doing anything.

He looked at me and spoke, "stop staring at me"

I bit my lip and looked down 'when was I staring at him? I was just looking okay!'

I started eating my food in silence, but my mind was restless. Since I have been shameless before there was nothing wrong in being once more.

"Lord Killian," I asked in the sweetest voice.

"Hmmm" he nodded his face while eating.

'Oh my! Such an informal response. Where did yes your highness went?'

"Was there any special reason for inviting me here for dinner?" I asked to take baby steps again.

He nodded his head, finishing the whole pie and wiping his face elegantly with the napkin between his long fingers.

"I wanted to confirm the timing of the royal tea party so that I would not be late in arriving at your chamber, your highness."

'Here comes the tag back, but that's not the issue right now. The point was he agreed. Not only agreed, he himself took the initiative to ask me. Can I do a happy dance here?'

"The invitation is at 5, in the evening, lord Killian," I replied with a bright smile.

He nodded his head, "I will be there at 3 pm, your highness."

"Lord Killian," I called him, biting my lips in anticipation.

"Yes, your highness," he asked, giving me all his attention now.

"Can I call you Killian here, like other mothers call their child? Only there, ``I added again, looking at his blank face. But he was still silent, his face was downcast. I could not see his reaction clearly, and it kept me on the edge.

"It's ok if you are not comfortable with it."

"You can call me Killian all the time, your highness."

We both spoke at the same time, and I laughed listening to his answer while he just smiled subtly.

But that was also an achievement to get two smiles back to back and getting rid of the title lord. Plus watching a circus show for free.

"Your highness." He called me out of my internal party time.

"Hmmm," I asked, smiling, with an itch in my hands to ruffle his hair.

"Then can I also call you mother there?" he asked looking down, so I could not see his expression clear.

But the words felt like a dream. Am I in an illusion? I pinch my hands hard. And oh god! It hurts.

"Huh," I still was not able to decipher the meaning behind his words. But he didn't respond. So I asked again.

"What did you say?", I asked looking eagerly at his face.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head.

"No, you said it. I heard it, I heard it very clearly," I emphasised, although I wasn't that sure. I heard it right?

"No, I did not," he replied again, this time looking at me.

"Yes you did," I said again not ready to back out.

"I did not," he said, folding his hands over his chest.

"You did," I said, repeating his actions, folding my arms over my chest.

In return, I got a glare, a minus degree frost glare.

"Okay, okay, you did not."