Chapter 59 - Meeting Again

William pov contd.

"Stay away with Abigail and so as with her family. She is not one to trifle with. She is the daughter of the duke who is loyal to the royal family. We need to win his trust and loyalty too." Although he looked reluctant, he still nodded and left. 

Abigail is the secret of my life that had to be hidden, yet with just one incident she was in the eyes of everyone. If i had known that she would be chosen in the place of that night, i would have injured her after winning the competition.

I shook my head as I walked  towards my chamber in this hidden place. I had spent more of my time here than in the palace.

I walked to the bath area and entered the pool after dropping my clothes. I closed my eyes as the cold water calmed my nerves.

"William, promise me that you will only play with me and I will be the one who will always be your wife. If you ever let any other girl will be your wife than i will leave you and forget you forever.'' I smiled as the words still roamed in my mind. The small girl holding the doll looked at me with puffed cheeks as I was playing with another girl. 

"You really fulfilled your promise, my little peanut.'' I chuckled at the thought of her still puffing her cheeks.

But the image overlapped with Abigail trembling in anger and my eyes turned cold again. Why was she so afraid and furious? Her body temperature had fallen the instant she had seen Gerard. Why? How did she know him? I had to dig more for that man.

All the sleep left my eyes with that thought. I walked out again, making all the three men surprised who was having dinner.

"Your highness, do you need anything?" they asked and I shook my head.

"I am going out for a walk. I will be back in a while" 

"Let us accompany you, your highness. '' They all stood in alert form but I shook my head.

"I did not want to be seen, I am going out without anyone's notice." 

"Then we will come in disguise from." they added adamantly and I tilted my head.

"I am the one to order here, not the other way around.'' I said in a cold voice and they kneeled instantly. I walked without adding a word.

I took my horse and started wandering aimlessly, after hours hundred stopped and no matter how much I pulled its harness he did not move.

"What is it with you, now?'' I asked, annoyed, as he did not move at all. 

He sighed as he kept signaling towards his front. I finally looked in front of me, irritated when my eyes flickered.

Abigail was there, alone. She was sitting in front of the lake. Only then did I notice it was the area behind the duke's place. She must have climbed the wall and ran here. I smiled, she was still that daredevil.

I jumped down the horse and she turned alert listening to the sound.

She looked around and finally her eyes met mine. 

"What are you doing here little bird?" I asked as she bowed her head.

"Your royal highness. The future sun of the empire" her words were blank devoid of any emotion, if any there was cautiousness in them.

"Did you run from your house, little bird?" i asked again as she stood up an she looked at me defensively, 

"Would you like to take a round of hundred? I will show you a better place to hide when you climb the wall.'' I suggested ignoring the way she was looking at me no matter how much it hurt me.

"I think i am good here, your highness" she replied and i chuckled.

"You are too wary of me, little bird. Tell me how you will serve me if you are so suspicious of me. After all you have to go with me everywhere i go in the future.'' I asked and she bit her lips but then nodded her head.

"I am not wary of you, your highness. It's just I did not want to trouble you. But if you are so insistent then I don't mind." she said finally forcing a smile on her face but her eyes were shooting daggers at me.

We both know that I was blackmailing her. Taking advantage of the fact that she wanted to serve me, though I still didn't understand the reason, why?

The matter was not as simple as she said. The proud and stubborn girl like her had chosen a long method to be a superior knight instead of serving me as she was very cautious of me.

"Come here, little bird, before your family would know that you are absent." I said as I walked towards the hundred.

She nodded and followed me., but I saw her hands move towards her waist. Was she so suspicious that she was checking her dagger while going with me? A self mocking smile formed on my lips as I turned, so that she could not see it.

She climbed on the horse and I followed her sitting behind her.

"Are you ready, little bird?" I asked and she nodded. 

I pulled the harness again, and he increased his speed.

Taking a left turn we rode for a few more minutes. Her open hair tickled my chest. Her smell was still the same, like fresh jasmine flowers colluding my senses. Her hands were still soft even after wielding a sword and her skin was glowing in the moonlight. It was such a calm scene, all the tension of the day slowly leaving my body as the tendrils kept playing with me. 

Only I know how much I wanted to hold them and tuck them behind her ears. How much I wanted to hug that slender waist and lean on her. Putting my face in the crook of her neck, I wanted to close my eyes and sleep.