To His Hell and Back-Chapter 184: Garden Escapee-II

Talking about wanting to choose the right princess for Cassius to the princess who has became a candidate to his engagement was ironic. Bella who was given the chance couldn’t just simply nodded or give her the truth about what she and Princess Marissa had talked about and thankfully enough it seems the things that Princess Isabelle had heard is only the love part, not about Cassius himself.

She nodded, but shook her head, "Don’t worry, it is not anything important."

A hum appeared from Princess Isabelle who has studied her face. With arms slight crossed, Isabelle smiled as she had easily guessed what had happened and had guessed it eerily correct. But perhaps the eerier part lies not in how she managed to guess it but rather how she seems confident that her answer has no flaws.

She could see how Arabella was upset and the Princess didn’t quite like that. So she extended her hand and softly touched Arabella’s hands. Her smile was impeccable and Arabella didn’t find the touch weird or upsetting, rather comforting and even warm despite the fact that the Princess was as cold as ice.

"I understand that you have your own reason, you don’t have to tell me everything," Isabelle offered her words. "Well if it makes you feel comfortable, do you know that I don’t really believe in love?"

At the same time they had talked a white cat with puffy and long tail eyed them from afar with its bright green eyes from afar. Neither Isabelle nor Arabella had realized this as they were focused on the conversation.

"You don’t believe in love?" She asked the Princess again what she had said and the lady nodded. Despite their different status, Isabelle wasn’t much older than her, perhaps only by four to five years which felt rather comforting as her sister was also older than her.

The princess’s kind tone even mimics Ariel, making her feel even more safe, "I don’t believe it. Perhaps it is due to how my father was a man who particularly loves finding himself lost in lust while my mother stood at the corner, watching it all happen while trying to make her house as firm as possible."

Arabella swallowed her gasp as she looked at the princess, afraid that her pity might come across as shaming her.

But the princess smiled when seeing her eyebrows that had sloped and her lips that had turned downwards from its corner.

"Despite his flaws, my mother stuck with him like an inseparable seam. She would greet him warmly when he comes to the house. She would kiss him and laugh. She continues to pretend she was strong enough to face all the wounds he had scarred her with, saying that all his relationships didn’t matter to her as the end of the day he would always come back to her. Yet she would still get hurt when seeing his mistress and even attack them from jealousy. How ironic is it?" The sarcasm in the princess’s words was far too palpable for her not to notice its part. Arabella didn’t know that the king was a man with such background and being someone who comes from a similar broken house, she didn’t find the king anywhere near humane, considering him as a garbage of some sort.

"He’s terrible," she commented.

"But she is no less horrid," answered the princess with the right corner of her lips pulled into a grin. "She told me that as a woman there will be a day where I would understand her. But who would want to understand such a thing? I wouldn’t. I would never. I for one will make sure that the person I love would always have their hands free from other people. If they could see other people, gouge their eyes. If they lust to touch them, I’ll cut their fingers one by one. If they dare to stay with someone other than me, I would kill them myself. After all what kind of love is love if it involves more than one person?"

The princess’s words might be extreme but Arabella understands where she came from, even agreeing with her idea that love should be to just one person, especially when it comes to marriage. She had always believed her mother ran away with another man, and although now she doesn’t know if that fact is still correct, she never thought that love could be simply shared to others like her mother once did to another man. She found it terrible and had always thought that when one person loves another, it should be just one person to another. Not two. Not three. It wasn’t a cake that should be cut apart and shared after all.

"The reason why there are so many male servants for me instead of female is because my father was afraid that one day I’ll start to despise men over women, and would not want to find suitors due to my prejudice against men," answered Isabelle.

At this Arabella was worried, "Shouldn’t you keep this a secret? I mean, not to me, your highness, especially not to everyone else."

A chuckle left the princess’s lips. "You have got me wrong, Arabella. It’s not what you think. I don’t share this story to you because I am a person who easily finds comfort in someone and then speak about their past. I, too, know how my family history is weigh heavily as a candidate of a crown princess."

’Then.."

"Will it sound weird if I say that I trust you?" Princess Isabelle asked her with the softest smile. "I just know that you’re someone I could trust with."

Arabella who could feel the sincereness felt touched in her heart. How could she not? The princess had told her about her own past even though if this story was shared to someone else, it would have hurt her good name in the competition to become the crown princess.

The princess is extremely kind, beautiful, and gentle. Her hand that was holding her felt as soft as clouds and she was so flawless even down to her fingernails. She was everything. Everything that Arabella thought would be perfect to Cassius and somehow in realizing that, her heart ache badly.

If there was someone suitable for Cassius it would be a princess who understands his wounds and Isabelle who seems to have the same wound would definitely come to understand him. Then like this she would comfort him and love could blossom for the two.

Yes... they sound... fitting. Like a pair of gloves that was supposed to fit snugly to one’s fingers.

"I want someone who truly trust me and respect me," said the princess softly, "someone who is so loyal that they won’t ever side with anyone else than me. Someone who wouldn’t wag their tails when seeing someone else."

Arabella chuckled, "You won’t be marrying a dog, princess."

"Oh well Bella, not all love is just about a man and a woman," the princess then veered the conversation in a second, "Now that we have talked a little, would you like to come with me to the garden? Since you are dressed gorgeously we should spend more time together enjoying this than being here sad and mopey in the corner."

"Sure!" Arabella joined the princess back to the garden, not knowing the white fluffy cat that almost looked as round as a ball following loyally behind them.

Trailing behind them, unnoticed, was the white cat. Its long tail swept the ground like a whisper, green eyes reflecting the garden lights as it moved from shadow to shadow with practiced ease.

They shared more time as they reached the garden. At first Arabella was worried she would stuck out like a sore thumb but surprisingly no one ever noticed her as they were too busy being at their best behaviors and manners. The princess enjoying the scene spoke to her, "You should try those pink cupcakes, they taste divine!"

"I tried them. Your highness you should also try this scones."

"Mhm, taste so good! I didn’t have any hope when moving here, thinking the food would lack in comparison to my homeland but their sweets, hm, their sweet is the best. Can you bake, Arabella?" freewēbnoveℓ.com

"I could," Bella smiled to the princess, "If there is a chance one day, I should bake for you, your highness."

"Oh you will?! How lovely! I should take the offer, hmm maybe next time when there aren’t so many people? We could borrow the cook’s kitchen for a while."

Arabella opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted as a male servant approached, bowing low.

"Your Highness, Ertand wishes a word. It seems urgent."

"Of course he does," Isabelle muttered under her breath, before smiling with polished calm. "Bella, will you be alright on your own for a few moments?"

"I’ll be fine," Arabella assured her, though her hand unconsciously brushed where the princess had held it moments before.

With a parting nod, Isabelle turned and strode across the lawn, her gown trailing like water behind her. Arabella watched her go, then turned toward the table of desserts nearby. A soft breeze played with the hem of her dress, and the fragrance of sugared lemon tarts and vanilla custards lifted her spirits.

She took a small cupcake, elegantly topped with a swirl of raspberry frosting, and nibbled it as she moved toward a garden bench. A chirp of laughter came from the right, and then a sudden sharp voice broke the mood.

"Stupid cat!"

Arabella turned at once, surprised. A group of three noble ladies were gathered under a wisteria arch, their expressions twisted in annoyance. One of them—Lady Maren, if she remembered correctly—was clutching the hem of her gown, which now bore a faint paw print near the lace.