Heartglass

Heartglass 7: The Real Deal

AZALEA

I straightly stared at his blue eyes which glittered like elegant sapphire.

"What are you up to?" I asked with visible irritation. I even crossed my arms on my chest.

"Help me change," he casually said.

"This is inappropriate. If the other candidates discover this, they will think you are giving me the advantage or the queen will think that you really favor me. The candidates don't even know that I will participate in the selection. I don't want enemies or rivals. I don't think your servants will be able to keep this a secret," I rigidly responded.

Prince Dion smiled. "Just think of this as fulfilling your duties as a seamstress. But I'm glad you're now openly declaring that you're an official candidate."

My gaze turned even sharper. "This isn't my duty," I insisted but I could only sigh in the end. I won't win this argument. And I didn't want to stay here any longer.

"Alright. Then I'll help you." I was so helpless against him. Damn royalties! If I became the queen, I would make him bow down to me.

I helped him change with a blank expression on my face even though I was so frustrated deep inside. I didn't look too closely on his muscled arms and abdomen because I felt I would sin. His skin even felt hot on my slight touch. No one would probably marry me if this news left his chambers. I was alone with the Prince in a room and that would definitely ruin my reputation as a lady.

But damn marriage! I didn't want love in the first place. I could just design and sew clothes for the rest of my life.

When he finished changing, he asked, "Does this look good?"

"I already gave my opinion a few weeks ago. It still looks the same now. And the measurements and the fit are already perfect this time," I directly answered as if I was reciting some old lines.

"Then you can leave all the suits here now. There's nothing to fit if I won't hear your forced compliments anyway. By the way, do you have something to say to me? Something you wanted to voice out when we met earlier?" He was grinning like a tease.

"You're an asshole," I honestly answered. He definitely wanted to torment me.

He chuckled heartily, showing a perfect set of white teeth. "So you don't like the present?"

"Who would want to be your lifetime partner? Are you fucking kidding me?" My eyebrows scrunched in frustration.

"For a lady, you have such a bad-tempered mouth," he commented with an amuse grin.

"What are you planning to do? Is this punishment? For such a petty argument. Please retract your recommendation. Ask the King to withdraw his orders–the royal decree. Tell him that you were wrong with your judgements and you already changed your mind," I insisted, hopeful that he would listen.

"No. I won't retract it," he answered in a serious tone. His eyes were no longer smiling. This time he had changed from his flirty and carefree behavior into someone stern.

"Why are you doing this? You're being unreasonable," I said with exhaustion. Arguing with him was so tiring. It was more tiring than working in the shop the whole day.

"I need someone with a strong heart. Someone who won't shatter easily. I don't need someone who will fall in love with me. I need a strong queen and right now, you're the perfect candidate. And I need you for some reasons," he answered directly without smiling as if he was finally down to business.

I was stunned for a short while. Was my assessment of him as an individual wrong? Do I really know him well? Was he really carefree? Or was this his real personality? The real him?