The Academy's Cold Hearted Princess

Chapter 44

CASSIDY LEIGH ANDREI

"May I have this dance?"

Fuck. How come s'ya pa?

I stared at the hand beside my face at mukhang nakita ng hari ang pagdadalawang-isip ko kaya naman nagsalita ulit s'ya dahilan upang mapatingin ako sa mukha n'ya.

"May I?"

Tangina, paano ko ba matatanggihan ang isang 'to? Nasaan ba ang asawa neto?

"Um, your majesty?" pagbulong ko.

Lumapit s'ya ng konti sakin. "Yes?"

"I can't dance," I said bluntly and assumed he'll nod in understanding when he chuckled unexpectedly.

Patay ako neto.

"But you dance awhile ago just fine." Nakangiti n'yang sabi. "Don't tell me igagaya mo rin ako sa mga nag-aaya sayo kanina? You won't even spare this uncle with your rejection?" dagdag pa nito kaya naman namawis bigla ang mga kamay ko.

Goddammit. Wala bang ibang babae dito? Potangina.

"H-How about the Queen?" I resorted to asking that instead of answering.

"Oh don't worry, she'll dance with Jace mamaya. I already asked for her permission to dance with you. And I'm the King, ipapahiya mo ba 'ko sa harapan ng buong kaharian?" Nakangiti nitong tugon kaya naman napatampal ako sa noo ko mentally.

I glance at the sides at nakita ko kung paano nagsilingunan ang ibang guests lalo na ang mga taga-Council at ang mga hari at reyna ng ibang kaharian na tignan kaming dalawa ni Haring Vince na mag-usap. Even the Royalties na nasa table na ilang hakbang lang ang layo sa amin ay napatingin din.

Even Queen Ellaine smiled at me nang mapag-abot ang mga tingin namin.

Is this pressuring me with their god-damned positions sa mundong ito para lang mapasayaw?

Sabing hindi ako tatayo dito hanggat di pa oras ng uwian e!

"Oh? This is Vice-Head Therese's granddaughter right? Really, such a pretty lady," biglang sabi ng isang Council member na naka-upo lang din sa parehong table namin. Kapwa kaming napalingon ng hari sa kanya.

Another elder then chimed, "Right? It's not really a surprise when there were countless number of young men lining up just to dance with her. Even my grandson right here—" she gestured towards a timid guy on her right, "—wanted to try his luck and ask her but when he saw the number of invitations she rejected, he changed his mind HA HA HA."

The said grandson lowered his head in embarrassment and tugged his grandmother's sleeves to stop her from laughing.

"If I wasn't so old myself, I would've invited the young lady myself."

"Ha! Today's not your day anymore, Benedict. You can no longer be as free as you were back then. You can no longer fool around pretty ladies as pretty as this one HAHAHAHA!"

"I'm the most handsome man even in my prime! Don't get so jealous of me, Edward!"

Nakinig lang kami sa mga usapan nila when finally, an Elder, the oldest in this table, said to me kindly, "Hija, why don't you accept his majesty's request? One dance won't hurt you, won't it?"

Kaya ko nga po tinanggihan yung iba kase may masakit sakin e...

Do I still have a choice?

If not for who they are, I would've ran out in here the moment I was asked by the King to dance.

-___-

"Potangina mo rin Dreiloc."

"Luh? Anong ginawa ko sayo jan?"