Saying I was stunned was an understatement.

When Adailia suddenly burst into the ladies washroom, looking like she just ate a ton of chocolate cake, while I was washing hands, was surprising.

Then she just said something even more surprising which had my mouth hanging open.

Raashid asked me out for the feast?!

I first thought she was just joking but her expression was so serious..well, seriously happy that I couldn't even bring myself to confirm if she's serious.

Raashid and I were friends for a few weeks. But he was more close to Adailia (which was surprising yet understandable). So if he would've taken anyone, it would've been Adailia.

After Adailia's attitude changed completely a few months ago, she's been very friendly with everyone.

I still couldn't believe that she is the same person who made me want to die every single day since I set my foot in this mansion.

But I am happy that she changed.

More than happy and I wish she could stay like this forever.

But right now, something's wrong with Raashid.

We were friends and we have chatted a few times but we aren't that close.

Besides, I already asked Mari, who has been one of my closest friends for a while, out for the feast, but he refused, saying he wasn't going. Mari and I usually used to exchange greetings and talk about homework and all since the two of us shared most of the classes together. But we surprisingly started talking more this year and basically became best friends when I caught him reading a romance novel in a far corner of the library a few months ago. I didn't tell anyone because he said he placed a spell on me which will turn me into a ferret if I ever talk about it to anyone. I personally did not believe that he can perform such a complicated transfiguration spell, but I was too scared to test it.

Anyway, I had to know what's up with Raashid so I took out the communication notebook Mari gave me, so he could tell me if he found out the solution to.....my problem.

I wrote in there and waited for Mari's response. After about two hours, when I finished reading a romance book, the communication book began glowing. I opened the book to see a message written hurriedly yet elegantly which was most definitely Mari's handwriting.

I don't know anyone named Mari.

I rolled my eyes and wrote again,

A new sentence appeared a second later.

Too bad you'll have to write, since we can't exactly talk.

I snorted, I could actually hear his sarcastic voice saying that.

He responded after a second,

Like I didn't already know that, but please do share your experience.

Okay something's definitely wrong with him. I'll go check on him, wait for a few minutes.

After that, he didn't respond for a while,

He messed up. He actually wanted to ask Adailia out for the feast but she asked that western maniac out, in front of him, so he kind of said he wanted to ask you out, out of jealousy.

I frowned. I knew Adailia was taking the Second prince of the West kingdom for the feast and I get that Raashid was angry because he couldn't take Adailia out, but why was he jealous?

I wrote,

After a second, Mari replied,

Oh. You're dumb and blind too.

I frowned. He is being mean again. And why blind?

It's not really my place to go spewing Raashid's secrets out like that, so no. I'm not going to tell you, ask him yourself if you want to know.

I scowled but made a mental note to ask Raashid later on.

I wrote and he replied a few seconds later,

I'm trying. Don't worry we will find out some way.

No problem, it's my duty help the dumb.

I frowned,

Oh please, I'm just a tiny bit smart. But you're just plain dumb. I bet your Intellect level is as small as a peanut.

I rolled my eyes, he always has a way of saying things, not glorifying himself but pulling the other one down in an exaggerated manner.

He didn't respond for a few seconds after that, making me think he left or something before a drawing appeared.

It was like four bumpy mountains were drawn and the second one was very long compared to others and these mountains were kept on a semi-circle.

I frowned, what did he draw?

Something that is too complicated for your brain to comprehend. Bye. I'm busy.

I rolled my eyes.

Then was the time to say the magic words that made all the content that both of us wrote in the communication book disappear.

"Fuck off." I said and watched all the words disappear and the book was blank as it was in the starting.

__

____

Two days had passed and today was the day.

I was ready for the feast.

I wore a heavy blue ball gown with matching heels and my hair was tied in a bun.

I personally thought I looked fine but Adailia said I needed something more and lend me one of her jewellery set.

She was still getting ready since she prioritized on eating her snack first.

When I reached out of the mansion to take a short walk while waiting for Raashid, I saw the second prince of the West kingdom near the garden with two guards behind him.

He looked really handsome with an ivory dress shirt with a white tie and ruby studded golden brooch at the top. He also wore a black sleeveless blazer on the shirt and his white-silverish hair was pushed back.

He looked really handsome.

When his purple eyes met mine, they widened.

I quickly bowed, "Good evening, your highness."

He didn't respond so I raised my head a tiny bit to look at him staring at me with dark eyes.

"I didn't know the Archduke of Obelia had two beautiful daughters." He said as his eyes trailed down my body.

I felt weird under his gaze as my cheeks heated up.

Thankfully, Raashid's carriage arrived a second later and I sighed in relief as the second prince's eyes glistened with amusement.

"So you're with him, huh?" He asked.

I just nodded before quickly making my way towards the carriage.

Raashid got out of the carriage and gave me a small smile which faded when his eyes gazed behind me.

"Let's leave." He said as a vein popped in his head.

"Agreed." I said and took his hand before getting inside the carriage.

As I adjusted my dress and seated myself on the couch Raashid sat on the opposite one.

"Thanks Seanna." He said once the carriage started moving.

"For what?" I asked.

"For agreeing to be my partner. It was really stupid of me to drag you in my mess." He said and sighed, gazing out of the window.

I remembered what Mari said and I asked him, "Why were you jealous?"

He snapped his head to me and asked, "Jealous?"

"Oh well, Mari said you were jealous when Adailia asked the second prince of the west out." I said as he frowned.

"Umm..you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I quickly added. We were friends but I never really talked to Raashid about Adailia or any deep matters.

"Ah no. Actually I wanted to get some sensible advice from someone and you've known Adailia for a while so I think you can help me with it, can you?" He asked.

I nodded and then he started, "So I met Adailia in disguise when I went drinking with my friends and we both drank and beac-"," ADAILIA WENT TO DO WHAT?" I asked in utter disbelief.

Raashid's eyes widened, "Wait..you didn't know?"

"No! She didn't tell me anything! And how did she manage to get out of the mansion? There are guards outside her door and window!" This is unbelievable. The Archduke set guards almost everywhere after the incident last year.

"I don't know about that...but if she didn't tell you, don't mention it to her. Anyway, the two of us went drinking and...."

Raashid told me the entire story throughout our ride and told me not to tell anyone. His story was something that you couldn't tell anyone random. First of all, Raashid could be punished and so would be Adailia if their parents found out. And secondly, if someone recognised Raashid out there, he was in for some serious trouble. But it was nice that he trusted me enough to tell me everything.

"-And I really don't know how to approach her anymore." He ended his long love story just as the carriage stopped in front of the palace.

Both of us got out and he escorted me.

Once we were inside the banquet, I said, "I have an idea as to how you could give her an indirect message that you want her."

He looked at me with expectant eyes and I continued, "You can give her the invitation for the seat reserved for the future Empress during your Coronation."

He raised his eyebrows and I continued, "Since no Empress is selected, the seat of the empress on the day of your coronation will be empty and you can invite anyone you want. You can just give it to her, saying you don't have any other close female friends and trust me, Adailia is smart enough to realise that you would like her as your Empress and your fiancee."

He thought for a second, "You think so?"

"Yeah! It will work! There's no way she can refuse an invitation from the royal family anyway. She will have to come and be your partner on your birthday." I said happily, it felt like I was playing the cupid for two protagonists in a romance novel!

"Umm... I can try. But I usually forget what I'm about to say when I look at her. And when she's with that idiot of a prince, I just get pissed and spew nonsense." He muttered tiredly as I whispered, "You're so whipped."

He threw me a glare but a pinch of pink could be seen on his cheeks.

"I'm serious. I'll mess up and say something else instead of what I actually want to say." He muttered frustratedly and picked up two glasses of lemon juice from the waiter before handing one to me.

I hummed before saying, "If that's the case, then I'll give it to her on your behalf."

His eyes shined as he smiled, "Thanks, You're the best adviser ever."

I chuckled before my eyes landed on purple ones and I froze.

"Seanna, Your highness, Good evening." Adailia said, walking towards us, her arm linked with the second prince, who just nodded in acknowledgement.

I saw Raashid visibly tense before a vein popped on his forehead as his eyes landed on Adailia's interlocked arm, "Our evening was actually going very good, till now." He said and I threw him a 'what are you doing?!' look which he ignored.

Adailia frowned, "Oh well, " she looked at the second prince who was starting at Raashid with cold eyes and so was Raashid, "You don't really have to spoil other people's evening. I know you don't really like each other, but let's try to be civil. You guys are the Princes of two nations."

"Yeah right." Raashid spat, "Says the girl who goes around burning people's homes. Right, how very civil."

Okay, he wasn't kidding when he said he gets pissed when he sees Adailia with the second prince and starts spewing nonsense. Though what he said happened once, Adailia has changed now, he shouldn't have brought that up. And he knew that too cause I saw his eyes flickered with regret.

Adailia's frown deepened as she untangled her arm from the second prince. She glared at Raashid, "You're being very rude right now."

Raashid kept a straight face as he said, "I'm just stating the facts."

He really needs to stop.

Adailia glowered, "A five-year-old child can draw better than you can and your hair's the roughest shit I've ever touched. " She spat.

I looked at the Second Prince to stop this but he just motioned me to follow him, before moving away from us and towards the door.

I frowned.

"Excuse me?!"

I slowly left them and they didn't even notice.

"What!? I'm just stating the facts!"

Was the last thing I heard before I closed the door and entered a long hallway.

I looked around to see where the second prince went before a hot breath fanned near my ear making me jump and scramble away.

I looked at the laughing second prince and frowned, "Why would you do that?!"

"Your reaction is quite entertaining." He said as my face heated up and he chuckled.

"You shouldn't to that! Just to see people's reaction!" I said as I unconsciously rubbed my ear.

He hummed as he walked towards me, "I wonder what your reaction will be when I do that." He said and I quickly retracted.

"Do what?" I asked cautiously and he quickly moved his face close to mine before I sent him away with a small punch in his jaw (thanks to Adailia's small self-defence lessons).

"Oww!! Hahaha!! Why would you punch me?! So weak at that!" He laughed and rubbed his jaw.

"And why would you get so close to my face?" I countered as he looked at me with an amusing glint in his eyes.

"Why do you think?"

I narrowed my eyes at him before saying, "Because nothing."

I quickly started walking back towards the door before he stopped me by holding wrist and whispered in my ear, "Because..." He said as I chill ran down my spine, "I want you in my bed."

I froze.

He was literally all over Adailia just yesterday! And also other countless ladies!

And now he hits on me?!

I don't even know his name!

I stared at him with wide eyes as a mischievous grin spread across his face.

No.

I'm not going anywhere near him.

He is just like a playboy in a romance novel who will break all the girl's heart just for fun.

I snatched my wrist away from him and gave him a cold glare, "No thank you. I have a very comfortable bed back at home."

He smiled wickedly before saying, "See you soon, then."

I stormed away from him and inside the hall.

I looked for Raashid and Adailia and surprisingly found them talking (calm talking) and laughing with each other.

"You two made up?" I asked walking towards them.

Adailia smiled and nodded, "He almost apologized instantly, saying he shouldn't have brought that up now. And I also apologised for saying his hair was rough when it was actually not."

Raashid looked embarrassed and said, "I shouldn't have. But it's just that I get so pissed when I see that western dumbass that I lose all my rationality."

"It's fine. I get sometimes like that too, when I see Olivia." Adailia grumbled and I nodded, "She is just so extra." I added as I remembered all those times she picked on me or hit me for fun.

"Anyway, where's Hayden? I don't see him anywhere." Adailia asked. I frowned. Who is Hayden?

"He is probably somewhere, doing someone." Raashid mumbled as Adailia whacked him on the shoulder hissing, "Don't just mindlessly speak anything absurd. You don't even know shit about him. He is the second prince of the Western kingdom, if someone heard you and word spread out, a war can break out."

Oh, so that playboy is Hayden. Adailia should really not hang out with him. He's weird and now that I recall, Mari even told me that he walked in on him doing Olivia's companion in the music room, which I think was right after Adailia asked him out for the feast.

"Yeah..." Raashid grumbled, as Adailia picked another plate of tart and munched on it. I did the same while Raashid opted for a pie instead and we started talking about tests and other random things we'll do after graduating.

"It's getting late, I'll drop ladies back at your mansion." Raashid said after a few hours or so.

"But Hay-", "Just let him be!" Both Raashid and I said in unison to cut off Adailia, who then shrugged and followed us to the carriage which later dropped us at the mansion.