Capítulo 23: OH SHIT!

Aurora and I both stood outside for sometime after Ivan had left. I miss him already and I wish he would hurry back home, to me. A smile stretched on my face at the thought and a giggle suddenly escaped me.

"Hmm? What's this?" Aurora asked eyeing me with a teasing look on her face, "Seems like someone has a crush on my brother already."

"What? No it's not that." I shook my head at Aurora who arched a brow up at me.

"Oh, so what is it then?"

"It's...." I paused at that trying to find the right answer but I came up with nothing.

Shit! Maybe it was a crush then! I thought to myself with a smile. My first ever crush, so this is what it feels like. Anytime Rissa came home with her friends and gush about the boys they had met in school and who they have a crush on, I always listened in on them. Hearing them talk about it always made me wondered what having a crush would feel like.

All the boys back home wanted nothing to do with me so there was no way I could get close to them enough to have a crush on them. But Ivan, Ivan makes me feel like a woman. He looks at me in a way that makes my blood hot and my heart race. I really wish he would hurry up and come back home.

"Oh well I guess it's a good thing since the feeling is mutual." Aurora said with a sigh, "How about we go drink tea and catch up on things since we are already in-laws?" She said linking her arm with mine.

I grinned her before I shook my head at her offer. "Actually how about we explore the kingdom? I want to meet the town people."

Aurora look surprised at that. "Y..you want to meet the towns people?"

"Yeah." I nodded my head at her, "I'm starting to get bored of the castle walls."

Aurora let out a small sigh at that. "Well I suppose that can't be helped. Come on then, there's a lot to see here in Egralon." Aurora said grabbing my hand as we headed towards the gate. I also noticed that two guards were following closely behind us.

The gates opened for Aurora and I when we got nearer. I could see the town just few feet away from the castle and it seemed so full of life. Excited I pulled Aurora towards the town. I could see people were up and about their day already. I also noticed as we walked the people bowed their head at us before looking at me in curiosity but not saying anything.

I didn't seem to mind as I was too focused on the town. Rows of small cottage houses filled the town. Children played around while the adults gather up to have a chat. There was no discrimination between them, everyone was equal and they were all happy. As we walked I noticed a circular fountain splashing in the cente. A group of girls sat down on the lip of the fountain and were chatting and laughing while a man with a little girl on his arm tossed a coin into the fountain, closing their eyes as they asked for their wish. I smiled at them before I moved on.

I was still walking when I perceived the most amazing smell ever, donuts. I looked around till I noticed a street vendor few streets away. The vendor was a round plump woman with curly brown hair. Around her little shop people crowded her placing their orders and I decided to head that way. I waited patiently for the other customers watching with a smile on my face.

"Make way for her majesty the queen!" The guards yelled at once startling everyone, including me.

Everyone's attention now focused on me. I watched as their eyes widen, before they immediately bowed their heads at me. I smiled awkwardly at them and waved at them while they paused still looking at me with nervous looks on their faces.

"Um please, don't stop on my account." I told them when no one else placed their order, "Please continue." I told them but no one moved they all just stood there.

"It's okay, you can place your order!" Aurora told them with a smile and all at once they immediately went back to their business. Placing their orders as fast as possible and when they were done, they left.

A man once made eye contact with me as he left and I smiled at him. But instead of returning it, he hurried away looking almost horrified and I wondered what that was about.

"They are not used to seeing their queen yet, give them time." Aurora said shooting me an apologetic smile which I returned with a small smile of mine.

I waited for the last person to place their order before it finally became my turn. Dorothy the store owner raised her gaze up to mine before she bowed at me. "Your majesty, what would you like?"

"Hmmm..." I hummed staring at the donuts she placed neatly on a tray. There are normal plain ones and then there are some that were covered in icing, I decided to try that one. "I'll have this please." I said pointing to a chocolate covered donut.

I looked back at Aurora and the guards, "Actually make that four." I corrected when Dorothy began packing it.

Dorothy handed me my order and I thanked her for it. I turned to give Aurora hers and when I gave the guards theirs they shook their head at me but I shoved it into their hands. I unwrapped my donut and took a hearty bite from it. I let out a soft moan when I tasted it, the combination of the icing and the donut was so good, I swear my taste buds came more alive.

"This is really good Dorothy." I told her with a smile.

Dorothy's eyes widened at the use of her name but she kept her head down. "You are too kind your highness."

I grinned at her before realizing I haven't paid. "How much is it?"

"Two gold coins your highness." Dorothy replied still keeping her head down.

I smiled at her and I was about to reach for my purse when I realized I left the castle without carrying anything on me. I looked at Aurora and she shook her head at my silent question, she didn't have her purse on her either. I looked at the guards and I could see nothing on then other than their gears.

I turned back to Dorothy who still kept her head bowed at me. "I...I'm sorry but I...I have no money." I stuttered my cheeks colouring from embarrassment.

"Oh that's okay your majesty!" Dorothy rushed out looking almost relieved.

"But still I didn't pay for the snacks." I said still feeling ashamed of myself, some queen I am.

Dorothy brushed it off. "Oh it's alright your majesty, you visiting my store is more than enough for me." She told me again but I still wasn't feeling alright with it.

I come into the town as their queen and the little she offered me I still couldn't pay. I bit my lips nervously as I wondered what I was going to offer this woman when an idea struck. I removed the diamond dropping earrings on my ears and offered it to her.

Dorothy's eyes widened as she took in the jewel in my hands then they rose back up to meet mine before shifting nervously to the guards behind me. "I apologize your majesty but I...I can't accept it."

"Oh please Dorothy, accept it." I pressed still pushing the earrings towards her, "It's the least I could do after you've offered me this delicious treat."

Dorothy shook her head at me, "Its alright your majesty, you don't have to."

"I insist Dorothy, I've got plenty more back at...

"I SAID NO!" Dorothy yelled smacking my hands away from her.

I watched as the earrings fell on the floor and Aurora let out a warning growl while the guards immediately stepped forward pointing their spears at Dorothy who immediately stepped forward and bowed at me.

"I'm sorry your majesty. Please have mercy I...I didn't mean it!" She said fearfully, her eyes darting nervously to the guards spears.

I watched Dorothy with curiosity when the realization suddenly dawned on me. I finally understood her behaviour. And not just her, the towns people behaviour too, they were scared of me! What I could do to them if they acted wrong towards me. I turned to look back at Dorothy on the ground who was still staring at me now, her body shaking with fear. My hands itched to go and pick her up from the ground. But I fear if I do so, she was going to have a breakdown. So instead I brought my hand up to touch the spears.

"It's okay." I told the guards with a smile on my face. "Let's just leave." I said this looking at Dorothy who had her head bowed.

I turned to leave and the guards immediately followed after me. I was aware of people's eyes on me as I walked but I paid them no heed. Instead, I continued walking my head held high as I walked back to the castle. I was still walking when I heard loud laughter and it sounded like that of little children.

I turned towards the sounds and just right at the corner beside me, children were playing. Their hands were filled with paints and they had some on their faces. I looked down at the ground only to see that it was filled with paints too and the children appeared to be drawing something on it.

Intrigued, I moved towards them to get a closer look at what they were painting. When I got close to them I saw they were painting a huge sun on the ground and around it were little flowers. It was actually beautiful and I stared up at the kids who were dipping their hands in paint to continue their art work.

"Wow, what's this?" I asked a little boy who looked to be around six.

The boy raised his head up to look at me. His head was full of brown curls and also there were few streaks of yellow paint on his curls. His eyes were deep grin and I could detect a little bit of mischief in them when he smiles at me with his red pouty lips.

"Summer." The boy replied before he went back to painting.

"Oh." Was all I said before I looked back to Aurora.

"As winter passes we throw a huge festival to celebrate the coming of summer." Aurora explained smiling at the art.

Oh, that makes sense! I thought to myself as I turned back to stare at the boy only to see he already had a companion beside him. A girl with dark skin and long brown curls was whispering to his ear and he smiled raising his green eyes back at me.

I wonder what they were whispering about! I thought to my face as the children were all looking at me now. I arched a brow up at them but they didn't say anything, instead they just continued looking at me. I was about to ask them why they were staring at me when the boy suddenly dipped his hand inside into a bowl of yellow paint and before I had time to say anything he splashed the paint on my dress.

My eyes widened as I looked down at dress which now had a small yellow stain on the middle. I let out a gasp as I stared at the children who were smiling at me and around us I noticed a small crowd had gathered. The whole place was silent, all of them watching and waiting to see the judgement I would pass on the children who conspired within themselves to ruin my dress.

"Goodness!" A woman suddenly spoke up as she rushed forward and I saw she was Dorothy. She ran forward and wrapped her arms around the brown haired boy. "Arnold! How many times have I told you not to splash paints on people again?" Dorothy asked the boy I'm guessing was her son. Dorothy turned towards me and knelt in front of me raising her hands at me. "Your Majesty, please forgive my son. He was just being a child please spare him!"

I looked at Dorothy then back at Arnold who stuck his tongue out at me behind his mother's back. Oh, guess he wasn't feeling sorry at all then! I thought to myself as an idea formed in my mind. "Step aside Dorothy!"

Dorothy raised her gaze up to mine a look of disbelief on her face. "Y..your majesty?"

"Step aside now!" I ordered glaring at her.

"But your majesty, he's...he's just a child."

"A child who knows what he was doing!" I told her firmly and her eyes widened at me before they dropped to the ground in fear, "Now step aside or I'll make you!" I told her firmly.

"Arianne..." Aurora called in a warning tone but I ignored her.

"Will you disobey your queen?" I asked loudly causing Dorothy to let out a whimper.

Dorothy cast a nervous look at her son who was beginning to look scared before she turned to look at me. "No, your majesty." She said before she moved out of the way revealing her son who was wringing his hands together, fear etched on his face.

I walked towards Arnold who took a step backwards. "How dare you? How dare you ruin my dress?" I asked and the children let out a whimper at my chilly tone. I smirked at them before I continued, "Now you have no choice than to face the wrath of the colour monster!" I yelled at them with a dramatic roar.

I swooped down and I dipped my hands in paint then began splashing it at the children.

The children roared with laughter as they swooped down to gather paints to splash at me but I carried Arnold and used him as a shield. Arnold squealed as stains of paint landed on his clothes and hair causing me to roar with laughter. I must have forgotten myself because Arnold launched himself at me and started smearing my cheeks with paint. I let out a dramatic wail of agony as the children started to smear my face and dress with paint still laughing.

"Oh no! The colour monster is dying! Save me!" I cried reaching towards Aurora who was bent over laughing at me.

"I would love too but I don't want the wrath of these children!" Aurora said still laughing.

"Traitor!" I muttered as I glared at her and I noticed she wasn't the only one who was laughing. The towns people had joined in same with the guards and I grinned at them.

I finally managed to pull myself up and I carried Arnold in my arms. His face was covered in smudges of paint, he was a total mess. And if he looked like that, then gods only knows how I look like. I was about to go into another battle of paint fight when a loud voice boomed.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE?"

I turned only to find a woman staring at us. She was dressed in long red gown and I also noticed she was wearing a crown of spires of gold with Crystal stones atop her long dark hair. Who is she? I asked myself as I stared at her, she wasn't at the wedding.

"And who are you?" I asked narrowing my eyes at her taking in her sharp features. Her perfectly straight nose, her ruby colored lips that were pulled into a sneer but what were captivating were her grey eyes which looked a lot like...

"Hello mother!" Aurora said from behind me and my eyes widened at that.

If she's Aurora's mother then she must be Kiran and Ivan's mother and that obviously makes her my mother in law!

Oh shit!