บท 30: CAN YOU GUYS LEAD THE WAY NOW?

Ariana can't help but feel some chill so much that she hugs his body. She never thought about the first kiss, first love, or whatever before until the skin ship but now she can't help but feel devastated. That guy is not even someone that she loves!

"Ugh, I lost my health, my muscle, and now my kiss."

But, his good looks win some credit. At least, she knows her first kiss is with someone who is incredibly handsome. If she is in the other world she could already brag about this.

No! Ariana started shaking her head there. Nagging herself with whatever she is thinking. She even stopped in her tracks. She is actually on her way to go to her private garden to distract herself from thinking.

Whether this is her first kiss or not, that is not important. What is more important now is for her to investigate the royal family. Yes, this is what she thought as soon as she woke up from sleep this morning.

From what she felt when she was at the royal palace yesterday, she knew it was more than what she saw. It's not just about the princes and even the King but also the life of this previous Ariana.

'I need to go there again. Even better if I can sneak into the compound where this girl used to live. But, how? I can't just ask to settle there for a while when I already live here. ' Ariana thought that was the only way for her to know what really happened. The start of all this definitely starts from where this Ariana grew up.

"The grand ball." She unconsciously spoke that out loud.

"What about the grand ball?"

Suddenly the voice of the man she avoided all day appeared in front of her.

Ariana kept looking back and found that her three knights had disappeared somewhere but she could still feel their presence. They must be hiding nearby.

Now she is here alone with him, the feeling of embarrassment that she was able to forget just now reappears.

'Tch, after all my effort avoiding him today. ' Ariana knows she can't escape this anymore and slowly looks at the Duke who is clearly looking at her.

"Wait, why are you from there? Don't tell me you went inside my private garden without asking me again?" Now she feels angry.

Zayn snickers a little seeing Ariana's mood who is up and down so quickly.

"Why are you laughing?" She can't help but narrow her eyes.

"So are you decided to face everything now and stop running away?"

His question makes Ariana remember the 'kiss' yesterday. Her heart flutters at the moment and she knows her face is red right now, but it's not like she wants to admit it. She refuses to be like the previous Ariana who she knows is head over heels for this guy over here.

"What do you mean by running? It's not like I'm avoiding you or something. I just... I'm busy too. Walking here and there." She knows how unreasonable that sound is but still, she can't leave the question unanswered.

"So it's true you're avoiding me." Zayn walked closer to Ariana.

Ariana's lips press into a thin line. She knows she just spoke the truth by her nonsense babbling just now.

"So what if I do? Its up to me if I want to avoid you or not. It's my decision." Now she becomes unnecessarily confident.

"You didn't need to do that. It's not like that is our first kiss or anything. "

This time, Ariana can feel blood rushing to her head. Her face is becoming warm again.

"Stop lying! You hate me and I decide to hate you too. How come that happens when the feeling is not connected"?

Zayn frowned slightly.

"It's true. You are the one who is passionate to get my attention. After all, I am a healthy man with desire. I can't always push you away when you throw yourself to me..." Zayn cannot finish his words as Ariana now closes his mouth with her hand. She didn't care anymore how close their distance is.

"Shush... You know very well I didn't remember that now and that will never happen again. So stop talking about that. " Her face looks so frustrated, afraid if someone else is hearing the talk.

But realizing what she is doing, Ariana moved her hand.

"A-anyway, it's different now."

She is about to distance herself from the man, but Zayn feels like being played today. He grabbed her waist and held her tight.

"W-what are you doing?!" She screamed a little, shocked by what just happened.

Zayn ignores her and keeping on his act.

"What do you mean by its different now? We just had the hot moment yesterday."

"It just... we just caught in the moment."

"Right..." Zayn smirked at this point before closing his face to Ariana's ears.

"If you said so my dear." He said in his low voice which made Ariana shiver instantly before he gave a soft kiss on her neck to tease before swiftly moving away from her.

"Y-You!" Ariana can't believe what just happened and can only look at the man who doesn't look at her anymore and walks away. She still could feel his lips on her neck at that time.

"Ugh, that man. Didn't know he can also be sly as a fox. I need to be careful around him next time. Why on earth I always lower my guard when he is around?!"

As soon as she turns around,

"Argh!"

How surprised he was when her three knights who had disappeared earlier reappeared.

"You scared me!" Ariana can't help but point that out.

"We are sorry princess." Sir Lucas apologizes for the three of them while Sir Josh, and Dame Kay just look down.

"No... That's not what I mean." Ariana lost her words now. The three of her newly pointed personal knight are too polite and making her feel like she is some kind of a villain sometime.

"Listen, if the Duke is around me just stay behind. Don't leave me alone. Only God knows what he is trying to do to me when its just us together." Enough is enough, that's what Ariana decided.

"But the Duke told us to leave..." Dame Kay answered.

"Don't listen to him. You are my personal knight anyway."

All the three knights looked at each other now, but they decided to just agree then.

"Alright princess." Sir Josh said of the agreement.

Ariana knows very well these knights also didn't want to do this kind of work, having to escort a princess 24 hours after they are tired of training for this house of the Duke and trying hard to prove themselves as a knight with honor. She understands that very well, as she has experienced it too.

So is this a right time for her to test them? Ariana can feel the corner of her mouth lift a little.

As long as she is here she caught one or two maids talking bad about her before, but she just let it go, but the knights, they are just doing their job. So she wonders what the knights actually thought of her as a princess and their future Duchess.

Suddenly, she misses Sir Robert who has a 'border' view of her. He didn't even like or dislike her and was very honest about it as it shows, making it more comfortable.

"Hey, can you bring me to where you guys practice?"

"You mean... The training area?" Sir Josh can't believe his ears now. Why would a princess trying to go to a place that doesn't blend with her. A place that is full of sweat and sometimes even blood! Did he hear it correctly?

"That is not a place for you, your highness." This time Dame Kay is the one who said it nice and firm. As if someone who is not worth it trying to embed their sacred place.

'Oho~ Look at this fierce kitten. Looks like she's showing her fangs now. ' Ariana is satisfied.

"Why? Is the Duke forbidden me to approach the area?" Ariana deliberately mentioned about Zayn as he is their master and that master is her fiancee.

Dame Kay looked unhappy there, but as Sir Lucas held her arm, she knew she needed to stop talking but her face clearly showed her feelings.

"It's not like that princess. That place is full of people who are training right now so it might smell and have an unpleasant scene. If you want to visit, it's better early in the morning when no one is there." Sir Lucas hoped Ariana would understand.

"So what's the point of going there when there's no one there?" Ariana quickly asked. The masculine smell or what-so-ever which they are worried about is least of her concern. She even dealt with blood before. If only they knew!

"Take me to your captain then. I will ask for permission." Ariana said, after observing them. Looks like things that she thought just a small favor is a big issue for these guys.

"Princess, that is not necessary." Sir Josh looks flustered.

"Why are you trying to go there anyway?" Dame Kay can't handle her curiosity now.

"Kay," Sir Lucas reprimands her to whom she is just asking.

Ariana didn't feel offended at all. She knows her first impression of them is not that good anyway. She is caught trying to attempt suicide while it's not the real story anyway. That's why they had to cling to her like this. All because of that Duke who didn't trust her.

"I promise I won't do something offended. I just want to visit all the knights and give some appreciation as you guys are the one who is putting their blood, sweat and tears in this house."

"..."

Words can't even describe what Sir Lucas, Sir Josh and Dame Kay is thinking right now after the explanation.

"Anyway," Ariana claps her hand to stop the awkwardness.

"Can you guys lead the way now?"