Chapter 9

"Well, long time no see," said Alexis to Tegu. Tegu seemed to be startled by Alexis. "Oh, Your Highness, yes, long time no see." He bowed to Alexis. "How do you do, Your Highness?"

"I am fine. Now would you please excuse my cousin and I?" Tegu bowed again. Alexis turned to Natalie. "May I have this dance?" Nat gladly accepted. They slowly made their way to the dance floor.

"What is the problem this time?" Alexis asked.

"He keeps talking about that," replied Nat.

"What do you mean, that?" Nat sighed. "Remember? I told you about his escape from your father several years ago. He… I don't know. I would be in big trouble if he told someone else."

"He won't," said Alexis while dancing with Natalie. "He too will be in big trouble if anyone else knew that. I bet that his overlord doesn't know this. Trust me, Nat. My instinct tells me that."

"Wow, really? I am impressed. Anyways, weren't you with your Princess Kalasin earlier?" Alexis shook his head. "I was, but… there was an… err… incident. I think Kally is mad at me." Natalie looked over his shoulders and saw Kalasin looking at Alexis. Then a duke asked her to dance and they set off to the dance floor.

"Why is she mad at you? I think she still loves you very much, Lex." Alexis shook his head once more and began to tell his cousin, also his best friend, what had happened in the garden.

"Ah, so that's why she is upset. Alexis, Kally isn't angry with you. She misunderstands you. You said to her that you love her very much, and you also wanted to sleep with her—"

"But that was an accident. I didn't mean to!" Alexis cried a little bit too loud and caused some people turned to look at him. He looked down, embarrassed.

"You have to listen, Lex. Anyways, she doesn't know that it was an accident. She thinks you only want to sleep with her, not love her. You have to explain the whole thing to her," Natalie said reasonably. Alexis looked at her and finally smiled. "Natty, you are so clever. Thank you!" The song ended and Alexis got away to find Kalasin instantly and dismissed Natalie with a wave of his hand. Nat watched his back as he left the dance floor without escorting his dance partner back first. Nat shook her head. Her dear cousin was really in love with her betrothed. She wished with all her heart that the love would last forever and the couple would be happy as long as they lived. However, her instinct told her that there would be some obstacles. She was very worried about her cousin.

Natalie and Alexis had been best friends since they were little kids. Nat's father, the late Duke of Carnought, was drown when she was three. Her mother threw herself off a cliff two months later. Natalie then became the Duchess of Carnought. The Queen of Bardia, Nat's father's older sister, persuaded the King to take Nat in. The King agreed and treated Nat as his own daughter. Natalie didn't get along with the princesses, except for Princess Greta, who was married to a king of a faraway kingdom when Natalie was thirteen. Then Nat had Alexis. Alexis was clever, honest, friendly, and funny. They became friends the moment they were introduced to each other. They usually did everywhere together. They ate and studied together, but sometimes they had to separate. It was when Alexis received his knightly trainings and Natalie got her lady trainings.

As Natalie and Alexis grew up, many people predicted that Alexis was going to marry Natalie. However, the two showed no sign of romance. Alexis performed his duty by accepting the marriage arranged by his father. Natalie was very into politics. She was very helpful to the King. Some courtiers found this very interesting. How would a great King of a big kingdom trust a girl of nineteen? A few nasty people said that Nat was the mistress of the King, but not many people believed that.

Natalie took a glass of wine and sipped a bit. It tasted good. She looked around, hoping not to find Tegu coming toward her. Fortunately, she didn't even see him in the ballroom. She was also very worried about the truth of what she had done several years ago. She didn't want bare the title of traitor. She looked around again out of boredom. Alexis and Kally had disappeared once more. Alice was dancing with Roald for the fourth time this evening. Her other cousins were also busy dancing with some unfamiliar nobles and knight. No one seems to need me, thought Nat. She walked out of the ballroom and made her way to her room.

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I'm alive! I'm sorry for the long update. I had run out of idea lately. I have a huge writer's block. I only updated to let you know that I'm not dead, yet. I changed something in Chapters 1-8. I forgot to add individual thanks too. Anyways, thanks to everyone who has reviewed or will review.