Flora

꧁Chapter 12꧂

He could not believe his eyes from what he was seeing. Just a few minutes ago, she was in the verge of tears as doubt and panic consumed her and now he was witnessing a 180 degrees change of demeanor. Gone was the sobbing girl from the Castle Tower. She was well-poised as if she herself is a royalty trained and molded to fit the standards of royalties that were more narrow for imperfections than a hole of a needle or a strainer. He grinned, he knew right there and then that she was not only committed to being his wife but also determined to make herself deserving of the crown and the first step she could take was to not cower over the emotion that was brewing inside her. That's our future Queen of Larkspur right there, he thought.

Princess Julia who stood there at the front alongside the most crucial people of this soirée was left flabbergasted as her eyes followed Lucy's being. Her cat eyes were at the very least, intimidating yet alluring. Her shoulders were at their most prominent and the small grin that was planted on her lips told her that she was satisfied of the reaction she was getting from the crowd. Perhaps she could learn a thing or two from Lucy.
A Queen is someone who effortlessly catches everyone's attention without needing to exert much effort, she mentally took notes. The moment she laid her eyes on her when she arrived, she concluded that she was the intimidating type as her strong features captivated her, so this is the future Queen of Larkspur, she thought when she once saw Lucy looking up to the ceiling of the Palace.

Ever since they started conversing with each other, they immediately clicked. So much so that Julia would want her to drop the formalities and address her like she's just one of her closest friends instead of the Princess of the country she was residing in. As someone timid and lacking confidence, she knew that getting to know more about Lucy would be her best shot as she envisioned the ideal Queen to be like Lucy even when she had her mother all along. She knew of her mother's flaws, but her mother was busy pointing out Julia's flaws instead of her own that's why she somehow views her mother as overly authoritative and not a good listener which was definitely true as she would sometimes hear citizens shouting their protest outside the premises of the royal ground and her mother couldn't care less as she wants everything to come, her way.

She wouldn't want that when she rules, she would want a full-blown democracy and listen to the people as she thinks that as a Queen, she is to serve the citizens instead of them serving her. After all, her duty is to make the lives of everyone easier and over all to make Azalea a better community to live in.

"I guess that'd be your first thing to take note of." Steve teasingly stated.

Truthfully speaking, it wasn't hard for the two of them to get comfortable with each other's presence quickly, not to mention engaging in conversations. That was why they both had their fair share of knowledge in regards to each other's struggle and insecurities. And they sympathize with each other so well.

"I already did." She assured, looking up at him as they locked their eyes at each other. Julia winked at him, breaking their eye contact with each other and earning a blushing Steve that looked away as she lightly chuckled, adorable, she thought.

While all the attentions were darted towards the couple, Ben took this as a chance to excuse himself to get some fresh air at the Royal Garden. Conversing with those Princesses were a dip of Hell for him and so relishing the ambience of the cold night would be the most plausible idea he could formulate to relieve his self of the lingering exhaustion he felt back there. With long quick strides, he went to the location with his hands shoved on his pocket. He furrowed his eyebrows when he heard distinct chatters coming from somewhere in the hedge maze.

He navigated the labyrinth and found himself crouching down, peeking behind one of the sculptures that dotted the said place. There were benches right there and a single fountain spurting out water as the sound of the water forbade him to understand a single word they were uttering towards each other. With the help of the dim moonlight, he was somehow able to see an adequate amount of details on the said place which allowed him to navigate it, yet it also allowed him to conclude the two figures that were seated besides each other at that very moment is a girl and a boy.