The Badboy Prince Just Can't Resist

Chapter 26-And There Was the Painting

"So what kind of chocolate do you like?" We were still holding hands as we walked to the stand.

"There are different kinds?"

"Milk, almond, dark, white; you can try them all." He winked at me and chuckled, as if I didn't get a joke.

"I'm still paying," I stated as I picked out all my delicious chocolates.

"Annalise, you've never bargained with somebody in your life. Watch how the master does it." I held my hands up and rolled my eyes.

How great did he really think he was?

I'll take a dozen chocolates please, for twenty-five deltorian coins."

"Twenty-five,"the exotic caravan seller exclaimed," that's far too low!"

"Fine then, twenty-seven," his famous smirk on his almost-as-delicious-as-chocolate face.

"Still FAR too low!"

"Twenty-eight."

"No-"

"Twenty."

"No!"

"Yes!" They both kept taking turns slamming on the table.

Men.

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"No!"

"Yes?"

"Great!" And Darius laid down the money, grabbed me (whom was currently eating the chocolates), and we ran away. We both started bursting out laughing as we finally took a stop, out of breath and my mouth stuffed with heavenly deliciousness.

"How was that, Mrs. Woods?"

"I mean... at least you got the chocolates." I played it off cool, even added in a shrug.

"You have to agree, I'm pretty good."

"I mean, your alright. You just use the same trick on me all the time, I've never seen you change it up." I exclaimed with a look into the distance.

His eyes were bulging out of his sockets,"What else do I have to do to impress you! I buy you a dozen chocolates, which should have been seventy coins by the way, and completely trick a man to foolishness! If that's not impressive, I don't know what is."

Mhm, this could create opportunity.

"How about you find me the prettiest thing in this whole festival market. Maybe a hair brush from Isitania, or-"

"We established Isitania isn't a real place, princess."

"I'm not a princess!"

"In my eyes, you are."

"Well then why don't you get me something that will make me feel like a one?" Damien tapped his chin, contemplating. He agreed with my statement, taking off into the festival to find me an item worthy of a royal.

Finally, he's gone!

As I wander around, I realized Damien would've probably wanted me to stay put- but I didn't care, I wanted to explore on my own.

The sights before me were beautiful: midnight, shimmery silks being sold, delicious spicy smells, exotic animals, magic lamps, potions, illegal drugs; but what really caught my eye was the paintings. I've always loved to draw, but painting was the next level. There was a line of people selling paintings, all were extravagant but nothing really spoke out to me- until I reached the end of the painting line.

There was a man painted by an old woman. His eyes the same color of mine, blue and green as the sea grass below. A smile played on his face like I had said a joke or something, and he started laughing. His jaw was sharp like a knife, and I couldn't help but look back to his eyes. They had wrinkles, as if he had to grow up too fast.

This was the man I painted a while back.

"You look like him, you know." The old lady walked up to me. I was startled by her statement, too absorbed in her painting.

"This man?"

"I wonder," she abruptly grabbed my face and looked at me from all angles,"Could you be her?" She analyzed me very throughly, as if she wanted to take in every detail of my face. She really was a true artist.

"Be who, ma'am?"

"The lost princess of Descuvi, of corse. I used to paint for the King. The painting of Queen Lillian and King Demotis of Descuvi still hangs in their royal hallway."

"The lost princess? But how-"

"Annalise! I've been looking all over for you," Damien exclaimed, until he noticed the woman and I talking to. When he noticed the painting, his eyes grew dark.

"Why are you selling this? I command you take it down right now." He didn't have to raise his voice to show how angry he was.

"Damien, calm down."

"This is unacceptable. You come to Deltora, selling Descuvi artwork, and believe you could get away with it? Anything Descuvi is strictly forbidden, as their people are!" He finally broke, yelling in the old woman's face.

"Damien, you're acting absurd. This woman is just trying to make a living, and you're going to arrest her for it?"

"Yes, if I have to." He emotionlessly stated.

I hate it when he gets calm, it's quite scarier.

"Why not just give me the painting and I'll get rid of it. Instead of arresting her, I'll take it and destroy it. How does that sound?"

"You don't understand, Annalise. Anything Descuvi here is not allowed, ever."

I don't belong here.

"And that's why I'm destroying it, Damien. It should've have been here in the first place, right? Let me handle it."

Just like our relationship.

He turned towards the painter," If I see anything like this again, you will be arrested and banished from Deltora. Leave." She nodded and turned away, her face flushed.

Damien pulled me away from the scene with the painting in my hand. I gave the old woman a smile and she winked back at me, curtsying lowly.

Was she bowing to the Prince?