Twisted Beauty (A Sleeping Beauty Tale)

Chapter Eleven

No one caught us kissing beneath the gazebo that day, and Diane didn't return to find us there together, much to my relief. Due to a meeting that evening, that was the last time I saw Drake, and I did not come across him the next day, either. It seemed everyone was busy, which left me free to meet the foreign king for luncheon, upon his request. I was wary, as he's never spoken more than a few words to me before, but I decided it would be rude to decline, so I met him in a parlour at noon.

"Thank you for coming, Princess Belleza," he said as I entered the room, cheerily leading me to a set of couches. I sat on the one opposite him, thanking him as he handed me a cup of tea.

"My pleasure, Your Majesty," I murmured, sipping from the tea. I wasn't quite sure how to act around him – after all, I spent the afternoon prior kissing his son under the gazebo. It was a challenge to keep my cheeks from turning pink.

"Do help yourself to the sandwiches and biscuits," he smiled, reaching for the food himself. I dipped my head in a nod and politely nibbled a biscuit. "During my stay here, I've noticed that you spend a lot of time with Drake – you have grown fond of him?"

I nodded. "He has one of the kindest hearts I've ever seen."

"Ah yes, just like his mother." He chuckled, but after a few moments fell silent. "I suppose you're wondering why I asked you here. Drake has grown quite fond of you, and has expressed his feelings to me. And with you both courting, I thought it would be best that we became friends – I have spent most of my time with your father so we can create fresh ties between the kingdom, but I would hate for there to be any strains between us because of it."

I felt a weight lift from my chest as I stared at the man in front of me. Suddenly, I felt so foolish for being afraid of him when we first met. "It is so generous of you to want to build a friendship," I smiled. "I completely understand that building ties politically takes priority, so you mustn't worry."

We must've talked for about two hours, easily drifting in and out of topics as we gossiped and told funny stories. He had some particularly good stories about Drake, which I tucked away to tease him about later. An odd thing I noticed as we talked was the way he acted – I could see sparks of Drake in his attitude and demeanour. It was an odd thing to think about, so I brushed the thoughts aside, though it did make me wonder what the former queen was like.

When we finished luncheon, I departed from the king, wishing him a good day, before making my way to the gardens. The sun warmed my cheeks as I strolled amongst the flower beds, bringing a smile to my face. I was pleased that everything seemed to be going well – especially when it came to the ties between kingdoms. Any strains between relationships could jeopardise the whole thing, so it was a great idea of the king to build a friendship.

"Belleza." I turned to see Drake behind me on the path, his cheeks red, almost as if he had run there, though I hadn't heard him.

"Good afternoon," I said cheerfully. "Where have you been all day?"

"Father gave me work," he said, and we fell into step as we walked together. We walked in a pleasant silence, though I noticed him glance at me more than several times.

Humming, I said, "No chaperone. How did you pull that off?"

He huffed out a laugh. "Your aunt doesn't know I'm here." His voice faltered slightly and I paused, turning to face him. Something was . . . off. He could easily read my expression, so with a guilty smile, he took my hand in his. "The truth is, I had a long meeting with your parents today."

"What about?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

He stared down at me, his dark eyes speckled with flecks of gold. "I love you, Belleza," he said after a pause. "And I don't want to leave you. I want to spend every day with you and make you happy." He dropped to one knee and my eyes widened. I could do nothing but watch as he pulled out a satin box and opened it to reveal the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. Embedded in a golden band were diamonds – five small ones surrounding a larger one in the middle. "I love you," he repeated. "Belleza, will you make me the happiest man in the kingdom and be my bride?"