Isabelle's POV
I was thirsty and hungry at the same time. I haven't had food yesterday night. I tried to shift myself a bit as I was quite dizzy.
I scratched my eyes and got up from the sofa. I was looking all over the room searching for water but there was not a single bottle for me to drink from.
I dizzily went towards Eric asking him whether we have a water jug or not. I pushed him a bit and tenderly spoke his name. He warmly replied, "What is it. now? Why can't you give me a piece of leisure at night?"
"Sorry to disturb, but I wanna drink water. Can you please tell me where is jug!" I spoke softly and deliberately not making him mad at me.
"Look on my study table. You might find one." He said and went back to his sleep. Saying " Ty" I went straight to his study table and searched for the jar with my phone's torchlight. I couldn't find a single glass lest a bottle. Such a liar. I am thirsty and this guy can only think of dozing.
"Eric I can't find a single bottle or jar on your table. Just tell me where it is?" I was certainly irritated cause my sleep is ruined thanks to him.
"What the hell is wrong with you woman? I told you it is on my study table and if you can't find one just go to the kitchen. Don't disturb me again." He got mad at me when I was polite to him. Such a jerk.
I went straight to the kitchen. But I forgot the direction. Ughh where was it? Maybe a right? No maybe a left? Damn it. I can't seem to recall the path. What should I do now?
I stood draping my face with my hands. Unexpectedly from behind, someone tugged my shirt and asked coldly and dry, " Are you lost, ma'am?"
I almost jumped turning around and misstepped over the ground falling on my face. It struck me so bad that I couldn't arise for a moment.
I tried to stand but it was hard enough to balance. Finally, as I stood on my knees, I saw a little kid standing in front of me.
"You scared the breath out of me kid." I was seriously horrified when he spoke. He replied, " My name is not a kid and what are you doing here Miss?"
"Well, then what is your name?" I asked in hopes to know who is this cute kiddo. He had sparkly blue ice that almost gave me a reflection of myself like a mirror. They were amicable like a bright sky.
" I can't tell you my name, strange lady." He sounded much cold like a mountain of ice. " My name's Isabella. Now I guess, I am no more a stranger."
He looked deep into my eyes with snub and hostility. He sighed and said, " I am Ben." I nodded my head. " Well, actually I wanna go to the kitchen but I forgot the way. Could inform me of the way?"
" Follow me, I am going the same way." He showed me his two fingers, signing me to follow him. I did as he asked me to. He is a sort of weird kid though. But, I still found him reliable to trust in giving me directions.
We took a few turns and I wrote them all down in my mind. It looked like no electricity is used at night in the palace.
Thanks to the candles, not all the ways were dark and gloomy. Though I didn't saw Ben's face certainly. I trusted his eyes. They were gentle and warm, unlike his tone.
We reached in just a few minutes. The kitchen was huge with enormous space to have fresh air. It was typically Morden with an air cooler on the side. It was all wooden made with perfect blunt cuts. Mostly the platform was empty with no signs of many utensils.
"Thanks, Ben for taking me to the kitchen." " Whatever" He rolled his eyes and went to the fridge. " Btw why are you in the kitchen so late? Are you also thirsty like me?"
I asked curiously cause I thought he wasn't new to all the ways. Though he looked just 5 or 6 years old but acted more naturally than me.
He didn't make a reply. I took out a glass from one of the shelves and pour some water. I asked, " Does your mom work here?"
He again ignored me. I sogged my lips from the water and tried to say before he replied, " Please don't ask me anything, your highness."
He knew all the time who I was. Maybe that's why he ignored my question. However, he should have answered though cause his mother must have thought him to respect the Queen.
Or maybe this kid is so full of himself that he chose to ignore me. Or maybe he thought not to create trouble with me by not speaking.
" Fine" I put my lips into a thin line. Trying not to say anything. I felt my stomach growling and thought of making some instant noodles for myself.
I asked Ben who was drinking soft drinks, " Wanna grab a bite from the noodles I am about to make?" I thought this will surely win him to talk with me.
He shut the fridge with a thud voice giving the killer vibes. He looked directly into my eyes and said, " No, thank you"
What a nasty kid. He is just 1/5th of my age and looks at that hell of the attitude he got for himself. He started walking towards the door and a huge growling voice came from his stomach.
I smirked when he turned to peek at me. He was all embrace and guilty. His pale white cheeks flushed all red. Trying to hide his face, he showed me an Ok sign.
I started making the noodles by finding the ingredients and pan. I poured the water into the pan. After breaking the noodles I added them and lastly the vegetable mix.
Ben sat on the chair behind me and looked all bored and gloomy. I wanted to ask him but he wasn't enthusiastic like other kids of his age. He was quieter and less talkative.
Maybe his parents must have taught him to be careful whoever he talks with, after all this a dangerous place where one mistake costs your life.
After five minutes of me waiting for my instant noodles to be cooked quickly, it was still half-cooked. My legs were paining from standing. I tried to balance them by standing on one leg per moment.
But the pain got worse. Ugh, why does it have to hurt now? I was in the last stage at my energy level cause I had lately a lot of stress due to the royal marriage and ofc I haven't eaten today. I felt almost fainting.
Ben said," Sit on the chair." Pointing towards the chair he dragged for me. I sat down nodding and smiling. Even though he was rude but still he understood my pain and helped me.
The noodles got all ready and I served them into two different plates. I passed one to Ben and he looked all happy watching the hot noodles. I bet his parents don't allow him to have the noodles from the way he looked at them.
It was like he looked at his master after being lost for days like a cute Lil puppy.
He had a bite of his noodles and the rest with the noise 'sure. He said," They are delicious. The ones my dad makes for me are a bit tasteless from the corners. But yours aren't like him. They test all the same even if you start from niches.
I smiled and replied," Thanks for the compliment. If my mother heard you saying I am a good chef, I bet she would faint and end up in the hospital."
He chuckled and suddenly someone burped into the kitchen. A thudding noise with a quick reflection of a shadow. But to my exception, the guy was more unexpected.
Eric burgled into the kitchen with a confused and terrifying gaze. He was sweating and got fierce at the same time. I almost choked and puke my noodles.
" What are you doing here? I told you not to come out of your room." He was all nuts and roared like a lion. Wait I am not your servant whom you command whatever you like.
" Ben I asked you something. Reply to me." The question was to Ben. Ohh, the wait was he talking to Ben? How did he know Ben and why would he order him to be in his room?
Ben was all silent with not a single voice left in him. He was all pale and frightened.
" Eric why are you shouting at Ben and how can you command him like that?" I took Ben's face into my palms and smoothed him.
Tears rolled from his eyes but I eventually rubbed them. I wrapped his tiny body with my hands by gripping his shoulders.
" I can command him cause... Cause....he is someone I know for a long time." He was stammering.
"He is my dad. That's why he can command me." Ben confessed while tightening his grip deeper into my arms.
His words crystal perfectly landed on my ears. 'Dad' He has a son.? I lost my voice. Unable to utter a single word, I glanced at Eric with those uneasy eyes.
" I am sorry. I shouldn't disturb you both and should probably leave you guys alone." I got up from the chair and tried to walk off from the room before they could see my tears. Facing towards the ground, I dared to look at neither Ben nor Eric.
Eric gasped my palm but I didn't turn to look at him. He said," No one said you could leave." I looked in his direction but it was too late. Too late for my tears to stop. " Please let me leave, I just don't wanna talk Rn about all this stuff."
" You sure don't want to know anything or ask me anything?" I nodded and replied," Let's talk about this after I calm down. We should probably talk about this when we are both alone." I said.
He left my palm and I ran towards the room. I ran as quick as I could to reach the room. As soon as I reached it and I jumped on the sofa covering my face with the blanket.
Why. Why does this have to happen to me? Why didn't he told me all this before we got married? Was he afraid I might tell everyone his hidden secret? Even if he didn't trust me at least I should know his present situation before marrying?
Keeping me in dark and not giving a single hint about his son. I would eventually let it slip but only if he told me this from the start. But, do I even have a choice in this circumstance? What can I do rather than endorsing his child?
I don't care if he slept with dozens of woman but a child is an entirely different case. And that's also a child almost 5 or 6.
And above all, the child is innocent. He is the victim of all the scandal. He is the one suffering the most out of all. Why should such an innocent being suffer because of his parent's mistake?
It was difficult but I was firm that I would accept the child though I will still not forgive his father soon cause he didn't tell me any of his existence.
"Isabella" A voice came from the door. It was soft and ashamed. I knew this voice. Eric. He swiftly came to me and took off my blanket from my head. He sat on the sofa while I was still laying.
"We have to talk. RN" His voice was steady and demanding. I guess he must have come for an adult talk now as he must have dealt with his son.
"Just say whatever you want," I said with no excitement and wrath. He initially took a deep breath and said, " You... Umm... I... I am... S... Sor... sorry" He stammered a lot.
"I don't want a sorry but an answer." He looked a bit nervous and perplexed. He nodded restlessly and I said, " Do you and his mother still meet each other? Are you both still in contact?"
"No," He said instantly and without a second thought. He must be confessing the fact. "Ok, then I don't want to know anything else."
"Really" He mumbled. I glare a shot at him. I got upright on the couch. "Hey, I... I mean you seriously don't have any further questions?"
I replied nodding my head into a no and he said, "Thanks for understanding. Here I thought you must have got all furious on me and we would have fought and then you would have tortured Ben for relieving your anger. And then again we fought and so on. Hehe"
"You really must have watched a great number of family drama for such a vivid imagination. Don't worry I don't harm innocents for my profit. It is against my ethics."
"Well, I like... Umm... Can I ask you a favour?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Umm... Could you perhaps visit Ben sometimes and spend some time with him like a mother? I mean anyway, you are comfortable with it."
" I am asking such a favour cause ever since Ben is born her mother left the palace and went abroad. So he never got the motherly love he desired for. He was always lonely in the palace with no one to play around him. He didn't utter a word until he was 3. Even after able to speak, he doesn't speak much. I was worried about him so I showed a few doctors and psychological docs to him and they all said that if he continued to behave like this he might suffer from autism."
There was a silence between us for a while.
"But, I heard him laughing when he was with you. When he was with you, he opened up and talked. I don't even remember him smiling. Maybe you could let him help to open up. I know I'm not in a position to ask you such favour but you and I both know that Ben is innocent. You can't punish him for my crimes."
"Don't worry like I said I won't harm a gentle child like him. I will try to talk and connect with him more but if I can't, just don't blame me."I said.
He nodded smiling. It was the first time I ever saw him smiling genuinely. His smile was caressing and deto like Ben. Ben must have got such a smile from his father's genes. I don't know why but it flutters my heart.
My checks all of a sudden got red and I kicked him saying, " Just go and sleep." covering my face from blankets. He got up and obeyed me for the first time. I perked through my sheets looking straight at him.
He went to sleep and whispered, "Please don't tell about Ben to anyone except your parents. They seem reliable and trustworthy."
I nodded and went to sleep.
_______________________
Isabella's POV
I was going to my company as I haven't gone there for almost a week. But the guards instantly came and took me to the king's study, forcibly.
Eric said as I entered the room," You are not allowed to visit your company for now. You will-"
I replied, "Wow, people change but I didn't know they change in just 8 hrs."
"I never changed. I just asked for a favour and you agreed. So that clears our conversation. But, you won't go to work this week. Start from next week."
" You are a jerk. Who asked you for leave, huh? Don't you have anything better than torturing?"
" HMM. Nice idea, Now you are not even allowed to leave my study without permission." Eric smiled.
" Wait, there's a misunderstanding, I didn't mean to say torture. I just said it when my emotions were full of me. I.. Wait what the hell did I mean with that? Anyways, just let me roam in the palace. Pretty please. Didn't we agree that I would accompany Ben? So just let me go."
" I can't, I am a jerk who likes to torture you." He said mimicking me.
" I didn't mean that, I was just kidding."
" But I meant my every word. Now pick any of the books you like and sit on the sofa quietly."
I guess I didn't have any choice. I started looking at the books. There were at least tens of thousands of books to read. I began with the shelf near me.
I looked around and there were classics which I already read. Next self was geography with famous authors and a wide map. And then came the history section.
There were names of the kings on the books, I guess it was their biography. I picked one of the books and read a few lines. But to my exception, it was a diary. A personal diary of kings. It must have some confidential information regarding major issues of their reign.
But why were they in the royal library? What if someone who shouldn't read, read those books? If those blood-sucking nobles read one of these, they might eliminate the eyesore aka Eric whom they all hate a lot.
The door was knocked and the servant announced the arrival of a woman. She didn't mention the name or designation but Eric understood her. He refused to admit the guest. And suddenly someone banged the door and passed into the room.