"My father wanted a small celebration this year." Crown Prince Vance Amias said to Iria and Arin Helev. They were currently having dinner in the Crown Prince's palace and Crown Princess Zena Amias was also there.
"The party will be small with only a very few guests. However, a huge feast will be prepared in the capital for all the people to enjoy. It's his wish to feed everyone to celebrate his birthday." Vance Amias added.
"That's good." Crown Prince Arin remarked. "It matched well with Uncle Feric."
Vance Amias wondered how tomorrow might be the last time his father get to celebrate his birthday. As a son who loved and respected his father more than anyone else, the feeling put him in grief. However, he tried to brush away the negative feeling and turned to Iria who was very quiet.
"Crown Princess, I always scold Arin, urging him to talk a bit much than now. But I think you're more aloof than him." He jokingly said which made Zena Amias chuckled.
"It will be great if you communicate with us a bit more. We really wish to know more about you." The Crown Princess of Zoris supported her husband.
Iria slightly smiled. "There isn't much to know about me." When she spoke up for the first time in a while, Arin turned to her with a subtle smile on his lips.
"Then how about we ask you what we wish to know. All you have to do is giving us answers." Crown Prince Vance excitedly said.
Iria thought that it would be strange if she remained too reserved. After all, she was the Crown Princess of Qalagon for now and Zoris was the closest ally of Qalagon. Their curiosity was just a normal thing. She finally nodded, "Alright."
At her response, the Crown Prince of Zoris became more excited. "What do you think of Qalagon?" He asked and turned to his friend with a menacing smile. "Arin, in particular." He added.
Crown Prince Arin instantly frowned. "Isn't it supposed to be about her? Why me?" He protested and Vance chuckled.
"You stay out of this. Don't be so protective of your wife." He glanced at his wife, Zena, and they laughed together.
Arin opened his mouth but he shut it again. He knew Vance Amias too well. If he gets involved, he would only make up more things! Then he sighed in defeat. "Whatever you want."
Now, all eyes were on Iria, waiting for her response.
Iria Alewine inwardly sighed. She shouldn't have agreed! Having no other choice, she thought of words to say. "It's a beautiful place." She remarked and briefly glanced at Arin. "He is kind and considerate. Sometimes, he talked too much."
Arin could felt his jaw dropped to the floor while Vance and Zena felt pretty much the same! Talk too much? Who? Arin Helev? The royal couple of Zoris shook their heads. Crown Princess Iria must be joking.
"Err... Don't you think it's supposed to be the opposite?" Vance Amias finally asked, breaking the silence which Iria's unexpected response created.
Iria simply shook her head. "I'm telling the truth. He loves to nag at me."
She was serious? Vance and Zena blinked in bewilderment! They turned their heads to Arin who was equally surprised as them. "This stone is capable of that?" He wasn't yet convinced and his tone expressed it more than well.
"Why don't you ask him about it?" Iria said with a little smile, feeling thankful that she succeeded in turning the tables. She didn't know what kind of questions they would ask her next, so it's best to change the topic and the situation this way!
Noticing the curious yet bewildered stares of the couple, Arin was perplexed. The attention was supposed to be on his wife but... how did he become the prey in a split second?! "Why are you giving me that look?" He asked, disappointed.
"No matter how much I think about it, I can't imagine Arin nagging someone." Vance blurted out.
"Me too." Zena promptly agreed with him.
Arin finds himself in a dilemma. He didn't want to say about it but if he doesn't, his friend wouldn't stop pestering him about this matter for years to come! However, he didn't want to say that his wife was telling a lie. It's her first time here and he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable but...
When did he ever nag her? All he did was advising her not to leave the palace without guards! Did that count as a nag?
Feeling cornered, he sighed. Then he quietly continued eating his dinner, ignoring the curious royal couple sitting opposite him.
*
After bidding goodbye to Vance and Zena, Arin and Iria returned to their chamber in the main palace. The moment they entered the huge chamber, the Crown Prince quickly turned to Iria. "You love playing mind games, don't you?" He said.
"What do you mean?" Iria promptly asked. When did she ever do that?!
"That day in the Prime Minister's house, you were playing with Hanson's mind and tonight, you do that with Vance and Zena." He sighed and continued, "Including me."
pαпdα-ňᴏνêι·сóМ He knew how she did on purpose that day? Then why did he only say now?! However, somehow she finds what he said, amusing. "Why didn't you say anything that day then?" She asked.
"I told you before. I refrain from saying useless things." Arin replied. Did she only take note of that? Didn't she heard him talked about how she played a mind game tonight?!
She had heard that response before but this time, a realization shook Iria. He turned a blind eye to that though he saw through everything. That means... there must be many other things which he noticed but kept his mouth shut as he deemed it useless to say! Why was he so hard to deal with?! Was he aware of anything else?!
"Sometimes, Iria, I think you're scary. You seem to have control of many things in secret." Arin muttered.
"I feel the same about you." The words escaped her lips before she could even realize.
Arin didn't argue as he knew that she was right and Iria was lost in her thought, wondering if Arin Helev probably knew something else. It troubled her too much to the point where she was completely zoned out until...
"Someone is there," Arin whispered in a very low voice. He stepped forward to stand before her and eyed the balcony.....
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