95 Chapter 4 (2/2)

Minutes pa.s.sed, and the leisure walk was turning into a jog, for her that is. She was short and was having a hard time catching with the Prince. Still, he didn't turn nor made any effort to slow down for her. Even so, she didn't mind. She even had a silly grin on her face.

Jogging to his side, she observed him discretely. He was lean, and she guessed he must have played some kind of sports, and she knew he loves playing basketball. In the morning light, he could easily pa.s.s as an adult with his looks and built. Nothing older pa.s.sed twenty-seven, perhaps. Underneath those clean-shaven face laid thin lips, not red nor pale, just the right amount of color that tempted anyone to stole a kiss.

Her nostrils flared, smelling his scent. Pine trees with a tint of herbs and fruits, maybe wild berries, perhaps? Allured by his scent, her nostrils widened while her eyelids dropped, savoring his scent, and her heart beat more than its intended specs.

Daniel stopped when he no longer felt Lilybella's presence. He turned to find her standing still, unmoving from her post. He looked at the sky and sighed before stomping his way back to her.

”What's wrong?” he asked when she was just staring at him, one which sent his fine hairs tingling on end.

There was something wrong with the way she was looking at him with those big, dilating pupils, eyelids droopy. A soft blush tinting her cheeks and puff of steam rose from her parting lips while her fingers interlaced in front of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. And he was startled when she spoke with an unnatural voice in low timbre.

”Your Highness, every time Lilybella look at you, her body turns hot while her heart tightened. When you are near, her mind blanked out, and Lilybella is having difficulty breathing . . . could this be . . .” Her eyes quivered like it was about to melt. ”. . . love?”

”. . .”

C-can . . . Can someone . . . Can someone tell me what the h.e.l.l is wrong with this woman?! She's not only naive and clumsy –– she's crazy!

Daniel took a step back when Lilybella took a step forward. He was suddenly uncomfortable to be in her presence while a tingling sense of danger alerted his nerves.

”W-what are you spouting about?” he said, voice almost growling. ”There's no way it can be love. We just met a while ago!”

”But . . . but . . . Lilybella's heart hurts every time she looks at you, and everything about you is sparkling. Everything inside Lilybella ached to be with you. To look at you. To touch you . . . This must be . . . this really must be love!”

”NO!”

”Yes, this is love. For the first time, Lilybella fell in love. What a wonderful feeling.” She brought her interlaced fingers closer to her heart, and her forlorn, flushed face blossomed a loving smile.

”Listen to me! It's not! I repeat, it's not!” Daniel tried to reason. Unaware of how rattled he was. Forgetting he was a Prince who should conduct himself with dignity and grace.

”Ahhhh . . . Your Highness, Isn't it wonderful? Now that Lilybella is in love with you, we can proceed with the marriage. Thinking about spending the rest of Lilybella's life with you sent an endless stream of happiness in Lilybella's veins.”

”. . .”

Daniel really . . . he really, really couldn't comprehend why his mother wanted him to suffer.

Feeling a headache coupled with his inability to reason with the crazy woman, he turned and walked away, keeping as much distance away from her as much as possible. But he skidded to a stop when his eyes caught something.

Lilybella was still spouting words of love on and on while walking behind Daniel. The barrage of words halted when she saw him standing still, eyes wide and lips parted like he had seen something shocking.

Her eyes followed his line of sight, and what greeted her vision was the form of a woman wrapped in complete mountaineering gears. Fleece jacket underneath an insulating raincoat and waterproof pants, sun-shielding hat, gloves, gaiters with those double boots with hard plastic sheets and soft insulating liners and a large backpack almost the size of her was strap tightly on her back.

Lilybella blinked, tilting her head in confusion until she heard a warm voice beside her.

”Evangeline?”