SMITTEN

Aisha's lips pressed together in a slight grimace as she thought about the new twist in her Gaean life. Her lively actions went muted.

How could she have opened up about a tea party? She could have thought about something else as a reason why she was at the Market Town.

However, her heart still has that longing to make them experience the best time of their lives. "Who knows, that could be the reason why we met at the Market Town?"

"If you will win their hearts, they might be useful to you, my lady," Rosalia spoke out her opinion on her situation.

"That's right," Aisha nodded her head vigorously as if she was reassuring herself that she did the right thing.

"And besides, if I go back to my word now, I'm sure I will be the headline tomorrow in Gaea. I should be positive about this. This will just be fine," she reconfirmed to herself as she gazed out the window.

The horse that was carrying their carriage was as fast as the wind.

In no less time, they were already at the Castle Gates. Aisha resumed her sick alibi and covered herself with her cape.

Seeing her, the Gatekeeper let them through immediately as soon as he saw them.

Aisha couldn't help but chuckle as they passed through, "He was probably afraid that he might catch my virus."

To her relief, It seems like the King hasn't found out that she left the Castle.

The other female servants told her that he was also out of the Castle.

Quickly, Aisha asked the servants to prepare for a tea party tomorrow afternoon.

The servants immediately complied and went to the kitchen to relay the announcement.

Then she dashed to the couch in her room and slumped.

"Oh, that felt good!" She blurted out as she felt the soft cushion on her back.

She stayed still for a while before massaging her aching calves.

As she did so, she thought about her encounters with the different species in Gaea. The lord who did not cry wolf and the three slanderers.

"This is indeed a magical land. Only it was written by a different author from my world," Aisha giggled as she thought about the versions of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and "The Three Musketeers".

"I am glad to see that you are adapting well to Gaea, my lady," Rosalia bowed down and responded to her. "I could already see that you will become a good Queen someday."

Aisha's eyes went wide open in response as she jumped up from her seat.

"What are you saying? I'm still clueless with the people around me as Lady Aisha. I'm not even a royal wife yet. Much more a Queen," Aisha babbled on as if she's trying to make the Queen idea fly away from the Castle and out of Gaea.

She then immediately stood up and dusted her gown. "Come along, now. The King must be here already."

They left the Chamber and just as they were about to turn a corner, they saw the King walking along the hallways.

His back was facing them, and he was trudging along on the floor. His broad shoulders were slouched as if he was tired and weary with today's event.

Still, his authoritative presence was not diminished even an inch.

A thoughtful expression could be seen in Aisha's face as she heaved out a deep sigh.

"A King's life must be very tiring," Aisha sighed in sympathy with him.

Aisha was about to go and talk to him when Rosalia whispered to her. "I think it's not the right time to talk to the king."

They were at a dark corner and the King hadn't noticed them yet.

"The King was always irritable when he's tired. He refused to talk to anyone. And will scold anyone who would try to reason with him at that state," Rosalia informed her about the King's attitude.

Aisha paused and glanced back at the King.

"Could it be related to what Lord Lycano just said?" Aisha thought.

Aisha has not seen him in that state before.

He was usually just silent and serious. But she knew that he was kind and nice. Or maybe because she hasn't seen much of him yet since she was just new in this Castle.

Her news could be a good news or a bad one to him, depending on how he views it.

Would she be willing to take a risk by approaching him now? Can she wait until tomorrow?

Thinking about the tea party, a decision came to Aisha's mind.

The King could not know about it tomorrow, with only a few hours away before the event. She would be even more in a pickle.

"I know what to do," Aisha's forefinger shot up in the air.

"You can rest now, Rosalia. I know you're also tired. Thank you for supporting me," she gave her a warm smile.

Then she immediately went to the kitchen and asked for chamomile tea for the King.

As far as what she could remember, it was what the butler used to give to her when she couldn't sleep.

With her heart leaping in excitement, she dashed to the King's Chamber with the comfort drink in her hands.

"Announcing the presence of Lady Aisha," the servant who was guarding the King's Chamber announced.

Aisha inhaled a lungful of air and slowly released it.

She recalled what Rosalia just said regarding the mood of the King. He was perhaps in that state now.

"I hope this is enough," Aisha bit her lips in anticipation of how the King would react.

She knew he might get angry. But he would be more furious with her if she would let this night pass without telling him the truth.

The King was not responding for a few minutes. Beads of sweat formed in her forehead.

"Should I just leave now?" Aisha nervously talked to herself.

She decided to count to ten, and then she will leave. "Six, Seven, Eight, Nine..."

"Let her in," King Leandro ordered, making Aisha jump from her place. She almost spilled the tea.

Aisha bowed down to the guards and went inside.

If her Chamber was large, this was gigantic. And to the highest level. It looks like a mini Castle in itself.

She was only facing a vacant, elaborately decorated room. But on every wall was another door leading to another room.

There was one room that was open. It seemed as if the King was in there.

Aisha stepped forward and walked to it, curious as to what kind of room it was.

To her horror, it was a bath house exclusively for the King!

King Leandro was dipped in a large pool of water. Half of his naked body was visible above the waters. His blonde hair was loosely cascaded on his broad tanned shoulders, making him look explicitly hot!

Aisha's jaw dropped open. Her throat suddenly went as dry as the Sahara desert.

She recalled their moments at the Lake Visum and the servant's quarters, making her flush all the more.

"Jeez, why is the King's chamber so hot right now? It's like a sauna here. Whew!"

Aisha blew a gust of air with her pressed lips to relieve herself of her anxious feelings.

She decided to just tell the King about it tomorrow, or she couldn't talk at all!

"I just made chamomile tea for you, your Majesty. I think it will help you relax. I will just put it on this table. Have a good night!" Aisha stuttered as she placed down the cup on the table.

She was about to scuffle away when the King commanded, "Bring it to me."

"Oh my, gosh! Is he serious?" Aisha blurted out at once.

But she remembered that they say that the King would always get mad when he was being pressured in that state. However, now, he even asked her to come to him.

"Could this be a sign?" She asked herself.

She resolved to herself that she would just leave the tea with him and wait for him outside.

Then she cleared her throat and picked up the tray and went inside the room.

As she did so, she tried to narrow her eyes even when she couldn't see where she was walking, so she could not see the King and got swayed.

She immediately went to his side and placed the tray beside him.

His back was to the edge of the pool and his elbows were leaning on them.

"Here's your tea, your Majesty. I will just wait outside," Aisha said and bowed down to him.

She was about to stand up and leave when the King spoke again.

"Stay here," he ordered in his authoritative voice.

Aisha gulped, but she obeyed. Her heart was beating so fast that she was afraid she would collapse anytime.

She tried to take a peek at His Majesty. Drops of water were glistening in his naked broad back.

The ends of his beautiful silver strands were dripping wet.

Fortunately, Aisha was at his back, so she could not see his naked entirety. But still, it was enough to make Aisha's cheeks blush like red ripe apples.

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It's either you will step forward to growth. Or you will step back to safety.