SMITTEN

Aisha and the three were left standing in astonishment at what just took place.

They were still in the Tea Room. The tea that was poured into their cups was already getting cold. But the three remained frozen on their feet. 

"You should have not said that to Lady Marina, my lady," Martina scolded Aisha. 

In slow motion, she sat back in her chair. Her face was pallid white, as if all of her blood was drained from her. 

Aisha couldn't believe what just happened as well.. They were just enjoying their time together when she appeared out of nowhere and said demeaning remarks to all of them, wreaking havoc in their fun time. 

But her curiosity peaked at her. She was a powerful woman in Gaea. Why would she bother herself with trivial things like this?

"Why is she angry at us anyway? She was already acting high and mighty as soon as her face showed up," Aisha said as she crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. 

As she spoke up, the servants seem to have breathed properly as well. They bowed their heads and took the cold teas, replacing them with another one. 

"She must be jealous of you, my lady," Estella answered her after she has finally come back to her senses. 

She took a sip of the new tea that was poured to her, perhaps hoping it would alleviate her anxiety.

"Jealous? Why would she be jealous of me? She was very beautiful already. She's like a Playboy hot model in my world," Aisha thought out loud. 

An idea made its way in her analysis as her finger shot up. "Wait, is she a part of the 1006 Lady Consorts?"

Her other finger crossed behind her, hoping she was not. 

"She could not be a Lady Consort since she was a part of the Tribal Council," Martina answered for her, making her breath out a sigh of relief, only to be taken away in a matter of seconds by Estella's add-ons.

"But she had a relationship with the King before," Estella said with her eyes wide open as if she had just shared a juicy piece of gossip that would give light to their predicament. 

Aisha's shoulders scrunched down. "What do I expect? Of course, the King would choose beautiful women as a girlfriend," she thought to herself, suddenly feeling insecure.

Just then, she recalled how the King flinched when she asked him if she had experienced loving someone. He even sent her away. 

"Did he remember Lady Marina? Why did he avoid that topic?" Aisha's eyebrows knitted together.

Now that she thought of it, the King could have loved anyone from the first to the 1006th Lady Consort. Or could it be Lady Marina? 

"Can we still have this party after that? I feel terrible," Diana finally uttered in a grimace. 

Aisha shifted her gaze at Diana. She was definitely quiet the whole time. 

Then Aisha stared at the pieces of bread and cakes. They looked delicious, but they are now right. It was hard to eat them after what happened. That lady was a 100% killjoy!

"Sure! I will just ask the servants to put it in a basket, so you could take them home with you," Aisha responded warmly.

"Maybe we could do this again some other time?" Estella said with a hopeful look on her face. 

As she said that, she recalled the last words of the King. "This is the last time that you could hold a tea party without my permission," he said in a determined tone. 

"He said 'without his permission'. Maybe I could ask for his permission next time," Aisha concluded to herself. 

Her heart was also feeling heavy at that time, too.

She was just unsure if it's because of the horrible confrontation. Or the point that the King has fallen for somebody else, which could probably be Lady Marina. And that woman must be the reason why he wasn't able to love anybody else, like Lord Lycano said.

"Yes, let's do this again next time," Aisha said with a warm smile. Then she leaned forward and asked, "Last question, I just want to know if you think his relationship with Lady Marina was a serious one." 

To which, Martina answered abruptly, "We don't really know. But they have been together longer than the other royal wives and concubines. No wonder she acted that way to you."

A heavy boulder seemed to press down on Aisha's shoulders as she heard that.

If she got it right, Lady Marina was like her Jake, making her shoot up another question. "But was she the last relationship of the King? Are there no other Lady Consorts after her?" 

"That's what's bothering me, too, my lady. She couldn't have gotten angry with all the Lady Consorts, too. I wonder why she was that mad at you. Is it, perhaps, the King would lift you up to the queen position soon?" Estella's eyes and mouth dropped open as the thought dawned to her.

The three gazed at each other with obvious excitement.

"No, no, no. I'm just going to be an ordinary royal wife," Aisha shook her hand vigorously. "Maybe you should go home now. It's already getting late," she added as she bolted up, making everybody stand up. 

They were already at one of the exits of the Castle when Aisha spoke up again.

"I apologize for what happened. I will make sure next time there won't be an event such as that again," Aisha apologized and bowed down to them. 

"It's alright, my lady. No one predicted such a scene. Thank you again. We will rally the people in favor of you, my lady," Estella said with conviction as she waved her head. 

"No, don't do that. I just want to live a normal life here," Aisha smiled at them awkwardly. But she was gratified that she has people on her side, somehow. 

Aisha was smiling as she went back to her room. She was really glad that they came, even after how the event turned out.

However, her smile went downturned as she saw a scene that she didn't expect. 

The King and Lady Marina were talking in a dark corner, in proximity, and Lady Marina was toying with his robe.

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True friends don't judge each other.

They judge other people together. :')