His wife

"You must choose a wife for yourself,'' The King said, his brooding stare fixated on his son who was sitting on the throne chair on his right with a dark expression on his face. He noticed how the servants trembled while serving him the tea.

"Alright," Aleister nodded slowly.

Esme, who was standing behind the queue of princesses and noble ladies, glanced at him blankly. In front of her, he was pretending like he did not want to be involved in some political marriage but he looked alright with it right at this moment. She shook her head. What has it got to do with her?

She averted her gaze towards the Princess standing in front of her. She was the one whose handmaiden is sick but the Princess looked unaware of it.

Around twenty noble ladies were standing in the royal court with two people standing behind each of them. One is their maidservant and the other is a male guard assigned for their protection.

Esme glanced at the woman standing beside her. She is the same woman who was inciting the Princess to act as haughtily around Prince Aleister to attract his attention but there was something different around her. The discomfort she felt around her earlier was no longer there.

"I will marry her.''

Esme sighed at Aleister's words. Was he choosing a wife for himself or a pet? It was done that fast?

She pitied the poor girl in her heart. It would be a miracle if she would not end up dead by the dawn for offending the Prince.

Suddenly, she felt something amiss.

She tilted her head only to find that everyone was looking at her. Esme blinked. She was just keeping an eye on the mysterious handmaiden before she disappeared once again but it should not be noticed by everyone else right?

Then, why were they looking at her like that?

From the princesses to the King and the court officials, everyone's pointed stare left her confused. She adjusted the veil settled upon her face and glanced at Aleister from the corner of her eyes. Whenever something strange happened, he had a hand in it. Was he the cause of this?

"Come here, my future wife," The man extended his hand towards her.

Esme's lips twitched. He never disappointed her. She knew it had something to do with him. She sighed inwardly but suddenly her breath was caught in her throat as her head snapped in his direction once again.

What did he call her? His w-wife?

Disbelief marred her face. Was he so obsessed over the idea of troubling maids in one way or another? Did he not know how many eyes would be settled on her the moment he said something like this?

"Come here, my dear moon.''

Esme's heart skipped a beat.

So, he was not fond of troubling maids. He was only fond of troubling her.

There were gasps all over the court as this is the first time that everyone witnessed this merciless man addressing someone with so much adoration in his voice.

The King had his focus settled on the girl who was standing with her chin raised despite having everyone's prying gaze on her.

Esme walked towards him, knowing that it would be an offense if she didn't.

She glanced at his outstretched hand blankly.

Aleister pushed himself to his feet looking at the pair grey eyes who were all set to cut him down. She was burning with rage yet she had to tamp it down, ''Take my hand, Esme,'' He spoke beside her ear such that only she could hear him.

"You recognized me,'' Her voice came equally low. He recognized her from the moment she stepped inside the court but he pretended like he didn't.

''What made you think that I won't?" He asked with amusement dancing in his eyes, his powerful body towering over her delicate one.

"I am not taking your hand,'' Esme was determined, "You are using me as a shield to avoid this arrow called a political marriage.''

"Will you take my hand if I say that I mean it and you are not a shield?"

She blinked, looking at the serious expressions on his face. She could feel countless burning gazes on her but that was not what she should be worried about. What they think about her was unrelated to her as it is their Prince whose mood fluctuates like the weather of Visteria where it could be humid in the morning while brewing a snowstorm by the night.

Moreover, she did not think anyone else would recognize her. They all just see her as the Princess's handmaiden.

''No."

Aleister chuckled. He did not expect an affirmation from her either, "You're clever, Princess. But you must take my hand.''

"What if I don't?"

"Then everyone will know who you are. How does that sound?"

Her mouth parted slightly as she glanced at him, "You are…'' She lacked words to describe the kind of man he was.

"I am all yours, princess," He grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss on the back of her hand.

Esme felt a flutter in her heart, the feeling disappearing before she could catch onto it.

Just when she struggled to get her hand out of his grip, he spoke again, "That woman is captured.''

"Who…?'' Esme paused as the realization dawned on her. She turned around to look at the maidservant who she was keeping an eye on but the woman was nowhere to be seen. In a court filled with the officials, under the sharp eyes of the King, she just seemingly disappeared in thin air and Esme had no doubts about who was behind all of it.

And if he knew, he captured her on purpose so that she would agree to play his wife.

"Clever girl," Aleister stroked her fingers, knowing how she comprehended everything within an instant.

''How did you know who I was looking for her?" Her hand stopped struggling in his grip.