Her confusion

Ariadne stood before the mirror getting ready to attend the feast. A feast the queen had set up for her husband's family. She held her hair up and tie it into a bun. Her hands stopped midway.

Her eyes moved to the bed, the sight of Draxan and Nadja sitting comfortably on the bed and having a conversation haunted her. It was unlike her to read too much into things but it couldn't be helped in this situation.

She was irritated by the mere fact that Draxan was comfortable with her, enough to talk to her behind closed doors without any worry. Nadia had long black hair that she let loose, her hair laid on her shoulders and bounced when she laughed at a joke that Draxan said.

In frustration, she let her hair down. Her mind would still not dismiss the image of that girl. All her husband ever did was to annoy her but apparently, he was capable of making someone happy.

She clenched and unclenched her hand repeatedly while replaying the memory in her mind. Her gentlemen in waiting stood back, they held their breaths not to anger her. With her current mood, they were lucky if she didn't get all of them fired just for the sake of it.

'I want to break him and part ways with him. Then why do I care?' she questioned in her mind. Her heart had mixed feelings about her husband. She disliked him but didn't dislike him. It was confusing to her.

She knew just the person to talk to feel better. She took the first step and left the room. Forgetting to put on her jewelry, she left the room without her crown. All she had on was her dress and shoes, she didn't look any different than the ladies in the palace.

Rushing in her steps she traced towards the servant's garden. The place where servants would often go to relax or just get a breather, the place was built to avoid the princess running into any of the servants in the main garden of the palace.

Ariadne quickly walked past the path behind the flowers to use a shortcut from her garden to enter the servant's garden. She had to talk to Ashrak, the male always knew how to make her feel better when she was down or lost.

As she walked past the garden, her eyes happened to catch a glimpse of someone. The hushed voices coming from inside the garden made her curious about what was going on, she postponed her trip to meet Ashrak to satisfy her curiosity about the people in her garden.

"It hasn't been that bad," Draxan spoke when he came into Ariadne's view. Ariadne sighed, she had worried for no reason. She turned around to get back on her way to meet Ashrak.

"I am glad to hear that," the voice that spoke next caused her whole body to freeze. Her hands trembled. "I thought that princess Ariadne Dundragon would be mean to you," she added.

Ariadne gulped. She ambled behind a big tree and watched. Her heart was curious to just how friendly the two were, she hoped in her heart that their talk was just a basic formality that meant nothing more.

"Not at all, she is nice with a small problem controlling her anger," he replied to her. Ariadne folded her hands into a fist, her eyes threatening to jut out of their sockets. She was in disbelief.

"I see," the girl said with a cute smile on her face. "I am not sure about her being nice but her anger issue is anything but small," she let out confidently. "You shouldn't sing false praises of her just because you both are married."

Draxan let out a small laugh, he was pleased with her, whether he could call it brave to speak badly of the princess was something he was yet to know. He was glad to find someone that he could openly talk to about his feelings, someone who he knew and wasn't scared to be open with him because of his status.

"By the way, how is your training going?" she asked him. Draxan inhaled deeply. He hadn't touched a single word since he came there. His feet had not touched the training ground of the palace, not that he didn't try. But the fact that he was a man restricted his access to the training ground.

They would let him in because they think he is fragile and because he is married to the crown princess of Acceradia, they wouldn't take any chances with him getting hurt and facing her wrath. In truth, he had not gotten a chance to do anything since he arrived in the palace.

"I take it from the look on your face that you are not allowed to train in the palace," she stated hitting right on spot with her assumptions. Draxan gave her a soft smile, he was pathetic.

He lived in a world where men were looked down upon and had all the doors closed to them. The women decided what they get to do and how they do it, everything they believed was dictated to them by women and men had no say but to do as they were told.

He hated the society he lived in and more so women who had that thought. Men should be given a chance to decide whether they want to be what they are told they are. Or if they want to try and be something more.

"I am sorry you have to go through this with her. Ariadne is never going to change and let you be equal to her," she spoke. Draxan recalled what Izora had said and what he had seen of the princess. Trying to be her equal was something that would take time but if given a chance he might try.

"She is way too proud to ever let your dreams come true," she added giving him a comforting hug. Draxan hugged her back by wrapping his hands around her back.

Ariadne's hands soften, she straightened her back and left the garden. She was no longer confused. She knew what she felt for Draxan and it was pure hatred.