12 years after (1)

She blinked, her eyes fixed on the glow in the dark stars and moon on the ceiling, laid lazily on the bed, her long hair messy weirdly at every angle of the bed, spreading both her arms and legs, already kicking the blanket away to the floor.

TOK! TOK! TOK! 

Soon after, the door was opened from outside. Emily and other maids rushed inside her room and lined themselves. Hand on stomach, bowed down. 

"Morning, My Lord." Emily greeted her and followed by others. 

"Yeah." She answered back, phlegmatically as she sat on the bed with unkempt hair. "My schedule for today?" She dragged her butt lazily to the edge of the bed and stood. 

"You have a formal meeting with the king and have lunch with the princes in the order." Emily told her while gesturing the maids to scatter as she stood in front of Elizebeth politely. 

"A meeting and lunch. Good news and bad news. What a match." She scoffed and ambled to the bathroom without further complaining.

"It couldn't be that bad, My Lord." Emily discarded her nightgown. 

Elizebeth made a noise in annoyance as she twirled around to kick off the remaining undergarment.

Yes, that really would be a blessing.

It should be.

Not when she had to meet the overly positive king, affectionate prince and also another hateful specimen. There was no denying the fact that she was currently having a string of lucky escape with marriage talk but it couldn't last forever.

She needed to get out of hot water as fast as she could and avoid getting a proposal again. 

The bath activity and dressing were relatively quiet and fast. The final touch on her long hair was the end of the dress up session. She gave a quick glance at the corner of her eyes to the maids as she walked away and ready to go to the meeting place. 

"Do you wish to have breakfast at the family dining hall, My Lord?" Emily returned at her side once she finished putting formal attire onto herself. 

"How about the rest?" 

"They are not present." 

She glanced at the dining room direction, "I don't think I will have much appetite, would you please pack me a sandwich?" 

"Absolutely, My Lord." Emily bowed and rose. Her hand waved to the other maid. 

"Thanks." She turned her heels and walked to the carriage. 

They entered the carriage and only moved once a pack of sandwiches was delivered to her. Along the journey, she munched her sandwich slowly. A little bite, occasionally while enjoying the view outside the carriage. Emily ready the drink for her while she's munching peacefully. 

The ride was relatively comfortable and fast. The carriage stopped for the first time for inspection and for the second right in front of the palace grand entrance. 

"Good morning, princess." Akra bowed to her as her heels clicked on the floor. 

"Well hello to Lady Akra. It's been a while since we met each other, don't we?" She gave the bright smile for the service or at least the same smile she'd thought. 

"Yes indeed. It's been four years since you entered the palace. I heard from my peers you are busy with your own debutante now." 

Elizebeth nodded to Emily and strode at the front. Walked majestically entering the busy palace with the king's vassals entering and leaving the palace. The eyes of the foreign faces and familiar faces mixed together like a spoil milk and fresh milk stink her eyes, yet she put indifferent frontage as usual. 

"You have grown, princess." Akra still tried to converse with her. 

"As you can see." She humored her. 

"You are a 16-year-old girl now turning 17. What a lovely age." 

"Indeed." She gave any second glance to any of the shocked vassals. "You haven't aged yourself. Still lovely." It was a sincere compliment but her cold demeanor confused others. 

Akra shut her mouth when Elizebeth had disinterested to crack any joke. She had changed. She was a cold and indifferent lady comparative to her young age. The drastic change from her made other attendants afraid of her even more. The walks were fast and rigid. No one dared to utter any words as they were afraid to offend her.

"Thank you for accompanying me. Everyone is dismissed except for Emily." She turned around as they stood in front of King's personal office room. 

Akra and the attendant bowed to them, slowly back away, respecting her wish. 

She turned to the closed door that dramatically opened from the inside. The smiley face Benjamin came into view. He landed his eyes on Emily first before looking at her. The hint of blush of Benjamin almost blinded her but she didn't raise the issue. She acted innocent without teasing both of them. 

"Get a room, both of you!" But the king inside was done. "Benjamin! I gave you a week's vacation but you turned in today because oh so beautiful wife of yours entered the palace today? Smooth. Astonishingly smooth." Shouted king followed by the sound of mountains of papers getting kicked. 

"I apologize for the king's behavior. He is in a sensitive phase." He said half-whispered. 

"I heard you!" 

She chuckled, covered her mouth with her hand. "I wish to talk with the His Majesty alone. You can wait outside with your wife. I'll return her to you after she finished her job with me. You will have her for the rest of the day." 

Benjamin blushed and Emily coughed, pleaded her lord to stop. 

The love story between them was famous. Benjamin chased Emily for the last five years. The pining game was so strong though Emily didn't easily yield even when she loved him too.

A little nudge from Elizebeth last year sealed the deal. They are one year into a married life, a happy life and she's happy for them. 

"They are a good match." Told Elizebeth as she strode towards the king and landed a cute kiss on his cheek. "Your Majesty seems busy as always." She bowed to him. 

Callisto put down his pen and smiled. His eyes followed as the girl silhouette stood in front of his desk back. "You have grown. Splendidly." 

"Well indeed." She twirled around. She grew quite a lot to be in her height today. She has an average body for a lady but stronger. Her body looked small but the body frame oddly broad. Her brunette hair is longer, below waist and wavy.

"I believe you are here to address the traveling issue?" 

"I believe so." They went straight to the business. 

"Well then, take a seat." Callisto ushered her to the couch. "Will you reconsider your plan to travel around the globe for your own obsession, daughter?" He impatiently asked while ambled to the couch and sat beside Elizebeth. His formal voice changed cutely for Elizebeth. 

Elizebeth just flashed her white teeth to the king without answering any. 

"You still want to travel?" 

She nodded. The clean face, green eyes exploring Callisto's feature, a bitter smile coloring the face. 

He sighed. He pulled Elizebeth's head into his arm. "You are my daughter. We have declared to the whole nation. You are officially our princess with or without marrying my son." 

It was a funny sight years ago when the king hastily declared to the kingdom that he made her a royal adoptive daughter. The queen fully supported her husband as much as some other vassals agreed. 

Duke gave side-eyed to him and a cold shoulder after that. He prevented the king from taking her away from him and ship her off to Dark Alley, a futile attempt from the king. They had an agreement to not disturb Elizebeth at her workplace inside the inn though. 

"Do you regret your decision making me the princess?" 

"At this point, I'm just content with you becoming my family member. We can find a partner for my son next time." 

"Good because I already view him as my brother." 

"It's a good thing. Siblings should get along." Callisto rubbed his clean cheek on her head. "How about the preparation? Did it go well?" 

"Yes it is. I have packed essential things." She calculated inside her brain, blinking. "I'll collect brother Dante and his friends at the magic forest and we're good to go afterward." 

Callisto stayed quiet as he tightened the hug around her neck and rubbed his chin roughly on the head. "Do you have a thorough plan? Should papa send my own personal bodyguard?" 

Elizebeth thinking yet again. The idea sounded nice. "You can send me sir Benjamin as my footman. I'm planning to bring Emily with me." 

"Take him." He said without any hesitation. "As long as you are happy." 

Elizebeth stiff. Snapped to reality, "... I can?" He pushed the king's chest to look at him. 

"Of course. And of course I will steal some competent footmen from Duke's house to continue Benjamin's legacy." He proceeded with an evil laugh as he rubbed his palm around her messy hair. 

"Alright." She giggled angelically to him. "I will borrow him to my heart content. Just promise me you'll open the 'gate' when I tell you so as we practiced and discussed?" 

"Sure." He easily agreed. Her accomplishments were big over the years. She's the big boss in this mission. "Please have lunch with us and your brothers." 

"We eat together? I'll collect brother Alec for you." 

"Okay. Papa will send an additional force for your traveling by next week." 

"Okay."