To His Hell and Back-Chapter 189: Beginning Of Fun

The servants hastened to follow what Cassius had ordered and scooped the white cat from Arabella’s hands. But as its fur was touched, the cat became more vicious, biting and scratching anyone who wanted to touch it. The cat’s attitude toward Arabella and anyone who tried to touch was as different as the sky and land. Despite being coaxed, comforted, and even teased with food, the cat refused to move and had nestled itself on Arabella’s arms even when she tried to put it down.

"Meow," it protested when Arabella tried to put it down again. It’s clear that it disliked being away from her but Arabella thought that rather it liking her, the cat seemed to find place in her arm as far more comfortable, like the greatest furniture that it could find, not out of fondness.

She chuckled at how stubborn it is and patted its bottom, "You can’t just be round and lazy."

"Meow!"

"Yes, yes you’re not too round don’t worry. So would you walk down now?"

"Meow."

Cassius who saw this cat trying to claim its place on Arabella reached out his hand and in a quick movement, he snatched the cat by its neck and despite the cat hissing and scratching, he tossed the cat like it was a ball to the servants who had broke sweat trying to coax the cat in following them.

"Move it," Cassius ordered the rest of the servants to quickly pull their brush and the cat away from the garden at once. Despite the cat wailing, it was brought away to the point that Arabella felt pity to the cat whose tears had bubbled over its eyes.

But now that the cat had left, she was now all alone without the fluffy white comfort on her arms, making her feel as if she was pressed between a stone and a hard rock as she stood in front of Cassius and Princess Isabelle.

The princess who had been struck with love at a first sight continued the one sided conversation alone, her words trying to bring Cassius into a conversation which he would feel interested in but to no avail as Cassius continued to pay zero attention to her and only responding when necessary.

The other ladies had also tried to talk with Cassius but seeing Princess Isabelle whose kingdom prosper much more than them, they could do nothing but watch in quiet, amazed by Princess Isabelle who managed to talk with Cassius albeit it was one sided as usually he would have ignored all of them at once.

Arabella who felt awkward just standing heard Cassius spoke, "Isn’t it right?"

Turning her head slightly, she noticed he was talking to her and a confused expression appeared on her eyes.

"I think so?"

"See?" Cassius said, "She had already promised to leave with me tomorrow to see the town square. Therefore I will have to refuse your invitation."

"What?" Arabella had agreed as Cassius would have said something that would benefit him. Sure it does benefit him! But now she would become targeted in his place!

But despite this, Princess Isabelle looked at her with such friendly smile, "Is that so? Well if it’s a promise that has already been made before, it would be terrible to simply turn back on the promise."

"Exactly," Cassius said before he turned away, "Besides now we have to leave."

As Cassius turned, his long coat swirling behind him like a shadow, Arabella stood frozen, mouth slightly agape at the abruptness of his declaration. "Now we have to leave." Not I have to leave. We.

Princess Isabelle’s smile faltered for a single, infinitesimal second. Just long enough for those watching closely to catch it, a flicker of surprise, perhaps even disbelief, before her courtly mask reassembled itself.

"Oh," Isabelle said softly, blinking once. "Well that cannot be helped."

She wasn’t the only one startled. Several of the gathered ladies, who had quietly hoped to earn Cassius’s interest, turned toward Arabella with wide eyes. The whispers began immediately and it stirred the entire court and those watching over the party including Queen Morgana who had been watching the garden from afar from the window of the third floor’s hallway.

"She’s leaving with him?"

"Since when does the Crown Prince escort anyone?"

"Did you see how he touched her head earlier?"

But Cassius paid them no mind. He was already striding down the garden path, his crimson gaze focused ahead. Arabella, flustered and entirely unsure how she had become the center of this unfolding theater, gave Princess Isabelle a hurried curtsy.

"Thank you for the company, Your Highness," she said, her voice calm despite the warmth prickling her cheeks.

"Don’t worry Bella, I love your company with me. Good luck to wherever you’re going and be careful," the princess reached out her hands, giving a gentle squeeze to her fingers which made Arabella to feel relieved.

She had been worried that the once kind princess would turn hateful upon seeing the closeness between her and Cassius but it seemed the princess didn’t take Cassius’s attitude to heart or perhaps she still hadn’t noticed it yet. Either way it was good and she felt very relieved.

She gave the princess another bow and turned to leave, but then paused, her brows furrowing.

Across the garden, near the shaded pavilion where the lesser known princesses and noblewomen sat, her gaze caught on one particular girl. She was dressed in soft lilac silks and had kept mostly to herself, sipping tea with dainty precision, saying little, observing much.

There was something wrong about her. Or rather... familiar.

Arabella’s heart beat once, sharply. It wasn’t the princess’s attitude that had taken her interest and neither is the princess’s beauty but rather her face as a whole...

She couldn’t name it, but something in the tilt of the girl’s smile, the curve of her mouth that felt so familiar that it stirred a memory. Not from court and not from politics. No, from something older. Like a memory she had forgotten.

The girl caught Arabella’s stare and, slowly, met her gaze. She smiled, but it wasn’t sweet and it felt rather hollow. Almost like it was drawn to her to look perfect but she could tell that it was a smile that did not reach her eyes.

The placard beside her read Princess Wendy the Third.

Arabella blinked. The moment passed. Wendy... she had heard that name before didn’t she?

"Arabella," came Cassius’s voice, as he walked toward her, tilting his gaze to where she was looking and turns out it was the princess who wasn’t looking at her but rather was talking to her mother.

Nothing caught his eyes so he turned toward her and nudged her by the elbow with a teasing smile, "Someone bullied you?"

She tore her eyes from Wendy and hurried after him, her slippers crunching softly on the stone path. "No, no one."

"Yes I doubt anyone will after seeing how much I doted on you."

She turned at him with a pinker cheeks, but didn’t want to show how her heart had skipped a beat and instead she had pouted her lips, "Doting? Everyone was about to stab me back in the garden with how much attention you have put on me."

"Well you would never have to worry about that, who would dare to pull out a blade and hurt you?" As he spoke, his red eyes seemed to have turn deeper in color and a cold chill seeped to his eyes, "If there is anyone who dares to do so, I would definitely make them suffer in life and death."

Bella felt the words to her heart and shivered. Shaking her head she sighed at him, "No one would want to pull a blade toward me if not for you."

"I suppose..." he said and a tone of regret slipped on his words which made her feel a little guilty. "Did anyone try to hurt you again?"

The image of the ladies and Lucien popped in her head but she turned to him and perfected her smile, "No one."

Cassius stared at her for a couple of second before mimicking her perfect smile, "If you say so. Then we should go so it wouldn’t be too dark by the time we arrive at your old village. Let’s go," he then speed up.

As she caught up, she tried one last glance over her shoulder only to find Wendy who was still watching her.

Still smiling.

The gaze haunted her but Arabella shrugged it off, not wanting to think about the gaze that felt oddly full of warning.

As she turned away, Princess Isabelle who had been watching Cassius and Arabella then turned to her servant Ernath with her smile that had faded from her lips, "Who was that woman Bella was staring at?"

"If I am not wrong, Your Highness. That is Princess Wendy."

"Wendy?" She turned to look behind and turning around, her eyes met briefly with Wendy who was sipping tea while looking around. She didn’t show her suspicion and instead showed a smile to Princess Wendy who quickly returned the smile out of politeness.

The servant girl who had been pouring tea for Princess Wendy leaned forward carefully. "Your Highness? Is something wrong?"

Wendy’s eyes were still on Princess Isabelle until it had turned away as their brief greeting had ended there and then. Her smile never faded, but her fingers tightened around the delicate teacup until a faint crack split the porcelain.

"No," she said sweetly, setting the cracked cup down on its saucer with delicate precision. "Nothing’s wrong at all."

But her gaze said otherwise.

"It’s just that the fun has begin it seems."