The Cursed Prince

Emmelyn was in a daze. She thought she heard him say 'I love you'.

That can't be, right?

There was no way he would say those words...

Didn't he claim that he had thought about everything and realized that he couldn't possibly love her, an insignificant princess from their small colony?

She couldn't think too much about it because the kiss he landed on her lips was so intoxicating that her mind suddenly stopped working.

Naturally, she returned his kiss and for a few minutes, the crown prince and his woman made out on the terrace, while their bodies rocking to the beautiful music from inside the ballroom.

"Ahh... this is really nice," Mars said after they ended the kiss and now were staring at each other. "This is the highlight of my birthday."

Emmelyn smiled when she heard him. "I am glad you feel that way."

"Would you like to eat something?" Mars asked.

He was worried that Emmelyn heard his love confession before they kissed and would react badly to it. However, she didn't say anything.

Did this mean she didn't hear it? 

Ahhhh...

He felt relieved. 

That must be it!

If Emmelyn heard it, she would have said something. However, she didn't. So, that could only mean one thing.

Mars breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed her hand to go back inside. "You have to eat a lot."

Like always, he wanted to see her eat a lot, and gain weight, for a healthy pregnancy. Emmelyn almost rolled her eyes. He was so predictable.

She walked together with the prince toward the king's table. There, they saw the king and queen were sitting and enjoying wine. They looked happy and in love after the dance earlier.

"Come, sit and eat something.. We can watch several performances while we eat." The queen waved toward Emmelyn and Mars and motioned them to sit next to her. "Where did you go?"

"We were dancing," Mars replied with a beaming face. He pointed at the terrace. "Emmelyn and I didn't want to disturb the guests, so we danced in private."

"Ohh..." Queen Elara pressed her lips and gasped. She looked really happy to hear that her son finally danced with a girl. Maybe things had really started to change for the better?

She could only hope.

"I am so happy for you," Queen Elara chuckled and cut two slices of cake from the table. She put them in two separate plates and gave each one to Emmelyn and Mars. "Try the cake. It's really good."

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I need to talk to someone first. Could you please look after Emmelyn while I'm gone? It's only for several minutes." Mars politely declined the cake. He had to see Ellena and find out about the curse. "I will be back."

He squeezed Emmelyn's shoulder gently and then walked away. Emmelyn was suddenly stiff again. At this table of honor, there were only the queen and the king. She hated the king but liked the queen.

With Mars around her, she could contain her hate towards the king, because it would be 2 against 1.

However, now that the prince had gone, the animosity that Emmelyn was feeling toward the king was slowly eating her up.

"I need to go to the restroom," the girl finally said and rose from her seat.

She wanted to calm her mind. She was worried she would blow her cover if the king talked to her. She might not be able to hold back and attacked the man with the knife and fork she had on the table.

"Oh.. let me ask a maid to take you there," the queen was understanding.

She waved and soon two maids in a beautiful green outfit had come to their table. Queen Elara immediately gave orders for them to take Emmelyn to the women's powder room. "Lady Emmelyn needs to go to the restroom. Please take her there."

"Will do, Your Majesty." They bowed down and then gave a sign to Emmelyn to follow one of them.

"This way, my lady."

Emmelyn curtseyed to the king and queen, then followed the maid to leave the ballroom. She could feel so many people's eyes were on her.

Ah.. those gossipy old ladies must be hungry for something to talk about.

Her presence at the crown prince's birthday party must have attracted a lot of attention. They were all wondering about who she was.

Ha. They wouldn't get the answer soon. Mars and his parents made an agreement not to talk about her to the public. At least.. until they were sure the baby was okay.

Emmelyn walked elegantly, with her head held high, basically put into practice all the princess walk she was trained for by her etiquette teacher since she was little.

Madame Cyan would be proud of her if only she could see Emmelyn walked like the princess that she was.

Lady Athibaud, Lady Chaucer, and Lady Preston, who were all sitting with their respective husbands at the table close to the monarchs, exchanged glances and started talking about Emmelyn.

"She looks amazing," Lady Chaucer commented. "I wonder where the prince met her."

"I think she mentioned Glendale when we met for tea the last time. You were sick, Lady Chaucer so you didn't come." Lady Athibaud explained. "I am pleasantly surprised too. I think, back then, she was quite... carefree."

"Is that so?" Lady Chaucer looked interested. "Maybe the prince got her an etiquette teacher to train her how to behave in the palace during this important event."

"Well, if he did, she surely learned fast," Lady Athibaud chuckled. "Ahh.. don't you think she looks so beautiful?"

When she saw the expression of contempt on Lady Preston's face, Lady Athibaud quickly corrected her words. "Oh, well... I don't mean to say that your niece Ellena is not beautiful. I haven't seen Ellena for so many years."

"You will see her tonight," Lady Preston replied with a forced smile. "She will see the prince first in private. She wants to let him know that the curse is broken."

"Whaaat? Is that true??" Lady Chaucer and Lady Athibaud both pressed their lips in surprise. "So, it's really broken?"

Both ladies were shocked and excited at the same time. However, they still remembered to keep their voice down. Other people shouldn't hear about the curse.

It was a secret that only select people knew.

"Yes. So, that Glendale girl is not actually special. She happened to meet our prince AFTER the curse was broken and became the first woman to touch him. Prince Mars mistakenly thought she was immune to his curse. Well... he is wrong." Lady Preston sipped her wine and smiled faintly. "My Ellena is the one who broke the curse for him."