Iria observed her cousin for a while before she nodded. "Then tell me. What is the Princess of Aederin like?"
Andres Francia thought of the past few days he spent with Princess Ophelia and those encounters that happened before he knew her identity. "She is quite thoughtful and well-mannered. At times, she can be a bit spoiled but that's already expected. And... she is also strange."
"Strange?" the Qalagon Queen asked, raising a brow.
Crown Prince Andres nodded. "Princess Ophelia was supposed to arrive 4 days ago and she entered the palace that day with her brother.. However, I already met her more than a week ago. She encountered some accident and I help her out.
"Do you know what's strange? She knew my identity all along but she never told me who she was. Besides, at that time, I don't have any idea that the Princess was already here in Cedore."
Iria thought about it and understood that her cousin had a point. This wasn't a normal thing.
"You don't ask her about it?"
"She said it's because she was curious about me," Andres replied. "When I ask her why she choose me, she said that she will tell me later. It only made me more confused."
Though it had been 4 days since he realized that the woman he helped out was his fiancee, it's Andres's first time opening up about this. Even when Iria was still in Cedore before she married Arin Helev, she was always the only one to whom he could open up.
She was like a dependable friend to him.
After the marriage, his parents often joked that he missed Iria much more than Orius did. Though he never said it, he admitted deep inside.
"I think your fiancee is quite interesting, Andres," Iria said, unable to hide her excitement to see the lady in question soon. "Take me to her. I want to meet her."
Andres narrowed his eyes, gently tapping his fingers on his thighs before he eventually stood up. "Alright. Let's go."
Iria rose from her seat and followed her cousin out of the chamber. Soon, she finds herself walking inside the chamber of the Aederin Princess who also came in her direction when she noticed Andres.
"Who is she?" Ophelia Arille promptly asked Andres as she looked at Iria.
"My cousin," the Crown Prince replied. "I think you already heard -"
"The Masked Commander?!" the Princess suddenly exclaimed, making Andres raised a brow before he eventually nodded.
For a few seconds, Princess Ophelia observed Iria before she finally said, "Wow! I never thought that behind the mask will be someone this beautiful. Can I hug you? I've always admired you."
Before Iria could even respond, the lively Princess hugged her, making her slightly smiled. However... maybe the Princess was too excited, she tightened her grip and pressed her body a bit harder to Iria, making the latter squeezed her dress and clenched her teeth in pain. Thankfully, it wasn't long as the Princess pulled back.
"Even in Aederin, many people admired you, Your Majesty. I think I'm so lucky to get the chance to see you," Princess Ophelia said to her with excitement still written all over her face.
Seeing how easy it was to read the Princess, Iria chuckled. "I'm glad. I'm happy to meet you too, Princess Ophelia."
"You can call me Ophel," the Aederin Princess promptly said. "That's how my family calls me."
"That means you have to call me by my name too as Andres did," Iria said and added, "I heard that you're 20. I'm only a year older anyway."
The Princess instantly nodded with a smile. "I would love that."
The three took a seat and Iria spoke up right away.
"How do you think of my cousin?"
"I like him," was the Princess's immediate response. "I think he's one of a kind."
Andres raised a brow. Shouldn't it be the other way round?
She was the strange one here.
"It seems like you know him quite well now," the Qalagon Queen remarked.
"Not that much. Even when I first saw him, I already know that he's different."
"When he helped you out?"
The Queen only arrived but she already knew what even the Emperor and Empress weren't aware of. This was enough for Ophelia to know that in her fiance's heart, Iria held an important place. That's why she shook her head.
"No. Way before that."
This was news to Andres. The Princess had never told him about it.
"Where did you see him?" Iria asked, equally confused as her cousin.
The Princess remained quiet for a while as if she wondered if she should answer or not. After a few seconds, she responded, "At Vialand."
Vialand? That event organized by King Richard?
"I'll tell you more later," Princess Ophelia promptly added with that bright smile still on her face.
A few more chats and the cousins returned to the Crown Prince's chamber.
"Your fiancee is a gem, Andres," Iria said, sitting opposite the Crown Prince. "Her emotions... everything is written in her face and that signifies how pure-hearted she is. Most importantly, it's obvious that she likes you a lot just like Orius claimed."
"She is simple," Andres muttered. "Her brother said that she is quite willful and if she sets her mind to something, she will make sure that she achieves it. She is that kind of person."
"I expect that much from the Princess of a powerful empire as Aederin," Iria commented. "But I also believe that if you have the patience, everything will work out."
Andres Francia simply nodded with a little smile. He was always a patient man anyway.
When one thing crossed his mind, he looked at Iria and his gaze lingered on her that way for a while.
"What's the matter?" Iria asked, confused.
Without saying anything, Andres rose from his seat and slightly bent down to place both his hands on Iria's shoulder. He gently squeezed it but he noticed how she turned away and shut her eyes. Then he withdrew his hand and stood straight again.
"I thought that what I witnessed before wasn't like I suspect. I tried to think that way but... it seems like I was right," he uttered as he glanced down at her. "Tell me what happened. What's wrong with your shoulder?"
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