Arin Helev was taken aback when he saw his cousin in his chamber when he returned to the palace in the evening.
"Sophie," he called out as he walked towards her. "You come?"
Sophie Lamiya nodded with a little smile and rose from her seat. "The Queen came in the afternoon. She invites me for dinner."
With a genuine smile on his face, the King hugged his cousin. When he pulled back, he observed her. "How have you been?" he asked. "I'm so busy these days and I think it's been a while since I last came."
"I'm doing fine," Sophie calmly said. "I can see how busy you are. It's late and you're only home now," she added and clicked her tongue.
Arin Helev sighed when he heard her. "You won't know how much I wish to stay more at home." He glanced around and continued, "But you see, Iria spends more time with Morin than me these days."
Sophie laughed. "They are learning some military tactics. I think they will almost be done now."
Arin sat down on the couch and Sophie followed suit.
"Do you regret?" the King asked his cousin. "A year ago, I offered you a chance to learn some skills so that you will be able to fulfil your dream. But you refused."
Sophie narrowed her eyes and remained quiet for a few seconds. "I already regret many times," she said. "But you know, my mother was always against it. If I do what she hated just because she isn't around anymore, I don't think it's right." She met the King's gaze and added, "Instead, I decide to settle down and lead a normal life like she always wish for me."
"Is this your way of telling me that you're planning to get married?" Arin jokingly asked Sophie, but...
He blinked when she nodded.
"I will turn 20 soon," she said. "I already reach the good time for marriage."
He just hear her say it but... Arin still couldn't believe it!
Maybe because in his eyes, Sophie was still a young girl.
"I tried to come soon and tell you about this but Her Majesty suddenly came for me today. So, I think I should just say it now," Sophie simply said to him with a smile.
"You need a man if you want to get married," Arin pointed out with confusion still written on his face. "You talk like you already take care of everything."
"I do," Sophie said, surprising the King once again.
"You do?!" the King gasped. "I'm sure that it's just a little over a month since I last came to visit you. But you don't say anything back then and now, you already find a man to marry?" He sighed when he saw the smile on his cousin's face. "What is this, Sophie?"
"I always have someone I like but we only talk about marriage a while ago," Sophie confessed, her voice was still calm as ever. "Besides, he is too busy, just like you. He rarely has time for me."
Arin Helev frowned. "You will only be lonelier if you marry such a man."
"But I like him," Sophie insisted. "Do you know how long I waited for him to finally accept me?"
"He made you wait?!" the King exclaimed with disbelief written all over his face. "Just who is this man?!"
Sophie gave a brief thought and said, "You know him well but first, promise me that you won't do anything to him. Then I'll tell you."
The young King couldn't believe what he heard!
He know him well? Why would she think that he will do something to her fiance?!
"What are you taking me for?!" he exclaimed but soon, he let out a sigh and Sophie chuckled.
"You know, judging from your protective nature, I'm afraid that you will try to teach him a lesson for all the facts that I've told you today."
Was she talking about how the man made her wait?
However, the usually patient King started to grow impatient. He wanted to know who was the man who captured his younger cousin's heart.
"Fine," he said, trying his best to maintain a calm voice. "Tell me who he is. I won't do anything to him."
"Don't go back on your word," Sophie promptly said with a somewhat stern voice. "That's not appropriate for the King."
The King was taken aback by how bold his cousin had become. Didn't he meet her just a little over a month ago?
She wasn't like this at that time!
Nevertheless, his eagerness to know the fiance in question made him nod.
Just when Sophie was about to speak up, they heard the sound of knocking on the door and Arin sighed.
What a bad timing!
"Come in," he responded and Antony walked inside.
"Your Majesty." He halted a few steps away from the King and bowed. However, when he briefly looked at the left, he saw the King's cousin sitting on a couch. Then he blinked.
"Lady Sophie," he muttered and narrowed his eyes.
Sophie Lamiya rose from her seat and then turned to Arin. "It's him," she said, briefly looking at Antony. "The one I'm talking about."
All the amazement the King felt before were completely overshadowed by the one he felt due to his cousin's revelation!
Was this a joke or what?!
Though Antony often accompanied him when he visited Sophie, he never saw them talking to each other, apart from the greeting!
Was he being fooled all those times?
The King finally rose from his seat as his right-hand man who was also the Captain of the Royal Guards stood still with his gaze lowered.
Suddenly, the door was opened and Iria walked inside with Morin. Noticing the strange atmosphere, the Queen halted, confused.
What was going on?
"Iria, can you please take Sophie to Morin's chamber? I have to talk to Antony," Arin said to Iria and briefly looked at Sophie who raised a brow.
Despite the confusion, Iria still nodded and walked closer to Sophie. "Let's go," she said in a calm voice.
Sophie Lamiya briefly looked at her cousin when she said, "Remember your promise." With a bit of reluctance, she walked out of the chamber with the Queen and Prince Morin......
New n𝙤vel chapters are published on fre(e)webnov(l).com