Ariel could feel her heart pulsing rapidly through her veins. This was exactly the dilemma that she wanted to avoid in the first place—to be stuck in the same space with him. The dragon, the alpha, and the monster of her nightmares.
Although he didn't look the way she had imagined him in her dreams, he was far more monstrously good-looking than the devil with red eyes she had envisioned. But who said devils weren't good-looking? And indeed, he was a handsome devil—the kind you would want to exploit the thrill of the adventure with, just to feel the danger cloaked around him, despite knowing it could cost you your soul—with no refund.
Ariel turned slightly to gaze at the handsome devil across from her. She flinched in panic as her gaze directly locked with his. Those honeydew eyes stared directly at her, as if trying to pierce through her soul—stripping off layer by layer until they reached the core and devoured it.
Ariel gulped. She felt as if her life was being sucked out of her little by little whilst looking into those beautiful honeydew eyes. They were captivating, mesmerizing, and alluring.
She felt an indescribable pull toward them, as if they were drawing her closer to him. It was an indescribable sensation—one she couldn't quite put a finger on. Maybe it was the devil's trap: to appear non-threatening and allure her to her demise. Ariel wanted to turn her head and look away, but it was as if her body refused to obey her will.
And she wasn't the only one.
When Daniel looked into her eyes, he wanted to search her intentions. It was clear that she was a dangerous vulture in the guise of a flamingo. He was clearly pissed by the way she dared to mock him without any shred of fear. But that was what intrigued him.
No one had ever dared to mock him—at least not to his face. They whispered behind his back, mocking him in the shadows like little rats. But whenever they faced him, he could feel and see their fear. They would walk around him like dogs with their tails between their legs, the foul smell of their fear reeking in the air.
But this girl. This beautiful flamingo-vulture did not even flinch. Although he could feel her fear, he was amused that despite being afraid of him, she was still bold enough to stare him in the eyes without backing down—and even insult him without fearing for her life.
'Bold Flamingo', he mused inside his mind while staring at her. 'Let's see how long you'll keep that fake look on your face. I can clearly feel and smell your fear, but you're trying to put on a brave face. Let's play along and see how long you'll last'. He smirked.
Ariel saw the tiny smirk on his lips. He was clearly enjoying this. This was the first time that Ariel had ever stared at a man for so long. Even when she was with that scumbag, Aaron, she never dared to look into his eyes for so long. Maybe because she was shy, or noble decorum taught her not to stare at a man in the eyes for too long, because as a wife it was considered disrespectful.
Disrespectful, my ass! It was because they knew staring at those so-called lions in the eyes for too long would expose them for the weasels they were. After all, the eyes are said to be the gateways to one's soul. Staring at them for too long would make a guilty person feel uneasy.
'But then, why am I not feeling uneasy in front of this man?
Could he be all talk and no show? One of those buffy scoundrels that only pretend to be gothic and grizzly just to earn a girl's attention?
Well, he can dream on, because I am not that kind of girl and I won't fall for his tricks. No way.'
Ariel sighed.
"Perverts, they all are," she grumbled under her breath as she finally tore her gaze away from him and looked at the path leading back to the palace.
Daniel snorted.
"Excuse me. Don't you think that I... should be the one calling you that?"
Ariel froze as his smooth, husky voice echoed inside the gazebo. It was irritatingly attractive—and she hated that.
Daniel sighed and shifted a little in his seat.
"I thought you had an honorary degree in noble etiquette. If you had, then you would have known how dangerous it is to stare at a monarch so lustfully without shame—and how it could have cost you those fake million-dollar eyes you have. Now I'm starting to believe that everything about you is fake."
He smirked and drank some juice from his glass.
'Lustfully? Fake? Did he just call me fake? Is he implying that I'm the pervert here and not him? Ooh... that's it!' fumed Ariel.
She turned to him, eyes ablaze.
"Listen here, you grumpy je—"
She immediately swallowed her words as she quickly remembered that this man was not ordinary, but the Crown Prince of the kingdom—and also the dangerously rumoured dragon.
'Jerkass! Pervert! Ingrate! Royal ass!' she cursed in her mind while staring at him.
Then she forced a smile onto her face.
"Mmmm..."
She cleared her throat and said in her sweet voice,
"Forgive me... Your Highness, for that... outburst. But I just wanted to say that you must be clearly mistaken about your assumptions. I humbly suggest that you don't rush to judge people mainly because you feel uncomfortable with them. You can just ask them to leave if their presence is a bother—otherwise, it will cause some misunderstandings. Very bad misunderstandings."
She whispered the last words.
Daniel snorted.
'Hypocrite! Cunning fox! Vulture! Fake!' he called out in his mind while staring at Ariel wearing a forced smile. But he could feel the burning anger seething from inside her.
'Let's see how long you keep on wearing that fake angelic face.'
He smirked.
"I see. So you are calling your perverted and unshameful ways of staring lustfully at a monarch for so long... a 'misunderstanding'. Are you trying to say that I am a liar, Miss Ariel? A dirty scumbag trying to prey on you? Can you give a good reason why I should justify your actions and see them as misunderstandings? You rudely stared me square in the eye, you insulted me, you mocked me, and you lashed out at me. Are you really a brave, fearless rabbit—or are you just a fox wearing the skin of a rabbit in order to fool your prey?"
He then leaned in closer across the table. Ariel flinched back, feeling slightly scared. She felt a drop of sweat running down her back as the predator leaned closer, his eyes turning slightly red, glowing with that monstrous hue.
Ariel swallowed as he positioned himself a few inches from her across the table. She could smell the faint scent of his cologne. It was deep and a little bit sweet—a perfect combination for him, exactly. He was a demon who looked like an angel. Two forces in contrast with each other. And right now, the angelic façade was off. The demon was now awakened, inching closer to devour her, and she couldn't help but shiver and tremble in its presence.
Daniel felt the fear and even saw it in her eyes. A little pain panged in his chest. He was disappointed. Beneath the skin of the vulture was also a little scared rabbit—and right now, he had just made it vulnerable. He thought she could offer more—a challenge, a dare—just like his mystery woman. But no. She was just like the rest of them. Foxes playing dress-up in lion skins. Rabbits disguised as vultures.
He was disappointed.
"That's it. That is exactly what you should have felt earlier, before you had the guts to stare me in the eyes, insult me, mock me, and lash out at me."
He then leaned in closer and whispered,
"You pretend to be a fearless vulture, Miss Ariel, but you are nothing but a small little rabbit in the field—vulnerable, weak, alone—just waiting for the next predator to devour you and tear you into pieces. Next time you want to play dress-up, make sure you do it in your hole and not in the predator's den. Otherwise, your little costume will fall off, and you will gladly be on the menu. Understood?"
He then looked at her briefly before standing up from the chair.
"Good luck in the bridal selection season. Don't think this little tea party will gain you my favor or that I will choose you. I will treat you just like the rest, and you will need to prove your worth like the others to become my queen. But bear this in mind... I. Don't. Fuck. With. Rabbits. Especially those who love to play pretend. So don't show up in my presence until you know who you really are."
He then walked away, heading back to the palace without looking back.
Ariel did not even turn to look at him. She was still clutching her chest in fear—and also pain. His words had cut deep. Something she had never heard anyone say to her before. Ever since she resurrected from death's door in that cursed field, she had only had one mission: to take revenge on all those who wronged her. To destroy them all and make them wish they hadn't done what they did to her and her family. Even when she went through brutal military training, the sleepless nights wrestling with brutes in the streets so she would be strong—strong enough to face her enemies head-on. But now, Daniel's words made her resolve quiver.
'Am I really just playing pretend? Am I really just a rabbit in a vulture's disguise? Am I that weak but pretending to be strong?' she questioned herself as two rivers of tears streamed down her face.
But she felt a strong, bubbling resolve boiling inside her. A wave so powerful she couldn't deny it.
'No! I am not playing pretend! I am not weak! I am not a rabbit! I am indeed a vulture who emerged from the depths of hell to show no mercy for my enemies. And if being a vulture is not enough to draw fear from my enemies, then I shall also become a dragon and scorch my enemies to ash—and burn this whole world to the ground just to see them squeal in pain whilst being burned by my flames.'
She then rose up from the chair and faced the palace.
"You think that I am weak and unworthy, huh?" She snorted.
"Well, I will show you the person that you want to see. I will become the queen of this palace and of this kingdom. And you will bow to me, Crown Prince Daniel Maxwell Devonte. I will make sure you bow and see who really holds the power in this place. Just wait and see."
She furiously wiped the tears from her face and walked back inside the palace to look for her father so they could head home.
As soon as Ariel disappeared into the palace, a shadow materialized from the bushes near the gazebo, wearing a green ninja outfit. They took a glance at the palace before vanishing back into the garden, heading the other way.
.....
Meanwhile
Daniel walked into his office and slammed the door behind him.
"Damn it! Damn it!" he yelled, pacing around the room frantically.
"You just couldn't do it, could you? You just couldn't keep your damn emotions under control, huh! You just had to scare her! You just had to fucking scare her! Aaah!"
He grabbed a cushion from the office lounge and threw it at the wall.
He felt the heat pulsing inside his veins like an inferno. The beast was awakened, and it needed appeasing before all hell broke loose.
Just then, a knock was heard on the door.
"What!" he roared.
"My prince, it's me, Blake. I have news regarding the Royal Archives break-in," came the voice from the other side.
Daniel sighed and touched his forehead.
"Come in."
Blake slowly opened the door and entered the room. Daniel was now standing near the window overlooking the palace courtyard. Blake saw the cushion on the floor near the wall, and he didn't need to ask what had happened. The Crown Prince was experiencing his tantrums again.
He sighed and stood just a distance from him.
"Your Highness," he greeted.
"Mmmm... what did the great White Tiger catch on his hunt this time? I hope it is something meatier than wild geese, otherwise he will end up eating his own flesh for satisfaction. Hell, if the other tigers don't devour him first because of their unsatisfied hunger," said Daniel without turning to look at Blake.
Blake flinched slightly. It was a warning—that Daniel was pissed with the lack of good results, and this time he was going on a rampage if the results didn't satisfy him.
Blake cleared his throat to compose himself and ease his nerves before speaking.
"Actually, I believe we caught something meatier this time, Your Highness, and it can lead us to the rats' lair."
"Mmmm... so you say," murmured Daniel.
"What is the catch?"
Blake bowed slightly and turned to the door.
"You may enter."
Soon, the door opened to reveal a male servant in his black and white uniform. He shivered slightly as he walked into the room.
He then shakily took a deep bow of reverence.
"Gr... greetings to... the... Crown Prince," he stammered a little.
Daniel turned and faced him. The man was shaking with fear, and that annoyed him. He turned his gaze to Blake, motioning for him to take over.
Blake nodded and looked at the servant.
"Tell His Highness what you saw on the night of the masquerade ball."
The servant flinched slightly and took some time to gain his composure to speak.
"Well, speak up!" yelled Blake.
The servant flinched.
"I... I... was cleaning the upper floor restrooms in the central wing where the guests were required to attend. And I saw that one of the doors of the restrooms was locked. It was in the females' restrooms. I tried to unlock it, but it wouldn't budge. I knocked and asked if someone was inside, but it couldn't be—since everyone was asked to vacate the floor and the guards were already swarming the place. So I peeped through and saw that the window was open and there was a tiny rope dangling in the air outside. Then I saw a shadow creeping through the window into the cubicle. And I saw their back, and they had a gun holster around their waist. I quickly moved from the door and ducked into the other cubicle so I wouldn't be seen. Soon after, the door opened and the person inside started moving out of the restroom. I peered through the door and saw them heading out to the other side."
He flinched as he suddenly saw the Crown Prince standing in front of him.
Daniel stared down at him, his eyes a tinge of crimson.
"Who? Who did you see?"
The servant shivered in fear, unable to respond.
"Answer me!!" Daniel roared.
The servant immediately dropped to the ground and stammered.
"It... it... was... her... it was her... the... lady... the lady... in pink. The one... who... had gathered the attention at the masquerade ball... the beautiful, mysterious lady in pink! Forgive me, Your Highness... I should've spoken sooner..."
Daniel turned his gaze back to the window. Outside in the palace courtyard, he saw Lady Ariel with her father about to board the car. As if sensing his gaze on her, Ariel turned and faced the window.
Daniel smirked.
'So you truly are a vulture after all, my dear sweet Flamingo. Guess I stand corrected. And I can't wait to welcome you into the dragon's den and scorch that little innocent Flamingo costume off until I reveal the ugly vulture inside. So get ready, I'll be waiting for you.'
He thought as he watched Ariel looking up at his window. She stood there for a while before turning away to board the car and driving off.
Meanwhile, a faint blue glow of light was pulsing inside the drawer of the office desk. It had been all morning. But as soon as the car drove out of the palace gates, it faded—but not completely—and it only meant one thing.
It was nearly time.
Its owner was finally coming to find it.
.....
Spoiler alert
"Oof!" Ariel grunted as her back hit against the wall.
Her heart throbbed violently as Daniel loomed over her, his eyes glowing a crimson red. He also had a tiny smirk tugging at his lips.
"Your Highness, please... please be reasonable and come to your senses," pleaded Ariel.
"Aaah!" she yelped as Daniel took hold of both her hands and pinned them against the wall above her head.
He then locked his eyes on her bosom, to the cleavage of her breasts. A beautiful blue diamond necklace peeked through the dress, shimmering in the dim light of the room.
Daniel slightly smiled and traced the necklace line on her neck before turning to look her in the eyes.
Fear.
They held fear, and it shook his resolve a little. But this fear also fueled his suspicions, and he was determined to know the truth—whether they were accurate or not.
Ariel clearly saw his intention, and she knew that she was done for.
"Please..." she pleaded again.
But Daniel was determined. He lowered his eyes toward the necklace, tugged at it, and began to pull it out of the dress.
Ariel felt every pull like a ticking time bomb of her future. She was done for. It was all over.
She felt the sound of a beeping line of a heart monitor as Daniel finally pulled the necklace free and looked at it, wide-eyed.
Beeeeeeep!
The sound rang inside her ears as she saw pitch black!
Has the secret been revealed?
Stay tuned in to find out?