"Anabel...Anabel ..." She looked ahead to see the two maids from the camp.
"Lia, Hope " she ran, hugging them.
"We missed you ", they giggled, hugging her.
"I did, too" It was a few days, but they had been so good to her.
"Help her," said Sebastian.
The two bowed and grabbed Anabel dragging her away into the palace.
She looked back, and he gave her a warm smile smiling back, she followed the two.
"Amazingly, you didn't tell us you were a princess " Lia muttered.
Anabel sneezed, she had been soaked into the bathtub, being scrubbed from head to toe.
"I didn't think it was important since back then, I thought I would never see you again", she giggled as they touched her feet.
"Well, we are together again", they laughed.
She nodded.
"But how did you find out I was one ".
"The two guards that stayed back, when they escorted you back. They were able to find information about you, then came back and told the Emperor, " Hope muttered.
"Oh..." she leaned back.
She had slept for three days throughout their trip to the imperial palace.
After her bath, Lia and Hope had fun dressing her up in different outfits until they found one that perfect for her.
"Look, Princess ", Hope pulled her towards the mirror.
She gasped; it was a white and red laced dress, her hair was held back with loose curly falling over her face, and the makeup was light, just hiding her bruises.
It was accompanied by a cape that changed colour when she moved a little red diamond hanging down on the trim of the dress.
"Oh my isn't this too much ?" she blinked.
"No princess, this is what the future empress should look like," said Lia.
"AHH...Empress?! .you got it wrong " she blushed.
"Aren't you and the majesty engaged?" asked Hope.
"No, we are not ...he only came to me because we had become friends during the time we spent together ", she muttered.
"Oh ...but the rumours say he burnt down an entire kingdom 'cause they wouldn't hand you over ...his bride, Princess Anabel ", explained Lia.
"And in what we know, you are Princess Anabel ".
"Making you the bride of his majesty hence the future Empress ".
She blinked moving back.
He did, so it was true what she heard back in her father's kingdom. After they brought her sister Tricia to him, he got angry and declared war, for it wasn't her.
"It's time, Princess, let's go " Lia took her hand, leading her out.
"To ..?"
"To meet his majesty, of course ", they giggled.
Anabel gulped, quietly they took her around the palace, showing her different rooms and halls. The staff and knights inside the palace.
"This is the garden " she heard them say.
She froze. It was filled with different flowers, beautifully placed in the colours of their petals
"This is beautiful " she murmured.
"It is, ", his voice said beside her.
She turned to see Sebastian standing behind her; when did Lia and Hope leave?
Anabel had been lost in the beauty of the garden to notice.
He took her hand leading her through the flowers. Her dress hitting some shaking off the butterflies resting on them.
Her eyes filled with wonder at such a sight.
"I didn't know such a place existed " she breathed.
"You didn't visit any back home ?" He asked.
"Not really, I was always inside. Father rarely let me out " she sighed.
He frowned.
She let go of his hand, bending down. She picked one of the roses but instead got pricked.
"Ouch ..." She blurted out taking the flower.
"Be careful " he took it pulling out his handkerchief and covering the injury.
"Am fine this is for you ", she smiled.
He took it.
"They remind me of you "
"Me ....".
She nodded.
"You smell like roses " she pointed out
"I do!"he looked surprised.
She giggled turning to the sunflowers.
"This reminds me of your eyes, the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen"
He stood back watching her point to different flowers as she said something that reminded her of him.
"This reminds me of your hair, so dark and silky ", she laughed, pointing at the Black Iris
....
"Thank you for getting me away from that place " Anabel muttered.
Now seated on the terrace of the garden and enjoying the view.
"If you need anything, tell Lia and Hope, and if it's really important, then tell me directly ", he let out.
"I don't think I need anything now; you set me free from my father's chains. All I ever wanted was to be free " she said.
"You are free and if you want to leave you can go anywhere you want "
"I don't know how to replay you, your majesty "
"Let me take care of you until you decide what you want to do " he suggested.
He had done a lot for her and was still offering to help. Was it true what the maids had said? He wanted her to be his Empress. But he had not said anything about it. Maybe they were just rumours.
"Well, Your Majesty, please let me lean on you until I can make it on my own ", said Anabel.
He nodded.
They heard footsteps, it was the captain of the knights.
"I am sorry to interrupt Your Majesty, Princess", he bowed.
"What is it?". Sebastian asked.
"We have a guest " he announced.
"A guest, can it wait ?" he didn't want to leave.
"It's your mother " added the captain.
He sighed.
"Am alright, you can go ahead ", Anabel spoke out, not wanting to hold him when his mother came to see him.
"I will let Lia and Hope keep you company ", he said, getting up.
She got up bowing, "Thank you, your majesty "
"To you, I am Sebastian, not the Emperor?" he said.
Grabbing the flowers she had picked for him, he walked away.
"Sebastian..." She murmured
He stopped looking back ,"Yes"
She waved back at him, "see you later".
He nodded .