"Your majesty ...your majesty " Sebastian opened his eyes groaning from the noise at his door.
"What is it ?" he breathed as he quietly placed Anabel aside so he could get up.
"Why are you yelling early in the morning ?" he flew his door open.
"Your majesty something happened ?" it was the captain of the knights and Anabel's two maids.
"What is it ?" he scowled.
"Ahh.." Lia hesitated.
Sebastian glanced at them, he wanted them gone before they could wake up Anabel.
"She is missing," said Hope.
"We went to her room this morning, and the princess wasn't there ", cried Lia.
"Did something happen to her last night .."
"We shouldn't have left her alone ...not after ..."
"What is going on?" Anabel muttered rubbing her eyes standing behind Sebastian .
She had woken up the moment she heard Lia and Hope's voices.
He felt her lean back on him, her head still heavy from sleep.
Sebastian's arm moved to her waist holding her.
"Still sleepy? "he asked, turning her to face him.
"Mmm, but the bed got cold when you left " she yawned.
"Go back to bed, am coming," he said.
She nodded, her eyes half-opened as she wobbled back to bed.
He looked back at the people at the door, who seemed to have frozen in shock.
"Anything else ?" he glared.
"No...we will be leaving now ", they paced back.
He slammed the door in their faces and walked back to bed.
Anabel rushed to his arms the moment he laid down, he smiled as he held her going back to sleep.
.....
"Oh....oh...what did we just see ?" Lia gasped.
Hope giggled, "Well she won't be cold anymore now".
The captain blinked, "I was wondering why he was so late today ..it was because of this "
That is how another rumour spread through the imperial palace about the Emperor being late for the morning court because he couldn't let Princess Anabel get cold in bed.
The more it spread the more exaggerated it got.
.....
"So she came to you instead ...she is such a bold girl" she laughed.
Sebastian frowned ignoring his mother.
"What is it you came to tell me, Mother?" he asked.
"It's about your upcoming birthday celebrations," she said.
"You know I never look forward to it ...I hate all those nosy greedy nobles and their clinging daughters ", he frowned.
"Yeah, I know, but we still need to throw you one, and I think this one will be different ", she smiled.
"What do you mean ?"
"Well, this time, you will have a partner unless you don't plan on inviting her ?" She glanced at him.
"I don't think she will be comfortable in such a crowd, and I hate the idea of those old men gawking at her ", he scowled.
His mother laughed.
"Oh my, overprotective are we "
"No, I am not. I am just looking out for her ", he denies it.
"Call it what you want, son, but we both know what she means to you. And I understand what you're saying, but you're not going to be able to hide her away forever, not with your uncle and cousin around, " she let out.
"They are coming ?".
"When have they ever missed any chance of causing chaos for you . And now that they know you have a human by your side, they won't stop until they know how special she is for you to choose her".
He sighed.
"She might have your scent now, but we both know that isn't enough . If she is to attend, she will need more than just your scent and you are standing beside her ".
Of course, he knew what she meant, but he didn't want to do anything to Anabel without her knowing; he wanted her consent, and to have that, he had to tell her why and who he was. And why it was important for him to bind her to him.
"Son, I know you don't want to rush her, but if you are planning on keeping her by your side, you need to do what is necessary to show everyone she belongs completely to you ", she explained.
...
"Princess, what will you give the Emperor as a birthday gift?"
"Birthday ..is it coming up soon?" She looked up from her book.
"What you didn't know...it's this Sunday," said Hope.
"What?!" she yelled.
"Yes.."
Is that why she has been seeing new faces in the imperial palace? They were here for celebrations.
She had just been with Sebastian yesterday for their evening walk and he didn't tell her anything.
She sighed, "So that means I only have three days to prepare a gift !"
The two maids nodded.
She stormed out of the room, her footsteps filled with anger as she reached his working room.
"Come in," he said when she knocked.
"How come I am the last one to know it's your birthday this Sunday ...I didn't even prepare a gift?" she frowned.
He got up, taking her hand, "You don't need to get me anything, Bel . And my birthday isn't that important ", he said.
"What...it's the most important day in your life, the day you were bought into this world. If you weren't born I would have never met you so it might not be important to you but it is to me "
He sighed, "am sorry I didn't tell you ", I didnt think it meant that a lot to you ".
"It does, and I know I need to go and think of what I should give you " She sprung up and rushed off.
He chuckled.
.....
"Did you hear the princess doesnt know a thing about dancing?" said Henry, the captain.
"Huh?".
"I heard from Lia that the princess has been trying to practice how to dance, but all the tutors seem to have failed to teach her ", he snickered.
Sebastian turned heading back, "You go ahead I need to attend to something "
Henry scoffed, "Alright, your majesty ".
He knew where he was going, Hope had asked for his help after the fourth tutor quit.
"Can you please tell his majesty to help us ...they all said she was unteachable; how can someone as cute like the princess be unteachable?" she cried.
"I want to see them dance together ..it would be so wonderful " let out Lia.
Henry had thought about it, and he, too, wanted to see the two dance since he saw them together that morning after she sneaked into his majesty's bedroom. He had wanted to see them together even more.
"Alright, I will help you, but I don't know if he will agree to do it ", he said.
"We all know he would be more than willing to do it " the two maids giggled.
And as Henry watched Sebastian rush off he knew they had been right.