NIGHTS OF HALLOW

”What are you doing here?!” Regan barked not believing his eyes. This was the same woman who had insulted him in the village of Woodbridge and also on the night of the Hallow ball.

She humiliated him in front of everyone!

Perdita took two steps back and straightened her shoulders before slightly lowering her head to bow. She said, ”Forgive my recklessness, Prince Regan. I didn’t see you coming.”

Prince Regan narrowed his eyes. What was she trying to do? Acting respectfully to him now? She had never been respectful to him! Even though she bowed and called him Prince Regan, there was this belittling and challenging look in the way she looked at him.

Letting her go would mean letting go of his chance to deal with her.

Prince Regan took a step forward and questioned with his index finger still pointing at her, ”You didn’t answer my question. What are you doing here? Who let you in? Or did you break into the castle?”

The last question from Regan made Perdita’s eyes widen.

Break into the castle? Did she have a death wish?

Perdita raised her chin up and gazed back into the red angry eyes of Regan. She countered back, ”I am not a thief to break into the castle, Prince Regan. Did you think I would be able to pass the gates?”

”Lies.” Regan spat. ”With manipulations anything is possible.”

”Manipulations?” Perdita questioned back as if unsure of what Prince Regan meant. ”Could the Prince educate me on the kind of manipulations I’d use to break into the castle?” Perdita’s voice sounded strained as if she was trying hard to keep them calm and gentle as she could.

She had been worried about the king finding out that she and Marco were in the castle and had forgotten about the possibility of meeting other members of the royal family, especially Prince Regan who she had a past feud with.

Why didn’t she think about him? This little brat of a prince.

Prince Regan shook his head disbelievingly, avoiding the question of Perdita.

The type of manipulation he was talking about was the green-eyed lady using her beauty to bewitch the guards to get in. But he couldn’t tell her this.

This would mean he called her a beautiful woman, which he hated the sound and thought of it.

If she hasn’t insulted him, he would have loved to know more about her. But looking at her and the arrogant face she displayed for him even though he was a prince angered him more.

Regan brushed the thoughts he was having of her and spat with gritted teeth, ”That’s a big lie. If you didn’t break into the castle, not to add, you’re wearing such an expensive dress, then who brought you here?”

Was he indirectly calling her a thief? And did she have to answer these questions?

”The king knows I am here,” Perdita answered. She was tired from standing too much and she also had to get back to her brother who had just woken up. This prince was wasting her time.

”The king?” Regan questioned as if unsure of what he heard.

”Yes, the king,” Perdita affirmed with a nod. She had taken the privilege of the king asking the maids to send her food to use his name to get away from this prince who was adamant on wasting her time.

”The king and Sthena know I am here,” Perdita added to make it more believable to Regan.

”The king and Sthena?” Prince asked again. Why did it feel like his ears were not functioning right each time this woman spoke?

Perdita nodded again and this had Regan burst out laughing.

The king and Sthena. He repeated in his head and laughed more loudly. He held his stomach as he thought about what Perdita said.

How can Sthena who is the king be said in such a way as if they were two different persons?

Regan tried to get a hold of himself from the funny statement of the green-eyed lady. Was she knowingly mocking the king? But seeing the look on her face told him she was serious.

Regan finally stopped laughing and stared at Perdita, realization hitting him.

She didn’t know the King was Sthena!

Perdita on the other hand stared at the Prince as if he had gone mad. Why would he laugh when she said the King and Sthena knew she was in the castle?

Did he think she was lying?

She has had enough of this Prince. She must return to her brother immediately. Perdita bowed her head and spoke, ”If you could excuse me, your Highness, I must return to my room now.”

”You are going nowhere!” Regan deadpanned. ”You are lying and I must lock you up. You must present proof that the king knows you are here.” He said wanting to use the ignorance of Perdita to get back at her.

Perdita frowned. What kind of situation was she met with today?

”What other proof do you need, Prince Regan? You can go and confirm from the king before you make a grave of locking his guest.” Perdita spoke back in the same vigor as Prince Regan.

”Are you threatening me?!” Regan bellowed. ”I know the king wouldn’t have someone as you are in the castle as a guest.” He further spoke and turned to look around the hallway and muttered to himself, ”Where are the guards?”

”Guards!” Prince Regan shouted, his voice loud enough to reach every part of the castle.

Immediately, two guards came running in their direction. They stopped two steps away from the Prince and bowed. These were the same guards who Sthena had asked to guard the room of Marco.

Regan ordered, ”Lock this woman up immediately!”

Perdita felt a cold sweat trickle down her back. What was this escalating to? She didn’t want any problem with the royal family members. Where was Sthena?!

”Yes, Your Highness,” The guards responded and raised their heads and this was when they saw who they were going to lock up.

It was the beautiful Lady who was with the king earlier. The one that had caused the whisperings going around in the castle. The rumor of her being the King’s woman.

There was no way they would cast themselves into a lion’s den by touching her, talk more of locking her up. Did the prince want them dead?!

Regan noticed their reluctance and thought they were also bewitched by the beauty of the Lady.

He clenched his hands in annoyance. Even the guards are disobeying him because of this woman!

”What are you two doing standing there? Lock her up already!” Regan roared with eyes blazing in fury.

The guards’ hands nervously shook on the swords they were holding. What to do? Obey the Prince and get killed? Or disobey the prince?

One of the guards got a little courage and decided to speak up. He began with a shaky voice, ”F...forgive me for speaking out of turn, Y...your Highness b...but the Lady is the...I mean, His Majesty the King knows that...”

”I don’t care!” Prince Regan shouted again, refusing to hear the guard complete his sentence. ”She broke into the castle. The king cannot know a peasant like her!”

Peasant? The guards looked at the green-eyed lady. She was no peasant in their eyes. Even though they didn’t know whose daughter she was, she looked like a Duke’s or a Minister’s daughter in their eyes.

Was the Prince this spiteful towards the lady that he wanted to tarnish her image and lock her up?

The words of Prince Regan hit hard on Perdita’s chest and she felt the anger she had been holding back try to erupt like a hot volcano.

Her hands trembled from wanting to scratch and dug out the eyes of this Prince.

Seems like he wanted to get back at her because of their past encounter. This was the reason behind his immature and childish acts. Was he even a Prince? Princes never acted as spoilt and silly as this one did.

How was she going to get out of this silly mess? For crying out loud, hadn’t she told this Prince that Sthena knows? She had even mentioned the king’s name, still, this Prince was not giving up on locking her up. She needed to get back to her sick brother who just woke up.

”I told you the King is aware of my stay here. Why are you so adamant on locking me up? Did I do anything wrong to you?” Perdita asked in annoyance. Her green eyes stared at Regan with hatred.

She didn’t care and didn’t want to know if he was a prince. This brat needed to be taught a lesson. But unfortunately, she was not in a position to do it.

Prince Regan ignored her and turned to look at the guards with a glare, ”Start moving before I behead you two!”

The guards unable to refuse the Prince walked to stand beside Perdita taking both of her hands.

”We are sorry, My Lady. But we have to do this.” The guards said in a pleading tone and took Perdita away. The prince wouldn’t say they didn’t warn him.

He was inviting a huge problem to himself and the king wouldn’t spare him one bit.

Why were they apologizing to her?! Regan felt uneasy inside but he brushed it away with a grin knowing he did something to get even with the Lady.