After chatting for a while with Kael, Sophia finally managed to ditch the clingy guy by saying she had to discuss something important with her father before he left the office.
Kael finally let her go after she promised to personally deliver her gift to him which Sophia agreed instantly.
They bid each other goodbye and went their separate ways but not before Rizia made faces to Kael as a payback.
As they were walking towards the dukes office, Rizia's curiosity got the best of her coupled by the danger signs she had spotted.
" My Queen, has your friend always been that close to you?" She asked.
Sophia knew very well what the little girl was thinking, she found her quite cute and decided to entertain her more.
" Yeah, we were close from the time we were born, we have always been this close." She replied putting more emphasis on their ' closeness '.
Rizia gulped in nervousness, she didn't know if the next question would offend the Queen but keeping mum about it wasn't an option either. She needs to know which enemies she has to be wary of when it comes to their King's happiness.
" The guy seems pretty fond of you, are you sure he only sees you as a friend?" Rizia mustered her courage to ask.
Playing dumb, Sophia asked back.
" What do you mean by that." Sensing no annoyance in her queen's question, Rizia decided to be blunt with her question. Afterall she was known for being straight forward. She wasn't the one to play with words nor beat around the bush.
" Are you sure he doesn't have romantic feelings for you?" She blatantly asked.
Sophia marvelled at her courage, She was one bold Maid if she was asked.
Stopping immediately in her tracks, Rizia almost bumped her head on her queens back but due to her quick reflexes, she managed to stop herself only inches away.
" Rizia, ain't you being too nosy?" Sophia asking masking her laughter with a serious face. She would tease this little girl since she dared question her.
Sensing the change in the queen's voice, Rizia inwardly cursed her stupid curiosity. They say curiosity killed the cat and it seems like she'll suffer the same fate as that poor cat. The saying might even change to curiosity killed Rizia. She could tell that the queen was definitely angry with her, something that has never happened before.
With a thud, Rizia kneeled down and bowed her head.
" I am sorry my Queen." She said softly.
Turning to look at her with an expressionless face, Sophia asked.
" And what wrong did you do?" in all seriousness, she inquired but she was inwardly laughing at the terrified face of her maid.
" I am sorry for questioning the queen." Rizia replied her voice shaking. It wasn't her intention to make the queen angry but intentionally or not, here she was kneeling down because of offending the queen with her silly questions.
Looking at her maid who was confident just now turn to a scared cat , Sophia couldn't control herself and burst out laughing.
Her immediate change surprised Rizia until she realized that the queen just pranked her. Her racing heart that was threatening to break loose from it's confines calmed down.
" Your face was do funny, you could have seen how hilarious you appeared." Sophia said amidst her laughter.
Rizia was mesmerized by the sight of her queen laughing so freely. She had to admit that the queen's smile was as beautiful as a sunrise by the ocean. It was captivating.
Seeing her laugh with no care in the world, Rizia found herself laughing. The queen's smile was infective.
" please arise and am sorry for pranking you. I just thought of seeing your reaction and trust me, I wasn't disappointed at all." Sophia said.
" About Kael and his feelings for me, you don't have to worry, I know him just like he knows me and I can assure you, his love for me is purely brotherly. He already has someone he loves and they are betrothed to each other." Sophia explained.
She didn't see the need to answer that question but just to set the mind of this silly girl at ease, she explained.
" Am relieved to hear that." and her relief was displayed by the heavy breath she just released on hearing that. It seems like that issue had been bothering her alot.
The duo approached the duke's office and without waiting for instructions, Rizia stooped and stood at alert at the foot of the hallway while Sophia strutted towards the Hall.
Sophia had mixed feelings as she walked to meet her father. She did not know if she should be happy or what.
Although he wasn't her father, she was afterall posing as Sophia now and Sophia's emotions were affecting her big time.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to reign her emotions which were going haywire. She hated it when she couldn't control her emotions and had to be controlled by them.
After trying few times, her emotions were adamant on getting suppressed so she resigned to her Fate and knocked at the door.
After receiving permission to enter, she pushed open the door and sauntered in but remained quite since her father was in the middle of a discussion with one of his trusted men according to Sophia's memory.
" Go investigate More and report to me the situation right away, you may take your leave."The duke instructed and with a bow and a curt nod to Sophia he exited the room.
" It's been years my dear daughter, you finally decided to visit." A sweet voice assaulted Sophia's eardrums. Her father was moving towards her with a huge smile plastered on his face.
He enveloped her in a tight hug.
" I missed you." He said his voice displaying the longing of his daughter.
Sophia who was hugged tightly didn't know how to react but following her emotions, she hugged him back.
" I missed you too father." She uttered in a sweet voice.