"Allies? why should I trust someone like you?" Gwen asked?
"You don't have to trust me, just work with me."
"I don't want to, I already have the help of someone else," Gwen replied, blatantly.
"Do you mean the children? you'd be a fool if you reject my offer because of those little children. I'd advise you to pick your allies well. what could mere children, help you with?"
Gwen looked at her and thought about what she said. Right now, she seems to be on the losing side because Zara was pregnant.
"I'll think about it and get back to you," Gwen told her.
"You'd have to think fast, I don't have all the time, in the world," she said, walking out of Gwen's chamber.
ZARA'S POV
"Zara, did you notice, the king was staring at you from the balcony?" Aunt Anna asked, and I blushed.
"No, I didn't," I replied.
"Well, he was. can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead, Aunt."
"Are you in love with the king?" She asked, giving me a curious look.
"I don't know aunt," I replied truthfully.
"What do you mean you don't know? How do you feel when he's around you?"
"My heart starts to beat fast, and I feel butterflies in my belly. I also feel happy when he's around, and empty when he's not."
"Goodness Zara, that means you are in love with the king," Aunt muttered, clapping her hands happily.
"You should tell him," she said.
What! I shrieked. Even if I just discovered I am in love with Carl, I didn't know how to tell him.
"What's wrong Zara?" Aunt asked, giving me a questioning look.
"Aunt, I don't know how to tell him."
"You don't have to worry Zara, I'm sure the right moment would come, and you won't even know when you tell him," Aunt assured me, and I smiled.
...
It was almost sunset when Carl asked me out for a boat ride and I smile, wondering what he wanted to tell me.
Queen Zara, the king has asked me to escort you to the lakeside for a boat ride," Jerald informed
Why a boat rides all of a sudden, I thought, but still followed him, as he lead the way.
When we arrived at the lakeside, Carl already stood there waiting, with a nervous look on his face, and I wondered what could be making him nervous.
"Carl," I called, with a bright smile on my face, and he tilt his gaze to my mine, returning the smile.
"Zara," he dubbed, stretching out his hand, and I took it.
...
The boat ride was refreshing and I liked how the wind felt on my face, but at the same time, I was nervous, my heart was pounding fast against my chest as I sat facing Carl on the boat.
I suddenly remembered what aunt Anna and I had discussed. "Should I tell him how I feel?" I asked myself, glancing up to meet his gaze.
I opened my mouth to say something but decided against it. Maybe it's not the right time.
"You are beautiful," Carl said all of a sudden, and I blinked repeatedly, twirling to see if there was anyone else on the boat, but it was just the two of us.
I stared at him, stunned, wondering if he was the same arrogant king I knew, or someone else?
The Carl I knew, never told me I was beautiful. So I raised my hand, using it to check his pulse if he was okay, and he chuckled.
Unlike before, there was no air of arrogance around him, and also no hint of anger in his eyes. Now he's eyes were filled with admiration and other emotions, I couldn't read.
"Zara," he dubbed inching closer, and I felt my breath hitch.
He looked at me like he was about to say something, but didn't know how to.
Soon, we were back on the lakeside and I stared at him, expecting him to say something, but he didn't.
Lia had told me that anyone who takes his wife for a boat ride, wants to express his feelings, I guess she was wrong.
With a disappointed look, I made my way out of the boat, leaving Carl behind.
"Zara," he called, coming after me and I stop abruptly, turning to look at him.
"Why don't you tell him, you love him, instead of waiting for him to say something," my mind told me, but I ignored it.
I didn't know how to, or perhaps I was shy or even scared that he may not feel the same way.
Carl stood in front of me and took my hands in his, and I glanced up to look at him.
"I love you, Zara, I love you so much," Carl blurted out, staring deep into my eyes, that I almost collapsed. The way he looked at me, with an emotion so intense that it was about to consume me whole.
His eyes were filled, with so much admiration, desire, and love, that made my heart dance against my chest.
Oh my God! he feels the same way, I screamed inside my head, opening my mouth to tell him that I also love him, but the words wouldn't come out.
"I don't know how it happened Zara, but I know, that whenever I'm close to you, I feel very happy, and It's like time stops, everything stops, even my breath stop, the only thing that doesn't stop is my heart because it beats for you. I understand if you don't love me back because I was mean to you. but I promise to wait, no matter how long it takes," he told me.
I stared at him with my eyes wide open, not knowing how to react or what to say. My heart was telling me to open up, but my mouth was doing something else.
"Zara, are you okay," Carl asked, staring at me, and I nodded, leaning forward to peck his cheek because that was the only thing I could think of. but he pulled me closer, kissing me like his life depended on it.
...
Someone(the spy) stood watching the couple from afar with a deep scowl on her face. Things seem to be going well between the king and queen, or did he finally express his feelings? she thought, remembering his conversation with the child.
"Enjoy it while it last, because soon it will all be over," she mumbled to herself, looking at the poisonous arrow.
She had thought about poisoning the food which Zara and Carl were going to eat at the picnic, but couldn't because there were guards. So she decided to use a poisonous arrow, that way, no one would see her, and she could easily kill Zara.
From where she hid behind a tree, she aimed at Zara, even though it was a little far, after all, she was very good at archery and has been killing people from a far distance from when she was a child.
"Nothing would save you now," she whispered, after making sure that her aim was on Zara, then released the arrow.