The Cursed Prince's Strange Bride

​ "Are you okay?" Alvin asked with concern when he almost hit Harold with his sword once again. Harold wasn't the type to be distracted during practice, but it was obvious that Harold's mind wasn't on whatever they were doing.

"Yes. I'm fine," Harold said in a very unconvincing tone before saying, "Let go again," but Alvin shook his head.

"No, you're not okay. You have been very distracted. Is it because of Princess Amber? Are you that worried about her?" Alvin asked knowingly, since he was also beginning to get worried. It was the second day, and she had yet to wake up.

"No, it's not. Let's keep practicing," Harold insisted as he picked up his sword. He had pushed forward their training time from noon to immediately after breakfast because he was restless.

"Then what is it?" Alvin asked as he sheathed his sword, not willing to continue with the training. This was the time Alvin acted as a friend.

Harold had a lot of things bothering his mind, and he had thought that training would help to distract him from his worries, but unfortunately, his worries were distracting him from the training.

He stood still for a moment without saying a word, and upon seeing that Alvin was bent on not continuing with their training, he sheathed his sword and headed for the archery range. At least that was another sport that could keep him busy.

Alvin followed him, and once he saw where he was headed, Alvin went to get his bow and some arrows before returning to join him. "You're acting... strange," Alvin said cautiously as he inspected the bow to make sure it was okay.

Harold turned to him as he took his bow from him. "Don't overstep," he warned. He knew that Alvin was talking to him that way only because they were very close and he knew that he wouldn't hurt him.

"I'm sorry. I'm just very concerned about you," Alvin explained, but Harold said nothing as he drew two arrows and strung them in the bow.

He tried to focus on the archery target ring as he released the arrows, but the arrow missed, making him hiss in frustration as he drew two arrows again while Alvin watched in silence.

Once again, he had failed to turn after spending the night with Alicia, and now he was curious to know if it had happened, or rather failed to happen, because he was with her, or if it was because the curse had been lifted and it had nothing to do with her.

Could he risk spending the night in his chamber alone just to see if it had anything to do with Alicia? Perhaps he could run out of the palace or jump out through his window once he sensed himself turning.

Apart from that, he was even more worried about Princess Amber now. Everyone at the breakfast table had been concerned as well that morning. Perhaps he should take Williams at his word and let him prepare some medicine for her?

At least Williams was the queen's nephew, and he was certain that they wouldn't dare hurt his bride, as the queen wouldn't want to be in a bad position with the king. She could only try to hurt him secretly, not so openly as to kill his bride. Harold thought as he turned to Alvin, who was still standing beside him.

"Go to Williams, ask him to tell you whatever he needs you to get from the village to prepare medicine for her," Harold instructed Alvin, who looked at him without revealing any emotion.

So he was distracted because he was thinking of his ill bride? Why then did he deny it earlier? Alvin mused.

"Sir Williams? The queen's nephew?" Alvin asked, just in case Harold had forgotten who Williams was.

"Yes. I'm sure they won't try to do anything to hurt her," Harold said confidently, and Alvin gave him a nod.

"What about the bow? Do you still need it? Or should I take it back before leaving?"

"Hand it over," Harold said, taking the bow from him before dismissing him. He still needed to distract himself.

As Alvin turned to leave, he paused and contemplated whether or not he should report something to Harold.

"Is there something else you want to say to me?" Harold asked when he noticed from the corner of his eyes that Alvin was still standing there.

Alvin cleared his throat, "Paulina has been spending a lot of time alone with Sir Williams in the painting room," he reported, and Harold's hands faltered on the bow.

"Do you think they're doing anything in there other than painting?" Harold asked without turning around.

"I'm not sure. I heard from the other servants that he requests for her to serve him whenever he goes in there to paint..." He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Word is going around that they're both having an affair," Alvin added.

"Rumors?" Harold asked with disapproval as he turned around this time to look at Alvin. "Do you believe them?"

Alvin shook his head and said, "I don't know about an affair. But I know that she is there with him right now. I heard one of the maids telling her to go to the painting room," Alvin reported.

Harold considered it for a moment, then asked, "You said he was the one who saved her that first night, didn't you?"

"Yes," Alvin said with a nod.

"You can keep an eye on them just to make sure that he is not working with the Queen to use her against either her mistress or me," Harold said, and Alvin bowed before leaving.

Once Alvin left, Harold continued trying to hit the target until he heard Ivan's voice beside him. "What could be wrong?" Ivan asked as he positioned himself beside Harold and, with his bow and arrow in hand, aimed at the target ring.

"Bullseye!" His guard exclaimed, and Ivan turned to Harold with a smirk.

"Perhaps I should teach my little brother how to hit his target?" Ivan asked, tauntingly.

"Who would want to learn from a person who doesn't know how to hit his target when it matters the most?" Harold asked with a smirk of his own as he walked away with his bow, leaving Ivan, who was glowering at his back.

Away from there, and inside the painting room, Williams watched over Paulina's shoulder as she carefully tried to complete the portrait painting.

It seemed like once she started painting, she was oblivious to his presence. It was almost as if she had forgotten that he was in the room. He had noticed that the previous time as well. Whenever she was painting, she was transported to a world of her own where nothing else existed. She also looked very serious, but that only lasted until she raised her head and locked eyes with him, then she turned into a panicky and stuttering mess.

Paulina, on the other hand, was thinking about her mistress as she painted. She wanted the portrait to be ready so that it would be the first thing she saw when she woke up from her sleep. She imagined how happy the princess would be to see her mother's face. She hoped that her mistress would stop trying so hard to run away now. Who knew if that was the reason she had become sick?

A knock sounded on the door, and Paulina snapped out of her thoughts as she looked up in surprise.

"Don't worry, it's just one of the maids. You can keep painting," Williams assured her, surprising her even more as she turned around to look at him. When did he get there? He had been seated at his usual spot when she started painting.

"Relax," Williams said with a shake of his head as he walked away and headed for the door.

Once he pulled it open, a maid stood there with a tray of snacks. "Lady Susan said I should bring you some refreshments," the maid said with a bow, while trying not to take a peek into the room to see what Paulina was always doing there.

Gossip was beginning to fly around among the palace maids that Paulina was having an affair with the young Lord, hence she was always meeting him in the painting room.

"Thank you," Williams said as he took the tray from the maid and shut the door.

"Take a break. Let's eat," Williams called to her as he set the tray on one of the tables in the room, but Paulina didn't respond as she had returned her attention to the painting once again.

Williams let out a sigh as he walked over to where she was painting and squatted in front of her. Paulina's head snapped up immediately as she looked at him in confusion.

"I said you should take a break. Let's have lunch," Williams said, pointing to the tray the maid had brought in.