Throughout the hallways Ansel walked holding Gaberille in his arms as Hattie and Nylah secretly followed behind.
"What are we doing," Nylah whispered.
"Waiting for the perfect lie," Hattie whispered back, her mind focused on a plot.
"Why can't we just make one up," Nylah inquired.
"Because we already did that and it didn't work. Every time we plot against that floozy it ends with us being exposed as liars and His Majesty ends up hating me even more. If we want to get rid of her for good we need to manipulate the truth and have someone else who can't be traced back to us carry out our plan," Hattie explained.
"How do you plan on doing that," Nylah asked intently.
"By planting an idea to someone who's smitten at first sight," Hattie stated, her eyes fired with excitement.
"And who might that be," Nylah prodded.
"You'll see… For now we need to wait and listen…" Hattie plotted, a grin planted on her face.
In the distance Ansel continued to walk, holding Gabrielle tightly in his arms, still being followed.
Gabrielle placed her hand and on her chest, feeling her heart pounding fiercely against it.
'He hasn't said a word since I threw myself on him… He must be so mad at me… I embarrassed him in front of all those new recruits… He's king… He has a certain demeanor that he has to uphold and here I am a commoner calling him by his first name, throwing myself all over him, not caring who sees… I have to be more mindful of what I'm doing… Causing such a disruption… I need to apologize…'
"Y-Your Majesty," Gabrielle mumbled.
"Your Majesty," Ansel stated, stopping in his tracks, his tone wrapped in confusion.
"Y-Yes Y-Your M-Majesty," Gabrielle stuttered, "I just…"
"Your Majesty," He interrupted, placing her down on her feet, grabbing onto her wrist.
"Y-Your M-Majesty p-please," She stammered, daring not to look up at him.
"Is that all I am to you? A king," He questioned, grabbing on to her chin.
She looked away, her eyes avoiding his.
"N-No but, I… I'm sorry Your Majesty I must apologize," She sighed, continuing to look down.
"Apologize? For what," He questioned, his mind puzzled, "And why do you keep addressing me as Your Majesty?"
She continued to look away, her heart pounding fast against her chest making it hard to breathe.
He moved her chin softly, directing her face to face his. She met his eyes.
"Gabrielle," He hummed, "Why?"
She looked down, forcing herself to speak.
"I was out of line for throwing myself on you in front of all those recruits, calling you by your first name… It was improper of not to be aware of my surroundings… It's just I missed you so much and I hadn't seen you in so long… You must think so lowly of me…"
"Lowly," He chuckled, pulling her in closely, "You are the furthest thing for the lowly. You and your displays of affection are something I could never be embarrassed about and what I was truly thinking about was how I need you to greet me like that more often."
She hastily met his eyes, her cheeks rosy red.
"Your Majesty," She whined, scrunching up her nose.
"Ansel," He breathed, "Why do you keep addressing me as, 'Your Majesty,' is a king all I am to you?"
"Ansel please, I have to start using your proper title for your image especially around the new recruits and it's already hard to separate the man I love with the crown… So I have to make sure I'm using your proper title at all times so I don't slip up again," She explained.
He stared into her eyes, his body beginning to tremble.
"Do you mean it," He muttered with widened eyes.
"Yes, your image is so important to…"
"No," He interrupted, his tone stammering, "D-Do you mean i-it? D-Do you l-love me."
"Yes," She confessed, "And that's why I have to make sure I'm not doing anything out of line, so that I don't…"
He grabbed onto her hand, leading her to the Guards Chambers, as Nylah and Hattie followed behind, listening in.
The minutes passed and they made their way to the Guards Chambers, seeing the new recruits focusing in on sparring one another.
"What are you doing," Gabrielle questioned, looking at Ansel.
"Stop," Cobsworth shouted, making all the new recruits, Sir Harrison, and Sir Darce stop in their tracks.
"His Majesty has arrived," Cobsworth announced, making everyone in the room (Except Gabrielle) bow to Ansel.
Ansel brought Gabrielle in front of the new recruits, the room filling with complimentary whispers about Gabrielle.
"Your Majesty, what might we owe this pleasure to," He asked.
"I've come to make this one and only announcement to all of the recruits… Hear this and hear this now. This is Lady Gabrielle and she means more to me than anything. She is the only one I desire, the one who I am courting. She is to be treated as an extension of myself. A disrespect to her is a disrespect to me. A grievance to her is a grievance to me. I love her and she will address me however she chooses and if anyone has a problem with that, then you have a problem with the order of the king and that is a crime punishable by death. When she is displeased I am displeased. Whenever you see her, think of me, that is how important she is to me and to this entire Kingdom," Ansel declared, turning his loving gaze towards her, "Is everyone clear on that?"
"Yes Your Majesty," The room roared in agreement.
Outside of the Guards Chambers, in earshot stood Nylah and Hattie, hearing every word Ansel declared.
Hattie dug her nails into the palms on her hand, her palms starting to bleed. She curled her toes, hiding the rage in her eyes.
'She's going to get what's coming to her,' She thought, hanging onto Ansel's declaration.
They moved away from the door, hearing Ansel and Gabrielle leaving the room, they hid, still listening in.
They watched, seeing Ansel and Gabrielle coming out into the hallway. He grabbed on to Gabrielle's shoulders.
"Do you understand now? I love you Gabrielle, there is nothing you could do, no signs of affection you can do that will embarrass me… I desire you and only you…" He proclaimed.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a gentle kiss, "I love you too," She breathed rubbing her nose on his.
He picked her up, spinning her around.
"Tell me my Love, what do you want… The stars are yours for the moving," He hummed, giving her a gentle kiss.
She grabbed on to his hand, their fingers interlocking, she looked deep into his eyes.
"I really want to spend more time alone with you," She breathed.
"How about a nice private dinner at my special viewing place and some long stem roses," He smiled, giving a warm chuckle.
"That would be wonderful," She beamed.
Off in the distance Hattie and Nylah listened in, Hattie being fired up with rage, she continued digging her nails deeper into the palms of her hands.
"Look at that floozy, aren't upset," Nylah whispered.
"No," Hattie smiled, gritting her teeth as she turned to face her (Nylah), "Because we have our lie… Now let's spread it."