"Is the walk being of any help?" Nhel asked.
Walking by the sides of the hedges in quietness, they took a tour round the Palace courtyard.
It took a while before Anisha realized Nhel said something.
"I'm sorry Your Highness, I didn't quite hear you."
Studying his face, Anisha told herself she was lucky to have gotten married to such a beauty and she had to admit rarity. She hadn't come across anyone with this sort of hair and eyes that seemed to pull someone stuck to it's gaze, however that was not what she had been thinking before now.
"You may call my name with less formality like you did earlier" Nhel stated.
Anisha still didn't reply to that, she couldn't help but ask what had been on her mind, "Your Highness, I mean Prince Nhel," Anisha then halted so did Nhel who was interested in what she wanted to say.
Pondering on the manner to ask it out to him, Nhel spoke, "There's is plenty of next time never bother, you were drained." He gave her a knowing smirk.
Eyes darting in surprise, Anisha asked to confirm, "Are you talking about last night?"
"Could you have done it exhausted?"
Blush messed all over Anisha's cheeks that she sought to dig between the pillows.
Nhel Smirked, he found her appeasing.
In a bid to escape the Prince, Anisha headed back in, her dress gliding as she hurried in.
She had misunderstood him and given him attitude yesterday which made her feel undeniably sorry.
She was such a fool, departing a nice walk just because of his teasing words, they would still have to consumate wether she liked it or not.
This Prince didn't seem at all bad, he was actually patient with her.
Pausing for a while, Anisha thought there was the possibility that the Prince let her go due to other mistresses he had. Last night, he probably met with one of them to satisfy his needs, that's why he could be so chill about it.
Anisha's blood began to boil, she however decided to let it go, she didn't like the emotional rollercoaster and knew that this was how it would be, how the lives of royalties worked, undoubtedly soon enough he would take in more wives.
One thing was for sure, she must do what she never got the chance to do before she gets tied down with pregnancy. Anisha thought of ways to delay consummating.
Having nothing to do, Anisha decided to look for Nhel.
"Have you seen his Highness anywhere?"
"No my lady but I'll go see if I can find him for you." Her maidservant replied
She came back few minutes later, "I asked and they said His Highness left and might not be back for dinner."
"He won't be back for dinner?" Anisha asked, her eyes widening a little bit.
"Yes My lady."
When it was time for dinner, Anisha dismissed the servants as she didn't have appetite.
"You didn't eat?"
Anisha jerked back startled, Nhel had come in without her knowing again.
"Did I startle you?"
Of course, isn't it obvious?
"I just didn't hear you come in."
Nhel chuckled lightly, "You don't have to be so formal with me Princess."
"I don't think I was being formal in any way or was I?" Anisha retorted.
"I have never seen anyone who can bear an inflamed look while their words come off polite." Nhel said in reply.
This was bad, Anisha quickly stroded to the mirror, her expression didn't show any form of anger because if it did, it meant she wouldn't be able to hide her real intentions and feelings so she wondered how he new she was not happy.
Anisha faked a polite laugh, " You must be tired from your journey, why not go in to take a bath."
"That seems like a nice suggestion, After you," He made a gesture like he was waiting for her to enter first.
Her brunette hair swinged as she jerked in his direction, "What!"
"You make it sound like a bad thing," Nhel let out a dry smirk.
As if realizing where she had gone wrong, Anisha stammered ashamedly, "No it's not that, I.. I already had my bath."
Studying her carefully, Nhel discovered she was not yet ready for anything intimate.
At Nhel's quietness, Anisha wondered if he got irritated by her excusing behaviors.
Nobody was saying anything between them and it made Anisha unrelaxed.
"I have something to take care of, there's a study at the left wing of the Quarters in case you need to pass time," Nhel thereafter, made to leave when Anisha stopped him.
"Would you be back tonight?"
"I won't" Nhel who now had an unreadable expression closed the door out.
Anisha felt kinda sad, she knew he must have sensed she was not ready and she kind of appreciated him for that but at the same time he could only leave her because he had other mistresses he could go to.
He said he wouldn't come back for the night, that could only mean one thing.
Later in the night, Anisha stepped out alone, sauntering her way round the castle and coming across one or two servants looking curiously at her.
She didn't bother with them but she had to ask the whereabouts of Nhel somehow. Did she even know the way back to the chamber?
"Your Highness?"
Anisha saw the butler from the other day, he seemed surprise to find her in the middle of the hallways, to make it worse, at a time where everyone was expected to have been sleeping.
"Have you perhaps lost your way?" He inquired.
"Um, yes I think I did," Not finding any other ways to ask of Nhel's whereabouts, Anisha came out flat, "Do you in any way know where his highness is?"
Anisha just wished there were other ways to ask for his whereabouts, anyways the man who was in front of her didn't give away anything.
"As much as I'm aware, his highness hasn't left to go out to anywhere, you can try checking his study."
He's definitely not in his study, Anisha didn't want to ask him if there was a room he usually could be in by this time. After all, It was that every members of the royal family had their own personal chambers.
"Okay thank you," She said.
"Anytime my Lady"
Giving it up, Anisha headed back to her chamber and realized she had lost her way, this hall didn't look like the one her chamber was located.
People might start wondering what was up with her wandering round the halls, she couldn't possibly be taking a tour this time of the night. Servants were now less roaming as everyone seemed to have retired.
Even if she eventually found her way back, she would not be able to do as much as close her eyes knowing her husband was with someone.
"Are you by chance looking for me?" Nhel's voice echoed in the silent hall, she didn't know how he always seemed to appear.
He looked dashing in his regal armour and carried an air of valiance even though she had seen him not long ago.
"I wasn't feeling sleepy so I decided to take a tour round the Palace"
"Which means you couldn't sleep without me?"
Why did he have to put it like that? And how did he expect her to be at rest.
"Your Highness can we talk since we are together now?" Anisha wished to straighten things out.
Nhel's silence meant he was all ears
Scanning around the empty hallways, Anisha didn't feel it was private enough.
"We could go somewhere else." Nhel noticing her hesitation suggested.
Looking around at the small lake that Nhel brought her to, the serenity was like no other thing. Fireflies hovered together few steps away from them, it was a sight. If not for the probability that the water was cold, she'd have gone closer and ruffled it.
"To be honest, I was actually searching for you."
"Why so?"
Anisha was lost of words as Nhel's eyes got her forgetting the next moment what she wanted to say. It looked like a warm sun, could she ever get used to it?
Nhel looked away and chuckled. "You still haven't said why you were looking for me."
"Your eyes are really beautiful," said Anisha subconsciously.
"Which has left me wondering sometimes," Nhel uttered in return.
Anisha frowned recalling his mother, he must have gotten them from his father surely.
"We never got to court, in addition not knowing each other before now but I believe we could make our marriage work out," Anisha began.
"Does it look like it's not working out?" Nhel asked.
"I don't mean to be disrespectful but you have mistresses you go to that explains why you never bothered with consummating our marriage."
On hearing that, Nhel stepped closer, Anisha raised her neck upwards, breath seized.
In a husky voice, Nhel replied, "Are you actually willing to be with me?"