The king

20

THE KING
~ Arabella's pov ~

Being in the garden, I seek comfort. It distracted me from the world and its enraged society. The same goes for when I design my dresses, it helps me not to worry so much over my sister and her choices of the gentlemen she seems to chase after.

I was too cooped up in the house, I was beginning to grow mad. With my mind too occupied over my sister's engagement to Sir Kingsley and Oden, I felt as if I would explode soon, I was not one for keeping secrets and I was definitely not the one to have an affair with a gentleman who works for my family.

I could not help but wonder what it would be like to be wedded or the feeling of getting proposed to. The image warms my heart of the man whom I wished for to be the one to get down on one knee.

Of course, I was being delusional at the topic of marriage, I was never the one to like the idea of being held down by a man. Neither am I now, I have found a man that agrees on women's rights in this time of age.

Oden was working in the fields with my father and Bridger, with also many others that worked for my family. Ignoring the desirable thoughts of walking to the fields to simply check on the men as they work, but also take a peek at the man who holds my heart dearly.

I was falling too quickly. One second I am not looking for a man's attention and the next second I am completely at his throne.

My old self would have grown mad at the sight of what I have become.

I did not care though, I think we all deserve a kind of love you wish to fight for. A love that makes your hearts beat quickly and your toes curl from the anticipation of what is next.

"Arabella Houstings, I thought I'd find you near." A voice speaks from the woodworks. A voice that I know all too familiar with, and it does not have my heart aching, it has me wanting to run away at the sight of him.

Sir Kingsley.

I turn my head, giving him a frown. I can feel the hot sun beating down my face and the sweat dripping from my neck to my breasts, flowing down my dress.

I squint my eyes, looking up at the man who is to marry my sister. He smirks as he walks in front of my being, blocking the sun from irritating my sight.

He is infuriating, I can not be in his presence for too long.

"Sir Kingsley," I greet with a nod.

"James," he says and I grow confused. He smiles. "It is my first name. Since we are to be family soon, you should call me James."

I'd rather not.

"My sister is not here at the moment, would you like me to spread a word for you?" I tell him, hoping he'd leave in an instant since his beloved fiancé is not here.

"I know she is not present at this moment," he says, which stirs something in my chest. He smirks. "She's at a fitting, I did not come for her."

"My father is in the fields, once he is finished you may speak with him," I say harshly, hoping he was not referring to his reasoning being here was for me. How dare he?

"I am not here for him either, Bella," he states, shaking his head. The look he gives is not friendly, it is interested in what he is seeing.

"Arabella," I correct. Only Oden calls me Bella.

"Oh?" He's taken aback. "That servant of yours gets to call you that, why can't I?"

"That servant of mine is my friend and I give permission to my friends to call me that name, you, Sir Kingsley, are not my friend." I take a stand, dusting my dress off and crossing my arms to show that I am not affected by him.