Born As The Emperor’s Daughter - Chapter 202

“Ah, really. That’s enough,” Harrison said in annoyed yet stern tone of voice as he held the girl’s wrist tight in his hands, if he added more strength, he could snap the girl’s wrist but he was stopping himself from doing so. After all, she accused and insulted her, she even dares to try and hurt her but thankfully he came right on time. He was watching the scene since earlier and didn’t dare to step as he knows that Alexandra could handle it all by herself however, this girl stepped over the boundaries and he just couldn’t stand by and watch. Even if that means Alexandra knowing that he is here in this ball and he didn’t tell her about it.

Where are even her siblings and her father? Shouldn’t they be here already? He thought to himself slightly annoyed by her family.

The girl gritted her teeth and wiggled his hand off her wrist, withdrawing it back to her. She rubbed her wrist while cradling it near to her chest, his grip hurts earlier. Harrison hid Alexandra behind his back as if he was protecting her or something before he opened his mouth to speak, his tone of voice cold, and the expression on his face shows that he was slightly ticked off.

“Picking a fight against a young girl, aren’t you an idiot and a coward at the same time?” He said and the girl’s mouth formed into a frown and she was about to say something when Harrison interrupted her by speaking again.

“You do realize that you are insulting and accusing a member of the royal family, right? Aside from that, you even tried to hurt her. That’s a crime, just to let you know. You could either get prisoned or your rank would be demoted,” Nevertheless, he looked calm and composed in this situation though he was emitting a menacing aura. The atmosphere suddenly became cold and tense all of the sudden. Then whispers were heard coming out from the people’s mouth.

“Isn’t she the daughter of Marquis Lowell? The Young Lady Fiona?”

“Now that you said it, she is. No wonder she looks familiar.”

“I heard that her father was a duke before but he got demoted to Marquis because of her.”

“What did she do?”

“I don’t know, I heard she did some horrible things to other nobles like accusing, insulting, and asking them to do things for her.”

“Really? That’s scary, I pity her father to have a daughter like that.”

The girl who was called Fiona clenched her fists as she bit her lip while listening to their whispers. Now she was the one who was being ridiculed and humiliated instead of Alexandra, this was the result of her actions and her not thinking about it. She looked back to look at the girls behind her who she dragged here, the one wanted to go with her and wanted to humiliated Alexandra while the other was just forced to come. However, both of the same have the same look on their face, disappointed. They walked away from her thinking that if they remained, they would also be caught in this trouble they were dragged into.

She tightened her fists more to the point that her knuckles turned white and her nails dug deep in the skin of her palm. “You, who are you to interrupt?!”

“You don’t need to know that. I was just doing what I need and want to do,” Harrison responded nonchalantly and let out a sigh, calming himself down in the process as his featured softened and returned to its usual bored look on his face. He loosened his necktie slightly as it was tight around the collar of his shirt, and it was hard to breathe. Aren’t the princes going to arrive anytime soon? He thought to himself as he looked around and as if on cue, they emerged out of the crowd panting with their clothes slightly wrinkled especially Chandler’s there were even leaves sticking out of his hair.

He could hear the girl curse to herself underneath her breath when she noticed the princes walked pass through him though there were only 3 of them as Calixander wasn’t there. Their personal knights followed behind them including Carlos who was severely worried and annoyed at the same time. The situation became worse for the girl as her knees trembled and realized how much trouble she was in.

“Do you have any problem with our sister, Miss Fiona?” Christian asked in a gentle voice as there was a sweet smile on his face but he was trying his best to remain calm. He already know what happened thanks to the people who were talking about it as they passed through them. The girl remained silent, she was completely alone now and there was no one who is going to defend her. Her father would get angry at her and would punish her by locking her up in her room. She ruined their name, their reputation, and her father might become a baron at this rate.

Alexandra’s words echoed inside her head.

–“Also, I suggest you be careful about what you are going to say. After all, you’re a daughter of a high-ranking noble, perhaps a Duke or a Marquis? You probably forgot that you are talking to a member of the royal family, the emperor’s daughter. See the difference? I can tell my father to demote your rank into a baron any time that I want.”

She clicked his tongue and gritted her teeth as she doesn’t know what to say. “Where is the young miss?” Carlos looked around and saw a girl being hid behind a boy’s back. Alexandra emerged out of his back and Harrison looked at her, Carlos’ expression brightened when he saw the young miss and a sense of relief overcame him as he saw that she wasn’t hurt, however, he heard about what the girl did to the young miss.

“Ah, aren’t you the one at the academy?!” Chandler had a shocked look on his face as he pointed at Harrison who was staring at Alexandra, he looked at him at the corner of his eyes before he turned his head to face him. It was Harrison, his rival at the academy. That one classmate he always get irritated at and would always challenge but he would just politely decline him with a smile on his face which looked sarcastic while saying, ‘I apologize but fighting against you, I know how the fight would end,’ or something between those lines.

“Blessings and Glory for the Queenilia Empire, your majesty,” Harrison said in a polite tone of voice, there were 3 princes in front of him so he couldn’t just be careless and become disrespectful. He bowed his head as he spoke before he lifted it after a few seconds, meeting the prince’s gaze. Chandler was about to say something but Gilbert held him back by speaking, “Save the chit-chat for later, Chad. We still have a situation to deal with,” Was what he said before he turned around to face the girl. Chandler glared at Harrison who just held a nonchalant look on his face before he turned around.

Finally, after moments of not speaking, Alexandra finally opened her mouth and spoke. Her voice was low as she held her head low. Nobody couldn’t see what kind of expression she was making. However, due to the aura that she was emitting, Harrison could tell that she was irritated. Was it because of the cake that was on the floor or not?

“Carlos, I’ll let you handle this situation,” Alexandra said as if she was giving him permission to do whatever he wants with the girl. She couldn’t deal with her any longer so she badly wants to leave and aside from that, she still have something to do.

“Understood, young miss. You can leave if you want, your father was probably informed about what’s happening right now.”

“I see, thank you.”

Alexandra said before she turned to face Harrison, her lips pursed into a thin line as her eye twitched while her eyebrow was slightly raised. “And you, we need to talk,” The way Alexandra spoke to him felt like they were close when they really are. She mentioned that she have a friend who is studying in the academy and it was a male though she ever told them about his name and or what he looks like.

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

She said and pulled his necktie, dragging him off to somewhere as they left the scene, heading out of the place and to the garden. The people’s attentions were focused on the girl and the princes but they were drove off by the knights who were there as the emperor arrived along with Calixander and they knew what is going to happen to the poor girl after picking a fight or making a scene with the emperor’s daughter. She deserves it anyway, some of them thought inside their heads as they walked away.

Immediately soon afterwards, it became normal again and the young lady, Fiona, along with her father who were angry at her were dragged to somewhere else with the Emperor. Probably to his office or to another room to discuss about what happen. All they could do was to just follow and pray that it wouldn’t be that bad though they know that it would.

—

“So tell me, how and why are you here?”

Alexandra asked Harrison with her arms crossed as she tapped her foot against the ground continuously. Harrison was in front of her, leaning against the fountain with his hands on top of the concrete surface of the fountain’s basin. The clear water reflecting the bright moon with its stars on the night sky. The place was being illuminated by its gentle and cool glow.

Harrison didn’t respond to her and just looked at his left side as if he was averting his gaze away from her and Alexandra let out a sigh before she spoke again. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She said after she sighed still not breaking her gaze away from Harrison. This time, Harrison responded and turned his head to face her.

“Well, it was way too sudden and before I knew it, I was already here and dressed.”

“Are you joking with me?”

“I’m telling the truth.”

“Did someone drag you here or something? Were you kidnapped or what?”

“Sort of. Luke and Jerich invited me to come with them since they got an extra invitation. They even invited Elise. I would usually refuse or decline, but…”

Alexandra’s eyebrows knitted as she became curious.

“But what?”

Harrison sighed as he stood up properly before he walked towards her direction and stopped in front of her, he didn’t speak for a few seconds and just offered her his hand which she just stared at with pure wonder in her eyes.

“Why don’t we dance?” He asked her and Alexandra looked up to him, blinking multiple times as she stared at him. There was a smile on his face but it wasn’t his usual mischievous or teasing one but rather it was gentle and tender which was quite unusual.

“Huh?”

“Come on,” Harrison said before he took both of her hands and placed one on top of his shoulder while he held the other with his hand. He placed his other hand against her waist and he held her gently as if she was something fragile, something precious, like a porcelain doll. Beautiful yet fragile.

He started to sway and dance around with her as he laughed while she was still confused, he was the one who lead the dance and he just let her follow his movements as if she was used to this. “W-Wait, answer my question first!” Alexandra said as she was being swayed and her foot followed him. Her dress swayed and fluttered with them. The breeze was gentle and cool as it hit and caressed their bare skin.

“I knew that you were going to be here and it would be your first ball, you told me about it.”

“Huh?”

“I just want to see you, is that bad?”

He said and a slight pout was seen on his lips as he averted his gaze, there was a light shade of pink on his cheeks though Alexandra didn’t notice it. Hearing his response, a chuckle escaped her lips and she started to move and sway with him with ease and didn’t let herself get dragged around.

“No, it’s not bad. Though you came at the right time earlier, thanks for saving me.”

“I did what I have to do because if I don’t, you would ruin your image as soon as you emerged.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll fight back and would slap her back then it would become a pretty bad fight. That would ruin your reputation and image easily. People would be more afraid or would hate you more.”

“Right.”

He just hummed as he stared at her face, wondering with multiple thoughts inside his head before his lips broke out into a smile before he spoke once again.

“As expected, red suits you well.”

And they danced without any music and just the sound of their breathing and Alexandra’s humming as they were being basked underneath the moonlight with nothing but the gentle wind and the rustles of the leaves accompanying them.