Chapter 2

Ever since he rubbed Jaden the wrong way for like the second time, Justin had been really mindful of what he said and had always reminded himself every time he woke up to not be afraid of her and show her who was the boss, but instead when he tried to tease her, his words froze mid-way and he got Goosebumps sometimes.

Another day arrived and Justin planned to take Jaden out to the market and mingled with the people. But the problem was to locate her. Really, this woman, sighed Justin, couldn’t she inform her own people where she would be? Even asking them led nowhere. He searched the kitchen, her room, the dining hall, the tower, the grand hall and almost everywhere, well almost.

Jaden managed to be up early before the servants and the royal people. She was already outside her room travelling into the hearts of the castle and even had entered the left desolated wing of the castle. It seemed she was searching for something and fast. It took sometimes and the area was older compared to the usual rooms and halls they used. She heard it had been rarely used ever since the death of the King. The place had become quite barren, hollow and a bit eerie. But she managed to stumble upon a particular door and maybe that room was what she looking for.

Justin was walking through a long corridor of the left wing. He figured if she might wander off around the area. The corridor was long and cold and he hated it. He really couldn’t cope well with this haunted feeling. It was his father’s room, he was passing by.

But just as he reached the end of the hallway, he looked over to his right and saw a familiar green-haired maiden approaching a door.

“Jaden”

Dammit. Why didn’t she notice his presence? It even surprised her a bit. She turned, “Yes?”

“This place is off-limit for now”, he told her, “Until we’re officially married, you’re the only one from the Vast House that may be allowed to enter”.

“May, huh?” Jaden said slowly and softly.

As if he didn’t hear her, he continued, “Besides, I need you to come with me to the streets and market”.

She let out a small sigh and tiredly said, “Sure, let’s go”.

See, that wasn’t so bad, Justin’s conscience jumped. She didn’t even talk back or showed any signs of hatred. Maybe she was in a good mood…so it might not hurt to press on…

“By the way, what were you doing around here even when the Royal House told you beforehand to not step into this area?”

Tsk, he was surprisingly sharp today, cursed Jaden. “Curiosity”, she replied.

One-word-answer, huh? Guess he had to terminate that topic.

Jaden joined him and they walked together back to the main castle area. It was initially quiet as the two walked together through those creepy hallways and corridors until suddenly Jaden spoke.

“Justin, do you value your life?”

What kind of question is that? “Umm…well, I don’t know about that…but I do get scared when I think of dying, I guess”, he was trying to arrange his words carefully.

“Well, I think you’re contradicting. This makes it two times you come here to me on your own. Aren’t you scared to be killed in such ominous places like before? Aren’t you being too naïve?”

Justin felt actually happy hearing that. Because it was as though she was starting to show concern of him – that was what his brain could come up with. He wanted to cockily say, “Could you have fallen for me?” but restrained himself because she might just threaten to kill him and she could. He knew that even a princess carries dagger as protection and weapon.

“Who knows? We can’t always give the right answer because everyone’s right is different. What exactly is valuing one’s life? Is it to die for others’ sake or to live on for the fallen? Is it about being selfish or confident? To have pride or arrogance – I don’t think I can give that answer now, but when the time comes when I realise the real meaning in your words, then I will tell you”.

But for now, he was beginning to see that Jaden was not so scary at all. There would be time to talk and to understand each other and besides he was also wondering the reasons Jaden was lurking around in such places. Could she have been to other desolated area in the castle? What was she actually doing at the castle’s compound the other day? He never thought that this woman held such mysteries in the air and for the first time he felt unafraid of her, infact, intrigued.

Tomorrow would be the day. Justin was settling himself into bed. The large window that acted as a door to the balcony permitted a moon ray to enter his chamber that night. He sighed. By tomorrow his fate would be sealed and hopefully peace would be restored.