ruby athens
"Ah, there you are. My most beloved gem, Ruby."
His voice alone made my blood boil. At this point, he made my blood boil so much that all my blood had evaporated.
"You? Again?" I click my tongue in annoyance, watching him take a seat next to me on the bench right in front of the sapphire blue lake.
"This is my palace. Of course, you'll see me everywhere, love," he chuckles humourlessly, leaning back, making himself comfortable on the bench.
"I'm sure the palace is big enough for you to be anywhere but here," I mutter, glancing at him, "So what brings our beloved prince here?"
He arches an eyebrow, his lips twirling into a frown, "I could ask you the same question, love. What are you doing at my palace, Lady Ruby Athens? Did the Duke finally have enough with your revolting attitude?"
I feign a smile, "Unfortunately, you're wrong about that, your highness. Might I say, again."
"It was your father, the Emperor, who requested my presence because I am the diamond of this empire and I shall be needed here to welcome the army back," I chuckle, tracing my fingers against the bracelet of diamonds.
"Diamond?" He furrows his eyebrows, "In my eighteen years of knowing you, you are definitely not a diamond, love."
"And what?" I let out a laugh, "You think your silly opinion matters to me? I know what I am worth, your highness, and I definitely do not need you to define me."
"I was not defining you," he rolls his eyes, "I was reminding you, love."
"I definitely do not need you to remind me," I look away and lean back, closing my eyes to distract myself from him.
And with that, the prince finally decided to shut up but the peace didn't last for more than five minutes.
"How many proposals did you get, Ruby?"
I open my eyes and furrow my eyebrows, wondering why on earth he was so interested in that.
He was already looking at me when I turn to glance at him, his jaw clenched, eyes narrowed at me. His emerald eyes were glinting under the afternoon sunlight, his hand resting between the gap among us.
"Fifty?" I arch an eyebrow.
He looks surprised, "Oh? Only? I heard that you were getting way more than that."
"Your Highness, I meant fifty per day," I chuckle, "I should start narrowing them down to a few before I lose my right to even choose a husband."
"If they all knew about your volcanic temper, they would not even wish to be near you," he mutters.
"If you know so much about my volcanic temper, then why are you near me?" I tilt my head at him, arching an eyebrow as I wait for a reply.
He moves his face closer to mine, "Because, unlike others, I am not scared of your temper, love," he murmurs, looking straight into my eyes as I narrow my eyes at him.
"Your Highness?"
He moves his face away from mine, "Hmm?"
"Go to Hell." I feign a smile as I get up from the bench and throw him a glare.
He smiles, a smile so sweet that it could melt someone, but not me.
He stands up, instantly towering me as he glances down at me. He places his hand on my chin, making him look up, straight into his eyes.
"I am already standing right in front of Hell," he murmurs, "Or should I say Satan?"
"You infuriate me so much," I clench my jaw, slapping his hand away from me.
"Oh, I know just how to help you with that," he chuckles, a devilish look gleaming in his emerald eyes and he grasps my shoulder.
"Cool down, Ruby," he whispers in my ear.
And then he fucking pushes me into the lake.
I push my head out of the water, moving my hair away from my eyes. He was standing there, hands in his pockets as he stares in amusement at me.
"Aaron!" I glare at him, my hands aching to strangle him as soon as I get out of here. I was burning in rage and I had called him by his name.
And I only call him by his first name when I had enough of him.
"Yes, love?" He chuckles, clearly amused by my expression, "Looks like you still didn't cool down yet," he bends down on one knee, removing his hand out of his pocket.
But before he could offer me his hand, someone else had managed already managed to grab me and pull me out of the water with ease.
"I didn't expect for us to meet like this, Lady Ruby," his voice was deep enough to resonate butterflies in my stomach.
