CASSANDRA: The Unfavored Princess-Chapter 67: Duke’s Permission?

Cassandra’s words confused Aiden as he stayed quiet.

"Do you not think Ed?" Cassandra asked again as she tilted her head. Her eyes glittering with questions, wanting to know the answers.

Aiden looked at the curiosity in Cassandra’s gaze. He wanted to say ’I do.’ but could not. Something in his senses was keeping him quiet.

"Why would the Princess ask this?" Aiden said in a husky tone. His gaze narrowed, questioning Princess Cassandra.

"Why would I ask this?" Cassandra murmured as she played with her fingers. Her gaze looked everywhere except at the man.

Cassandra had asked the question subconsciously after hearing Amy’s words; by now it seems that she could not come out of the situation she had created on her own.

"I cannot see your face so I do not know what you are thinking so .." Cassandra played with her finger with nervousness. She did not want to say much. It was a random excuse that made her mind.

"But why would the Princess do that?" Aiden asked as he took a step closer to Cassandra. His eyes stayed on Cassandra, making her unable to look away.

"It’s a habit." Cassandra blurted out while Aiden raised his eyebrows.

Cassandra realized what she had just said as she swallowed hard. Her gaze shook in confusion as she closed her eyes. Cassandra’s heartbeats had increased subconsciously as she could tell that her breathing was turning irregular.

’This cannot happen.’

’I need to keep my cool.’ 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

’Yes, I have to hide my ability.’

Cassandra held her heart on her sleeves as she took some deep breaths to control her racing heart. "You see, people in the palace are not very optimistic about me. Apart from Amy, I am basically neglected by all so I have developed this habit to look at their faces to understand what they are thinking." Cassandra’s sight stopped at Ed’s face as she smiled defeatedly. "It makes me feel like I am not alone in the crowded room."

At Cassandra’s words, Aiden’s sharpened eyes softened. He looked at the Princess who shiver like a deer caught under the preying gaze of a tiger.

Aiden nodded his head as he thought back at all the times when he had seen Princess Cassandra lost in thoughts. She looked at people with dead eyes, staring at nowhere.

’That explains things.’

’Princess Cassandra is alone, so she looks at people.’

’Maybe that’s why she sees me as well.’

Aiden realized as he thought back at how the fifth Princess had been staring at him from the first time they had met in the garden.

But even if that was the truth, it did not explain why the fifth Princess would ask questions that even he didn’t know.

Aiden looked at Cassandra as his eyes turned darker. ’I have to look more into it.’

’I have to make sure that my assumptions are incorrect.’

’I hope they are incorrect.’

Aiden clenched his fist as he said. "The Duke wants the book back. He wants you to tell me all the details in it."

Cassandra stated as she halted a little. "Duke Salvador wanted me to tell you?" Cassandra asked in a low voice.

"Yes," Aiden said observing the fifth Princesses reaction. "Isn’t the book duplicated yet?"

Aiden has seen how hard the fifth Princess was working over the nights. She could hardly sleep as if there was a wide beast after her, running behind her to eat her alive.

’She wants to close all contacts with me.’

Aiden raised his lips even though he knew Cassandra could not see it. ’She can never be left alone.’

Cassandra was nervous. She played with her hands but her palms had started sweating. She looked everywhere else but at Ed. "I... I .. canno .. cannot do that ..’’ Cassandra’s voice trembled at the end.

"Why?" Aiden raised his eyebrows in question.

"Well... If the Duke did not tell me then I cannot tell you." Cassandra said in a low tone.

"So the Princess wanted to get the Duke’s permission?" Aiden asked with ridicule in his tone.

Cassandra nodded but soon she realized what she had done. Cassandra shook her head in denial all of a sudden.

Ed chuckled as he looked at the fifth Princess as he lay down towards the Princess. "I will inform Duke Salvador about the Princess’s request."

"Please don’t," Cassandra said hurriedly. Her tone showed her true feelings.

Aiden smiled as he turned around as if he was ready to go, but soon a soft touch held him back.

Cassandra held Ed’s hand in shock. She did not want to get Duke Salvador involved again but soon she realized that she really needed to get the Duke’s permission to show Ed about the contents of the book.

"That .." Cassandra struggled to say words as she looked up. "Can you just get the written permission of the Duke?"

"The fifth Princess is afraid of Duke Salvador?" Aiden asked as he narrowed his gaze. The soft skin touching him sent an unknown sensation to his body.

"No," Cassandra shook her head as her hand on Ed tightened. "I cannot read his thoughts."

Cassandra’s eyes were lowered as she murmured, but the words still caught his ears.

"I will try," Aiden said as he removed Cassandra’s hand and left without turning back. His eyes had an unidentified glow buried under curiosity.

Cassandra who realized what she had done was quiet. She touched her hand in shock as she closed her eyes. She didn’t know when her lips formed into a curve, giving a shy smile.

’What am I thinking?’ Cassandra hit her head as she turned around. Her legs rotated as her dress fluttered in the process.

’I should start writing.’

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Aiden walked into the forest as he waited for Blazh. Soon the man came as he asked the Duke. "Duke Salvador is thinking something?"

"Yes, I am," Aiden said as he removed the covering cloth from his face. "And I need your help to confirm my assumptions."

"Yes .." Blazh was confused as raised his eyebrows, waiting for the Duke to explain further.

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Amy was walking around in the corridor. Her hands were playing with each other as her heart could not rest.

"The Duke is waiting for you," Blazh said in a low voice as he came towards Amy.

Amy swallowed hard. She had seen the man helping Princess Cassandra a few days ago and knew that he was one of Duke Salvador’s subordinates. But he showed up suddenly demanding that the Duke wanted to talk with her.

Amy was confused. Even though she wanted to refuse, she could not. It was not in her power to do so.

Amy nodded as she followed Blazh. They walked into a deserted area that Amy did not know existed. A small alley attacking a quiet place in disguise.

Amy looked around and soon realized that Duke Salvador was standing. His back facing her. Amy looked around only to see that Blazh was nowhere to be seen.

"Duke?" Amy said. With her words, Aiden turned around as he looked straight into Amy’s eyes. He gritted his teeth as he clenched his jaw in anger. Amy’s words were still fresh in his heart.

Aiden walked towards Amy as he looked down at her ready to hurt her if she dared say something he did not approve of. "I heard the fifth Princess’s lady in waiting has a prejudice against me?"

Amy took a few steps back in horror. Her eyes widened. "No."

Aiden did not reply but stared at her as if he was still waiting for a satisfactory answer.

Amy swallowed as danger bells started ringing in her head. "The man the Duke had assigned for the Princess is not doing his job well," Amy said after taking a few deep breaths.

Aiden laughed as he raised his eyebrows. "Why do you think so?"

Amy looked at a distance. She was frightened to say something out of line but she also knew that she had to say it to protect her Princess.

Princess Cassandra was naïve in Amy’s eyes. An innocent lady who does not know what evil thoughts others possess. Amy had always thought that she was responsible for Cassandra. In order to protect the Princess, Amy would fight back even if it was with the Duke.

"Ed never leaves Princess’s side when he is on the rounds. He is always in the room. It is as if he thinks the room belongs to him. The Princess is already promised to Lord Benth .."

"And that matters?" Aiden cut through Amy’s words. He did not know why he was so angry about listening to Cassandra and Achard’s names together brought a sour taste in Aiden’s mouth.

Amy was angry at Duke Salvador’s words. Her eyes widened as she said in rage. "Why doesn’t it matter? It matters. Princess Cassandra will soon marry and being so close to Ed is not good for her."

"It doesn’t matter," Aiden said as his eyes married.

"It matters. The Duke should assign someone else in his place .."

"I will not."

"But the Duke should consider your friend’s feelings."

"Why should I .."

"BECAUSE ED LIKES THE PRINCESS," Amy shouted in frustration.