~{PECULIAR'S POV}~
*
"What? The king wishes to have breakfast with me?" I asked in surprise because it was sudden.
"Yes, in the royal garden." The lady who came to inform me of it looked like she was the housekeeper and beside her was a messenger I recognized who frequently reported to the king from the moment we arrived.
Seeing him was a relief and I didn't think deeply about it, rather I felt entitled to eat with the king since I was his second wife.
Thankfully I was an early bird and had already worn a decent dress, fitting to dine with him.
I beamed in eagerness and watched how they were mesmerized by my beauty.
By now I had already gotten used to the stares from people, both male and female. But the stare I couldn't get used to was from Lauren, my heartthrob and savior.
I couldn't believe he was married to a nasty queen who had no decorum or care for how she spoke.
She spoke really ill of me and I didn't want to associate with her, not even in the slightest.
"Please follow me." The housekeeper said and I quietly followed her since I didn't know the way.
The guard stationed at my door by his majesty immediately followed for my protection, just in case someone tried anything funny.
While we toured the palace, I happened to come across paintings of the King and Queen. Although they were painted separately until I came across one where they were dressed in their full regalia. Possibly the moment they were crowned king and queen.
The queen had a bright smile while the king barely smiled as he stood slightly behind the throne chair she sat on.
"He must have thought he married a good woman." I muttered to myself in pity.
"What did you say?" The housekeeper asked in curiosity as she looked over her shoulder at me.
"Nothing." I lied.
The king's messenger and my guard were behind me as we kept going until we went out of the building and I took in the beauty of nature as the excitement built.
It took us a few more walks before we arrived at the beautiful gazebo planted in the midst of the blooming garden which was at the backyard of the palace.
However, the king wasn't present. Only maids as they set up the table.
"Isn't the king here yet?" I asked in slight concern.
"He will be here soon, just sit and be comfortable, my lady." The housekeeper warmly responded and my guard dutifully pulled out a chair for me.
Before I sat down, the maids bowed to me in respect, making me feel more important.
As some seconds passed and turned to minutes, leading to nearly fifteen minutes if I was correct, I finally heard footsteps slightly far behind me, causing me to turn my head over my left shoulder to see who it was.
The moment I saw who it was that was approaching me, I slowly got up in confusion and surprise.
It was the Queen!
Why was she here instead of the King?
Why was she here before him?
As she inched closer and closer, I felt the tension rising.
She was smirking and I knew the look she currently had on her face. It was the one cunning people wore.
I could already see through her. I wasn't scared, rather I was bothered about my standing right now since the king was yet to announce our union.
Because of that, I was at a huge disadvantage.
When she got closer, I bowed out of respect even though I didn't like her one bit.
While my head was bowed slightly, I watched her from the side of my eyes as she lifted her head in pride and walked past me without saying a word and it irritated me.
She went straight to the other chair reserved for the king and one of her ladies in waiting pulled it out for her.
Strangely, I couldn't understand how a queen could have several ladies in waiting instead of one.
She made herself comfortable before saying in a voice filled with contempt, "You may sit down, Peculiar."
Peculiar?
How does she know my name?
And most importantly, why would she call me by my direct name instead of adding the 'Lady' title with respect.
Just because she was a queen doesn't mean she can treat everyone as she liked.
I sat down and finally looked at her just to find her opening observing me with narrowed eyes. Seeing her on a closer view made me realize that she wouldn't have a chance with me. Why?
Because, not only did she have a bad character but she wasn't as pretty as me, in fact, she couldn't be compared to me in the slightest.
I frowned slightly but maintained an innocent look since it worked everything. She may be hard but my looks have always melted hearts and she won't be exempted.
"It is such a privilege to meet with you in person, your highness, and I am really honored to find out that you know my name." I sweetly said with a smile permanently on my lips.
She smiled again and took her half filled cup of tea to take a sip before speaking.
"Enough with the charade, Peculiar. It's tiring how you keep pretending to be all sweet and innocent when you are none of that."
Her words were blunt and surprising. I expected them to be indirect and coated. I wasn't expecting her to be this direct.
Secondly, I noticed how she spoke to me like she knew who I was, making me frown in suspicion.
"Charade? I don't understand?" I meekly asked, feigning ignorance.
Everyone around us were quiet and observant without bothering to interfere.
"How did you do it then? How did you lure his majesty into your webs?"
At her coated words, I nearly scoffed but simply stared in curiosity.
She was quite observant and deep-sighted, I must give her that, but she may think she knows me when in truth she has no inkling who I am exactly.
If she knew, she would be trembling in fear.
"Where is the ring? Is that it?" She went on to ask and I looked at my middle finger on my left where a diamond ring rested.
"Oh Lauren. He even had the decency to get you a ring, how touching." She said in fake excitement and it made me nearly laugh at her because she was readable.
Taking that to my advantage, I let her feel like she was right.
"Yes, Lauren gav-"
"HEY!" she suddenly snapped at me while glaring at me with a hawk -like gaze and I blinked in fake surprise even when I knew exactly why she cut me short.
The maids and her ladies in waiting had inhaled at my words before the queen stopped.
"Don't you ever call the king by his name. You may have been in battle with him for two months but that doesn't give you any right to do so. Only I have that right." The queen firmly said and I faked an apologetic look.
"I apologize for my negligence. I won't repeat it again."
"Lies," she blurted out almost immediately as she munched into a cupcake.
"Pardon?" I played ignorant.
"Lauren didn't give you that ring, you liar. You had it all along." She dully said like it was an obvious thing when it wasn't.
How did she know that?
My eyes widened slightly in genuine surprise as I watched her with a different look now.
Out of curiosity, I decided to test her knowledge on the ring.
"How do you know that?"
"I know things, young lady. Haven't you heard I practice witchcraft?"
At her bold words, all heads turned to the queen in great shock and disbelief, making me also surprised at how easily she said that without minding the weight of her words.
If this got out, she would be burnt alive.
Right now, I became extremely wary of her, not because she practiced witchcraft but because of how fearless she was of the consequences.
If she feared nothing and spoke this way then she was far more dangerous than I imagined. Worst of all, I couldn't read her eyes to know what was going through her mind.
Maybe I had underestimated her too soon.