It's not love.

Ella chewed on her fork; her brown eyes ceaselessly lingered over Prince Emmett's masculine figure, engaged in devouring the mellow piece of cake settled upon the Palace's expensive cutlery.

It can't be love.

Maybe it's the way he looks that pulled Ella into his web.

Maybe it's the way his jet black hair repeatedly cascades over his forehead and falls over his dark eyes, his slender finger then tugging them behind his ear, revealing his pale temple.

Maybe it's the way he peers over her, his gaze so deeply profound yet so unbelievably soft.

So it's infatuation, right?

Or maybe it's just the way he smiles, which makes him all the more bewitching and truly irresistible.

Definitely infatuation.

Prince Emmett peeked over Ella as he halted munching on his vanilla desert, his brows slightly raised and the corner of his lips towed up giving Ella a gentle grin.

Ella choked.

Or is it?

The piece of warm steak that had been roaming around her mouth for the last few minutes, burned in her throat.

She banged her chest and tried to cough the food out resulting in her face turning beet red and eyes brimming with tears.

Prince Emmett who was settled across her stood and bent over the dining table in haste.

He poured water in his shiny silver cup and handed it to her, an expression of worry took over his features.

Ella chugged down the cold liquid in a bolt; her palm firmly clutched the metallic crockery as she placed it down after emptying it.

She sighed a breath of relief as the water gushed down her vessels, easing down the blazing sensation.

"Oh how lucky, Adler gets to drink from the same cup as Prince Emmett of the Mubeven Empire, I bet she must have departed straight to heavens inside."

Ella didn't even bother turning to the origin of the voice, she already knew who it was.

At this point everybody did.

Princess Irene.

She was seated beside Ella, her luscious hair tied in a neat bun, and her body adorned in a simple white gown.

Princess Irene threw multiple glares at Ella's way before she arranged her fork back on the plate and rubbed her hands off a green napkin.

Ella rolled her orbs, she thanked Prince Emmett and picked up her spoon. She dipped it in the vegetable soup positioned in the bowl in front of her and brought the spoon closer to her mouth before it tumbled down on her sky blue attire.

Her mouth wide open and her loose strands twirling around her face, Ella frowned.

The grip on her spoon got tighter as she scowled at a smirking Princess Irene.

She elbowed Ella's arm causing her dress's skirt to get fully drenched in the hot solution.

Control, Ella.

Take it easy. She is not worth it.

Princess Irene took advantage of her occupied state, busy in wiping off the soup soaking her outfit.

She dragged a spoon full of white sauce from the container near her and carved a letter "P" with it on Ella's serving of mashed potatoes.

She pushed back her chair, producing a screeching sound. Her hand patted Ella's shoulder and pointed it to the dish of potatoes lying by her side.

Ella heaved her brows, her head slightly tilting to the puzzling craft on her food.

She stared at Princess Irene in utter confusion.

"P for Peasant." Princess Irene mouthed.

"What?" Ella questioned as her eyes squinted in uncertainty.

"P for peasant!" Princess Irene replied louder, her sudden rise in octave this time caused Louise to whip her head in their direction.

Ella's lids narrowed down into slits, she studied the Princess's frame wobbling from laughter as she folded her arms against her chest.

That's not funny at all.

What was the wisest thing to do in such a situation? Probably ignore her, right?

But if Ella was ever this rational would she even be in this chaos, to begin with?

She didn't blink for several seconds, as she observed Princess Irene and her failed attempt at mockery.

Her hand hovered over the same container of white sauce, yanking a spoon full out herself and drawing an "S" on Princess Irene's steak.

Princess Irene paused, her arms fell by her sides and her eyes assessed Ella's work.

"S? What does that stand for?" She interrogated, her brows knitted together and her hands now placed on her hips.

Ella chuckled.

"Could be a lot of things. Figure out on your own."

Princess Irene banged her fist on the table, the booming resonated across the hall.

"I demand an answer, right now!"

Everyone gathered around the dinner turned their attention to the source of the commotion.

"Calm down Irene, she means..uh..sweet!" Louise rose from her chair and pushed Princess Irene back into hers. A glint of hope appeared in her eyes.

Ella snorted.

Sweet, yes, that's exactly what I mean.

Princess Irene inhaled many deep breathes, her nostrils flared and her fingernails dug in her palm.

"Irene."

Ella's ears perked, her gaze shifted to the owner of the familiar voice.

Prince Emmett.

"Louise is right. Rest assured, maybe she means... special."

His cheeks dusted a certain crimson and his orbs locked with those of Princess Irene's.

No, Prince Emmett. That's what you mean.

Ella moved her neck around uncomfortably, she tried her very best to isolate herself from the romantic tension that now jammed the air.

It was almost suffocating, as if she couldn't breathe.

Could be because of Prince Emmett's lovey-dovey gestures towards Princess Irene, Ella deep down knew she could never achieve.

Or could be beause of Prince Theodore and his piercing stare, intensely surveying her coping mechanism to the entire ordeal.

Ella relaxed her back against the wooden chair as her fork played with her salad. She was about to excuse herself and leave before a precise feeling of heaviness took over her head. As if something sat on top of it. She caressed the crown of her head with her fingers. They landed on a sticky substance adhering to her hair.

She brought the fingertips near her eyes and immediately gawked.

Is this cream?

She peered at Princess Irene who lifted a cherry off her piece of cake and landed it on the clump of cream on Ella's head.

She smiled ear to ear and placed the back of both her hands under her chin, her lashes blinking swiftly in process.

No. NO.

You cannot do the same to her Ella, no matter how much of an imp she is, Princess Irene is still royalty.

The consequences could be severe, and you have important business with her father.

Your life depends on it.

Stay still.

Ella got up from her seat, wanting to leave and take her wrath out on some random prop.

Her mouth opened but before she could spill out the words Princess Irene pitched out the wine out of her cup and on to Ella's blouse.

Louise widened her eyes, she collected the napkin off the table promptly and stroked it on Ella's clothes.

Prince Theodore slightly rose from his seat as well, burning holes in Princess Irene's head.

Ella stood rooted to the ground, her eyes angrily beholding the mess on her ensemble.

A drenched skirt, a soaking wet blouse, and creamy, greasy hair.

All because of one person.

Screw sanity.

Ella hollered her tray of salad on Princess Irene.

Her blood was boiling, this was not enough.

She flung her platter of mashed potatoes on her head as well.

Princess Irene raised her arms. Her fingers distanced and wide open with her mouth agape.

"You witch!"

She slung the rest of her remaining cake on Ella's face as she searched around for a napkin in frenzy.

Louise was frozen. Her palm covered her mouth as her other free hand grasped on her dress. She flashed to Princess Irene's side, pulling on her elbow, striving to help her escape.

Not so fast.

Ella wiped the cake's crust dwelling on her face with one swift motion. She ran over to Louise's seating spot and garnered her steak off the plate. Her hand occupying the meat jerked back before bowling it in Princess Irene's direction.

Princess Irene ogled, a yelp slipping past her lips as she ducked down trying to defend herself against Ella's aim.

The heavy chunk of flesh flew over her and hit Louise in the face instead, hard.

Louise's head moved to the other side upon the impact. Her hand made it's way to her throbbing cheek as she stared at Ella in disbelief.

Ella was horrified. Her eyes enlarged twice the size as she carried her hand to Louise's direction to apologize.

"Oh! You are so dead!" Princess Irene packed her hand with plenty of rice and was about to flip it on Ella before a long, slender hand held her wrist stiffly.

"Enough!"

Prince Emmett's clasp on Princess Irene's wrist allowed him to move her behind his broad back.

"Peace, both of you!"

Ella's chest rose and fell restlessly. She curled her hands into fists, the sight of Princess Irene alone was all it took for her to bang her head against a wall continously.

She made her beyond irritated. Ella had to admit. That was a talent in itself.

Prince Emmett's eyes switched between Ella and Princess Irene.

He used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe all sorts of varieties of food dripping down Princess Irene's face.

Ella scoffed.

That was her queue to leave.

She ran her fingers through her messy locks and gave Princess Irene one last glare. Ella was about to exit before a fuzzy feeling crept up her spine. She felt the paste-y liquid dribble down her arm and coating her back.

Ella rotated, her eyes fixating them upon Princess Irene's fuming figure holding the now empty container of sauce in her hand.

Princess Irene hoisted another bowl filled with a similar dip and cast it towards Ella.

Ella shut her eyes and bent briskly.

The bowl of fluid landed on another figure approaching her.

His white shirt and the ends of his hair swamped in the thick fluid.

He raised his head and glared aggressively at Princess Irene. 

Prince Theodore bumped his shoulder into Ella's as he walked past her making Princess Irene stumble back. He elevated the cup of alcohol placed on the table and threatened to spill it over her.

"Brother, don't. You know better."

Prince Emmett placed his hand on Prince Theodore's chest shoving him lightly.

Prince Theodore's lip twitched as his jaw clenched, his finger massaged the bridge of his nose.

He looked at Princess Irene before gradually putting his arm down and turned around to Ella.

His eyes roamed over her wreck of a state, her hands busy in untangling the salad leaves and fruits hanging by her strands.

Her current helpless state caused all hell to break loose in his heart.

He sprinted back and plunged the wine on Princess Irene.

Prince Emmett hugged Princess Irene's smaller frame in protection, the drink now blanketed him from head to toe and tickled down his lashes.

It took a while before Princess Irene snapped back to reality.

An irked Prince Theodore and a victimized Prince Emmett.

All because of her.

"You! It's all because of you!"

Princess Irene scurried to Ella, harshly poking her chest causing her to tumble.

"Me? It's because of you!"

Ella replied, her fingers nudging Princess Irene's chest similarly.

The elementary hitting and jolting turned out into a full-blown fight with both the females trying to pull out each other's hair.

Louise stood by the side, one of her hands holding on to her swollen cheek and the other used for cheering on Princess Irene on. Prince Theodore Grabbed Ella by the waist trying to sweep her away with all his might while Prince Emmett tried to grab both of Princess Irene's arms.

"LET GO OF ME!"

"YOU LET GO OF ME!"

"STAY AWAY FROM ME"

"YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME"

"HEY! NOT MY EARS. OW!!"

"IM ALREADY GOING BALD AS IT IS LEAVE MY HAIR YOU PEASANT"

"YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO-"

"A good evening, indeed"

The whole room paused, all their eyes on the move to find the feminine source of the voice.

Louise rammed across Princess Irene and Ella before stopping in front of an amused looking women.

She bowed, her hand placed on her chest, and one of her legs sprawled on the floor.

"Greetings, Queen Isadora."

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