Ensnaring his Dark Moon-Chapter 151: You did

*Flashback continues*

But the truth was right in front of their eyes. And soon, everyone will know about it.

All she wished was for their plans to work accordingly.

It turns out that Duchess Flora intended to abduct Esme on the way. And she had ordered her nanny to keep her alive and safe.

Greta was the one who was going to abduct her but how? Her face was easily recognizable and so was her body stature. How would she infiltrate through the royal guards of Nevesray?

’’Are you thinking of sending someone to protect me?" Esme asked as she glanced at the man who seemed to be contemplating it.

’’What do you think?" Aleister raised an eyebrow.

’’I have someone in mind,’’ Esme smiled mischievously.

...

’’Are you my new handmaiden, the one whom Aunt selected for me?" Esme glanced at the woman who had a veil on her face.

’’Huh?" Esme’s brows tugged together when the woman pointed her finger at her mouth before shaking her head.

’’You can’t speak?’’ Esme asked, noticing the woman’s gloved hands. As the woman nodded again, she gasped, ’’Oh my... Your face looks so pale. I can see it through your veil. Please come inside the carriage and take some rest.’’

The woman hurriedly shook her head as she coughed.

’’No, no, I am fine, I won’t be sick,’’ Esme turned her face to the side, ’’Please stop the carriage.’’

’’Yes, Princess,’’ the coachman pulled the reins of the horse and the carriage came to a halt.

’’Please come inside. I insist,’’ Esme peeked at the woman through the curtains.

The woman stood rooted to her spot, seemingly contemplating it. But soon, she bowed and hesitantly stepped inside the carriage and took a seat opposite her.

But she had to bend her body slightly because of her sturdy figure and while doing so, an apple rolled out of her gown and fell on the floor.

Esme stifled her laughter as she glanced at the man who lifted his veil and glanced at the apple in annoyance.

She grabbed the apple that was rolling down the floor. She wiped it clean and placed it on the fruit basket, ’’Here, have this instead,’’ she offered him an orange from the fruit basket.

’’Is this even necessary?" Rowan spoke through gritted teeth.

Esme shrugged, ’’How else are you going to pass as a woman?"

The man pursed his lips as he received the orange from her hand before placing it near his chest and adjusting his gown.

Esme quickly opened the bag near the table and handed him the red colored wig. She placed the black wig on the head of the black bolster pillow before covering the pillow with the sheets.

As Rowan glanced at the wig in his hand, he could not help but frown, ’’Princess, you like to hold grudges, don’t you?"

"Do you think I am making you do this on purpose?" Esme asked in a serious tone as she blinked innocently.

Rowan’s lips twitched. Look at your unconvincing eyes, aren’t you doing this because I told you to leave the Prince?

Esme restrained herself from laughing. She grabbed the knife and discarded her long gown in one swift move.

Rowan closed his eyes, "Princess, what are you doing?"

"Princess? Are you talking about me?" Esme glanced at the black suit that she was wearing underneath the gown, "Open your eyes and remember that you are the Princess from now on."

Rowan opened his eyes and glanced at her speechlessly. This was the first time he was seeing a woman as brazen as her.

Esme could hear the sound of the decreasing footsteps as she tied her long hair in a tight braid. That meant the person who was supposed to abduct her was doing their work by knocking out the guards.

"Take care, Princess," she waved at Rowan.

Rowan: "_"

As soon as the footsteps completely reduced, Esme pulled the curtains aside and jumped out of the carriage swiftly when she spotted a marshy land. Her body rolled down to a distance and she wrapped her arms around herself, hugging her body tightly as she fell.

Stabilizing her body at a distance, Esme glanced in the direction of the carriage which was disappearing in between the trees of the dense forest. She could spot a sturdy man making his way inside the carriage.

Since they wanted her alive then Rowan would not be harmed in the process.

"Princess."

Esme turned around only to find a few guards standing behind her.

She pushed herself to her feet and cleaned the mud from her face.

"Here is the horse that the Prince has sent for you," the guard pointed his palm towards the black horse.

Esme glanced at the horse and she recognized it with a single glance. It was Jack. The horse she bought from an auction house in the village when she came to Visteria but she had to leave him at a shelter because she was entering the royal castle as an ordinary maid.

"Your Prince...sure is thoughtful," she whispered under her breath as she stroked the horse’s face, "Let’s go, Jack." It’s time to catch the culprit.

By this time, her brother should be following the person who has supposedly abducted ’Esme’.

*Flashback ends*

As Aleister stood in front of his room, Esme’s words continued ringing in his mind.

’Although the truth is revealed now but is this the end of it?’

Earlier, while facing that man called Cardan, it was as if his body froze for a split second. When that bastard approached Esme, he would have killed him right that instant but something was amiss and he could not react in time.

The words that Ruby uttered in the library flashed in his mind out of nowhere.

’You really are his son. Arrogant enough. But unfortunately, you are not as powerful as him.’

Aleister closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath before pushing open the door. He stepped inside the room, ’’You are awake,’’ he glanced at the man who was leaning back on the headboard of the bed while looking out of the window.

The King of Visteria, the mighty existence that everyone was curious about no longer looked like his usual self. His eyes which gave off a powerful aura were now saggy and he looked like an old weak man. ’’Yes,’’ Alexander turned around to look at him.

Aleister nodded. He poured a glass of water from the jug before handing it to him, ’’Have this,’’ his gaze landed on the man’s shrunken skin on the back of his hand when he raised his hand to take the glass.

Alexander took a few gulps of the water before extending his hand towards the table to keep the glass but as his fingers trembled, Aleister grabbed it from his hand and placed it on the table.

’’Where is Esme?" Alexander asked after a few moments of silence.

"She is with her elder brother,’’ Aleister said, with no shift in his expression. But all it took was some keen observation to notice how his tone softened at the mention of Esme.

’’I’ve failed you. I trusted the wrong person and never realized the truth which was right in front of my eyes,’’ Alexander lowered his head and looked at his palm, his skin had turned dark and unsightly, ’’I’m a failure as a King,’’ teardrops landed on his palm.

’’You’re a failure as a Father as well,’’ Aleister nonchalantly said.

Alexander’s fingers trembled as a sob escaped his mouth, ’’You... still didn’t forgive me.’’

’’Forgive you for the nightmares that still haunt me?’’ there was an edge to Aleister’s eerily calm voice.

’’You...’’ Alexander tilted his head and glanced at the man in disbelief, ’’What do you mean...?"

’’What I mean is no enemies can cause the damage that you have caused to me.’’

’’Al...Cough... Cough...’’ The man waved his hand in exasperation but he coughed blood and ended up losing consciousness.

’’When you wake up, I want the truth from you,’’ Aleister whispered before snapping his fingers.

Four shadow guards appeared through the window and they knelt on the floor with their fists pressed on the left side of their chest. ’’Escort the King back to his room and summon the royal physicians. Guard him properly,’’ Aleister commanded.

’’Yes, My Lord,’’ The guards carefully shifted the King to the wheelchair which was used to bring him here.

’’My Lady,’’ They greeted Esme, who was standing at the door.

Esme nodded at them and glanced at the King who was lying unconscious in the wheelchair.

She stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her, ’’How do you feel?" Esme focused her gaze on Aleister’s back. She overheard their conversation.

’’Quite ugly,’’ Aleister said without looking back at her.

’’Huh?"

’’The day was an ugly one so I ended up feeling ugly,’’ he said with a soft sigh, ’’I thought you intended to go back to your Kingdom? To end this pretense and to live the life that you missed out on? What happened to your plans, Princess?"

’’I’m not going back,’’ she said, realizing that she never told him about her decision.

’’What changed your mind?"

’’What do you think?’’ Esme stepped towards him, ’’You should know it well.’’

’’I don’t know so I’d like to know it from you. What changed your mind?" He asked.

Esme stopped walking as she was stood one step behind him. She took one step closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, ’’You did.’’