The Princess's Dangerous Vampire Mate-Chapter 125: Dining with the king - II

"If it is alright with you. I would prefer that you call me Darius and I will call you by your name." The king said and once again the man had managed to take me by surprise.

"You want me to call you by your name?" I

repeated after him to make sure that whatever I had had I had had it correctly. " Why would you want me to call you by your name?"

He smiled, "titles and formal addressing does not matter much to me unless the deserved respect is offered. I am afraid I would have to give you surprises regarding how things are done here in the north."

"Yes, . . . Darius." It was so difficult to call a king by his name. Not even queens got to call their husbands by their names in front of people and here I was calling the king of the north by his name.

If anyone told that to make perhaps an year ago I would faint and laugh at the person and then probably have Estelle get them beheaded.

"Begin the dinner then," he said and servants came into the room with trays filled with food.

"Are we not going to wait for Tristan?" Because he had already ordered the food to come inside and it was being served to us which usually did not happen as everyone waited until each and every chair was filled.

"No, I am sure my friend would excuse it." He waved it off with a smile. It seemed to be rather cheeky.

Every servant that came to me I respectfully placed something on My plate. And by the looks of it everyone here must have a large appetite because the king surely had his plate full. Being mindful of my manners I looked away from judging someone.

"Genevieve, I hate to ask you this but I have to. What is it that you know about my friend Tristan?"

I looked at him with slight hesitation. What did the king want to know from me about his own friend?

"Uh," I placed the cutlery down, "well he is a merchant to begin with—"

"A merchant, yes, I’m sure." He laughed.

"Sir," the butler intervened and he had a smile of his own, "perhaps we should let the lady speak for herself first."

I looked at the conversation happening in between them and in front of me. Were they mocking me? Because I actually felt embarrassed at the moment.

"My dear, please continue." He gave me an apologetic expression and asked me to continue which I did out of respect.

"All I know is that he is a merchant and he lives with his aunt and uncle. I have not really heard anything about his parents or his blood siblings but I’ve heard of a cousin." I answered truthfully, "Other than that I do not know much about him."

He nodded as he took another bite. I waited for an answer from him as he delayed it for as long as possible as he continued to chew the bite with leisure.

"Well," he said and observed, "one can say that you do not know much about him. I would say that you do not really know anything about them apart from his category of occupation and his family members which anyone would know even a neighbour."

"I never claimed to be anyone else, your highness. I was someone that he helped along with the road and was kind enough to give me space along with my companions in his carriages. I only know what I have been told."

He nodded and hummed loudly, " That is also there." He noted. "But tell me this, if given the opportunity would you like to know him more?"

Certainly another thing that I had not hoped for. But if I did think about it Tristan was one of the men that I would love to know more about and given the opportunity I would love to take advantage of it as well.

The king was watching me and I could feel his eyes along with everyone else’s as they were not really being discreet about it, but should I be brave enough to tell him the truth?

Even though he had asked me to take his name and given me the highest honour along with space in his home I could not forget my manners and that is respectful and straight with him.

"I am. . . Not sure." I wanted to smack myself for that!

"What?" He asked, clearly surprised, "you—" he cleared his throat, "Are you sure, my lady?"

Why would he ask me that again? Now, I was not sure at all about his intentions.

"Tristan told me that he is a friend of yours. One would assume that you know much more about him than I would know about him." I fisted my skirts under the table, "if I there ask why you asking me all of these, my king?"

His stare bore into me and I desperately wanted to look away. I suppose there was nothing scarier than a King’s eyes and it was the same with him.

" I have instructed you to call me Darius," his hardened voice made heads bow but I jelt mine up, "I don’t think it is hard for a princess to follow instructions when you have been doing that all your life."

"No," I gulped, "I su—There’s not." I shook my head and agreed with him.

He stared at me for a little longer and then said," Alright then, as for the question that you had aksed me, I had heard a lot of things about you from people and from Trissten himself which is why I wanted to make show that I knew what my friend was talking about.="

"he was talking about me? To you?"

The king nodded and a small smile played on his lips. "I would go as far as to say that he does not shut up about you."

"Oh—"

"There he comes," the king announced as he interrupted me and The doors slammed open.