Alessandra looked at him surprised as he actually hoped she stayed. She giggles slightly with a small smile. "Maybe if you ask a little nicer-- Prince Adrian." She said in a teasing tone, adding the title only to tone down the edge.

Adrian's cheeks burned bright pink when Alessandra giggled. But at her challenge, he raised an eyebrow. "Would you like me to get down on my knees and beg you to stay then?"

Alessandra smiled and straightened her back a little, holding her chin up. "I am too kind to let you do so. I will stay." she said with a little giggle, some of her old spirt retrieved.

Adrian raised an eyebrow and then bursted out laughing, for the first time looking as if he had no problem in the world. "I would have expected you to let me make a fool out of myself but---"

"My, this looks like a quaint and cozy place to spend the day in. Mind if I and my future wife join you two?" Adam called out as he led his horse to where Alessandra and Adrian were. Hye Jin rode on a white horse behind him, half a smile on her face.

Adrian looked towards his brother and Hye Jin, a carefully blank expression on his face. He shrugged. "By all means," he said as he climbed down from his horse's back.

Alessandra blushed as Adrian laughed so wholeheartedly. She giggled slightly as she watched him speak once again, shaking her head a little at his assumption. She wondered if he would have actually even done so, but she quickly shook away the thoughts-- He was her prince, not the other way around. Alessandra was brought out of her thoughts as Adam's voice interrupted. She turned back slightly and watched him and Hye Jin approach them. She felt disappointment fill her as she also climbed down from the horse and gave them a slight bow before sticking to Snow Queen's side.

Hye Jin immediately climbed off her horse, led her towards Alessandra and then handed her the reigns. "It's a good thing that you are here. You'll be able to tend to the horses. I hear that you are quite the handler," she gave Alessandra a smile before she turned and headed towards Adrian. Boldly, the foreign princess entwined her arm around Adrian's. "I will send you some herbal tea later, Prince Adrian. It will do wonders for your health," she gave him a smile. "And might I suggest a visit to my homeland? I believe a change of scenery would do you good," she led him to the water's edge. "It will be relaxing," she assured.

Adam, himself, climbed down his horse. But instead of handing Alessandra the reigns just as Hye Jin did, he took the reigns of Hye Jin's horse from her. "Pardon our little princess. I believe she had made it abundantly clear that she does not favor you," he smiled at her and he was the old Adam again, the kinder, younger prince. "I apologize for neglecting you these past months. I'm afraid responsibilities to the kingdom has made more occupied than I thought it would make me," instead of securing the reigns to a tree, he let go of it. He chuckled. "I'm sure Adrian would have a way of rounding the horses up if they choose to run," he shrugged and then offered his arm to Alessandra. "Come. This is a good day as any to catch up. What have you learned from the library so far?"

Alessandra willingly took the reigns and gave her a slight nod with no words. She hated how she was then; She was fiery, outspoken, and even cheerful, but Hye Jin and fate had succeeded to break a part of her, and for that she absolutely disliked, even hated, the foreign princess. She inwardly rolled her eyes as Hye Jin hurried to Adrian's side and wrapped her arm around his-- Didn't she know when to give up? Her supposed fiance was even standing right there. Her thoughts were interrupted as her eyes focused on Adam instead of the other royal couple as he took the reigns from her hand. She blinked a few times as he actually spoke to her.

She raised an eyebrow slightly as he simply dropped the reigns, but she knew he was right-- It was unlikely for the horses to misbehave, and if they do, it was quite obvious Adrian could get them under control. She giggled slightly, mockingly at his apology and then attempt to 'catch up'. ''I guess Prince Adrian deals with the responsibilities a little better than you do your majesty, for he hadn't intended to ignore, or neglect, or go as far as offend me, the moment I became known to him with my intentions. I am disappointed in you, Prince Adam. It's great prince Adrian has returned. Power doesn't suit you.'' She said, with obvious distaste and intentions of 'scolding' the younger prince. She had no intention to walk with him, or to catch up with him.

What she said was true, although Prince Adrian was harsher in nature since their first meeting, prince Adam had befriended her and took care of her. Yet the moment he seized power-- He changed 180 degree. She was surprised she had spoken up so truthfully, but she had no intention to lie or compliment the younger prince who she then held dislike to him as well, may not be as horrible as her distaste to Hye Jin, but it was distaste nevertheless.

A muscle twitched in Adam's jaw. It looked as though there was something he wanted to say. He looked towards his fiance and the crown prince. As soon as they were a little bit more ahead of them, he began speaking. "I'm sorry. I must look like a monster to you now. It was part of Adrian's instructions before he disappeared. That I should stop being so nice to you. He instructed me to allow you full access to the library but not to spend time with you anymore. I suppose that's to ensure your loyalty to him and I see that his plans has worked well," he shook his head. "I fear how many people he had managed to fool with his apparent and sudden 'change of attitude and outlook.'" He looked at Alessandra and looked sincerely apologetic. "I am truly sorry for the way I have treated you. I thought being obedient to his wishes would make him trust me enough to tell me about his plans. But apparently, he hasn't. And I fear father's life might be in danger now that he is back."

Alessandra was surprised as she stared at him while he confessed of Adrian's supposed plan. She took a deep breath in as she continued scanning him, for any signs that he was lying or fooling her, but unfortunately she found none. Lost at words and in her thoughts as he continued on. She shook her head and gave Adam a slight bow. '' What your majesty and Prince Adrian had agreed on are none of my concerns. I am sure that had he actually ordered you to do so that you are well and capable of analyzing your situation, Prince Adam and you chose to do what you've done. I do hope Prince Adrian is a changed man, and I do feel so, but after all these are the simple thoughts of a handmaiden. It is inappropriate to be left so behind while your Fiance clings to your brother, Prince Adam.'' She said before grabbing the horses' reigns and slowly starting to lead them to the tree near the lake.

Adam followed after Alessandra despite her obvious dismissal of him. He sighed. "While I did look forward to marrying Hye Jin, for the benefit of the kingdom of course, it is apparent which of us she prefers. And now that Adrian is back, the original promise needs to be fulfilled. I will step aside if she wishes to marry Adrian." He looked towards the two royals a short distance away from them. "I'm sure she will prove to be a good queen. She seems to get along well with Adrian anyway." He looked down onto the ground, seemingly uncomfortable. "I, on the other hand, have someone I wished to marry ever since I laid eyes on her. I believe she has no idea of it as she always looked at another. And since I was burdened with an order I thought I needed to follow, she has since looked at me with contempt," he cleared his throat and was silent for a few minutes.

"I don't intend to rush you into things and it would be best if we got to know each other again. But I hope in time, you will find me suitable to be your husband."

Alessandra turned in shock to Adam as he started implying what she hoped was not true. 'Burdened with an order.... she has since looked at me with contempt' Her heart tightened. Getting a proposal from a prince? When all she dreamed of was a noble or a lord? She took a sharp breath in as he directly admitted she was the woman he spoke of. She gulped as she felt blood rush to her cheeks, not in flattery, but in confusion and surprise of such an intimate proposal after months of mistreatment. She dropped her gaze of him as she slowly tucked her hair behind her ear.

''Proposing to a handmaiden, Prince Adam? You know then socially you are-- dead, correct?'' She asked as she looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. ''I hope you reconsider that proposal carefully.'' She said, making it clear she was most likely to refuse, but something inside her urged her to just agree-- That was more than she could have ever asked for, maybe then her family would live better, maybe then she would be completely happy. But knowing she only thought of her materialistically, she grew distasteful of her own thoughts as she turned to tie the horses to the tree.

Adam didn't look fazed by her indirect refusal. "I am a Prince, second to the throne. I have a choice on who I will marry. And be it of royal blood or not, the woman I will marry will rise in rank," he sighed again. "I've seen how you looked at my brother, how you were so relieved to see him come back. I will not deny that I resent that your affections are not directed towards me. But as I said earlier, I do not intend to rush you. Think about it."

"Think about what?" came Adrian's cool voice. Hye Jin was by the lake, a distance away, a frown on her face.

Adam turned around and met his older brother's gaze. "I was merely explaining to Alessandra how the original promise of Hye Jin being married to you should be fulfilled. I have no right nor any desire to anger her family. And I have proposed marriage to her," he explained simply.

"I will not be marrying Hye Jin. If you reject her, I will have her sent back to her Kingdom. Perhaps have one of the barons offer marriage to her. And your marriage to Alessandra, I will not allow it," Adrian's voice was cold.

"You cannot do that. You have no right to stand in the way of my marriage to Alessandra. You are not the King."

"Yet. In time I will be."

Alessandra's eye twitched at the mention of the woman marrying Adam rising in rank-- He hit her right where it hurt the most, right in her dignity. If he was using the social rank to seduce her into marrying him, he must have thought lower of her than she thought. Yes, she wouldn't deny rising to such a high rank is desirable, but she would never agree to marry out of self-interest. She had clear dreams of how her marriage would be-- Gentle, genuine, abundant.

Before she had the time to react, Adrian interrupted the both of them. She felt her cheeks color again, finding herself thinking what Adrian would think of about Adam's proposal to her. Her jaw dropped to the floor as Adam simply told Adrian. She stared between the two in disbelief. The moment Adrian said he wouldn't allow the proposed marriage; Alessandra's cheeks flamed red as she gulped softly. Did he care? Did he not want her married to his brother? Would he allow another man if he just was not his brother?

She stared between the two princes as an underlying challenge laid between the two. She breathed in deeply and shook her head. ''Shall we go, Prince Adrian?'' She simply offered, avoiding the original topic.

Adrian nodded to Alessandra. But before he turned away, he looked at Adam straight in the eyes, a telltale smile on his lips. "Since I'm sure that news of your bethrotal to Hye Jin has already reached her Kingdom, it will be your duty to sort out the situation. Father has already been informed and he had agreed that I will not be marrying any time soon. Mother has also agreed. Hye Jin has also been informed," and with that he turned and walked towards his horse, leaving the younger prince staring wide eyed after him.

"I apologize for putting you in that difficult position," Adrian said when they were a distance away from the other two royals. "Unless... you wanted to accept Adam's proposal," there was a worried tone in his voice even if his face didn't show it.

Alessandra blinked a few times as Adrian informed Adam of the mess he was put in for his attempt to really take Adrian's place down to his betrothal. She followed silently behind Adrian, also getting hold of her horse as she untied her slowly. She looked up at Adrian as he sounded actually worried if Alessandra would want to marry Adam; She wondered why as a blush slowly crept her cheeks. '' No, Prince Adrian. I had no intention of accepting Prince Adam's proposal. I know he is not genuine about it.''She assured with a slight smile, but then Adam's previous words reappeared in her mind.

''Have you ordered Prince Adam to stop interacting with me before you took off last time?'' She asked in a slightly lower, unsure voice. Hoping he would deny the statement.

Adrian looked relieved that Alessandra had no intention of accepting the younger prince's proposal. He had not expected Adam to propose to Alessandra. And he felt a little too irritated by it than he should have. He sighed and then looked straight ahead. When he heard the handmaiden's next question, he shook his head. "Heh. So that's how he plans on turning you against me, is it?" he paused as if to consider his next words. "Yes, I requested for him to stop interacting with you as much as he had been doing. It was not an order but a request. And one done for reasons that I cannot really say as of yet."

Alessandra blinked a couple times as she titled her head to look at him as he admitted that he had asked Adam not to interact with her. She sighed a little and rubbed her eyes slightly. ''Why did you do so, prince Adrian?'' She asked softly, confusion obvious in her tone.

Because I didn't want him anywhere near you when I was so far away, the answer popped into Adrian's head instantaneously. But he didn't say it out loud. The memory of the kiss he shared with Alessandra months ago popped into his head. He sighed. He would need to get his thoughts in order. He continued riding back to the castle in silence. When they were almost there, he spoke again. "Just stay by my side," was all he said. He alit, handed Rean the reigns and returned to the castle.

Alessandra blinked as he stayed silent their entire ride home, thoughts racing in her head; Was he really not a changed man? Did he wish for her to be alone and miserable while he wasn't around? The thoughts quickly died out as she knew Adrian was certainly a good man. As he finally spoke, she was surprised. [i]What?]/i] Was all she could think of as she also got off the horse and handed Rean the reigns before following up with Adrian.

''But why did you ask Prince Adam to stay away from me? You know I would always answer back to you, your majesty.''She said, thinking it was a matter of service.

Was asking Alessandra to stay by this side the smartest thing to do? Didn't she like Adam? The thoughts in her head were all confusing that it gave him a headache. During his long absence in the castle, Alessandra was constantly in his mind. Even when he began putting his plans into actions, she still popped into his head. He ignored her question and made his way to the only place where he could think clearly. The library.