They pulled apart when they heard someone walk towards them.
"My apologies, your majesty, your presence is needed at...".
Sebastian turned away looking back at Anabel.
"Go ahead, I will follow you soon,", she said.
He seemed hesitant, "I will just need some air; my cheeks are burning ", She smiled.
He walked back inside, and she sat down, gazing at the flowing water from the fountain.
"Why is my heart beating so loudly " she breathed.
"Maybe it's because your little heart is trying to tell you something "
Anabel turned to see Karl standing behind her; she flinched back; when had he got so close to her? She didn't even hear his footsteps.
"Oh, did I startle you? I am sorry, didn't mean to ", he said, sitting next to her.
"Do you need something your highness ?" she moved further to the edge.
He noticed scoffing.
"Can't I sit next to my soon-to-be family? You ignored me earlier ", he muttered.
She was silent.
"You know you're not the first woman to be treated this way by him,", he said.
"So I have heard," she said.
"So I hope you know it might not end the way you want it to," he said.
"And what way could that be, your highness?" She sighed.
"Being married and being the Empress " he smiled.
She took a deep breath standing up.
"Your Highness, I think you should go back inside and enjoy his majesty's birthday instead of minding about something that is not your business "
Karl glared back up at her.
"You know you should watch your mouth, for I can snap your neck right now, and no one will complain or even care ...not even him", he threatened.
She scoffed, "Then go ahead. I don't see what is stopping you "Something about him made her angry.
Karl sprung up, moving towards her Anabel didn't move, staying in her position.
"He hasn't even bound you to him yet ... you're nothing to him", he sneered.
"What are you talking about ?" she frowned.
"Huh...don't tell me he hasn't told you yet ?" Karl smirked.
Anabel blinked in confusion.
"So you have been living with him without even knowing who or what he is ?" he chuckled.
"Your Highness, are you okay ?"
Karl laughed.
"I think you're drunk, your Highness, I suggest you retire for the night " She turned to leave him be, but he grabbed her hand.
"Don't walk away from me. We are not done yet ", he yelled.
"Let me go, Your Highness" She tried to pull away, but he was strong.
His hand grabbed her neck squeezing. She gulped, fighting back, her hands pulling on his to let her go.
Bending down to her, "His not interested in something as weak as you if he didn't tell you anything about him".
Anabel felt her tears sting as she fought to grasp for air. His hold was getting tighter squeezing out the air from her small body.
"Let me go ..." She cried; her hands were giving out, and her body becoming numb.
"Let her go now ", she heard Sebastian's voice, and then her body fell; gasping for air, she coughed out. The pain from her hurt neck spread through her body.
"I told you not to touch her " he was roaring.
Anabel looked up through her tear-filled eyes to see Sebastian holding Karl by the neck.
She froze as her tears fell, something about him had changed.
His hair wasn't black anymore, it was completely red. She blinked to see his nails dig deep into Karl's neck causing him to bleed.
"I told you to..." he paused when he heard her call to him
"Sebastian..." she was trembling.
"Bel?!" he dropped Karl, kneeling to her side, "Are you okay ?". exposing his fangs.
"Sebastian you need to calm down ...something is wrong with you " she shivered slowly moving to him
He noticed his claws and felt his fangs; Sebastian avoided her touch, getting up.
She watched him turn away from her and rush off.
"Sebastian.... Sebastian, Your Majesty," she called, but he didn't stop.
"See, I told you he didn't care about you as much as you thought ", Karl coughed, covering the wound on his neck.
Anabel glanced back at him.
"I dont think you should be making jokes right now, instead why dont you thank me " she slowly got up.
"What ?".
"If I had not intervened, he would have snapped your neck as you wanted to do to me ", she let out.
Karl chuckled.
"What are you crazy, didn't you see what he looked like ?"
"Maybe I am ...but you are most certainly stupid ", she breathed touching her now bruised neck.
"You must want to die ... he's not here anymore. I can help you with it " he flinched in pain when he strained his neck.
She scoffed looking down at him.
"The worst kind of stupid is when you think your smart " she said to him then left
Karl watched her run off towards the direction Sebastian had headed to.
.....
"Your majesty ..." she called
She coughed, touching her neck; her throat hurt when she yelled.
And she seemed to be lost now; the more she walked, the more she got confused about what path to take.
"Please dont hide from me " she cried out as she went on looking for him, "I can't talk anymore my throat hurts so please just show yourself for I know your here somewhere ".
She dropped, squatting as she took off her shoes, her feet hurt too now. Sniffing as she wiped her tears Anabel muttered.
"You know I had looked forward to this evening 'cause I wanted to be beside you. I don't know why, but I love spending time with you. And I can't do that during the normal days since you are mostly busy, so I thought tonight would be different," she cried.
"I don't want to sound selfish, but I thought the rest of the evening would be spent with me. Watching the stars, maybe eating your birthday cake and chatting away in the night. But now look at what has happened".
She heard movements and looked around but saw nothing, "I am still shaken up from what happened a while ago, so please, can you come and hold me? ".
Silence soon followed and she sighed holding back her tears.
Suddenly she felt his arms embrace her from the back, had he been behind her all along.
"Please don't cry " he whispered in her ear.
She burst out in tears holding onto his arms.
"Then dont let me go " she cried.