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The next morning was actually routine and uneventful, which was a nice change. I started my day in Prince Chevalier’s room. When he awoke, I brought him breakfast, and when I finished in his room, I returned to the library. I loved the peace and quiet of that room, where I could work surrounded by the wisdom and poetry of the ages. Sunlight streamed through the beautiful windows as I read in the alcove through lunch, and I paused from reading to look down at the palace gardens below. Roses in full bloom were everywhere - big blossoms on the bushes lining the many paths, small blossoms adorning the vines wrapping around arches and gazebos and climbing up the surrounding stone walls. Reds, pinks, and whites were all arranged in such a way as to harmonize with each other and draw one into their magic. A large fountain graced the center of the gardens, clear water descending from a small bowl at the top through multiple consecutively wider layers to the large stone pool at the bottom. Open grass and the occasional bench surrounded a pond off in the distance.
This was the setting of fairy tales.
“Enjoying the view, I see,” said a familiar and not entirely welcome voice.
“Hello, Prince Clavis,” I said, stifling a sigh.
“Have you been to the gardens yet?” he asked with a grin and a gleam in his eyes.
“No, your highness, I haven’t.”
He was setting me up for something, I knew, but in spite of myself, I was curious to know what he had planned.
“Allow me to give you a tour,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me along after him.
I’ll admit I didn’t put up too much of a fight, because I really wanted to see the gardens in person. And as soon as we stepped outside, I could tell that they were all I had imagined and more. The paving stones beneath my feet led to a magical wonderland. Greenery surrounded me, carefully decorated with splashes of bright reds here, completely obscured by the purest of whites there, twisting around barely visible stone and speckled with flashy pinks above my head. The pleasant warmth of the spring sun coaxed the fragrance from the flowers, filling the air and intoxicating me. I could barely hear Prince Clavis chattering on over the symphony flowing from every petal. It was so real; I could almost hear the violins in the soft breeze.
No, wait, someone was actually playing a violin.
“Yves,” Prince Clavis called as we rounded a bend in the path.
The honey blonde figure drawing his bow across the strings was every bit as beautiful and refined as the surrounding roses. In fact, he looked like he could have been born from the roses themselves, dressed as he was in shades of maroon, pink, and white. Even the sword at his left hip, shorter than the other princes’, accentuated his refined appearance. The bow in his hand paused in midair over the violin’s strings, and a cloud passed over his deep blue eyes.
“What is it, Clavis?” he asked with more than a touch of annoyance, dropping the violin to dangle at his side next to his gray pants.
“I’d like you to meet the new maid, Ivetta,” Prince Clavis said, pushing me forward.
Now I knew why he’d brought me here. He wanted to arrange a meeting with another prince for his entertainment. It was almost enough to make me regret letting him bring me. Almost.
“And why would I care about a new maid?” Prince Yves snapped, imperiously looking down his nose at me. I was wondering the same thing, but his curt dismissal stung.
“My apologies, your highness,” I said politely. “I didn’t mean to disturb your beautiful music. Prince Clavis, I’m afraid I really need to return to my work.”
“Not so fast,” Prince Clavis said, catching my arm as I tried to leave. “Your lunch ends at one o’clock, right? There’s still plenty of time before Chev can have you back.”
“So, this is your new conquest? A maid? Really, Clavis, that’s a new low, even for you,” Prince Yves said disapprovingly, tapping his maroon boots with annoyance.
Great, just what I needed. Somebody else thinking I was sleeping around with everybody.
“Aw, now you’ve gone and made her blush,” Prince Clavis said, thoroughly enjoying himself. “Actually, she’s not been anyone’s conquest - yet.”
I pulled my arm free from his grasp. “Prince Clavis-”
“Don’t say another word. I can see that you and Yves want your privacy.” He winked and disappeared.
Prince Yves and I were both blushing now. “I’m so sorry, your highness,” I said, and I meant it. He’d been enjoying his solitude as much as I had been.
He shook his head. “It’s not your fault. Clavis is such a pest.” He started putting his violin back in its case.
“You don’t have to stop playing, your highness. You play so beautifully. I’ll just go back inside now. Hopefully, Prince Clavis will leave us both alone for a while.” I really felt bad about the whole thing.
He snapped the violin case closed and turned back to me, the white ruffles of his shirt falling perfectly in place over his pink vest and all haughtiness replaced with a rather sympathetic look. “Thanks, but I have something in the oven I need to check on, anyway.”
I looked at him curiously. “In the oven, your highness?”
“Just because I’m a prince doesn’t mean I can’t bake now and then,” he protested, blushing again.
“Oh no, your highness, I didn’t mean that! I was just surprised, that’s all,” I stammered. Now I’d gone and upset him, and I didn’t even have Prince Clavis around to blame.
His face relaxed into a smile. “Chevalier has his books, Clavis has his pranks, and I have my beignets.”
“Beignets? Those are my mother’s favorite!” I exclaimed without thinking. I paused, hesitating, but he seemed so much more approachable now than he had at first. “Prince Yves, I really have no right to ask this, but could I trouble you for a favor?”
“What is it?” he asked suspiciously, his face hardening.
“My mother taught me how to make beignets, but it’s been so long that I don’t know if I remember the recipe correctly. Her birthday is coming up, and, well, if you have any pointers, I’d love to hear them, your highness.”
He shrugged. “I suppose I can manage that.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Prince Yves.”
“The best way I know how to learn is by doing. When is her birthday?”
“It’s a week from today, your highness,” I said. “But you really don’t have to-”
“We’ll have to make them the afternoon of her birthday, so they’ll be at their best. I’ll clear my schedule.” He had that relaxed smile again.
“Thank you again, your highness. I’m really looking forward to it. I’d better get going now, before-”
“I thought you two would hit it off,” Prince Clavis said smugly as he reappeared.
Prince Yves’ face hardened again, and he let out an exasperated sigh. “You caught me in a good mood, that’s all.” He picked up his violin case and stormed off, leaving me staring at the back of his rich maroon jacket.
Prince Clavis shrugged. “I guess you can’t win them all. Better get you back before Chev gets mad.” He took my arm, and we were off.
I pulled away from him as soon as we were back in the library. “Prince Clavis, don’t you have better things to do than to pester me?”
His grin said it all before he spoke. “Of course, but you’re just so entertaining. Too bad Chev isn’t here. Tell him I said hi.” He left with a wink.
I shook my head. As much as I hated to admit it, something good had come out of his interference today. Now I could look forward to serving Mother her favorite dessert on her last birthday.
As long as I could get Prince Chevalier’s approval, anyway. That may be tricky.
He arrived at the usual time, and I brought him his tea as usual. He didn’t seem to be in a particularly bad mood, although it was hard to tell with him. I decided I may as well ask him right away.
“Prince Chevalier?”
He looked up from his book, his cold blue eyes dropping the temperature of the air. “What is it?”
“My mother’s birthday is coming up a week from today, and Prince Yves has agreed to help me make beignets that afternoon. Is that okay?”
“So, it isn’t enough for you to wait for trouble to come. Now you seek it out, is that right?” he said with a derisive smirk.
There was just nothing easy with him.
“I’m not looking for any trouble, your highness. If you won’t allow it, I’d just like to let Prince Yves know as soon as possible. He said he would clear his afternoon that day, and I don’t want to inconvenience him unnecessarily.”
“Clearly I’m not keeping you busy enough if you have time to meet with other princes.”
He was definitely mocking me, but he didn’t seem to be angry. This was actually going better than I’d expected.
“Not at all, your highness. This happened during my lunch break. And I wasn’t looking to meet anybody. I was trying to read, but Prince Clavis found me and offered me a tour of the gardens.”
“And just like a foolish little dove, you trusted him.”
I sighed. “No, your highness, I didn’t, but I wanted to see the gardens. He didn’t give me any trouble - beyond annoying Prince Yves and me.” I paused as I heard my last words hang in the air. “My apologies, your highness. I shouldn’t talk about Prince Clavis that way.”
“Maybe you’re not so foolish,” Prince Chevalier said, a teasing smirk on his lips. “He is a noisy pest.” He studied me for a moment, his icy blue eyes piercing through me. “I hope you weren’t reading one of my books without permission.”
“No, your highness, I would never do that. There are plenty of books in the main library for me to choose from.”
I could see the title of the book he was currently reading: The Romance of the Rose. It was a foreign book, very popular and very difficult to come by, but it was just one of the many tantalizing titles I saw on his shelves. Still, I knew better than to read his books.
“Why do you read?” he asked.
Well, that was a silly question.
“I enjoy reading, your highness. Isn’t that why you read?”
“I would expect such a childish answer from you. I read to obtain useful information so I can better rule this kingdom.”
Ignoring the minor insult, I pushed my luck a little further by asking another question. “If I may ask, your highness, what useful information does a romance novel supply to you?”
“People allow their emotions to rule them. If I can understand those emotions, I can manipulate them, and thus, people, to do my will.”
His icy blue eyes were taunting me now, and I frowned. People didn’t call him a cruel, heartless beast for nothing. But there was something in what he said that bothered me, beyond the obvious lack of respect for others.
“You talk as if you don’t have emotions, Prince Chevalier.”
“I have no need for them. Emotions are weak and pointless for a king. But, in the right hands, they can be useful tools as well.”
His cold, hard face was always hard to read, but right now, I could see that he fully believed everything he was saying. It was frustrating.
“You disapprove,” he said, smirking mockingly.
“Of course I do, your highness, but then again, I’m just another weak and pointless tool you manipulate to do your will. Even so, I may be able to give you a word of advice when you’re handling my kind.”
My sarcastic response was probably going to get me in trouble, but there was an irritating incongruity I was beginning to see. I was somehow climbing in value on his scale, earning me better treatment from him, but there was nothing to differentiate me from any other person. And I didn’t want special treatment.
His eyes remained cool, but he didn’t stop me.
“Fear and intimidation can only get you so far. People are more easily manipulated if they like you. And they won’t like you as long as you continue to devalue them. A little respect and consideration will go a long way, even if you have to fake it.”
There was a lot more I could say to him, but I’d definitely said too much already. I met his frozen eyes, waiting for the backlash to come. As I’d expected, he stood and walked over to me. I held my ground while he stood over me, an amused smile playing across his lips.
“And I suppose you still wish me to grant you an afternoon off next week, even though you have presumed to lecture me,” he said quietly, without the usual threatening edge. But that meant nothing. As he’d just said, he could very well be intentionally confusing me for his own personal benefit.
“I have overstepped my place again,” I said, dropping my gaze submissively. “My apologies, your highness.”
So much for baking beignets for Mother.
He poked me in the forehead. “You’re getting better at hiding your thoughts. You have my permission, on one condition.”
I looked up at him curiously. This was an unexpected twist.
“If your beignets are any good, I will require a sampling.” The small smile he wore seemed almost genuine, but it didn’t quite reach up to his cold blue eyes.
“And if they’re bad, your highness?” I asked, knowing better than to let my guard down now.
I flinched as a black-gloved hand reached up to push the hair away from my neck. My heart rate quickened as he turned my face to the side, his fingers tracing up and down my skin. He leaned in close and whispered in my ear: “I’m sure you won’t disappoint me.” My cheeks were burning as he turned away, chuckling, and went back to his chair.
“You’re dismissed.”
Once again, I left in a state of confusion. He was just playing with me, as were his brothers. I really wished he would stop - that they would all stop. I didn’t want or need this kind of trouble. It was hard to concentrate on work when I didn’t know who would show up next to pester me. Was it worth it? Was it really worth it?
Unfortunately, for the time being, the answer was yes. But later, after Mother-
I swallowed and shook my head to clear my thoughts. In exactly one week, I would bake beignets for her. That would really surprise her. If I could bring a smile to her face, just for a few moments, that would be enough. She’d always done so much for me, making sure I had a reason to smile, and now it was my turn. And that was all I needed to think about right now.
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