Maid For You 3

Chapter 2

I stepped into the room, and the first thing my eyes landed on was Prince Coleman sitting in his bed in his satin red pajamas, his now short-hair tousled from his night of sleep. I'd forgotten his new hair; I hadn't imagined it when I'd mentally pictured this moment. My heart panged at the side of him, because despite all my apprehensions I never could truly be ready to face him again.

"Your highness," I said, dropping into a respectful curtsey. I'd be professional, I'd be a picturesque servant. I walked over to his bedside to distribute his breakfast platter.

"Thank you," he mumbled without looking at me. I looked up from across the bed to find Luke standing there, smiling at me with that gorgeous smile.

"Good morning, Cassie," Luke said, his chocolate eyes twinkling. I liked his warm eyes, especially the large freckle underneath his right eye.

"Good morning, Lucas," I answered, trying to forget about Prince Coleman's presence right next to me. I smiled at him, and exited the room as was expected. When I shut the large golden door behind me, I leaned against it and took a deep breath.

There, I thought. That wasn't so bad. I survived.

I mentally went over the next steps for the day. I'd go back in and grab his platter, I'd take it down to the kitchen, I'd tidy up his room, I'd wait outside, I'd get his lunch, I'd turn in his lunch plate...

I just had to hit all the different beats of today, I just had to go through the motions. I'd be okay.

"Hello, Miss Cassie," the friendly voice of a child pierced my musings. I fluttered open my eyes and pushed myself from off the door. Prince Duarte stood before me with an innocent smile.

"Oh, hello Prince Duarte. Are you here to see Coleman?"

"Indeed I am," he answered with a chipper tone. "And I must say, you look quite nice in your dress."

I looked down at my clothes bashfully. "Oh, thanks," I said. "I suppose it's a nice-looking outfit."

Duarte stood there for a moment, as if in anticipation of something. "Well?" He said at last. "Aren't you going to head inside?"

"Oh me? No, no...it's um, well, I'm just waiting for Prince Coleman to finish his breakfast and then I'll take his platter downstairs."

"I see," Duarte said, tilted his head. "But you might as well come in while you wait." He scurried to the door and held it open for me, revealing my person in the doorframe.

"No, Prince Duarte I—"

"I insist!" the little boy persisted.

I glanced inside the room and found Prince Coleman looking at me. He averted his gaze.

"Oh, alright," I surrendered, entering the room once again and hovering by the wall away from Coleman's bed. Prince Duarte burst into the room and jumped up onto Coleman's bed at sat himself next to him.

"That smells good," Duarte said, leaning over Prince Coleman's breakfast. "Might I have some?"

"Duarte!" Coleman laughed. "Didn't you already eat?"

"Yes, but I am growing quite a lot, you know."

"Oh really?" Coleman rose a dubious eyebrow as he faced his little cousin. "But I am a full-grown man and I simply must have my breakfast."

Duarte's eyes widened. "I can't even have a strip of bacon?"

Coleman glanced at his plate, and finally relinquished a sigh. "Oh, fine. You pest."

Duarte smiled victoriously as Coleman passed him a strip of bacon. I took my eyes away from that scene and looked at Luke with a smile who shot one back. The scene was rather funny, after all.

"So, Miss Cassie," Duarte said after a bite of bacon, snapping my attention back to him. "How did you enjoy the Autumn Festival?"

I smiled awkwardly. "It was good," I said. "I'm glad I had the opportunity to be Queen Maiden."

"You looked quite spectacular," Prince Duarte told me. "I mean, I was too young to attend the ball myself, but Calista and I snuck glances of the event."

"Really?" I asked, unable to contain an amused smile. I tried to imagine Princess Calista sneaking around the balcony of the ballroom, trying to catch a glimpse of the glitter and glamour.

"Indeed." Then Duarte turned to his cousin. "And what did you think, Coleman?" We both stiffened at his question.

"Um..." Prince Coleman seemed to be grasping for words. "I, uh, I thought that Cassie looked nice." Luke stared at Coleman with a sudden vested interest.

Duarte grinned. "Oh, well she did, but I meant 'what did you think about the festival?'"

Coleman shifted uncomfortably, and a tinge of pink started to stain his cheeks. "Oh, it was—it was fine."

"Only fine?" Duarte pestered him.

Oh will he ever shut up? I bemoaned internally.

Coleman started playing with his food, pushing his eggs back and forth across his plate. "I don't know. It was...it was fine, like I said."

Duarte then began looking between Coleman and I. "I actually saw you two dancing together."

My stomach twisted and clenched. Why is he bringing this up? I wondered. I was hyper-aware of Luke's presence in the room, and I didn't have any sort of hope that he was just spacing out during this whole conversation. Duarte was screwing with my actual potential relationship with Luke by digging up the bones of my...whatever it was with Coleman and parading them around for Luke to see.

Nobody said anything in response to Duarte's comment.

"You two looked like you were having a nice time together," Duarte continued.

I didn't know where to look. I couldn't look at Luke, or Coleman, or Duarte. I stared intensely out the window, praying that this conversation would end.

Again, nobody said anything.

"You two sure aren't chatty," Duarte pouted. "What happened, anyway?"

"Duarte, it's morning-time," Coleman said. I could hear a hint of irritation in his voice. "So forgive us if we aren't 'chatty'. Besides, there isn't much to say on the matter. Yes, we danced together. We both danced with a lot of people. What more is there to say?"

I couldn't help but look at Prince Coleman, and as he turned from his little cousin, our eyes locked for a small moment. I felt a sad pang in my heart.

Indeed, what more is there to say?