Chapter Nineteen: Carmen

I can't believe I told the prince that I don't love him. Was I trying to get on his bad side?

After that… situation, I took a shower in my bathroom and did my daily routine. Then, I threw on a tank top hoodie and sweatpants, then I throw my hair in a bun. I put on my glasses and add a layer of chapstick, before grabbing my phone and trying to call my family. No answer.

I try to call, Krys. Again no answer.

I got no answer from Noah either

The maids came in asking to get my bath ready, but I informed them that I already showered. Léa and Camille looked sad, but Emely was glad. I told them to take the rest of the day off, they leave and I wait 10 minutes before leaving the suite. Then I remember that I don't remember where anything was. As I aimlessly wander around the palace, a boy, around five, runs into me.

"Ow, my nose huwt," he says, rubbing his nose.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?" I kneel to get to his height.

"I'm the bwave knight Gwayson," he puffs his chest while pointing at it with his thumb.

"Well, brave knight Grayson," I giggle, standing up. "I'm lost, and bored, and hungry. Could you help me?"

I know it's weird to ask a random five-year-old for directions, but I was desperate. "Of couwse, I can hewp you!" he takes my hand and leads me to the main kitchen. Edna asked if I wanted anything as Paul made Grason a bowl of cereal.

"I'll just have cereal."

After breakfast, Grayson took me to what he said was his favourite part of the castle. I was confused when he showed me the door. I don't think the maids have shown me this door yet. "Can you open the doow?" he tugged at my hoodie. I opened the door and almost cry in joy, it was a library!

"Wow," I whisper, ten of my old houses could fit in here! There were shelves upon shelves of books, the shelves were also very tall. There were many couches and sofas placed around coffee tables. There were also two couches, a sofa, and a beanbag in front of a fireplace. When we enter, maids and librarians bow to me. I guess the news has spread quickly.

By the time I was done taking in the heavenly place, Grayson had already found a book, The Giving Tree, and dragged me to the sofa in front of the fireplace. I sit down and he climbs on me and snuggles close.

"You want me to read?"

He nods.

"Okay," I sigh, skeptical, and begin.

My grandmother told me that the secrete to reading out loud is being able to taste every letter, every syllable.

"You need to smell the scenes you're reading," she would tell me. "Feel what the characters are feeling."

I did exactly as she showed how to all those years ago. I felt all the letters on my tongue and smelled the green leaves on the tree. When I was done, quite little Grayson, jumped up.

He ran around the library, and I followed him, apologizing to the maids and librarians he bumped into. Finally, I cornered him in front of the door.

"I wanna weave now," he asked, sticking out his bottom lip. I sigh and open the door and he sprinted out. I groan before running after him, I was not built for running after children, no matter how much I wanted my own. Due to my slim, fit figure, people assume I'm athletic, but I am the biggest couch potato you will ever meet.

When I catch up to him, I scoop him up in my arms. We look at each other for some time before he speaks. "You'we pwetty," he caresses my cheek and I fall in love with him all over again.

"Thank you," I blush. Gosh, I never thought that words from a five-year-old would affect me so much.

"Where are your parents?" I ask.

"Daddy is woking and Mommy in heaven," my heart broke as he said that. I set him down and we hear footsteps behind us. I turn around and find a man in his thirties, with a middle-aged belly. He sighs, relieved when he sees Grayson.

"Daddy!" Grayson runs towards him and the man picks him up and spins him around. The man's face darkens as he sees me.

"I apologize if he caused you any trouble, Your Highness," he bows his head, Grayson propped on his hip. He had a British accent. "I am Lloyd,"

"No, no, Lloyd. Grayson's been nothing but great company. I would love to see him more," I don't know why I said it, but I felt an inexplicable attraction to Grayson, and the words just flew out of my mouth.

"I will see to it. Grayson, say goodbye to Lady Carmen," Lloyd lets Grayson down, and I kneel as he walks towards me.

"Bye-bye wady Cawmen," he kisses my left cheek runs back to Lloyd, red-faced His dad scoops him up again and they walk away, leaving me in a love-sick mess.

I get up and look around, realizing that I am lost, literally and figuratively. I again start wandering aimlessly and somehow manage to end up in the main kitchen, but this time it was packed with maids. When they see me, they stop whatever they were doing, mutter a good morning, and curtsy.

"There is no need for that," I say, embarrassed. They stare at the ground for a while before I ask what's wrong.

"We are waiting for your permission to continue our chores," one of them said, meekly.

"Oh. You may continue?" I didn't know if I was telling them to continue, or if I was asking them to continue. But they did, nonetheless.

I spotted Emely and called her over. "What's going on?" I ask, gesturing to all the activity.

"We are preparing breakfast for the royal family," She was caring a large bowl of watermelon.

"Does that include me?" I ask.

"Why, yes. Your Majesty," she says, visibly suppressing an eye roll. Did I do something wrong?

"Which dining room?"

"The one right outside that door," She points to a door on the other side of the kitchen. I thank her before heading out through the door. All conversation ends between the royal family and two other guys as I enter the room.

"Hello, dear," The queen ordered. "Your seat is over there," she pointed to an empty seat. The king, queen, and I were the only ones there, other than the maids serving us. The maids served me a cup of coffee and asked how I wanted it.

"Cream, three sugars, please," she happily obliged. I took a sip of the coffee and I felt like I was in heaven, I had to stop myself from moaning in pleasure.

Next, they served me a plate of scrambled eggs, sausages, bacon, toast, and pancakes. They also gave me a small pitcher of maple syrup. The queen got french toast and tea, while the king had two croissants, french toast, butter, jam, and coffee. When the maids were done serving us, they bowed and go to the far wall, waiting for the next instruction.

"How did you sleep?" the king asked as the queen smirked behind her cup, and I almost choked. Christophe must have told them about what happened.

"I slept well, Your Highness," My face felt hot and was probably as red as an overripe tomato.

"Please, call me Aaron. We're going to be family soon," Aaron tells me, his face softening and Eliane agreed.

We chatted a bit about everything, and they were really interesting. Aaron used to be a photographer before meeting Eliane. he said that he hated her in the beginning because he thought she was a soulless pampered spoiled brat. When he first started working for the royal family as their photographer, he got to know the real her, a painter. Fast forward five years, they got married and had Christophe.

"I have to show you baby pictures of him later," Eliane gushed.

"Baby pictures of who?"

I knew who that voice belonged to before I saw the owner.

"Christophe!" the king—sorry Aaron— exclaimed, extending his arms.

"Hello, Père, Mère," he greets his parents, before sitting on his father's right. Right next to me.

"Hello, Carmen," he said, without looking at me.

"So this is Mrs.Christophe," I turned around to see the owner of this unfamiliar voice. He was tall and had white hair, as white as mine, with brown tips. He had fair skin and was twice my height. He was also well built, but not like Christophe.

Christophe was—

"Who are you?" I ask, stopping myself from thinking.

"Jesse, Jesse Morgan," he sat directly in front of me and started ordering the maids around.

"So, little penguin, how did you end up getting stuck with that idiot?" he jokingly said as he stuffed his face.

"Well, he kinda chose me? I don't know," I giggled. Christophe tensed next to me.

Jesse burst out laughing.

"Jesse," the queen warned him and he raised his hands in defence.

"Excuse me," Christophe roughly pushed his chair back and walked out of the room.

"Someone's got anger issues," Jesse said, looking down at his plate.

I roll my eyes and follow after Christophe.

"Christophe!" I call, running after him. He turned around, shocked at first, then, he was annoyed.

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to talk to you," I put my hands on my knees as I pant a little.

"Oh," he looked shocked.

"Could we go back to the suite?" I ask. He nods and I follow him back since I don't know where it is. He opened the door for me and I realized, I have nothing to talk to him about.

"What did you want to talk about?" he plops on the bed

"Why me? Why not Camila?"

Attack, that the best method of defence.

"Because you're different, sincere. You said what you felt about me to a stranger without hesitation."

"About that," I rub the back of my neck. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine. I guess I needed someone to call me a stupid stuck-up prick," he chuckles and I wince.

"Look, I'm not mad at you for what you said. At the ball, or this morning. Okay?" he stands up and walks closer. I don't move. He's so close, I could smell the fresh mint and sandalwood again and the warmth radiating off him, made me feel safe. My heartbeat got faster by the minute.

"Well, I guess this is my life now," I half-laugh, as I look up at him.

"It's only for a year after we're married," he said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "If by then we haven't fallen madly in love with each other, you have the choice to leave," he backed away, and I immediately felt cold and vulnerable.

"You will sign the contract before dinner," there was no emotion in his voice or his face as he said that. And then, he was out the door.