Strike at Midnight(58)

“Of course,” he said, with a slight blush on his cheeks. “Please do not let me hold you up. We shall meet within the hour.”

He bowed his goodbye and we all repeated our curtseying, or bowing, or whatever the hell we were doing while bouncing up and down like rampant rabbits… No. Not rampant rabbits. That just brought a vision of the prince’s hand on my skin to mind and I very quickly pushed it away.

Like frogs. We were bouncing up and down like frogs.

“You were right before,” Melody said as she took my arm to follow the others along the hallway. “You are so screwed.”





*



Rapunzel was the first to knock on my door only ten minutes after I had been directed into a room with beautiful surroundings.

It had been decorated with an artistic flair with flowers and pictures of flowers decorating the space. It reeked of wealth, but there were the odd little comforting touches that also made it feel homely. And I had to admit I was looking forward to climbing into that giant bed later. Alone.

“May I come in?” Rapunzel asked when I opened the door for her. I swept my arm in a gesture for her to enter.

She smiled at my dramatics, then automatically went to sit down on the bed as I closed the door behind her.

“Told you our things would beat us here,” she said as she nudged her head towards the closet where my trunk had been placed. “I bet your gowns are already hung up and your things put away.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said, but I was already walking to it to check. “Why?”

She chuckled as I went to the drawer to see if my so-called unmentionables had also been put away—even though I had no problem mentioning them—and there they were.

“Guess they have fairies or witches working for them,” I said, knowing there was no other way they could have gotten our things put away so fast.

“You know of fairies?” Rapunzel asked, and I turned to look at her.

“I know that they were banished from the kingdom a very long time ago,” I replied. “But I also know many who use a glamour—their version of magic—to take jobs in the kingdom. There are a lot of unknown interspecies marriages in Carena. I’ve met a few.”

Rapunzel looked surprised. “I often forget of the world that exists beyond our borders. It’s extremely ignorant of me.”

“You know a lot more than many, and have cause to turn your back on magic after what happened to you. There are a lot of people who don’t have that excuse and who refuse to accept that there is magic among us in Carena. Let alone fairies. You know how they get. They think it’s just for the naivety of the lower classes.”

“And you think the prince is one of them who thinks that?” she asked. She was too perceptive for her own good.

“They have the power to change something but refuse to. Isn’t that worse?”

“Power is sometimes deemed in the eye of the beholder. Just because they are seen to rule this world doesn’t mean that they do.”

“He said something of the same,” I murmured, and Rapunzel’s eyes lit up. She kicked her slippers off and tucked her legs beneath her skirts.

“The prince has shown no prejudice towards any of us,” she continued, “regardless of our station. And he still seems entranced with you even though he knows who you are.”

“He’s naive.”

“I don’t think so,” she said with a contemplative look on her face. “He exudes a sense of naivety, I’ll give you that. But it doesn’t come across as ignorance. In fact, it comes across as sweet. As if he sees what others don’t and doesn’t judge like others do. He’s like a pure soul all wrapped into a manly prince package.”

“You go have him if you like him that much,” I said, joining her on the bed and lying down so I could stare at the ceiling. Not that I would find any answers there.

“I don’t like him that way,” she said, “but you do.”

“Don’t start,” I said, and I felt the grip of fatigue from waking so early in the morning. Maybe I could kick Rapunzel out and have a quick nap?

There came another knock from the door, and I let out a very exasperated sigh. So much for that idea.

“Enter,” I shouted, not bothering to get up.

Melody came in and shut the door behind her. She ran and jumped on the bed, giving Rapunzel and I only seconds to shift out of the way before we became Melody fodder.

“You all have your own room, you know,” I said, but she just waved her hands at me and made herself comfortable in the middle of us.

“Yeah, but we have an hour to kill,” she said, “and I’m bored.”

“So go take a swim in the lake,” I said, nudging her arm out of the way of my foot. “They’re bound to have one here. Or a moat.”

“I didn’t see a moat when we came in,” Rapunzel said, “and I think this place is absolutely stunning.”

“It’s too big,” I said, punching at the pillows. This castle was just another reminder why the prince and I were completely unsuitable.

“It’s a castle,” Melody said. “What the hell did you expect the prince to live in? A matchbox?”

“I’ve been here before,” I reminded her. “I knew he lived in a castle.”