THE HANDMAID

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

AUTHORESS'S NOTE
HELLO MY LOVELY FAMILY, GREETINGS FROM YOUR AUTHORESS TO YOU, I LOVE YOU GUYS ❤️ THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING THIS BOOK, LET'S KEEP THE VOTES AND COMMENTS COMING IN. SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING THE JOURNEY, LET'S GET BACK ON IT, SHALL WE?

I stared at him shocked, he looked back to the water like he didn't say anything. He likes me, why? Why will he like me? I wanted to say something but words couldn't leave my mouth. I was rendered speechless.

Samuel turned back to face me and chuckled at my surprised expression "what is with the face?" He asked and I blinked my eyes at him.

"You just said you like me" I stated.

"I know what I said" he said smiling "I know I shouldn't but it is a feeling that doesn't take permission" he said.

"But you can't like me" I said.

"Why?" He ask.

"You are a prince" I told him.

He hummed before turning to the water "I am not saying you should like me back. I am just letting you know about my feelings for you" he say.

I couldn't say anything. He suddenly stood up cleaning the leaves from his trousers.

"We should head back. It is getting late" he say as he held out his hand to me. I didn't take it, I got up on my own.

Samuel got on the horse back, he held out his hand for me. I didn't take it, I tried my best to get on the horse, he just kept on chuckling. I finally gave up and took his hand and got on the horse. I held on to him and together we rode back.

My thoughts were messed up. Samuel likes me and he told me he did. I didn't know how to feel about that. I didn't know how to react about that. No guy has ever told me he liked me. I was so confused.

We got back to the castle, with Samuel's guard help, I got down from the horse so did Samuel. We walked back into the castle together leaving his guards at the stable with the horse.

We walked to my room door without saying a word to each other. When we got to the door, I turned to face him, embarrassed and shy.

"Thank you for tonight, good night" I said and turned around to open the door.

"Amelia" he called before I could open the door, I turned to face him ".... about what I said earlier. You can forget I ever said that. Good night" he said turning around. I watched his back as he disappeared into the shadows before walking into the room.

I took off the thick clothing and collapsed on the bed looking at the ceiling. Maisie and Rose were already fast asleep. I just lay on the bed.

'you can forget I ever said that' Samuel's words rang in my head.

'because I like you' his words played in my head.

How could joke with such words? How could he tell me that he likes me? Does he know the result of his words? I sighed deeply.

I knew he wasn't joking about it. He meant every word he said. Why on earth will he like me? The prince and a handmaid, never have I ever heard of such comparison. This is bad. This is really bad.

I need to get as far away from him as possible.

I didn't know when I finally slept off.

OLIVER'S POV
I sat in the garden on the swing, today I was reading a book on war. I really loved to enhance my knowledge about that. I saw prince Albert walking up to me. I wasn't informed that he will be visiting so I was surprised he came.

He walked up to me "Oliver" he greeted, I got down from the swing and curtsied.

"Albert, I wasn't told you will be coming today" I said with my surprised expression. He sat on the swing next to me and I sat down.

"I came to deliver a message in the town, so I used the opportunity to stop by" he said as she pushed his body on the swing to enable the swing to move back and forth.

"Welcome" I said awkwardly.

"My birthday party is in two days. I hope you will be there" he said still going back and forth on the swing.

"I will be there" I said. I sighted Amelia walking towards us with the cup of coffee I asked her to bring. Before she could walk up to us, she missed her step and fell. I got up immediately and rushed to her. Albert had already gotten to her before I could.

AMELIA'S POV
I walked with the cup of coffee Oliver asked for, she saw sitting in the garden with prince Albert, I wondered when he got here. Unexpectedly, I missed my step and fell, the coffee poured on my hand burning my skin. I frowned at the pain I felt from the burn.

"Let me see" I heard a musculine voice say. It was prince Albert. He had gotten beside me and was holding my bruised hand as he knelt close to me.

"It is bad" Oliver said as she looked at the burn.

Albert helped me stand still holding my hand. I didn't say anything, I couldn't. The pain was unbearable, the coffee was really hot.

"Call the healer" Oliver said to Albert's guard that stood nearby and Albert nodded.

"Let's go" he motioned for me. I wondered why they were caring so much about a slight bruise, though it was painful but they were paying excess attention.

"What happened?" Samuel walk up to us as we walked towards Oliver's bedroom. We got into the bedroom with their help I sat on the bed "oh my, this is bad" he said.

"It is just a burn. I am fine" I said. Samuel sat beside me as he took my bruised hand from Albert.

"This is not just a burn. It can become a scar" Samuel said. The healer walked in just then. The healer brought out some medicine and applied it on my hand which Samuel held.

Albert and Oliver stared at him as he did that. I frowned at the pain. After a while, he was done, he left us in the room. Samuel wouldn't drop my hand.

"Thank God it is nothing serious" Oliver spoke up.

"How do you feel?" Albert asked with a soft tone. Everyone noticed the tone he used because Samuel looked up at him.

"She is fine. Thank you for caring prince Albert" Samuel replied.

"It is fine. She is Oliver's handmaid, I am caring for her just as she would" Albert said.

"Thank you" Oliver said.

"Thank you prince Albert" I thanked.

"You don't have to thank me" Albert said with the same soft endearing tone. Albert guard walked in just then.

"Sorry for interrupting my prince. We have to go now before the rain starts" he said.

"I will be on my way now" he said and bowed "my lady, I will see you soon" he said to Oliver before leaving.