CinderFella

Chapter 1 Prince POV

"You need a wife," The old king straightened up, studying 18 year old son with pride in his eyes",you need a queen."
Prince Stephan stared blankly at his father.
"So your mother and I have arranged a ball for you to meet young ladies from all over the kingdom. Surely, you'll take a liking to at least one of them."
"Father, I...." Stephan widened his hazel eyes, he wanted to protest, but it only took him seconds to realize he couldn't win. He felt the eyes of a dozen lords and ladies on him."I accept." He dipped his head, letting his dark hair fall forward, and exited the Throne Room.
Stephen's foot steps down the hall seemed to echo. He took a moment to marvel at the artwork and tapestries that adorned the polished walls. Sliding his finger across small table tops as he walked. The sunlight shown threw the windows creating faded rainbows on the floor and walls. "How pretty." He thought. Taking longer than usual, he wistfully looked at the old tapestries, and smiled looking out the stained glass window.
"Hey!" Stephan exclaimed, he'd bumped into someone. "Watch it!" It was a serving boy. Apparently, they'd run into each other hard enough to cause the boy to fall backwards.
"Well, I'm not the one daydreaming!" The boy quickly gathered the pile of clothes he had dropped ",you know, I have a job to do, and if it weren't for clumsy idiots like you I'd have been done sooner!" He stood up and glared at the prince.
Stephan watched as the boys face go pale and his deep blue eyes widen. "What pretty eyes." He thought.
"I-I'm sorry, your majesty. I-"
"No no, I'm sorry for being a clumsy, idiotic, daydreamer." Stephan gave a small chuckle. "It was my fault."
The boy glued his eyes to the ground and gave a nod ",Yes, your Highness."
Stephen arched his eyebrow.
"I mean, um, no, ah, yes, I mean..."
Stephan laughed and patted the serving boys shoulder. "It's okay, it was no big deal." Stephan smiled and made his way, once again, to his room. "What a handsome guy," Stephan thought ",I'm almost jealous." He chuckled to himself.
Stephan placed his hand on the shiny door knob and twisted it. His room was large, of course he was the prince, but Stephan always felt that it was too much. He use to joke about it with the maids, of how he could fit the whole army in his room and there would still be enough space for that army to lay down.
He made his way to his little private library. It wasn't actually little, the bookshelf took up a whole wall, and he needed a ladder to reach the top. Stephan took a random book, and sat down on a cushioned chair by a window over looking the gardens. He enjoyed the peace. It was so quiet and warm. He sat there and slowly, very slowly, he fell asleep.
He dreamt of the gardens. His toddler self running around the rose bushes, giggling with delight. His father chased him around. His mother sitting calmly embroidering pillow cases for her own personal enjoyment, smiling when ever her son let out a laugh. Happiness.
Stephan was awoken by a knock on the door", Ahem, your highness, very sorry to disturb you, but it is 9:00pm and we need to get you into your night clothes."
"Hmmm," Stephan was still trying to wake up. He rubbed his eyes and stood", Come in."
The door opened, two male servants ,who looked completely identical, came into the room. One went and started to remove his day clothes while the other retrieve some silk pajamas from Stephan's closet. Once he was dressed, they bowed there heads.
"Thank you." Stephan said quickly before the two exited the room. Stephan put himself into bed and turned off the lamp, hoping that he would get to see that wonderful dream again.