Serendipity ✔

V

"Take my hand, take my whole life too."

♫ Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley ♫

♛

"I do not approve of the idea of me choosing a lady to be my wife. I find that very medieval." That sentence made Annabelle turn around to face the prince. The moonlight was hitting his face in the most enchanting way. His blue eyes held nothing but sincerity. She sighed. 

If she was shocked by his revelation, she did not show it. Instead, she replied, "I have to agree that it is a little medieval. But, at least they are making you choose who you would want to spend the rest of your life with. What if they had already arranged that?"

"Good God," he lightly chuckled. "That would have been awful."

"Awful as it is," Annabelle spoke, turning away from him. "It happens to many people in the world." 

Alexander could feel the smile on his face fading away. The sudden thought of the girl in front of him being already engaged to someone else brought a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Do you happen to be one of them, Princess?"  

Annabelle smiled up at the prince and for a moment there, he thought he was not able to breathe. She shook her head, a few curls from her neatly done hair fell down her face. "But would it change anything for you, Your Highness, if I was?"

The Prince went into a deep thought and suddenly, Annabelle wished she had cut off her tongue. She wondered where that confidence was coming from. She was talking to the Prince himself. She had to behave herself. That was the first thing her mother had said when she found out her daughter would be working in the castle. 

"Behave yourself, Anna. They are royalty."

"Of course it would change things," the prince broke Annabelle away from her thoughts. "A lot of things, actually."

"What do you mean, Your Highness?"

"Please," he pleaded, momentarily brushing his fingers against her hand. "Call me Alexander. I do not like it when you call me that."  

"Prince Alexander," she said, instead. The Prince felt defeated but smiled, nonetheless.

"You did not tell me what you meant by that, Prince Alexander,"  Annabelle urged. The air between them seemed to have shifted. 

He did not waste one breath further. "I have seen many women that have walked through the Grand Hall's door tonight. But, none of them made me feel like you did the moment I laid my eyes on you."

When it came to romance, poor Anna was completely clueless. But, she was sure of one thing. From the way the prince's eyes were sparkling, there was no doubt that he was completely honest about what he said.  

"Everyone around me just disappeared when I saw you, princess Annabelle." he said, admiring the crimson color of her cheeks. And her lips. Her lips were the color of raspberries. If only he could come a little bit closer. Just a little bit. 

The sudden thought terrified him. If he would come any closer, his lips would barely brush hers. The erratic thumping of his heart told him that there wasn't anything in the world he would want to do more than kissing her at that moment. 

Annabelle stared at the prince's bright blue eyes and felt hypnotized. The things he said, the way he was looking at her.  Something just pulled her towards him. She had never felt like this with anyone before. Under his intense gaze, she completely forgot who she was.

His hand was suddenly on her cheek, stroking it ever so gently.

"Princess Annabelle," the Prince quietly spoke, his lips still dangerously close to hers. For a second there, she admired the fullness of them. "As much as I would like to look at your beautiful emerald eyes all night, will you let me remove your mask?"

Emerald eyes. 

Nobody had ever described her eyes with such words before. 

Her little brother once mocked her that her eyes were the color of moss.  But, never emerald. 

"Princess?" He seemed anxious.

And, bless her heart, she almost did let him. There was a brief second where his fingers brushed up against the gold surface when she quickly pulled away, having snapped back into reality.

She remembered who she really was. A working maid in his castle.

She was no princess. 

"I-I," she seemed unable to speak, her eyes were already watering. "I have to go."

"Wait," he urgently asked for her when she started backing away from him. "Please."

She was no princess. 

Not even a little bit.

Not even the tiniest bit. 

She kept repeating that to herself because if she did not, she feared she would forget who she was again. 

"Annabelle," said the prince, making Annabelle stop with a halt at the sound of her name rolling off his tongue. He made it seem so easy. But, it was nowhere near easy. She took a deep breath. 

"What have I done wrong?" he pleaded her. The look in his eyes made Annabelle weak in the knees. "Tell me." 

She shook her head and gave him his coat back. "Nothing. You are perfect, Your Highness."

And with that, she turned on her heel again and left him alone.

She didn't remember how she arrived at her room without anyone seeing her. Her mind was racing. She did not even notice when she removed her mask in disdain and threw it against the stony walls of the castle.

That night, Annabelle dreamed of dancing with a gentleman. It was a dream she often had, but never knew the explanation of it. 

The only difference now was that the blurry face of the man she used to dream before, was replaced with the face of Prince Alexander.