Maid For You 3

Chapter 16

I closed my eyes and decided to focus on Luke's smile and the feel of his hand in mine. I was lucky to have such a cute boyfriend, and I only wished that he could come with me to this party. I looked out the window, though the view was rather dismal in the dark. Maybe I should put in my headphones, I thought. Though, that seems rude. Wait, rude? What am I talking about! This is Coleman for Pete's sake! Who cares?

"How have the other servants been treating you?" Coleman suddenly asked.

Nooooo. I thought. How can I escape conversation with him?!

"They've been good, now," I said. "I sort of told them off, actually. I low key kind of threatened their jobs."

Prince Coleman laughed. "Did you now? That's good."

"No, it's not," I sighed. "Missus Lucille said I shouldn't go around threatening people."             

"That's funny, seeing as how she and Mama are about to fire everyone."

"Yeah, well that's because that's their job, not mine."

"Still, I would have like to see you threaten other people for a change."

"'Other people for a change'?" I scoffed. "When have I ever threatened you? You're being dramatic. Besides, I have been nothing but an angel recently."

"You have been a picturesque maid, I'll admit," he said, sounding a tad downhearted. "But I don't mind some conversation, you know?"

Speaking of conversation, apparently it was inevitable in this long 90-minute car ride. So if I had to talk to him, I needed to find a good, safe, boundary setting topic.

"So, are you going to marry a Princess anytime soon?" I asked.

Prince Coleman turned to look at me with a baffled expression on his face. "What?"

"Well, I was talking to Nikolas the other day..."

"Nikolas? As it Nikotovich?" Coleman asked, his disdain palpable.

"Yes, that one."

"Ach du lieber Himmel," Coleman muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing. Why are you associating with him, again?"

"Well he's my friend."

"Nikolas doesn't have friends," Coleman argued.

"That's not true."

"It's not?"

"Yeah, because I'm his friend," I said with a Cheshire grin.

Coleman rolled his eyes.

"Anyways, Prince Nikolas was telling me about how he needs to marry a Princess and stuff, and I thought about how that's such a small pool of people. And I thought about how you never talk about marrying anybody." That's right Cassie, I thought. I'll make him talk about marrying other people, clearly drawing lines between us. "I mean, I assume you also have to marry royalty, right? Your mom is pushing for Calista to marry Prince Nikolas, afterall."

Prince Coleman sighed. "When I was young, my parents talked about me marrying well quite often, as far as I can gather. Keeping tabs on new Princesses, etc. Both of them desired an 'advantageous' marriage for me, preferably with a Princess, though they would have settled for a prominent noble, such as Madeline Rylin or something."

I rose my eyebrows. "Lady Madeline?"

Coleman gripped the wheel, looking uncomfortable. "Sure, or someone like her. I have no intention of marrying Madeline, if that's what you're asking."

"I'm just curious, is all. And so do they have any people in mind for you now?"

Coleman grimaced. "Not really. I think Father still wants me to marry well, which for him means high nobility or Princess. At this point, I think I've broken Mama and she just wants me to marry somebody. She acts like I'm an old man or something because I'm not married yet. But I have no desire to marry."

"Really?" I asked. "So, you just want to be some bachelor forever then?"

"Well, no. I'm going to have to marry someone eventually—I have to keep the royal bloodline going, I guess. Have children and all that. But that doesn't need to happen for a while."

"And you really don't want to get married?" I questioned.

"No, I really don't. Why would I willingly tie myself down like that?"

I looked out of the window. "Because, marriage is a beautiful thing, I think. I've always wanted to get married and have a family."

"Really?" he asked. "And why is that?"

I glanced at him and smiled. "I want to have a partner to walk through life with. Someone I can count on in the good times and the bad. I've always loved kids, and I'd like to have some of my own someday. And, I don't know, the idea of raising children with a loving, supportive husband sounds wonderful. I mean, marriage might not be as dramatic as dating a new person every week, but you always have someone to have and to hold, someone who always has your back. A best friend, I guess, with of course romantic benefits." I tilted my head. "Maybe it's because my parents had a good relationship, but I've always wanted that, I guess."

Coleman didn't say anything for a moment. "I don't know if that's for me," he said.

"That's alright, I guess," I shrugged. "So what are you going to do when you do have to get married?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I'll probably just marry some random royal or noble girl and have a few kids or something. I don't think about it too much." 

"Well, who are some of the candidates, then?" I asked.

Coleman looked at me strangely, clearly uncomfortable.

"What?" I asked with laugh. "I'm just curious, you know, about some of the Princesses and stuff. Like, what about Princess Esmerelda, for example?"

"Esmerelda?" Prince Coleman asked, cocking an eyebrow. "You know, I think father would have my head if I went for any princess of Espana Nueva. I'm somewhat friends with Alejandro, but it's completely different to marry into that entire fiasco."

"Oh, I see."

"Why?" he asked, looking at me curiously. "Has Nikky been talking about her?"

"N-nikky?"

"Nikolas." He laughed. "I must say, I'm surprised that he would consider her due to her country's state, though I suppose she is pretty enough. And very Catholic, and I believe Nikolas cares about that sort of thing."

"He didn't talk about Esmerelda," I lied, covering for Nikolas. "I was looking up New Spain after my confrontation with its Prince Alejandro. Anyways, if Esmerelda is not for you, what are some of your other options?"

Coleman furrow his brow. "Why do you care so much, Cassie?"