Kidnapping the Prince

Kidnapping the Prince Installment VIII

Kidnapping the Prince Installment VIII

~ DAY ONE OF THE BALL ~

“Get up,” Ryan commanded briskly, jerking the sheets back. I groaned.

“It’s too early,” I mumbled, snatching blindly around myself for the missing blanket. Ryan grabbed my arm and hauled me to a sitting position. I grudgingly opened my eyes.

“What time is it?” I asked with a yawn, grabbing a pillow and hugging it as Ryan began to dig through my wardrobe for me. He tossed me a cream colored dress and a light blue shawl. Surprisingly, the colors he picked out went very well with each other.

“Well, Talia and Willa already came in with breakfast, meaning Danny-boy was supposed to be here soon to take us on our tour of the grounds,” Ryan said as he held up two different necklaces, comparing them with squinted eyes. “Pearls or sapphires?” he asked, holding them out for me to choose. I gaped at him.

“Dan,” I started slowly, “is coming at any second, and YOU’RE TELLING ME TO PICK A NECKLACE?” I yelled at him, suddenly awake, as I threw aside the pillow. To his credit, the boy didn’t even flinch.

“Relax,” he sighed as he began to search for a pair of shoes. “Talia said the prince can’t come today. That’s why I said he was supposed to be here soon.” I sat up straighter.

“Is he sick? With what? Is he okay? Can we go see him? He’ll be all right, won’t he? Has he had medicine? Has he eaten? Has-,”

“Shut up!” Ryan roared, his hands clasped tightly over his ears. “Seriously, you act as if he’s dying. And who told you he was sick anyway?”

“So he’s okay?” I asked, suddenly feeling as light as a cloud. I fell back onto my pillows with a smile and a soft sigh.

“You are so infatuated,” Ryan snickered, throwing the slippers he’d found onto the bed next to the gown and shawl. “Get dressed. Talia said the prince just has to make up his lessons from yesterday. He still wants to take us on the tour later.” He left the room.

I put on the outfit Ryan had picked out for me (It actually looked gorgeous on me, but of course I’d never admit that.) and bounded out the door happily. Ryan was seated at the table in front of a large and mouth-watering breakfast.

“I have never eaten so well in my nineteen years of existence!” I declared happily as I sat down across from Ryan. He munched on his toast slowly, not making any acknowledgment that I had arrived.

“Don’t get used to it,” he finally said as I began to munch on scrambled eggs. “We’ll be leaving here forever in ten days.” I frowned at him, my mouth full of eggs.

“You just have to point out all the depressing things in life, don’t you?” I said after I swallowed with some difficulty. Ryan shrugged, finishing off his toast.

“I just don’t want to see you acting like me once we leave,” Ryan said simply, picking up the pitcher of milk. A faint smile tugged at my lips.

We finished breakfast in silence. Soon after, Talia and Willa came in to take away the dishes.

“Talia, are the prince’s lessons over yet?” I asked the maid in my lady voice. She smiled at my eagerness.

“Yes, milady. They should be finishing up about now,” she answered. “Oh! I almost forgot. He told his squire to tell Sarah to tell Tomas to give me this note to give to you.” She dug through the pockets on her apron, finally producing a small piece of folded up paper stamped with the royal mermaid seal. In my haste I almost snatched it out of Talia’s hand, but I controlled myself and took it gently, slipping it into my dress pocket leisurely. I thanked Talia, and she and Willa left the room, their baskets full of leftovers and dirty dishes, the former of which I was almost certain was going to be their breakfast. I frowned; that greatly upset me.