The Translator

Chapter 8: The Garden Party

*Erik's P.O.V.*

Henri and I are standing with Sir Kile in the royal gardens, sipping on iced tea and watching a game of badminton as we chat. I am too distracted by my thoughts about how terribly boring badminton is to even notice the Princess making her way over to us. If Henri hadn't given her a nice, low bow and a greeting, I might have jumped three feet in the air and peed myself a bit when she snuck up on us. But thank goodness Henri has very keen eyes, ones that only care for the Princess.

"Hello today, Your Highness," Henri says brightly.

"Hello, Henri. Kile." she says, not even addressing me.

I feel a tinge of hurt when Princess Eadlyn doesn't seem to notice me, but I quickly push it aside. I'm not a suitor so why should she address me or take notice of me? Shaking my head, I turn my attention back to Princess Eadlyn who is having an interesting conversation with Sir Kile.

"Kile, would you please go talk to your sister?" she huffs.

"Why? What'd she do this time?" Kile asks, sounding flustered.

"She's taken yet another one of my tiaras," the Princess sighs.

"Don't you have, like, a thousand of those?" Kile asks.

"That's hardly the point," she huffs, crossing her arms. "It's mine, and she shouldn't be wearing it. When she walks around like that, she gives the impression that she's royal when she's not. It's inappropriate. Could you please talk to her about her behavior?!"

"When did I become the person who did all these favors for you??" Kile asks, confusing me slightly.

The Princess gives Henri and I a quick glance before looking back at Kile "Please?" she asks in a more hushed tone.

"Fine," he sighs, his face softening visibly. "But Josie just likes attention. I don't think she's doing it to be mean."

"Thank you," Princess Eadlyn says, sounding relieved.

"I'm going. Be right back," Kile says, leaving us with the lovely Princess.

As Kile stomps off, I try to speed up my translation so that Henri can speak with her, if he would like...and I am VERY sure he would. Once I am done, Henri clears his throat before turning to the Princess.

"How are you today, Your Highness?" Henri asks her, his voice changing pitch a few times as he speaks.

"Very good. You?" she asks after a few moments of silence.

"Good, good," Henri replies cheerfully. "I to enjoy...umm..." He turns to me and says the rest of his sentence in Finnish, asking me to help him translate.

"He thinks the party is great, and he likes the company," I say for him.

"So, when did you move over from Swendway?" she asks, giving Henri and I a small smile. He continues to smile and nod along to what she said, confirming he is from Swendway, but not really understanding what she was asking. I quickly whisper what she meant in his ear and he gives me a lengthy reply.

"Henri emigrated to Illea last year when he was seventeen," I begin, trying my best to translate everything he said properly. "He comes from a family of cooks, which is what he does back home. They make food from their homeland and generally interact with others who also come from Swendway and only speak Finnish. He has a younger sister who is working very hard on her English, but it's a difficult language."

"Wow." Princess Eadlyn says, sounding impressed. "That was a lot to keep up with."

"I try," I say, waving my hand as if to brush the compliment off, but really it is to hide my blush.

"We'll have to spend some time together soon. Where we can talk easier." she says after turning back to Henri.

"Yes, yes!!" Henri exclaims as soon as I pass on what she said.

"Until then," she giggles, walking away from us.

Henri and I both watch her go, not taking our eyes off her until she is out of our sight. I continue to stare after her as Hale comes up to us and starts up a conversation with Henri, making me put my full concentration into translating rather than on the Princess. Why do I feel so safe and warm when I am with her? Why does she, of all the people in the world, get me to talk the easiest? I have always been a shy guy, but when I am around Eadlyn...there is something about her that makes me want to open up and pour out my soul to her. Goodness, I really need to get my feelings in check before I say or do something stupid...