The Brooding Prince

Prologue

             

                **********

Men are like mushrooms, my grandmother always said, they grow their whole lives as ugly deformed little monstrosities or as beautiful looking delicacies, but just know, one or the other is bound to poison your life either way. So choose the beautiful one.

Little did she know, at the time, my seven year old self couldn't give a rat's arse about men and only wanted to jump in mud and scare the neighbor's smelly tick infested cat.

And I, to this day, still couldn't understand what the hell she meant by that disturbing analogy.

          The bang of a door against a wall followed by an excited squeal startled me from my daydreaming, I looked up from my buttered bread to see my friend Charlotte at the entrance of the kitchen, beaming with the biggest and brightest smile.

Everyone in the kitchen quieted down including the chefs at the stoves. The stares that were on Charlotte should've made her uncomfortable, it certainly would've made me cower into my own body, but this was Charlotte we were talking about.

She welcomed the open stares and opened her arms. "The Crown Prince is engaged!" She excitedly announced all while jumping and squealing. You'd think she was mad.

There was startled silence for a beat or two, Charlotte kept looking at everyone with wide eyes and open arms, waiting for their reaction, and everyone looked back at her with the same wide eyed expression.

The kitchen erupted in a chaos of disbelief and awe, heads turning to gawk the others' reactions to see if what they just heard was a product of their poor hearing or if it was genuine news, maids immediately stood from their places at the breakfast table, plates of food completely forgotten, and swarmed around Charlotte to squeeze any detail possible out of her.

"Well I'll be damned." Chef Nutter, the friendly and slightly chubby Chef chuckled while wiping his forehead of sweat, his moustache almost wiggling from the movement of his lips. He put his hands on his hips and gave a sigh, as if he's been waiting for these news for a long time.

"Good lord, Mr. Nutter can you believe this? Our Crown Prince is finally getting married!" An equally chubby woman hurried next to Chef Nutter with a look of unmasked content and disbelief. "Oh, just imagine the happiness of the people, Oh, and the celebrations!" Mrs. Nutter beamed at her husband, her eyes turned up in a haze of wonder and her hands firmly gripping the Chef's apron. "I can already smell the pastries and the roasts!" She clapped her hands and hugged her husband.

All of this was happening while my bread hang from my mouth.

What did she just say?

My slow mind finally registered the words Charlotte said. The prince? Engaged? My eyebrows frowned. I took a deep breath and pictured our prince, the heir to the throne.

A tall figure with wide muscular shoulders, light shiny hair pushed back from his forehead, beautiful forest green eyes sparkling with charm and a dazzling smile that could melt any maiden if she so much as glanced at it. My face heated up just thinking of him in his Royal uniform.

Many times I've seen the prince about the palace grounds, far enough to not be seen but close enough to memorize his dashing face.

Engaged? But to whom?

"Emma! Oh, Emma. Isn't this the happiest news this palace has known?" Charlotte said as she sat, or more like plopped, in the seat next to mine.

"Yes." I smiled at her lit up face. I haven't seen her this happy in a long time. No, that's a lie, only yesterday she came into my chambers happily squealing about a unique flower she found in the gardens. As you've probably already surmised, Charlotte is a charming and precious little thing that squeals at pretty much anything remotely positive.

But I couldn't match her enthusiasm for the life of me. What was wrong with me? It's not like the prince even knew of my existence. This was only a little girl's absurd dream of a royal wedding getting crushed into a million pieces. Nothing more.

Suddenly I was angry at myself. Wake up you fool! You're almost to be considered an adult yet you dream of grand palaces and handsome princes? Get a hold of your fantasies!

"Um, Emma? Are you alright?" Charlotte put a hand on my forehead and looked in confusion. "You seem a bit pale."

I gently pulled her hand away from my face and took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm completely fine. You were saying?" I forced a smile on my face again for Charlotte's sake.

Charlotte's face immediately went back to utmost delight. "The prince! Engaged! We will finally get to attend the wedding ceremony we always dreamt about, albeit as mere little servants, but still! A royal wedding! Ah!" She hugged the living daylights out of me which made me wince.

I finally snapped out of my stupefied trance and hugged her back with as much force while we both giggled and swayed. "I wonder if the king approves of this reunion." I gently said.

"Oh, who cares! It is his most beloved son after all. Besides, I heard Lady Katherine was one of the most kind hearted and accomplished maidens in the land, and it also helps that her beauty exceeds the beauty of the most beautiful flower in the garden. I would be horrified if the king didn't approve of it." Charlotte sighed and sat back in her seat, finally loosening her grip on my poor waist.

Lady Katherine? He's marrying a Lady Katherine? The most beautiful and kind hearted woman. Of course that didn't shock me, it was expected from a prince after all. To marry such a devine creature, the future queen of our kingdom. But why did her name sound so familiar?

"If I may ask, Charlotte, who is this Lady Katherine you speak of?" I asked with a questioning look on my face.

"Why, Lady Katherine Duke Huntington's daughter of course! She's been to the palace many times and attended many balls I believe." She explained with a matter of fact tone while her hands played with her white apron.

"Oh, I think I remember her." I frowned while racking my brain of any memory I had of her. "Wasn't she the Lady who fell one evening during one of the balls and came back with a red stain on her lips?"

"Yes! That was her! Oh, poor girl, she only bruised up a bit luckily, no lasting damage." Charlotte put one of her hands on her heart as if she could feel the girl's pain.

My eyes wondered up a bit in thought. I did remember that day, Lady Katherine came back to the ball with a red splotch on her lips from what I've heard, even if I haven't seen her myself, I sympathised with the girl. And to come back infront of the gentry with a bruise like that must've been humiliating for her, but she held her ground and wandered through the ballroom with such grace and poise. It was no wonder Prince Henry chose her as his future queen, all I've heard about the girl was praises and compliments.

I smiled at Charlotte and proceeded to talk about the prince and his betrothed. But somewhere in the back of my mind, was a feeling of envy I couldn't shake off. What an ugly monster jealousy was.

"Come on, ladies. Time to go about your duties." Mrs. Nutter gently ushered the maids out of the kitchen, and I and Charlotte got up from our seats and followed dutifully behind the swishing skirts and loud gossip.

***

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