Undercover Princess

Chapter three

I managed to hold myself together even if my fathers’ friend did not. My fathers’ best friend is called Edward, his wife is called Jane. They were lovely they had the most wonderful dining table and I even asked Jane if they had a cooked breakfast every morning and she said that she was fed up of cooked breakfast so she has chocolate coated cereal. She even let me try some and it was so delicious I could have fainted. I’m so used to having posh chocolates that the chocolate cereal was a relief. I wish I could have it more often instead of having a cooked breakfast every single morning.

“Mum is Charlotte with you?” Called Thomas from halfway across the castle

“Yes she is. Did you want to talk to her?”

“Um … Kind of yes”

“Come up here then”

I was speechless. Literally speechless and I am never speechless. I didn’t have anything to say because I didn’t actually get to see him when he was laughing at me yet he was the most beautiful person I had ever seen. Why did I have to make such a fool out of myself when I he first saw me? I don’t care if he’s a douche because he’s a handsome douche. Anyway I do not even know if he’s a douche yet. I better stop talking otherwise I’m going to end up talking out loud again and I cannot have that. Not to him.

“Hello Thomas” I managed to say through many gulps as I gave an uneasy curtsey.

“You don’t have to curtsey to me”

“Okay” I let a giggle and then a snort escape from my big fat nose. Why do I always muck everything up for myself? “I am so sorry”

“Don’t be, I always giggle when I’m nervous.

“I’m not nervous” I lied. How many lies can I tell in one day I wonder?

“Of course not, excuse us mother I would like to find a little bit more out about our guest.” He pushed me forwards in his large but delicate hands. Concentrate on walking forwards. Concentrate.

He led me into his dark blue room which gave me the chills. He too had a four poster bed but instead he sat on his chair and told me to sit opposite him.

“Finally I thought she was going to talk to you forever” He said softly while I giggled but ensured I did not snort. “I want to know more about you, and find out if you are more than just a pretty face” I giggled again to receive the compliment.

“What do you want to know?”

“Well how many languages can you speak because this will show me that you are more than a pretty face?” I really need to stop giggling because now I really seem insane. But then if I stop suddenly then he will think I’m weird anyway. I need to pay him a compliment now to prove that I’m not mean.

“Well Mr. handsome I can speak in English, French, German and Spanish. What about you? Are you more than a handsome face?”

“I should hope so I don’t know Spanish but I can speak English, German and French”

“That’s rubbish; I’m going to have to teach you Spanish”

“Why?”

“Well I know women are usually better than men but the people would want you to be more intelligent than your queen”

“Are you saying we …”

“No, I’m just giving you a couple of tips. What kind of music are you into then?” I said quickly changing the subject to save the conversation from getting too awkward.

“Well, I kind of like the 80s, you can’t really bet them, you?”

“I don’t really know, my mother doesn’t let me listen to any ‘popular’ music just in case it ‘influences me to do bad things’ or so she says” I was going to continue ranting on about her but we heard a shout for lunch coming from the bottom of the stairs.

They purposely sat Thomas next to me but we also had to sit in between my mother and his mother on the circular table. Therefore we had to sit and listen to politics (which is actually very boring) and also sit and listen to our parents embarrassing us about little things like not being able to curtsey properly until I was seven. Don’t laugh it is actually very hard. I hate her most the time… Change that to all the time. Soon the mountain full plate of potatoes came out followed by chicken, then carrots, then parsnips, then peas and then finally the plates and cutlery. I don’t think I have ever seen this much food all in one place this (luckily this quickly changed the topic of conversation). My mother won’t allow me to eat too much food in case I get ‘too big to move’ or obese as others call it but I’m not at home so she can’t really tell me off can she? In addition it would be rude to leave all of the lovely food to go to waste. The chicken was so succulent it just fell off of the bone when Jason the waiter gave it to me. Just as I doubted I will never get to eat something so nice again the plates got taken away and the bowels got given to us the most delicious looking chocolate cheesecake that I have ever seen. Most days I’m not allowed pudding unless it is a Sunday. And on Sundays we have fruit and cream. It makes a change having an actual pudding for once. I took one look at my mother as if to ask her whether I could have some she just looked back at me as it to say: It’s a Saturday you know you can’t have pudding on Saturdays. I didn’t care I needed to taste the pudding so I ‘mistook’ her look for a yes you can have pudding. I began eating with the most delicate spoon, while my mother stared at me with the: You are going to be in big trouble when you get home look. I ignored it. It was extremely hard to pay attention to anything else because the chocolate cheesecake was so tasty.

After everyone had finished we still had to sit around the table talking and listening (or day dreaming in my case) for over fifteen minutes. I still couldn’t write down any plans for my escape route but I thought that if I could let Thomas know then he could help me plan it. My father said that he was good at planning things and that he has a lot of common sense – perfect for a king. My father idolises him more than he idolises me just because I’m a girl and he wanted a boy to take over his land after him. I’m sure a girl can do just as well as a boy at running a country if not do a better job. I just think that it’s wrong that even if I was eighteen and if I had a brother who was five he would be king unless I found a suitable husband. And even if I did I would be ruled by my husband. Sometimes I get so annoyed at the things that my father says. Next time he goes shooting I’m going to prove to him that girls can shoot too. I’m going to have to learn how to shoot anyway to get my meals when I become a commoner, why not learn from one of the best?

“Charlotte? What do you think about it?”

Shoot, I knew I should have been listening.

“War …” Whispered Thomas without anyone noticing even though most of them were staring at me. How does he do it?

“Well I think that as long as it actually solves a problem, a big problem not a small one, and not too many people die then possibly it could be acceptable.” I had listened to enough of my parents’ conversations to know what I could and couldn’t say in answer to that question.

“That is an excellent point Charlotte; I wish Thomas paid attention while James and I are talking.” Jane said happily.

“Thank you Jane. The food was delicious, thank you again.” I replied at ease this time.

She smiled sweetly at Thomas and I and kindly told us to get down.

What's going to happen between Thomas and Charlotte? Tell me what you think in the comments and please vote if you even liked it a tiny bit.