A Fairytale To Remember ⥈ The Maid & The Royal

⥊Chapter 6⥋ Mixed Signals

           The next day, he awoke feeling refreshed. He washed up and was on his way to breakfast with a little bounce in his step. It wasn't long before his elder brother Maxwell stopped him at the stairs.

           "So who's the lucky lady, brother dearest?" He asked with his famous I-can-tell smirk. He had acquired most of his father's stunning looks, except for his disheveled dark strawberry blonde hair; that was from his grandmother.
           "Huh?" Grey asked, dazed.
            Maxwell rolled his eyes. "Who is the girl you've finally chosen? Who do you like? I know there's someone."

           "What? No." He lied. "I told you once and I'll say it again: I am very picky, the only girls that seem to show any interest in me are the superficial ones. I am not interested in them at all! I would have to sail at least seven seas and cross maybe sixteen islands through eight kingdoms before I finally find a girl I'm looking for, so please do not bring up this topic with me again!" He fussed, with his arms crossed over his chest. "Go worry about your fan-club or something."

           His brother's face didn't change. That is how you know when Maxwell has beaten you.

           "Just tell me. Who is it?" Maxwell pressured. "C'mon, you know you can trust me." He gave his brother's shoulder a slight nudge. "Who's the one who didn't tell mother and father about who broke grandmother's vase when you were five?"

           Grey knew he was right, but he just couldn't bring himself to tell his brother that the lady he admired was none other than a maid herself. He looked down to the floor.

            "It's not a royal, is it?" Maxwell said, biting his bottom lip. "You know very well what father will do if he finds out, don't you?"

           Grey looked up in fear, reality giving him a slap on the face. Maxwell... was right. If he really did fight for her or make any indication of liking her, father would surely banish her. And he would be the one who would hurt her most.

           "I'll fight for her," Grey said with determination in his eyes, blinding him of the consequences. 

           Maxwell sighed, smiled and ruffled his little brother's hair. "Then I'll fight for you." 

           "Thanks, Max... that means a lot." 

           They both continued on silently to the dining room, each lost in his own thoughts. 

           It was a large, long room. Three crystal candle lit chandeliers hung from the ceiling above, with the middle one being the largest. The chairs were mostly set at the front since the family normally sat together for most of their meals, which left plenty of extra room. Grey sat down, and to his surprise, his parents were already at the table.

           "Good morning, mother. Good morning, father," he smiled kindly at them. 

           "Good morning, son," the king replied.

           "Good morning sweetie," his mother, the queen, replied. Her gray eyes twinkled just like her son's as she smiled. 

           Her warm smile puts him in a good mood every morning. Her long auburn hair was set back in a big bun, with her crown resting neatly on top of her head. His father, with sharp features and stunning looks, seemed to give off an imposing look. He had a diamond-shaped face with deep-set electric blue eyes, a hawk nose, and defined cheekbones. He donned a thick black beard with two graying stripes running down and matching his graying, jaw-length black hair.