"Holding hands with you is like a promise that if even for a brief moment or a few hours, we don't have to face the world alone."- Unknown
The 30th of September Sunday
"Mom, can you show me how to make breakfast?" Willow asked Taylor. Taylor nodded, and they went into the kitchen.
All the servants and royalty were at a funeral today. Taylor hadn't known the person well, and she never got much time with her kids. So she had a source close to her tell the media she felt sick and would stay home.
"We have the entire castle to ourselves today." Taylor remarked, getting food out of the microwave.
"Really? Can we explore?" Cornelia asked politely. Taylor agreed.
After breakfast, they went down the first flight of stairs to the wardrobe. Cornelia and Willow began to try dresses on. They were very large on them, and they spun around giggling.
"Do you like this?" Cornelia asked. She had on a lavender dress and a crown. Taylor smiled as she twirled, wondering if she would ever get to be announced as a princess.
"It's lovely. Willow, I love that green dress." Willow smiled shyly. They went down the next flight of stairs and swam in the pool. They continued to explore the rooms, as such as the ballroom and the dining hall.
"Can we go to the garden maze?" Taylor nodded. They ran around the garden, never seeming to get tired. Taylor remembered seeing Joe there and wondered when she would see him again.
"Taylor?" She heard Joe ask. Taylor panicked. She couldn't find the twins, and didn't want Joe to see them. She saw them behind a bush, and excused herself for a moment.
"Do you guys want to go practice your dancing in the ballroom?" They had been learning ballroom dance in their free time. There was a window in the ballroom, so Taylor could keep an eye on them.
"How have you been?" She asked Joe.
"Good. How are you?"
"Good." Joe told her stories about acting and London, and she told him stories of growing up as a princess. She loved the new feeling she had with him.
She hadn't even noticed how long they had been talking until the twins fell asleep on the ballroom floor, and the royalty began to return. She said goodbye to Joe, and rushed to hide her daughters. She didn't say half the things she wanted to.
Joe scribbled a note quickly and snuck it in a pocket of Taylor's dress. She made him feel so happy. He almost felt guilty for not telling her who he was.
Taylor changed into a nightgown, and noticed a piece of paper in her pocket. She unfolded it carefully, smoothing it out.
Hey, I had a great time today. Meet in the garden tonight at 8? Bring a lantern. Joe
Taylor knew she wasn't supposed to sneak out, but she couldn't help herself if Joe looked like an angel. She searched her room for a lantern for later.
"Introducing Princess Taylor Swift!" Every Sunday night, Taylor played a song. She loved to write songs and play them. She had written one after Joe's note. She started to play the guitar.
"Mmm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm Mmm-mm, mm-mm Mmm-mm, mm-mm, mm-mm Mmm-mm, yeah Hey Stephen, I know looks can be deceiving But I know I saw a light in you And as we walked we would talk And I didn't say half the things I wanted to Of all the girls tossing rocks at your window I'll be the one waiting there even when it's cold Hey Stephen, boy, you might have me believing I don't always have to be alone
'Cause I can't help it if you look like an angel Can't help it if I wanna kiss you in the rain, so Come feel this magic I've been feeling since I met you Can't help it if there's no one else Mmm, I can't help myself." She started. She finished the song, and received a round of applause.
"Miss Swift, what did you write this about?" A person asked.
"Just a movie I saw." She refused to answer other questions, and began to walk out of the room when she saw Joe. He smiled at her. What if he knew that was about him? She thought. She could have just screwed it all up.
She looked out her window at 8, waiting for Joe to be waiting below. She saw him in the garden, and crept outside. She cut herself on a thorn, but covered it up. If she bled, Joe would be the last to know.
"That was a beautiful song." Joe said.
"Thank you."
"I play piano. We should sing together sometime." Taylor nodded. They began to talk, and Taylor relaxed. He had no idea the song was about him. He had no idea how much she liked him.
Joe lifted a tree branch out of the way for Taylor. She took his hand as they walked. He almost told her how much he liked her. But they had only just met. She probably didn't like him back.
He had been missing home lately, but forgot all about it with Taylor. His pain fitted in the palm of her freezing hand. He thought of the girl back home he had to marry. He had been promised to another who he didn't love.
Taylor looked down at their hands. She looked up at Joe, who was looking down. He looked up grinning like a devil.
"So are you single?" Taylor asked. She noticed Joe's ring.
"Yes." Taylor touched his ring, silently asking him about it.
"Oh! I totally forgot about that. I wore that on set today. I'm playing the abusive husband." Taylor raised her eyebrows.
"What movie is it?"
"It's called The Last Letter From Your Lover." He wasn't lying about this. He was in that movie, and he had worn that ring. He wasn't engaged to the girl back home. His parents had planned for them to elope in December.
"Sounds interesting."
"It is." Joe showed Taylor a photo on his phone from shooting on set.
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"Wow. That coat is big on you." Joe nodded.
"The sleeves are a little too long." He blushed, hoping Taylor wouldn't notice. He moved his lantern in front of Taylor so she wouldn't trip.
"Who's there?" Taylor immediately recognized her father's voice. Joe led her to a dead end, and they hid behind the wall. What didn't kill Taylor made her want Joe more.
"See you tomorrow here?" Joe asked when they were in the clear.
"Sure." Taylor let go of his hand. She felt cold without him. She saw him go to a cottage near the castle, and scribbled a note to put on his door. It had a joke they had talked about. She saw him reading it, and he rolled his eyes dramatically before laughing. He was such an angel.
A/N: This chapter has a bunch of song references. Can you find them?
