The screeching sound of my alarm clock wakes me for the last time in this place. I'm finally moving out of this tiny apartment in uptown New York. I've lived here for my five years of university, and I am finally able to move into my new apartment in Midtown West or Hell's Kitchen as it's known on Broadway but that's another story.
I finished packing last night, and now all that is left is getting myself, ready to move. That's when I hear the knocking at the door.
I walk over to the and open it to find a man standing there in what appears to be a full butler costume from the Black Butler, I stifle a small laugh, before he speaks.
"Hello," he says "I'm Alfred."
"My dear I have been looking for you all morning"
In my confusion, I ask why he would be looking for me.
"I am the head personal butler of the Prince of Estonia, a small country just off the coast of Greece." He hands me a letter and as if on cue, four younger men dressed similarly to him come into the room and begin collecting all my neatly packed boxes. Alfred captures my attention again by pulling out paper from his coat pocket.
"This is a letter from our prince. It's addressed to you."
"What!?" I exclaim in utter confusion, a million possibilities going through my mind.
"It's addressed to you." He says as if that was obvious ignoring the shock in my voice.
"Why would the prince of Estonia write a letter to me?" I ask him.
"Mrs., oh, I'm terribly sorry but what was your name?" he responds, I can see his embarrassment growing for not knowing my name.
I introduce myself "Athena, Athena Collins, my parents loved Greek Mythology" You explain to Alfred when you see the confused look on his face.
"Loved, as in past tense?"
"Yes, they passed away when I was only 8 years old" I look down to avoid letting the stranger see the tears form in my eyes.
"I am very sorry for your loss Mrs. Collins, please allow me to pay my respects someday" He turns and nods to his men who begin to back out of the room.
"Thank you"
"Now, I believe we have stalled long enough, please if you may, open and read the letter"
"Oh, I had completely forgotten, yes, um..." I try and remember which box I had left my letter opener in. It was a gift from my father when I was 7 the year before he died.
"Yes, Mrs. Collins?" He senses my stress.
"Does anyone have a letter opener?"
All four men, who have now returned from moving my boxes and luggage go to hand me a silver letter opener.
I grab the one closest to me, "Uh thanks..." I begin to say only to be interrupted as the butler butts in.
"That will be fine, the sharp end dear."
"Oh... Right...um, my apologies." Mentally facepalming.
"You have no need to apologize to me, Ma'am"
As I begin to open the letter, I notice how nice the paper is, and how fancy and fanatical this all seems. I wonder why their prince would have any interest in me, a young history major. Finally, sensing Alfred's haste, I pull the paper out and begin to read.
Dear Mrs. Collins,
My name is Prince Alexander Cirillo the Second of Estonia, or as you will come to know, Alex.
YOU ARE READING
The Letter
RomansaAthena has been on her own since she was 8. Her best friend left in grade 1, her parents died a year later, it's been up to her. But what will happen when a mysterious knock at her door leads to her being swept away to a remote country and married t...
