𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍; 𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍

1

The year was 1678 and the prince of Eldia woke up to a cold winter morning. Despite feeling irritable due to the cold, he found comfort in the candle-lit flames next to his bed and the crackling fireplace. His room was warm, which helped alleviate the ever-present cold feeling that seemed to envelop his heart. As he gazed up at the painting hanging over the fireplace, he felt a sense of fondness and warmth.

"Good morning," he grumbled in a low tone, which was unusual for him to greet a room where he was the only occupant. However, it all made sense when his eyes seemed to stare up at the painting of his mother. Her kind eyes and warm smile gazed at him, and he was addressing her with his morning greeting.

He wore a small smile as he quickly dressed in casual attire, suitable for wearing around the castle. He had on his boots, sword at his hip, a white buttoned shirt, fitted pants, and an overcoat to protect him from the cold weather. Even though it wasn't very princely of him to dress so down, it served its purpose well. He left his chambers and observed the maids, servants, and knights going about their daily tasks while conversing with each other to pass the time. The prince scoffed to himself and made his way to the kitchen in search of something refreshing to satisfy his palate.

A young prince could be seen searching through the cabinets in the royal kitchen, causing a nearby maid to take notice of his apparent frustration. Curious about the source of the loud noises emanating from the kitchen, you made your way down the hall with folded hands and peered into the room. Upon seeing the prince, you respectfully greeted him with a smile and asked if he needed anything from the kitchen.

"Good morning, your highness. I heard some peculiar noises and thought something might be the matter. Is there something I can help you with?" The prince responded with a scrunched nose and an annoyed groan, clearly showing his dissatisfaction with the maid's status in society.

"I am thirsty and in need of a drink," he said curtly. "What do you have to offer?" While the prince may have been born into power, it is important to treat everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of their station in life. He did not want to show such a maid his... open distaste, but he needed to set a boundary between the two individuals. He was a prince. You were a maid.

"Absolutely, Your Highness," you replied cheerfully as you lit the stove and placed the kettle on to boil. "May I offer you some tea? It's quite chilly this morning, and our winters always seem to get colder with each passing year," you quipped with a chuckle, strolling over to the cabinet while humming a tune to fill the silence. However, you noticed the awkwardness of the situation, as he stared at you in silence. The warm glow of the cooking fire illuminated your face, but he remained stoic, almost as if he recognized your smile from somewhere before, but dismissed the thought.

"Perhaps," he replied. The prince observed as she took out bottles of syrup and placed them on the table. He gestured toward them with great curiosity and asked, "May I know what those bottles are for?"

"Oh the... syrups?" You gestured to the bottle in your hand with a label that read 'strawberry'.

"If I were blind, I'd say no," he remarked in a huff, trying his best to lighten the mood between the two of you. You chuckled softly at his attempt to make a joke.

"My lord, these are syrups for drinks. Usually cold ones that I make from time to time, but people also pour them into their tea," you explained humbly as you began to put them away. "I do respect people's palettes for different tea, but I simply like simple sugars."

"Silence your yammering. I am not interested in your tea," he stated with an mundane expression that caught you off guard. However, you couldn't help but smile through his rudeness, because even past his standstill face was flicker of enthusiasm within those emerald eyes. "How about a cold drink instead? It sounds refreshing on a winter day, doesn't it?"