Dark Halls, Stone Walls (Hiatus InDef)

Chapter Fifteen

Ellie?! Who the hell is Ellie—Wait, no, more importantly, is that—and why-?!

I jolted up, "Prince William!" I snapped. "You know better than to sneak into my room like that!" I flinched and covered my mouth. Oh God help me, I just scolded the prince.

To my surprise, he didn't criticize me or even take offense. "I-I'm sorry, alright?" His voice peaked towards the end of his sentence. "I didn't have much of a choice! I'm not coming in, I promise! I just... didn't want you to get surprised when you walked out here."

My cheeks burned. "Not much of a choice-? Of all the rooms you decide to enter, you choose mine?!"

"I said I'm sorry!"

I held my tongue lest I should overstep once again. You couldn't have gone another hall or two before you make it to your room?

"Stop making that face!" He snapped.

"What face?"

His voice pitched up again. "The stupid one, the one where you look like you're bursting at the seams to tell someone off, like at the party!"

Oh my God. "What are you going on about—no, why are you in my room?!"

"I-I'll explain as much as I can later, but uh," He hesitated and grew quieter. "Can... I stay in your room for a while?"

This I cannot bear. "No."

"Please?" He begged. "I promise you'll understand if I explain myself!"

I pinched my nose and spoke in the dullest manner I could manage, "Prince William," I said slowly. "You know I'm engaged, don't you? Even if you had been put in an awkward position, that does not warrant risking my reputation so thoughtlessly!"

"No one will know this is your room, all the doors look the same anyhow!"

I raised my voice. "My fiance does! He'll visit me and catch you!"

"And I can just explain everything to him! Your reputation will not be ruined, I swear it!"

I imagined how that might happen—A man whose alcohol tolerance is bested by the spiked punch offered by the hosts, waltzes into his betrothed's room where a man stood not far off from a woman in her most vulnerable state, not knowing that she had accidentally left the room unlocked.

If I were in his position, I'd guess that my betrothed let them in and planned a risky risque rendezvous. I shivered. For a man that has so much to lose, of course he'd make excuses to save himself and perhaps even I, but no matter what, I will always be doubted by my to-be-busband and society, even if the prince is not.

I got up from the warm bath water, grabbed the nearest towel, and as I dried off, I realized that I'd left my nightgown out on my bed rather than the sink's counter, where I usually put my pajamas.

Instead, I threw on my dirty undergarments and called through the door. "Prince William, could you please grab my nightgown from my bed?"

"Of course!" Shuffling came from behind the door and he spoke again. "Here."

I unlocked the latch and snatched the nightgown from where the white peaked through the crack.

Then a thrashing came upon the door. "Liiiiizzieeee..." Called a man. "Let me in pleeaaasee..."

Oh. I pressed my lips together. Again.

I threw the nightgown on and did not waste a breath or a care to look at his face, grabbed the collar of the prince and shoved him inside the closet right across the room. By some miracle, he was silent. My heart was in my throat, growing louder yet and matching the banging that came from the door. I put a hand up and a finger to my lips then shut the door.