Royal Heartstrings

Chapter 7- Prince Cadoc

Valerie's POV:

I finished dressing Mira and watched her hurry off to meet the prince in the courtyard for their date. I hoped everything would go smoothly and that they would have a wonderful time. With a sigh, I headed towards the servant's quarters to take a short break before my next task.

As I walked through the hallway of the upper floors, my mind wandered to Princess Evie. I hoped she wouldn't bother me anymore.

As I turned a corner, I noticed Prince Cadoc leaning against the wall, holding two banana milks in his hands. The yellow cartons contrasted with his dark attire, and the earring in his right ear gave him a rockstar vibe. He didn't look like a prince at all.

He smiled and held out one of the drinks, "I'm glad I ran into you here."

My eyes widened in surprise, and I stuttered, "M-me?

We sat on the steps of the grand stairway, the prince handing me a banana milk and punching a straw into his own. I felt uneasy, wondering why he had sought me out. His eyes darted to mine, noticing my stare, and I quickly looked away, flushing. I fiddled with my drink, taking a sip to avoid his gaze.

Then, he spoke, "Why did you run away yesterday?" He asked it like a normal question, as if we were old friends.

I looked taken aback, managing to stammer, "I didn't want to disturb you."

He shrugged, "Your presence wouldn't have been a problem."

I fiddled with my fingers around the banana milk, taking another sip, unsure of what to say. But surprisingly, I didn't feel as uncomfortable with him as I did with Prince Nova. I didn't know why I was always uncomfortable and uneasy around the older prince; his piercing gaze and kind demeanor made me nervous. But Prince Cadoc's relaxed and friendly demeanor put me at ease.

I broke the silence, curious, "When did you learn to play the violin, Your Highness?"

He looked thoughtful, "When I was 8. My mum taught me; she was really good, and I had a passion to learn it." He smiled sadly, remembering.

I found myself saying, "I'm sure she'd be proud of how you play the violin."

The prince turned to me with amusement dancing in his eyes. "Really?" He asked, his tone playful.

I nodded and smiled, looking at him. We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the only sound being our sipping of the banana milk.

Then, out of the blue, he said, "I also know how to play the piano and the lute." He said it mysteriously, his eyes sparkling. "Would you like to hear it?"

I replied, "It would be an honor, Your Highness."

He smiled gleefully, standing up. "Shall we?"

My expression was hesitant, but I shook it off and stood up too. "Of course, Your Highness."

He said, "Prince Cadoc."

I stuttered, "Of course...Prince Cadoc."

★★★

As evening fell, I made my way through the mansion's grounds, heading to Mira's room to help her prepare for the party and hear about her date with the prince. Memories of my time with Prince Cadoc in the singing hall flooded my mind, and I smiled faintly, recalling the childish glow and happiness I felt from him as he played the musical instruments. It seemed like he enjoyed having company while playing, and I wondered if he didn't have anyone to share his music with.

Lost in thought, I didn't notice Magna Evans standing in front of me until he spoke, his voice snapping me back to reality. "Valerie, can we talk?" He asked, his smile sweet but his blue eyes gleaming with malice.