Royal Heartstrings

Chapter 15- Julie's friend

Valerie's POV:

The days went by in a blur. I had already been assigned a wing- the west wing, and was starting to get used to my duties as a maid in the Palace. I had tried to make friends with the other maids, but they weren't too eager to chat. The only friends I had made were Julie and Jude, who were really nice and showed Mira and me around the Palace. They made staying in the Palace bearable, and I was grateful for their kindness.

I had also discovered that we were all given off days at specific times, which was a relief. I had moved out of Mira's room and into the servant's quarters in the north wing, which was cozy but a bit lonely. I normally called my parents every few days to check in, and they were always happy to hear from me.

Mrs. Bertha was also really nice and good to me, and everything was going well. I had even found out that Prince Nova was away on a business trip, which was a relief. I had promised myself that I would stay far away from him, remembering how I had said I would help Mira win his heart.

As I walked through the well-manicured lawns of the Palace, the evening sun cast a warm glow over the perfectly trimmed grass and vibrant flowers. The lawns were like a lush green carpet, stretching out as far as the eye could see. I was still walking, enjoying the serene air, when I turned to see none other than Prince Cadoc standing in front of me.

He was dressed in a simple white shirt and black pants, his bright red hair standing out in the fading light. He was smiling at me, and I immediately smiled back, feeling a bit surprised. I hadn't run into him for the last few days, considering we lived in different wings.

"Hey." He said.

"Your Highness!" I said, smiling and curtsying slightly.

"Mind if we chat?"

"How have you been," Prince Cadoc asked, his voice gentle and concerned. We were standing side by side, watching the sunset from the courtyard, the sky ablaze with hues of orange and pink. Prince Cadoc had asked a maid assigned to him to bring us each a banana milk, which reminded me of our first conversation. We were both sipping our drinks, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere.

"Honestly, here and there," I replied, trying to sound casual. "The winter was brutally cold, and I struggled to adjust to the strict schedule but I managed, I'm happy spring is finally here and I'm glad to be spending it in the Palace."

"That's a lie, Val," he said matter-of-factly.

I sighed, feeling a bit caught out. "Truthfully, I was fine before I came here, and I'm still fine, but the Palace can be a little overwhelming and I'm just worried about..."

He cut in, "Nova."

I looked at him, confused. "Huh?"

He smiled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "I'm sure my brother has something to do with you feeling this way."

I frowned, wondering how he knew that I felt uneasy because prince Nova might come anytime soon. "How....?"

He leaned in, his voice low and conspiratorial. "It was the night it first snowed. He was sick, and after the nurse tended to him, I decided to stay with him. He kept repeating a name - Valerie, Valerie. I wondered who that was, and I realized I knew only one Valerie, and that was you." He turned to me, grinning. "Congratulations on capturing my brother's heart."

I felt awkward, trying to brush it off. "It isn't supposed to be congratulatory."

He chuckled. "It is, and I'm not saying this because he's the Crowned Prince of Calonia, but because I've never heard him speak of any girl before. You must be special, Valerie, and I can see that you are."