Light-Years Away

Chapter 4

"I am not in love with the prince!" Caitlyn protests when I dump the books on her bedside table.

"This has nothing to do with that! You're culturally behind. Now read these!"

"I'm pretty sure having never read a romance novel doesn't put me culturally behind."

"Not romance novels in general! You're behind if you haven't read these."

Caitlyn rolls her eyes, picks up the first book, and reads the blurb. I laugh as she scrambles to open the book. I go back to my bed and open the book that I'm reading at the moment. I try to concentrate on the plot, but something keeps nagging me to come out.

"Do you mind if I ask you a few things?"

"No, go ahead," the brunette looks up from her book.

"How come you've never read a romance novel?"

"Well, I don't want to get distracted."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know about my mum, right?"

"Not really, I just know that you're not doing that well financially."

"Oh, anyway, my mum's sick and Dad left maybe a decade ago, so I'm in charge of securing our income, I guess."

"So you haven't gathered any romantic experience so that you can focus on work?"

"Exactly!"

"Wow, that's really admirable."

"It is? It always seemed so obvious to me, like there was no other way."

We sit in silence for a little while before Caitlyn reminds me I had other questions.

"Right. How do you feel about the prince?"

Caitlyn gives me a death-stare, so I add hastily:

"As friends, of course! I've long understood that Lumilyn is a lost cause."

"Lumilyn?"

"Yeah, it's easier to say than having to say both your names in full every time."
Thank God she doesn't know what a couple's‐name is! I add in my mind.

"That makes sense. Anyway, to answer your question: I like him. He's funny. He's, no, they're a lot more different than how I imagined them."

"Oh yeah, I remember my first day here. I dragged my feet along the floor, trying to prepare myself for the snooty, posh, unbearable demeanour I otherwise know from nobles and royals."

"Do you have any more questions?"

"Yeah, one more: what are you going to wear to the ball?"

Caitlyn blinks at me before face-palming.
"Of course we're allowed to go there. I don't know what I'm wearing yet, I haven't thought about it. I guess I'm still getting used to this whole friend-not-employer-thing we've got going on here."

I nod in agreement, remembering how long it took me to get used to that.
"They're... unique, that's for sure."

We stare at each other, both waiting for the other to say something.

Silence.

More silence.

Then we burst out laughing.

"What was that?" Caitlyn wheezes through her laughs.

"I don't know."

Caitlyn sneezes again and pulls up her bedsheet, and wraps herself up in it.

"Hey,..." I start.

"Mm?" Caitlyn hums and looks at me expectantly.

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"How do you mean?"

"I mean, what do you want, like as a present."

"Uhhhhh, I never really celebrated my birthday," Caitlyn admits.

"What?" I almost shout.

"I've never celebrated my birthday before."

"Why not?"

"I never had time to prepare it and make cake or whatever."

"And your mum couldn't have done it?"

"I wouldn't have let her."

"I thought it would be something like that. You can still wish for something."

"Oof, maybe clothes? I don't have many things for the winter, but I don't want you spending too much of your salary on me."

"Please, I've got maybe a year's worth just lying around. I barely get a chance to spend it, so don't worry about that!" I assure her.

Caitlyn glances up at the clock.
"Shouldn't we get going?"

I look up at the clock again. 7 o'clock. What's with time going by so fast today?
"Nah, we've still got a little."

"Until when? And what do I have to do? Like, does Tetia like a cup of tea or something before going to sleep?"

"We've got until ten past, and for the rest, I have no idea. I'm Lumière's handmaid, not Tetia's," I remind her.

"Right."

"By the way, what are your measurements?" I ask, bluntly.

Just after the words had left my mouth, I realised how weird that must sound. She's going to get suspicious now!

"Why do you ask?" Caitlyn asks, suspicious as she has the right to be.

"Uhhhhh, well…"
Think, Secré, think!
"...if I'm getting you clothes for your birthday, I have to know that."

"Fair, I'm -"

"Write it down, I'm terrible with numbers," I shove a piece of paper and a pen into her hands.

"OK," she scribbles down some numbers and hands the paper back to me.

I fold it and put it in my pocket.
"Thanks. Oh, I've got to go."

"Is his room really five minutes away?" Caitlyn asks, surprised.

"No, but I just remembered something I have to do on the way."

I rush out, close the door, lean against it, and breathe out. Could I have been any more awkward? I go through the kitchen for the umpteenth time that day and wander the corridors to the prince's room. Normally, a handmaid would help their lady get changed for the night, but seeing as how independent and just how male the prince is, I've never had to do that before. We usually just chat until he gets tired or I have to read to him a little. His childish trait is rather endearing. I knock on the door, and Lumière lets me in.

"I've got the measurements," I tell him, pulling the paper out of my pocket and giving it to him.

"Oh yeah, about that, I've got a few questions about the dress."

"You can ask me those in the morning. You'll be very busy tomorrow, so you need a good night's sleep."

"Hey, do you know if Caitlyn's coming to the ball?"

AN: last chapter before Christmas, so happy Christmas, everyone! :)

Maybe Lumilyn wasn't such a lost cause, after all.