To Win the Prince's Hand

Chapter 24

 24.

“Danielle, hurry up! We got an order at table two!” Megan, my boss, yelled. I finished up the bowl of stew I was making, wiping my hands on the rough material of my dress, and took it out to the table.

The man there peered curiously at me as I set his food in front of him. “Such a fine, pretty lady working here. How much would you cost?” he asked in a low, gravelly voice.

I scurried back to the kitchen, letting a shiver of disgust escape. The job was everything I’d needed, but the occasional creep made me doubt if I’d made the right choice.

When I had shown up in the far away village that first morning, exhausted to the bone, I immediately went to a dress store and sold my beautiful, pink dress, buying a few working dresses instead.

Then I began to inquire around to see what work was needed. I could find nothing for a while, but when I heard the town’s inn needed a cook, I jumped for it. Luckily, I had Martha’s cooking skills to help me.

I had made the recipes she taught me, simplified for the ingredients we had. I’d worked a deal with Megan, and she offered to pay me with board and food. Now, after my job, I looked for another so I could  have some extra money in case I needed to flee again.

“Oi, girl, what you doing just standing there? There’s work to be done!” she shouted, throwing a towel at me as I began to scrub the counter.

That was Megan for you. She never seemed to talk, just yell. She didn’t mince words and was fairly blunt with her opinion. I didn’t mind too much, but the other workers grumbled about her behind her back.

That was the thing about the common people. It was so strange the first few days as I tried to act like everyone else. It was if I had to unlearn all the rules Madame Goustav had taught me and do the exact opposite.

Strange enough, but I quickly learned how to follow along. The only hard part had been what to say when I first arrive. Single girls my age didn’t just appear in a town out of nowhere.

I’d lied and told everyone that my father died a long time ago, and my mother recently died. I had been so poor that I’d been wandering for days, looking for work.

“I can’t believe you’ve only been working here one month!” Megan exclaimed from beside me. “You the best cook we’ve e’re had here.”

“Well thanks, Megan, I’m just glad to have the work,” I replied, ladling out another bowl of stew and handing it to Taylor, who brought it out.

“You a good worker, too. Your momma taught you that?” she asked.

No. “Yeah, she always told me to work my hardest at what I do,” I lied with a sad smile to show her I was still mourning.

“Oh, it’s all right, girl,” she told me, wrapping an arm around me. “Maybe some boy around here will take a fancy to you, and you can get a family going!”

I grimaced when she couldn’t see my face. Or maybe, I could not do that. I hadn’t meant for her to see it, but she noticed. “Oh, don’t be so opposed to it! Marriage ain’t that bad, you know.”

With her back turned, I rolled my eyes. “Although I’d hate to be the prince or one of those girls right now,” Cole, one of the guys working here, drawled as he walked in.

“Yeah, that’d would have to be frustrating,” she agreed. “Although I wouldn’t mind spending a year in that palace.”

I just smiled and nodded, not commenting. The competition was a common topic everywhere, and I had learned to not say anything. “I wonder what those girls act like,” he continued. “Do they hate each other or are they friends?”

“They’re friends,” I answered before I realized what I’d said. “I mean, I would guess so. They couldn’t spend a year not talking to anyone.”

They both nodded, thinking over what I’d said. “They had this big ball right before you arrived here, actually,” Megan kept talking as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Well, there’s only two months left, and we’ll have a new princess,” Cole remarked. My stomach twisted painfully again. What was wrong with me? This had been happening more and more as people mentioned Gabriel’s impending marriage.

“You alright there, Danielle? You look sick,” Megan commented, looking over worriedly.

“Upset stomach. I’ll be better tomorrow,” I grunted.

“Then go on up to your room,” she advised. “We don’t have too many more people out there, and we don’t want you to be any more sick.”

I nodded, making my way up to the small room on the top floor. I collapsed on the lumpy bed, sighing. A pounding headache had made its way to my head. Luckily, I’d already told Serena I wasn’t coming tonight. I needed sleep.

However, I just stared up at the ceiling a while. My thoughts kept drifting back to the fact that in two months, Gabriel would be married. What would happen to me? I supposed I’d just stay here. I couldn’t imagine myself going to his wedding to someone else. It would just be weird.

And then my mind travelled back to that night, reliving it as I had done a thousand and one times. He had picked me. Out of all the girls there, he had somehow managed to pick me.

Why hadn’t I looked away? Why hadn’t I told him? And why was my pulse picking up just even thinking about him? I groaned, burying my face in my pillow.

It was all so frustrating. I had all these questions and no answers. For hours before I could sleep, I would question and wonder and never get anywhere.

To keep myself from smashing my head into a wall, I began to think through what I would make the next day. Chicken.

A cold breeze blew through the room and I pulled the thin blanket around me. This was most certainly not the living conditions I was used to. I laid huddled up for warmth as the nights grew colder.

“Danielle?” a small voice asked. Taylor wandered in.

“Yes?”

“Are you alright?” she wondered.

“I’m fine,” I answered, but it didn’t sound entirely true even to me.

“Well, you know you can always come talk to me, right?” I nodded, already knowing I wouldn’t do it.

She exited and the small amount of light from the door plunged out. I sighed, closing my eyes.

It would be a very long night.

----

Um, yeah... I know this chapter isn't that great.... but you need to know what her new life's like! So, this is Danielle outside the palace!

Vote. Comment. Enjoy!

Becca