It Started With A Mask (A Cinderella Story)

I just need to see you again...

Chapter 9

Pierre watched as she walked through the orchard, gathering apples from the low-hanging branches; dressed in a plain dress of brown and soft white. His horse, Anton, snorted, butting his shoulder with his soft nose. Pierre smiled briefly at the horse, petting his face softly.

“Yes, I agree. She is beautiful” Pierre murmured softly. He had been on a much needed trail ride by himself, after a rather dreary morning of meeting more ladies who believed they were the girl he was searching for. None of them, however, were her. But she was here now, and he took the time to study her delicate face carefully.

She had soft tan skin, which was rather uncommon, since the ideal women these days were preferred fair; but on her, it seemed exotic and beautiful. Her smooth face was framed by wonderful, wavy locks of gold, half at the back tied loosely by a band of cloth. Her brown eyes were cast upwards, the shine of the sun blurring them from view, but when she turned, he saw the depths of brown swirling with a serenity he had never seen before in anybody. He stepped forward to try and catch a better look when a loud crack resounded through the orchard.

She whirled around to catch the Crown Prince, frozen in place, one hand resting on a tree, and a foot balancing precariously in the air.

***********

I love the orchard. The way time seems to stand still in this small piece of land is mesmerising. No matter the turmoil that grows outside it, none of it ever breaches the walls of complete peace that surrounds the apple orchard. But sometimes, things have a way of sneaking in.

CRACK.

I whirled around, to see Prince Pierre standing in a rather ridiculous frozen position, his face a mixture of horror and embarrassment. I blinked at him.

“My Prince?” I asked him, inquiringly. I realised my voice had come out strangled with amusement, and before I could stop it, a bout of laughter escaped my lips. It took me a few minutes to restrain myself, giving the Prince time to compose himself. When I looked up again, wiping the tears of amusement from my eyes, I saw he was standing straight, his arms folded behind him; the perfect picture of seriousness. Well, it would have been, had it not been for the sheepish and amused look on his face.

“To what reasons, do you happen to be in my orchard, your Highness?” I asked him, eyeing him.

“Well, I er…was rather tired of being stuck in the castle, so I decided to go for a ride. I stumbled upon this charming grove, and happened to see you. I was about to approach you when you turned” he stumbled over his words, delivering them too quickly for genuine speech.

“Then why did you appear horrified at the prospect of being caught and frozen in place, if you were already planning to speak to me? Also, your horse has been tied to a tree a little ways off. If you truly had just happened upon me, then shouldn’t you have proceeded directly rather than going round to reach me?” I asked, a light smile playing at my lips at the blush building on his cheeks.

He sighed loudly, before giving me a crooked smile.

“Very well. I did stumble upon this grove, and I had found you in the midst of picking apples, but that was some ten minutes prior, and I am a bit embarrassed to admit I have been spying on you since” my eyebrow raised slightly.

“I am unsure whether to be flattered…or slightly alarmed” I smiled at him to show I meant the words in jest. He chuckled.

“Well, take it as a compliment, ma cherie, for it is not often a town girl catches the eye of a Prince” I frowned lightly at that; did he know of my true status as a servant?

“What makes you so sure I wish to be caught, monsieur?” I asked him, my smile slightly strained. The Prince looked at me carefully, before shrugging carelessly.

“It is not a matter of what you may or may not do whilst being chased; but how you may or may not react when captured” he told me easily, winking. I smiled at that.

I know, I know. I have been trying my utmost to avoid him, and now I am talking to him so freely.  It can’t be helped, he is so easy to like. The way he pulls you into conversation with his expressions makes me sense his intense need to talk. Most people have enough energy reserved to natter on for hours, but the Prince seemed like the type of person who felt denied of the right to delve into his innermost thoughts openly on a regular basis, and wanted to find someone who would return that right to him. If he wished for me to be that person, then I would allow it. Besides that motive, I also knew how he felt.

Sometimes I feel the urge to scream whenever in the presence of them. It is infuriating how they think of no one but themselves. While, at this present moment, I show Gertrude no ill will, she may easily snap back into her old role as Arabella’s right hand. To be around those women, basking in the glory of wealth, with no state of mind in which to see how those who served under them truly felt, was disgusting. Had they not been my only true family left, and the ones providing a roof over my head, and food and drink to have, I would have hit them long ago. But at present, I am unable to proceed with that notion.

“So, may I assist, madame, in this apple-picking business?”

*****

Pierre listened in fascination as Lady Roux hesitantly spoke about her childhood. She spoke lovingly of her late father, describing him with a dreamy tone to her voice, as if recalling the memories as she described them. She spoke of an old swing her father had built; working through a broken wrist and 2 nights of rain, trying to get it finished in time for her birthday surprise. She reminisced about a fight between herself and her father, saying it barely lasted an hour. She hummed out a lullaby that her grandmother used to sing to her, when the thunderstorms kept her up late at night. Her eyes flickered, as she described what she recalled of her mother, which admittedly was not much. She explained that her apple croissants had been her mother’s recipe.

His heart thudded loudly. She was so heartfelt and beautiful. Her animated face pulled you in, running from one memory, to another. She leapfrogged from happiness, to sadness, to amusement.

He was incredibly disappointed when she stood up from her perch on a log, exclaiming about how late it was. He looked up, and to his surprise, saw the sun was setting. He had spent hours just sitting and talking with this amazing young woman. He stood as well, and Lady Roux accompanied him to the patient Anton.

“Well…goodbye” she murmured, turning away quickly, but before she could depart, Pierre grabbed her arm.

“Can I meet you tomorrow? Please madame. I must appear forward, but I just need to see you again. Please?” he pleaded softly. Her eyes stared into his intensely, before she gave him a soft smile.

“Ok”

A/N: Short, yes...this is just a filler...like I said, I'm suffering from writer's block, and that sort of showed in the last bit I wrote...whenever I finish this, I'll go over it and do a mass editing...anyhoo...yeah, hope you like it. ;P