The Crown

Chapter Seven - The Prince

"Good morning," Prince Damon greets me as I enter the room.

"It's barely morning after your extra long session with Jane," I blurt out. Then I blush and duck my head. "Oh my god, I am so sorry. I'm so terribly sorry. I don't know why I said that."

"Let me guess, you're the girl who has someone back home?" he asks me.

"What?" I look up quickly, startled at his accurate accusation. He only chuckles.

"My brother told me a piece of information while he was in here," he explained. "He said one of the girls waiting to meet me had someone back home and that if I can pick her out, I should lay off."

I'm speechless. I just stare at him with my mouth gaping open.

"What's your name?" he asks, smiling and pouring a glass of bourbon.

"Uh...Annora," I stutter.

He closes the bottle of bourbon and takes a sip. I still haven't moved from my stance across the room from him. This isn't at all what I had pictured.

"I'm sorry, but are you seriously drinking?!" I ask, shocked.

He laughs, sitting on a couch. He crosses his legs and throws one arm across the back of the couch.

"Please, have a seat," he gestures to the couch across from him with his glass.

I slowly walk to the couch and sit down.

"Relax. You look uncomfortable," he tells me.

"I am!" I exclaim. "This is my first time meeting the prince and he was told to lay off. He also told me to relax! That does make a person slightly uncomfortable."

"Well don't you want me to lay off?"

"Yeah, but I still expected a bit more for the first time meeting my prince and someday king! I mean, for god's sake, you are drinking a glass of bourbon!"

"So you know your drinks?" he smiles wickedly. I scowl at him. "Ok, ok. You have a good point. I'll try to be more of a gentleman."

"Thank you," I sigh dramatically.

"So, Annora," he begins. "What are your hobbies?"

"Really? That's all you can come up with?"

"Hey! I'm telling you, I need a glass of bourbon to get me through the rest of these girls."

I roll my eyes.

"How many more are there?" he asks.

"I'm the fifth so fourteen."

He groans and falls back into the couch.

"You know what I think I'm just going to leave now," I say standing up.

"What? Why? We still have another fifteen minutes."

"The time I give up will make up for your extra time with Jane," I smile.

"But I didn't get to know you," he complains.

"Anything you want to know, ask Noah."

I purposefully walk out swiftly, ignoring Damon as he calls after me.

"Noah? So what, you two are already on a first name basis?" he asks as I step out into the hallway.

"Wow," Grace meets me. "That was quick."

"There wasn't a deep connection," I say.

"Oh," she seems confused. "You don't seem very upset."