The Prince's Maid

Chapter 4 - The Morning After

I was suddenly awoken when my pillow began to shift beneath my head. Startled, my eyes shot open to see that my pillow was not a pillow, but rather it was the prince.

"Good morning Izzy," the prince said in a husky morning voice that I will admit was rather sexy.

"My apologies."

"Why do you keep apologizing?" he asked, sounding disappointed.

"I have done nothing but overstep the boundaries since I have become your handmaid," I said, disappointed in myself for not doing my duties in the professional manner that I should have been. I was letting my guard down with the prince, fantasizing about continuing our childhood friendship that had happened so long ago. "I am not performing to the best of my abilities."

"Isabelle, I do quite like being able to talk to you freely and watch a few movies with you. The other maids are so gossip ready, everything I say or do, they are ready to run off to the others and tell them. Heck, that is what every woman I have met seems to do. But, not you. You are different Isabelle. You see me as more than a prince, I can tell. Besides, you do look rather adorable when you sleep," he said while smiling down at me.

A blush quickly rushed to my cheeks as I listened to him speak. "I am just trying to do my duties. Your business is your business. I am just here to assist," I replied, trying my best to seem calm and collect, for I had just woken up in the prince's bed and did possibly have a tiny, miniscule crush on him, but then again, who didn't?

"I also find it adorable how you mumble to yourself in you sleep," he said with a wink.

"I do not!" I exclaimed, throwing one of his many pillows at him.

"You do, but I could not quite make out what you were saying, sadly."

"You're lying."

"I would never."

I rolled my eyes and got up from the bed. "You should probably start getting ready for the day. I will draw you a bath and while you are in it, I will head down to my suite and let my mother know I am all right. She must be worried that I did not come back last night."

"What does my schedule look like?"

"Your breakfast will be delivered to your room in forty-five minutes. Following breakfast at precisely ten thirty you will get into the limo and head to the orphanage. Once at the orphanage you will have a lunch meeting with those in charge before spending the afternoon with the children. You will arrive back at the palace at five. I will get you cleaned up and then you will meet your family for dinner." I said reading off his weekly schedule that was delivered to me each Monday morning.

"Well that sounds like an easy and fun day. Although, if you are interested that is, I would like to watch another movie with you tonight."

"I think I could allow that." I said as I walked over to his closet. I pulled out a light blue, button up shirt and a pair of khaki, fitted pants. "Where your new brown shoes that I know, you left in the box next to your dresser."

Dominic rolled his eyes at me and grumbled to himself about how I was being bossy as he walked into the bathroom. I followed behind him to fill up the top. He stood patiently behind me as I ensured the water was a proper temperature for him. "If you do not need anything else, I will go talk to my mother quick before I tidy up your room."

"Thank you, Isabelle. I think I can handle it from here."

Smiling at him, I left the bathroom, closing the door behind me. Taking my time, I walked back to my suite, hoping that my mother was still there.

Arriving at my suite, I opened the door, relieved to find my mother in the kitchen.

"Where on Earth have you been!?" she exclaimed as I strode in.

"I was with the prince." I answered, looking at the floor knowing that I would likely get a lecture.

"With the prince!" she said in disbelief. "What on Earth! Isabelle! You know better than to have relations like that!"

"Mother! No, it was not what you think! We slept yes, but not like together together! We were only watching a movie and feel asleep, I can promise you nothing more happened."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes mother, you trained me to do my duty well. I was only doing my job. Neither of us had anything else to do last night so we decided to watch a movie together."

My mother smiled at and pushed a plate of pancakes over to where I usually sat at the counter. "Why don't you have a quick bite to eat, you must be hungry."

I smiled back and quickly took a seat. Her pancakes were the best, perhaps almost as good as her macaroni and cheese.

"Thank you, mom," I said after I had finished my food and began to stand up to hurry back to the prince. I still had to make his bed and tidy up the articles of clothing that kept popping up everywhere around his room.

"Have a good day Isabelle," my mom said as I walked out the door.

Hustling as fast as I could, I made it to the prince's room in record time. Quietly, I opened the door and began making the bed and picking up his discarded clothes that kept appearing everywhere.

Shortly after I had finished my chores, Dominic emerged from the bathroom, dressed in the clothes I had picked out for him. Together, we sat at the foot of his bed waiting for a member of the kitchen staff to come to his door with his breakfast. Soon enough, there was a knock at the door. Dominic went to stand up, but I stopped him. "I am your handmaid. It is my job to answer the door," I said.

Opening the door, the staff member came in and set the breakfast tray down for the prince, bowing to him once he had done so. The prince dismissed the staff member, who's name I could not recall. He left, closing the door behind himself. The prince and I sat in silence for a moment, for I had returned to my previous spot at the foot of the bed.

"Remember when we were younger and I would pretend to be a brave knight?" Dominic suddenly asked.

"Yes, I do remember," I said smiling. "You used to have that wooden sword and I would sit up in the tree house for hours while you chased one of the dogs."

"Excuse me, but you are mistaken. You were clearly in a tower and I was fighting off the mighty dragons so that I could rescue you."

"Some knight you were," I joked. "You never did rescue me. My mother would always call us in for dinner before you ever defeated the dragon."

"It's the thought that counts."

"Remember the time that your mother's poodle stole your sword and ran off with it."

"I do not recall," he said, his cheeks growing red.

Slowly, Dominic's hand reached over to grasp mine. "Those were some of the best days of my life, the one's that we spent together."

I smiled at him, my cheeks now the one's turning red. I felt a sudden urge to kiss him, but I fought to hold it back. The moment between us was too perfect to risk ruining. Soon, however; he began to lean closer to me, careful to not spill the remains of his breakfast.

Before our lips had the chance to meet, the door burst open with a loud bang. The sudden intrusion scaring me and causing me to almost fall off the bed. Dominic was quick to pull me back upright before I could fall. I looked up to see the king standing in the doorway, holding up a newspaper. He seemed rather frustrated about its contents.