"Charles! Someone's at the door, would you get it already? I can't concentrate with this infernal knocking!" My Mother shouted. My Father stepped out of his office, accompanied with Abigail, and opened the door. Usually when someone was at the door, it was one of Father's business associates, so we always had him open the door.
"Prince! It is an honor!" My Father said, bending his in greeting. My sister curtsied and my mother gracefully made her way from the kitchen to the front door, curtsying next to my sister. She glared at me.
"Maybeli, pay your respects to the Prince!" She said through gritted teeth. I gave out an exasperated sigh and stood next to her, facing the one person I did not want to see this morning. Prince James. He was smiling like the good young man he let everyone think he was. I curtsied, giving him a cold smile.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Walsh. I don't believe I have met you, dear lady." He said, taking my sister's hand. She smiled warmly.
"I am Abigail. It is a pleasure to meet you, my prince." she said before curtsying again. He bent his head down to kiss her hand. I brought up my hand and smacked his across the head.
"Don't defile my sister like that." I said in a monotonous tone. He stood up straight, letting go of my sister's hand, and turned to me.
"And of course, I cannot forget dear, sweet, Maybeli." He inched forward with every word. "That would be punishable by a monologue." He said. He took my hand gently and kissed it, smirking. I gulped and kept glaring at him. He quickly stood and turned to my family.
"If you wouldn't mind it, I came to spend the day with your dear daughter. That is alright, yes?" He asked. My mother nearly fainted and she looked happier than ever before. My eyes widened with fear and I looked at father, shaking my head. He just stared at James.
"Of course you may! I would be happy to allow you to spend time with my daughter in this house." He said, smiling. He led my family away into some part of the house. I was alone with James. He started wandering around the staircase.
"What are you doing here?" I asked.
"Just what I said, I wanted to spend time with you." He replied, feeling the wood of the railing. I breathed in and out slowly. I had to control myself.
"I mean, why are you really here?" He looked up the stairs, no doubt curious as to what was up there.
"I wanted to know what kind of place Maybeli lived in and what she does with herself when her dear Prince James isn't around to woo her." I grinned at me and I shot him a glare.
"Well, this is where I live and I usually spend time outside. In fact, I was just about to leave when you showed up." I said. I motioned towards the riding dress that I was wearing along with my riding gloves and boots. He looked me up and down with a disgusted look on his face.
"What is that?" He asked.
"Riding clothes. I was going to ride my horse past Ambiant Falls and back."
"Wait, you have a horse?" He walked quickly towards me. I stepped back, suprised.
"Well, yes. I do. Anyway, if you wouldn't mi-"
"Show me!" He said. I looked at him, incredulous. He had a sort of childish look in his eyes. It frightened me.
"Absolutely not! I'm not going to let you put your filthy-" I heard my mother clear her throat and I shut my mouth.
"Fine, but you lay one finger on him, and I'm personnaly going to see to it that-"
"Yeah, yeah, let's go see your horse!" James pushed past me and ran out the door. I sighed and followed, running ahead of him so he wouldn't run somewhere that wasn't the stable. My family had a large property. At least ten acres of just fields and after that a little over one acre of forest. Most of the land was never used, even when I had asked my mother to let me ride Gallade around the front lawn. She always refused.
