Crossed Hearts | h.s

Three

Geneva felt faint. In her head echoed a piercing ringing, and her body began to sweat. Her vision blurred, her knees buckling.

"Are you quite alright, your highness?" Styles spoke.

Though her vision was blurry, she could clearly see everyone in the room direct their attention to him, shock evident in their features.

Matthias firmly nudged his upper arm as he stepped forward. "Apologies, Princess. The man knows the military protocol, but clearly not the social." He turned his face to look Styles in the eyes. "One does not address royalty without first being spoken to."

The sudden vibrations of chuckles amongst the men broke Geneva's state of panic, causing her to quickly adapt and to step in, not wanting the man to be humiliated in front of her not-so-understanding father. He was a difficult man to impress, and even more so after a failure. First impressions counted.

"Yet, one must also remember to take one's own advice," she spoke over the men, silencing them in a split second. Their faces turned serious; Matthias's fading to a pale white. "I do not remember speaking to you, Sir Matthias."

There was an overbearing silence hanging in the air of the throne room; not even the King made a sound. Geneva only smiled.

"Come, sir. We shall become acquainted in my favorite part of the palace," she said as she left her father's side, heading for the door.

Styles quickly followed her, trailing behind as a sign of respect. "And where is that, your highness?"

"The kitchen, of course," she said with a smile, glancing over her shoulder at him.

The doors were opened for them by the two servants, and then shut heavily behind them. Geneva's confidence wavered as the silence between them grew heavier and thicker with the absence of other people around them.

What should I say? Does he remember? Why did he return?

Thoughts ate at her brain, gnawing away at her sanity. She was so preoccupied by the questions that she hadn't even realized that they were almost to the kitchen. The entire walk had been in complete silence.

How awkward, she thought.

Finally arriving to the kitchen, Geneva was greeted by the comforting scent of her favorite dessert. Knowing her parents, they had probably commissioned Cook to bake it for her to ease the news of Zander coming to visit.

Zander, she rolled her eyes at the thought of him. The Prince of Audrix, brother to the infamous Queen Zabrina. He was nothing that she wanted in a husband, let alone the future king of Velora.

"Your highness!"

Geneva watched as Cook dipped into a curtsy, then clapping her hands frantically to summon the staff. In the blink of an eye, the kitchen maids formed a straight line and curtsied in unison.

"Please, there's no need," Geneva said to Cook. "I've just popped in to sneak some of your famous cake before supper."

"Of course, your highness. I'll have one of the girls bring it to the dining room."

"Actually, I was wondering if Styles and I could eat it down here? It's more comfortable than that stuffy room."

Cook nodded with a warm smile, her face wrinkling as a result. "As you wish, your grace. Right this way."

Geneva and Styles were led through the stifling kitchen, and into a room with a long wooden table in the center. Two benches lined the long sides of the table while two singular chairs were positioned at the heads. Styles remained standing until Geneva sat down in the singular chair at one end, and then took his seat on the bench to her left. Cook told them that the cake and a drink would be out shortly, and then left the room.