The Prince and The Healer

Avoiding Louis

For some odd reason, the moment I'd decided to stop wanting Louis, he was popping up everywhere. I noticed him hanging out around the servants quarters one afternoon. I'd had to go back to my room and climb out the window to avoid him.

Once when I'd been about to spend some time in my Court Yard, I'd heard his voice in the Hallway. I'd backtracked as quickly as possible, and I'd run into a Hallway I didn't recognize just to get away. I'd ended up getting lost for a good twenty minutes, but I'd avoided Louis. Damn it, Prince Louis, I've got to start thinking of him as Prince Louis again.

It'd been a week since Prince Louis and I had spent the day together, and I'd managed not to see him at all. I always thought I was doing well, until I heard someone say his name, and my heart chipped a little more. And since he was the Prince, people said his name a lot.

I decided to distract myself from the constant talk of the ball and Prince Louis's female guest by going to check on the progress of my dress. I walked through the halls with my head hanging low, not feeling much excitement for the dance any longer.

"Hellu," Talli sang as I entered. "Angel, is that you, have you come to see your dress?"

"Yes Talli, it is me," I smiled weakly. Talli and I had been getting on very well. I'd been visiting her a lot lately, to avoid the temptation of going to my Court Yard, because I had a feeling Louis would be there. Talli and I were becoming fast friends. She was wild and excetrict, and always had such interesting stories to tell.

"My sweet, you are not looking so good these past couple days," She said sorrowfully, her foreign accent was thick, and I loved the way she spoke.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"It is not your fault my love," She said gently. "You apologize too much."

"Sor-" I cut myself off when she gave me a glare. I sat down in one of the chairs.

"I know something that might cheer you up my dear," Talli said with a broad grin.

"Yeah?" I asked, I hoped it wasn't food. Talli was always pushing rich cakes and desserts on me when I looked sad. I didn't feel much like eating, in fact I felt a bit nauseous.

"Your dress, it is finished!" Talli exclaimed.

"Already!" I said in shock.

"How do you mean already?" Talli asked. "The Ball is tomorrow night, there are already people arriving."

I raced to the window, sure enough hundreds of wagons and carriages were outside. How had I not noticed the extra people in the hallways? I supposed I'd been too invested in my own thoughts.

"I hadn't even noticed," I whispered.

"Come, try it on," Talli beckoned. I obliged here, just because I had nothing else to do. It was technically my day off, and Nora had refused to let me work, and I'd refused to let myself lie in bed all day like I'd wanted to.

Talli helped me into the dress. The fabric was thicker than I'd anticipated, but somehow not heavy. It felt a bit like a warm hug. I also liked that the jewels decorating the dress were not rough to the touch, so they wouldn't be scraping me all night long.

"Turn around," Talli ordered, pointing toward the looking glass.

I looked pale and tired because I hadn't been bothered to apply my makeup today, but nevertheless, the dress still looked stunning. It seemed to accentuate all my best parts. It shone and sparkled just how I'd wanted it to, and it did indeed look like a night sky. I couldn't help but smile.