The Soot Princess [Hiatus]

38- Telling It, Is the Hard Part

Prince Charles Dean Eingall

(a.k.a. Char)

I don't think she recognizes me. How in the world does she stay so calm otherwise? Every time I talk to her I have weird feeling. It's not like I'm nervous or anything! It is more like I could tell her anything and it wouldn't suddenly show up on every news channel and website. She feels safe?

I check my watch, fifteen 'til. Wait! What? Maybe I should get Eevon and tell her, but that would make both of us late. I don't need to give her the first of her punishments yet. I don't want her to have any for that matter.

"Hey, lady!" I called over to a passing maid. "Go get the guest in room 233 and lead her to the dinning hall!"

"As you wish."

I hurried, so I could be on time. I arrived five minutes early and slightly winded. I'm not very athletic, even though I have a personal trainer I see three times a week, without fail.

I saw my father and mother already seated. Dad center, with Mom on the left and the Princess on his right, sitting next to Mason with Alex acrossed the way. On Alex's left sat James and my seat was one of the two left. I took my proper chair and left the last one for Eevon.

The dinner bell rang, she came through the doors, and headed for the last remaining seat, next to me. Only to find when she sat, there was no longer a chair there. It had been knocked away by James's foot.

"I can't believe that just happened. I feel terrible. My long legs tend to knock things around. I hope you'll understand," James smooth-talked his way over the incident, while I saw Mason along with the Princess and MY OWN FATHER trying to conceal the laughter slowly leaking out of themselves.

"Go ahead, laugh. I know you want to," Eevon replied to the incident. "It's only natural." She picked herself off the ground and shrugged off any offers of help. Despite her determination to hide it, her face flushed with embarrassment.

Once she was seated, the food arrived and behold, a wondrous array of foods appeared on the table. I picked up the correct pieces of silverware and started to cut apart my first choosing of food, caramelized lobster. Fairly sweet and very juicy.

"What is wrong? Is the food not to your liking?" the King asked, shocking me out of my trance.

"It's nothing," she sighed and stood to leave.

"Come back here!" I heard both of my parents exclaim.

I chased after her until she was stopped at the door.

"Let me through."

"Please have a seat, miss," one of the guards requested.

"I'm not hungry," Eevon replied, while her stomach said otherwise.

"Really now?" I asked laying a hand on her shoulder. Her body tensed under my touch and I quickly withdrew it.

"Oh, it's you." She glanced back at me.

"Yes, it's me..."

"How dare you talk to my son like that, peasant!" the Queen exclaimed.

"Please sit down and eat something. My parents would like to speak with. you," I begged her.

I led her back to the table or at least I felt like I did. I pulled out her chair and gently placed a hand on her narrow shoulders to force her into her seat.

My father's usual smile had it's corners turned down. "For all this trouble you have given us, you will be Prince Charles's punishment girl."

I took my own shameful seat next to the stupefied girl. She took a quick glance at me and flicked her eyes back to the king.

"For every wrong doing, childish action, or misbehavior my son does you shall be punished," the King continued.

"So Char got into trouble again, Ha! And this joke of a bad mouth, weakling is his whipping girl. What a laugh!" Mason bursted. I bowed my head even further to hide my embarrassment of my childish, girly nickname my little brother, Alex, had given me.

"Oh! You jest?" she asked blandly.

"We are afraid not, child," the Queen replied to me.

"Go to hell! All of you! You must think this is just a game! I would be rolling on the floor laughing right now at you royals, if I wasn't so damn pissed!" The silence weighed heavily until it was broken by her asking, "How long?"

It was time for me to speak after another seemingly long pause, "Until I straighten up my act."

The light died from her eyes and darkness pressed inward. Eevon abruptly stood and surrendered her body to a puppet master. Her spine bent over, giving her a hunch and her feet scuffed the polished tiles. She left the hall without filling her stomach.

"That was interesting!" the Princess exclaimed happily, completely oblivious to the current atmosphere.

"It wasn't interesting! It was horrible!" Alex stood up for Eevon.

"Well, it's your brothers fault," Dad said aloud.

"What's her name again?"

"Evan-"

"Eevon," I interrupted.

"I met her in the garden earlier, didn't I?" my mother questioned.

"Yes dear, we really need to put some tighter security there."

"Is it just because she surprised you when she tackled you?"

Wait, what? The drink halfway in my mouth struggled to work its way out. I couldn't help but let part of it escape back into the glass, while choking on the rest in trying to suppress my own laughter.

I got a sharp look from my mother that almost drained my enthusiasm and amusement for the subject quickly. Princess Julie exclaimed and sympathize with my father through out the entire story telling, while I was almost bursting to the seams with laughter, despite the quelling glares my mother continued to give me.

I gave a few quick remarks about retiring for the night and was dismissed by my parents. I was grateful for the relief.