4 Princes

VI

"In the afternoon, when they began playing, one child said to the other, "You be the little pig, and I'll be the butcher." He then took a shiny knife and slit his little brother's throat."
(Grimm Brothers: How Some Children Played At Slaughter)

ROOK
SHE HAD SOFT HANDS, my mystery lady did. Much unlike Ella, who's hands showed years of hard work. I couldn't tell which ones I preferred more.

"What was she like?" Ella asked, her arms wrapped around my waist. I was taking her home from finding her at the base of a tree at the edge of the grand forest. What she was doing there, I had no clue. I needed to ask her.

I smiled at the memory of my mystery royal. She was beautiful, even compared to Belle. Her hair was as blonde as blonde could be, her eyes a soft brown. I'd recognize that face anywhere if I ever saw her again. But, when push came to shove, she was another girl I'd break. I didn't like her. She wasn't my type.

"Eh," I rustled. "She was beautiful no doubt, but... I'm not marrying anyone. Certainly not... her. But if I had too, if father saw through my plan, she wouldn't make a terrible wife."

I was a little confused. I had always said no to marriage, but if I was to marry someone like her... how bad could it be? And there's where I caught myself. Bad. Marriage could be very bad.

If I was married, if I had kids, then I'd have something to live for. Being a Prince and having something to live for... that was the worst curse of them all. Princes died young, they lived half a life. To instill that fate on someone else's shoulders was an awful thing to do.

Ella tapped my back a couple times. "Why are you looking for her, then?" She asked.

I could've lied to her, could've just dropped the subject. But I lied telling Ella the truth. She didn't judge me for it. "If I'm to prove to my father that I'm looking, I can't let a potential candidate leave so easily." Or is that what I'm telling myself? I don't tell her that part.

I needed someone to talk to, someone who would understand. Jack, maybe. He was practically doing the same thing I was. Talking to Ella was great but she doesn't fully understand my problems.

I stopped in front of the medium-sized kitchen family house.

She hopped off of the horse, not needing my help. "Goodnight, Prince Rook. Sleep well."

I nodded to her and turned around on Chesh, leaving quickly. I needed to know if they found her. Out of my own sense of sick curiosity, I had to know who she was.

"If you hear anything— from the other servants. Tell me." I didn't want to say please but she understood the begging in my tone. That was enough.

She raised one eyebrow at me. "I guess. Out of the kindness in my heart, from which you seem to have none."

I smiled. "I do. You're just rude."

"Rude? You almost killed me with your horse and I didn't get an apology either time," she grinned, pointing an accusatory finger at me.

I frowned. "I did do that, I apologize. Erik had just... gone." This was the most affect anyone besides my father could evoke from me.

She was the type of person to do that to you. She didn't make any promises or show any sense of trust, but you just knew she was a good friend, a good-hearted person. You just knew you could trust her, that she wouldn't lie to you. And I was so used to people lying to me my whole life, or being fake around me because of who I was, it was nice to have a true friend.

She was good at keeping secrets, I was good at making them. We were a good pair, of friends.

"Yes. I— I understand. My moth—" she stopped as the sound of horse hooves pounded down the driveway. "You must go!"