One in a million (Prequel to 'Bad Blood')

Chapter 15: Third wheel

- a few months later -

Cassandra's POV

"How is she doing?"

Alden sighed, he rubbed his forehead. "She's doing well, but she's exhausted."

I nodded.

He let out a deep breath. "I'm glad it's over," He rubbed his eyes. "It took so long," He shook his head for a while before looking at me again. "I feared I would lose both of them."

"Hey," I placed my hand on his shoulder. "You have a very tough wife, she gets through anything."

Alden smiled at me then. "I know."

I looked towards the door of their bedroom, the room Louisa had experienced a life-changing thing in. "Can I see them?"

Alden went over his face with his hand, he was clearly exhausted. I believe it to be because of that life-changing event in their lives. That, and the fact it took so long.

"Maybe you should get some rest too," I smiled a bit at him. "Go rest with your family."

He nodded. "We'll show you our baby tomorrow."

I nodded. "Get some rest."

Alden sighed before retreating and entering the room.

I sighed as I didn't know what to do then. When Louisa went into labor, we were outside, talking. Carl reacted immediately and brought her straight to her bedroom where she remained till now.

She and Alden would get really busy, and I would probably interrupt their perfect life. I didn't want to disturb them.

"Hey," I looked at my left and noticed James. "Are you alright?" He asked as he placed his hand onto my shoulder.

I slowly nodded before shrugging. "I don't know..."

"Come," He motioned me to follow him, which I did. He took me to the living room. "I think you can use a nice cup of tea." He then prepared the tea for me. When it was done, he handed it to me. "There you go, Your Highness."

"Thanks." I then looked down at the cup of tea I was holding. I observed the water mixing in with the tea, it was so peaceful yet troublesome. They melted together perfectly, yet the water clearly would sacrifice itself to change into tea...

"Are you ok?"

I looked at him and noticed he had taken a seat in front of me. "I don't know."

"What's wrong?"

I sighed. "Louisa gave birth to a child today," I said to which James nodded. "I'm happy for them yet I know that my days here are numbered."

He seemed surprised to hear me talk like this, perhaps because royals were supposed to be perfect and strong. Something I clearly wasn't... "Why wouldn't you be allowed to stay?"

I shrugged.

"This is a castle, Your Highness," He smiled at me, trying to cheer me up. "There's plenty of room for everyone here."

I shrugged once again. "I know Louisa and Alden will be busy with their child, I'd only be a bother."

"How could you ever be a bother?"

I looked at him and saw, in his eyes, he meant everything he was saying. And I smiled. "You think so?"

He nodded.

I smiled and looked back down, blushing. 

"I think they'll love having you around," He started, gaining my attention. "You could babysit their child, and you could play with their child," He lifted his shoulders for a brief moment. "Only advantages, I see."

I smiled more before shaking my head. "You always know how to cheer me up," I leaned in closer to him. "Tell me your secret."

He looked left and right before leaning in. "It's a secret." He then retreated and laughed.

I chuckled too.

"Well, it's fun in here," Carl said as he entered the living room. "That's nice."

"Yes," James gave me a look to which I shook my head and kept chuckling. "It is."

"James," Carl said, gaining James's attention. "You still need to get the baby room ready."

James's facial expression turned from laughter to shock. "I completely forgot!" He shot up. "It'll never be ready in time!"

"I'll help," I suggested, gaining both their attention. "Let's go." I got up and motioned him to follow me.

We walked to the baby room. Once there, James opened the door for me and we both entered.

"Wow," I looked around in awe. "It's lovely."

"It is," James nodded while looking around too. "Only the best for a little royal," He then looked at the pieces of wood on the ground, which would have to become a cradle. "I suggest you hold the planks while I get them together."

I nodded and we started working. Though, it took much longer than it should have. James was afraid he'd accidentally hit me while making the cradle, so he was extra cautious and thus extra slow.

But, in the end, we managed to get the bed done.

"There," I let out a breath. "All done."

James nodded before walking to the side of the room. "Next, this one." He motioned to another pile of wood and I wondered how I missed that before...

"What's this supposed to be?"

"A closet."

I nodded before taking the planks.

James was, once again, very cautious. At a certain moment, he put his hand on top of mine.

I gulped as I looked at it. Since we have gotten closer, the feeling I had with him wasn't unknown anymore. I knew I felt something when he was nearby, or when I thought about him, or when people would talk about him. I was in love.

But I couldn't be. He was a Northerner, and a butler to Louisa and Alden, and not of my social class. But did I care about that?

"Your Highness?"

I looked at James and noticed he had dropped the hammer. "What's wrong?"

He raised his eyebrows. "We're done," He motioned me to move the closet to the correct spot. "You were daydreaming again?"

Daydreaming... That's what James has been calling my internal debate. My internal debate about my feelings and my morals and my culture. Daydreaming...

I let out a breath before nodding.

"Thankfully you weren't the one putting the closet together..." He chuckled then but stopped when he noticed I wasn't reacting. "What's wrong, Your Highness?"

I sighed before shrugging. "It's nothing." I have feelings for you! I wish I could say it, I wish he'd feel the same, I wish I was free. But I couldn't...

"It doesn't seem like nothing," He sighed. "Come," He led me out of the baby room and walked us to the garden. "Here, sit down."

I went to sit down in the grass and smiled as I felt the warm sun on my skin. I loved it here.

James went to sit down next to me and looked at me. "What is it, Your Highness?"

I sighed as I looked down, at the grass. "I'm just unsure," I looked at him. "About my future."

"How so?"

I shrugged.

"Don't you have a bright future ahead of you?"

I looked at him again. "What makes you think so?"

"Well, you have money, fame, success and a castle," He pulled out some grass and started playing with it. "Sounds to me like you have nothing to worry about."

I looked back down then, and started pulling out grass too. I guess my problems were luxury problems... Maybe I was making it too complicated?