Royal Secret

Part 2

They rode in silence until they arrived to the great beautiful castle. Elissa had never been this close to it. It was surrounded by guards who respectfully opened the gates letting them in. She couldn't help but marvel at the palace's beauty, at all the different sorts of flowers and greens. Long tall bushes cut into shapes. A sparkling water fountain made for making wishes. Elissa tried to absorb all this beauty in awe of the royal life. The inside was even more beautiful. The floor and walls just sparkled. Grand open areas. Colourful curtains draped all around. Maids, guards and servants respectfully bowing to them. They were lucky to be traveling with the little prince.

"Wow," she gasped.

Ethan lifted his chest in a proud way. He lead her to a room with two big doors.

"Hurry, go into the library. If anyone goes in, hide and if they see you act as if you belong there. Tell them that prince Erik let you in. I'll talk to the prince for you... Since he is such an amazing man he'll let this slide," he nodded in a way to assure himself.

"Okay, thanks a lot ... I'll just say it... You're not all that bad. I was being oblivious and naive. My dad says I have my moms temper... I just get ahead of myself," she frowned.

He smile a cocky smile. "I know, I've noticed."

Elissa scowled at him getting a laugh out of Ethan.

"Well, I'll come check on you later," he said closing the door behind her.

Ethan made his way to Prince John who was smiling at him mischievously.

"She shouldn't call you Ethan, but Liar liar pants on fire," teased the prince.

Ethan frowned.

"Don't tell her or anyone anything. I don't want her to know that I'm the prince. I want to see how someone will treat me, the real me and not my title," said Ethan.

"Fine Erik, but you owe me a favor," John said.

Erik eyed his brother keenly. "Name it."

"You have to play with me once a week," he said innocently. A simple favor but a time consuming one.

"No," Erik injected.

John smiled wickedly. "Fine, then I'll just go and tell-"

"Fine stop! I'll do it just don't tell a soul!" He promised, his arms outstretched as if to stop his brother.

"Okay, we have a deal! She's pretty... Are you going to marry her?" John asked innocently.

Erik couldn't help but laugh and shake his head. "No, don't take your mind places. Think of it as a game."

"Okay good, because I'm going to marry her," John said confidently. This made Erik's brow raise.

"No, if she's going to marry anybody it's going to be me. I always get the girl," assured Erik.

"Ha ha, she doesn't even like you and she even beat you up!" John snickered.

Erik clamped his hands around his brother's lips to keep him silent. "Shhh... You can't tell anyone about that either!"

John nodded and pulled his brother's hand off his mouth. He had a devious gleam in his eye that Erik did not trust.  "Okay fine I want you to give me fencing lessons from now on."

"Deal."

"Yay!"

Someone cleared their throat from behind them.

"Hello Erik," said their eldest brother, Phillip. "Did you just come in with Jonathan?"

"Yes, where are you heading?" asked Erik.