Tense

20 - Late Night Escapades

••••
"I'm telling you son, one of the girls was speaking Spanish in the halls! What a pleasant surprise indeed."
"What did she say?"
"How would I know? I just looked for a restroom. I was preoccupied."
"How do you know it was Spanish then?"
"With all the years I have lived I could never forget the sound of our mother tongue"
••••

The next days dragged on. I tried my best to stay away from the Prince or any other Spanish royal or delegate at any cost, my wish was mostly granted by the other women constantly vying for his attention. But ever so often he tried to single me out. As he had when the group had departed for a hunting party. Inclining why I came to the hunt, when the Ladies who didn't know how to ride were staying back, while I joined. I really didn't want to disregard the utter bluntness and rudeness of his statement, blatantly insulting me. The nerve of this man, but he seemed so oblivious to his faux pas. I had just let him known that farms do exist - and with my brash statement he had let me off his hook. Another incident happened at tea, where he didn't want me to read in peace, but instead tried to investigate my choice of book. I tried to be nice when letting him know his interruption was more than unwelcome. The third time I was sneaking about, him catching me by surprise. It was yesterday night, when I had decided to sneak out of my room, dressed just in my night gown and robe to read a Spanish book I had seen on the second floor library, which was as I had to my own pain forgotten, coincidentally also resided in the same wing that my dear-not-so-dear prince resided. It was around one in the morning. I had assumed everyone had gone to bed, as the halls were quite dark and the guards just greeted me with lazy yawns. While I sat in the library with a book of Spanish fairytales that I had found in the very back. The cover seemed old and dusty, but it contained various stories that mi Madre had told me when I was younger, sitting at the side of my bed, reading the stories in her melodic voice. I had put on a small reading lamp and opened the book for the first story, the Water of Life, a story about a maiden saving her brothers and bringing happiness to all. I had asked my mother why they wanted to find the treasures in the first place, when they had everything they had wanted already. Some men never get enough. It always takes a woman to save them. She had said it in jest. I had always loved fairytales for all seemed so perfect, nothing to struggle, as a hero is to save everyone. As I had wanted to turn to the next story, the book was snatched out of my hand.

"La Princesa Bella-Flor" Stefán's voice had rung out triumphantly. "Quite a hard read for someone who doesn't know Spanish."

I bit the inside of my cheek before I answered calmly "I never said I didn't."

The prince had sat down on one of the plush sofas across from me before he continued speaking  "Well, that might be true. But I knew there was something special about you after our first conversation. You just confirmed it for me when you answered my questions these past days, which I had asked you in Spanish."

My gaze bore into him at his statement. "Well you are one insolent man, aren't you?" I whispered underneath my breath.

"But Lady Leah, I wonder why you are so cold towards me. I have shown nothing but kind towards you." He continued in Spanish.

"I do not want to fool you into believing something that isn't there." I reply, not switching into my mother tongue.

"But why hide speaking Spanish? For you can definitely understand, why not speak? It would please me greatly hearing my mother language coming from you, mi señorita" The prince asked me, his Spanish mimicking the Spanish accent attributed to royalty. It was this very reason I did not want to speak.

"My spoken language is not fit to be presented in high company such as yourself." I said in a tired voice trying my best to offend him so he would leave.

He just nodded, seemingly oblivious to my jab. "Well then, how many languages do you know. And be honest with me. No more half truths or hiding. Okay?"

My sleepy state made me lower my guard as I agreed to his request.

"I can mainly speak English, French and Spanish, and German"

He seemed quite confused with my answer. "How come you don't speak of your talent at all? All people would tell me about you was about you being a orphan, living in a small village run by the unfortunate."

I nodded with a yawn. "Then let them tell. The only weapon a woman has in here is information. The less they know about me and the more I know about them, the better I am off. So I ask of you to keep my little secret."

He remained silent for a bit, before he spoke up again. "Smart choice it seems. You really are a mystery to unravel, Lady Leah." He looked down at the story book in his hand. "I will keep your secret, do not worry. But tell me, does this make you happy?"

Now it was my turn to be confused. "Does what?" I asked.

"The palace, the court, the country, that prince of yours"

I was taken aback. Our eyes locked in gazes. His eyes seemed so sincere, the smile on his face so sad. And it made me question myself. Am I happy? I shook my head grasping my head around the full extend of his question.

"He is not..."

"Don't answer me yet.Tell me when you know." He said, before wishing me a good night, as he handed me back my book, his hand lingering a second on mine.

"Till then I will leave you to your fairytales." The prince bid me goodbye, before leaving me alone.

I just couldn't wait for the today's ball to be over...