A Royal Internship | Complete

Chapter Thirty-Four

"So, what do you think she wants us to talk about?" I asked Clarence when I couldn't stand the awkward silence anymore.

"I know what she wants us to talk about," he ran his hand across the back of his neck and looked away from me. "She wants me to tell you what happened this morning before the part where you came down to breakfast."

"Oh," I said, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Would it be okay with you if I try to explain something?" He looked at me in earnest, his eyes betraying his worry.

"Okay." I nodded. "Yeah, okay."

This is so awkward. And to think, just last night I was swept up in the magic of being a princess. How quickly things can shift.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, running his hand across his hair again. "I just don't know how to explain."

Explain what? I was dying to know what was going on, as it seemed like I was the only one out of the loop. "Why don't you just start at the beginning?"

"I-" he started, his face contorting as his eyes pierced mine. "I just don't know what the beginning is."

"How about the beginning of after I saw you yesterday?"

He nodded gently and then turned to face me in his chair. "Okay." He took a deep breath and pressed his lips together, fiddling with his hands in his lap once again.

I leaned back in my own chair, waiting for him to be ready to talk to me and trying to keep the worry off of my face. All I could think about was the fact that I had to call my mother to explain this and somehow learn to be a princess before tomorrow. And I wasn't even engaged to the prince yet! I mean, I wasn't even dating the prince yet, but no one else knew that.

"Okay," he sat forward in his chair, edging ever so slightly closer to me. "So after I left you last night, Madeline had a good time teasing me about you and it was thoroughly embarrassing, but nothing else happened. I just went to bed not too long after you. And Madeline. Well, she took that to mean something it didn't."

"What could she possibly think was-? Oh."

"Yeah, but we'll come back to that." He sighed and twisted his hands in his lap again. "What I really want to tell you about is what happened when I met with my father this morning."

"Okay."

"Well, what happened is I went to his office and I was-" he looked up at me and I could tell he was nervous.

"I was still thinking about all the fun we had last night." He smiled slightly, testing the waters. When I returned the gesture, his smile reached his eyes and he turned his head away from me before continuing.

"So my father sat me down and really let me have it about you--" he hesitated-- "to put it nicely, about you stealing the show by talking to the little boy and looking quite radiant when you dance." He looked away, clearly wanting to avoid my gaze. My own cheeks warmed at his compliment.

"Well, I just started thinking about what we are doing here and what I'm doing by asking you to do it and I--" he threw his hands in the air, unable to finish his sentence.

"I know what I'm doing," I tried to reassure him. "I knew what I was getting into when I said yes."

"Did you, though?"

No.

Clarence stood up and walked towards the large window behind his mother's desk. What is with these people and working with their backs to the beautiful scenery?

He held his hands behind his back and looked out the window. "Well, the point is he told me I had to get you in line and some other things I'd rather not repeat and then..."

I stood up and walked towards him, fearing what I might hear, but needing to know what was said. "And then what?"

"And then he told me I'm not enough of a man if I'm being overshadowed by my girlfriend and that a king must never be overshadowed." He refused to look at me, so I had to contort myself in order to look into his eyes.

"And you're trying to tell me you agreed with him and yelled at me and I'm supposed to just be okay with that?"

Clarence whipped his head around and held onto me by my shoulders, making sure I was looking him in the eyes as he spoke. "No. I'm telling you I didn't stand up to him and I've regretted it every moment since. And instead of making it better by standing up for you, I only made it worse. Like I always seem to do when it comes to girls. Sometimes I wonder if I'd be better off living as a monk or something."

A laugh escaped my lips at his obviously honest response. He let his arms drop back to his sides, visibly shrinking under the weight of my gaze.

"I just don't think a king can be a monk," I explained through giggles. "Plus, imagining you stomping grapes is hilarious."

"I do know how to work, you know."

"I do." I smiled. "But I think probably you shouldn't be a monk."

"Fair enough." He shrugged, defeated. "So, all that is to say I think you did a wonderful job last night. This country will be lucky to have you around this summer. You will add to it beautifully."

I tried to thank him but he kept talking.

"And I want to apologize for freaking out at you earlier. I promise to do better and discuss things with you in private next time."

I raised my eyebrow.

"Okay, I promise to at least try."

So much of me wanted to take what he had done and throw it back in his face and leave. But I had promised Janet I'd try, and he seemed genuine, so I pressed forward. "Apology accepted."

Now it was my turn to squirm and wring my hands as my heart raced in my chest. "But, about that. Let's talk about all those things I'm doing wrong. Do you think I can figure it out? Honestly. Or is it best if I just cut my losses and pretend to break up with you and go home?"

A flicker of worry crossed his face so quickly I almost missed it. But I didn't.