Annalise Stark, orphaned after losing her parents in the military, is desperate to find a way to pay off her sister's medical debts. She finds work at the palace, home to the infamous Prince William. Despite her efforts to ignore him, Annalise soon...
"Where there is great love, there are always miracles." ~Willa Cather ********************
Mia
A week and a half after Annalise's accident, and there was still no sign of her waking up. Trepidation began to overtake my mind as I stared up at the ornate ceiling in my palace bedroom. I still couldn't believe I was here, let alone staying here. I hadn't explored much since I usually stayed at the hospital, but right now seemed like a perfect time. It'd take my mind off things, and it'd give me something to do since I couldn't sleep.
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Throwing off the covers, I left my room, heading to nowhere in particular. I had free reign of the palace, and I had every intention of using that privilege to the fullest extent.
Of course, my feet naturally led me to the kitchen. Apparently, my vice to make me feel better when depressed was still food. The junkier the food, the better. I went straight for the ice cream, digging through the endless amounts of pints in the fridge. From what I'd gathered over the years about Will and his family, if there was one thing they all had in common, it was their love for ice cream. I figured they wouldn't care if a pint or two went missing.
Snatching a Cherry Garcia out of the freezer, I dug into the pint, knowing full well it'd all be gone in less than an hour.
I meandered through the palace, staring up at the rich tapestries and detailed paintings lining the hallways. Some had plaques underneath them that I stopped and read, but most didn't. I found myself in the portrait room, which held all of Will's ancestors. I didn't know much about them off the top of my head. History had never been my strong point. However, judging by the looks on the faces, I could tell some like Queen Jane and King Tyler were characters. One day, I'd have to ask Will about his family's history. I do remember it being quite colorful. Then again, what royal family isn't?
Leaving the portrait room, I checked out the libraries. I didn't pick up any books due to the condensation on my fingers from the ice cream, but I mentally made a note of which ones I'd want to read later. Some in the classics library looked like they could be two or three hundred years old.
Next, I found myself in a relatively empty room. The rug had been removed, and it reeked of cleaning product. Frowning, I scanned for a clue about what it used to be, but the search proved futile. Instead, I searched for another room to explore. This time, I ended up in Will's study. I felt guilty for being in here, but he promised I had no restrictions at the palace. Besides, it wasn't like I was going to snoop through his files or anything. I just wanted to see what was in here. What could the harm in that be?
The room was incredibly tidy. However, considering Will spent most of his time at the hospital at Annalise's side, I could understand its neatness. Strolling over to his desk, I noticed he had a few framed pictures. One was of him and his family, another of him and his father, when Will was a mere toddler. A photo next to that was of him and his mother at one of Will's birthdays.
