The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

Public Baths and Floral Scents

Upon waking, I almost panicked and readied myself for an attack, but then I realized I was merely unused to my new quarters. Yawning widely enough to warrant a smack from my chamber maids, I stretched until my joints popped. Looking around, I found that I quite liked the room. It was small, but much bigger than the one I had during my time in the Order. It was much more homely, as well, and less damp-looking. I realized with a start that I had now grown used to living in tiny and less extravagant quarters much unlike the ones I grew up in. Besides, as I was now, there were no maids to scold me as I bent low and touched the ground with my palms, knowing full well that my boyish undergarments stretched upwards and revealing enough skin to make a good princess faint in embarrassment.

I laughed as I stretched. Although I did miss some of the luxuries that a life as a princess had granted me, I also grew to love this freedom exponentially more than that silly desire. It hardly made any sense to pout about what I had lost, when I had an infinite array of possibilities to choose from once I had taken a step forward.

I let out a breath as I counted the measly amount of furniture in my room. A bed, with no canopies of course. A bedside table with a single drawer. A flimsy desk with a rickety chair, made of the same cut of wood that was almost a dark reddish brown. Oh, and a wooly rug that was more stained than a regular brown. At night as well, I could hear the steps and movements from the room above mine. I was incredibly sure that the walls here might just be as thin as the ones at the Order.

It was lovely.

Still admiring the room I now called my own, a knock came from my door, and then another. It almost sounded timid, the way the knocks were spaced apart. I snickered, already having a good guess about who it was.

Not even minding that I was still indisposed, I opened the door widely, a grin on my face. I was right. "What of it, Prince Albert?"

He glared at me, although his heart didn't seem to be in it. As I figured, a smile was plastered on his face seconds later, "Are you ready, Sir Eleftherion? Joren had me call for you. He guessed that the baths might be utterly crowded if we wait any longer, and I unfortunately cannot refute that."

I nodded after a second. Joren and Albert had adjoining rooms further into the student dorms, much to my dismay. But, I had worse problems now than friendly jealousy.

Baths. With the boys. What was the problem again? Ah yes, was I not a girl?

I flinched inwardly, knowing that I should probably come up with an excuse unless I wanted the boy to become even more suspicious of me. Knowing that I should hit myself later for not thinking about this earlier (I mean, did I not realize my room didn't even have a bathing chamber??), I could only force myself to calm down and think of a reply.

Laughingly, I said, "Unlike you, with your princely ways, I don't need to take a bath every day. I much prefer to drown myself in my lovely, natural scent!"

I cringed, knowing it was far from the truth. I already itched for a bath, preferably with scented flower petals and a few imported oils. I sighed.

Albert didn't seem to buy it either. "Even after fighting trolls, running through the forests, and all that?"

I frowned, knowing full well that he was right, but thankfully, someone arrived to save me from my predicament. I recognized him as my brother's right-hand man. The plain-haired attendant bowed at us both before announcing, "I apologize for the interruption, but the royal highness, Prince Clement, has requested your presence in his rooms."

I blinked at him. "Are you referring to the Second Prince of Montauk?"

The attendant shook his head. "He only mentioned you, sir."