A Princess For Christmas (Of The Dreams We Seek)

Fifteen

Avni took a deep breath and entered in the threshold of the Lion's den. She got inside pushing the cart in. "Your highness, I have bought your food." She got no answer. It was so dark that she could barely see anything. How can a person be accustomed to the dark this much She didn't understand? 

No one should be this much accustomed to darkness to fear the light and hope. She touched the wall and felt the texture under her hand. Suddenly she slipped and fell but held on to something, a wall fixture. It dropped down a little and something opened up in the wall. 

She saw a passageway. She decided to follow it. And it ended up in a staircase that laid to somewhere. She followed it till the end and there was a small room. It was lit up by a small lamp. And she can see the painting tools and drying canvases. Colors and brushes kept neatly. She touched the brush wishing she could have a talent in this field but no, she wasn't artistic. 

She can understand art but cannot make one if her life depended on it. She cannot blame anyone for that, she was born that way. Then she saw a painting drying up, it looked like it was recently painted. But before she can do that someone stopped her. 

"What are you doing here?" That voice sent bad kind of shivers down her spine. She didn't want to turn around and find who it was. She knew and it made her more wanting not to look back at the person's face.

"Don't touch anything," Said the person again angrily. She finally had the courage to turn around and face the person. Looks like he had been painting. His face had few paint marks, his hand held the wooden pallet and brush. She looked into angry blue eyes. Seems like since she had arrived there is only one expression in her eyes that is anger. 

She missed the eyes that held shine and smiled. This isn't her friend Callahan, this the next Monarch, and she didn't like him at all. "Why are you here? This place is forbidden to everyone including my sister and mother. Only maids are allowed that too only occasionally." Avni said nothing. She just stood there studying him. 

"Answer me why are you here?" She almost jumped in shock when he pulled her close harshly to her. "I.... I brought dinner Your Highness?" She now sounded so unsure, why she volunteered again for this? She was worried about him. And the worried looks of the queen and others made her question her morality make her think that she must do something about it. 

Something about him and this little problem they have made her come here and check upon him. Something about him being disturbed by her illness made her come here. Seems like she had come terms with her illness but not everyone had done the same. Not everyone is in terms with it. Specially not Callahan. He stayed there with her.

"So, you assumed the role of a server. Took you long enough understand your real position in this castle Miss Avni." She didn't feel offended at all. It is just his anger talking. He is angry at her. She smiled softly looking into his eyes.

 "If that makes you happy My not so charming prince, I can serve you myself every single day. You must wash up and I must take a leave now. I have a big coronation coming up. And I need to look not so sleep deprived for it." She walked towards the stairs and he held her hand stopping her. 

"I didn't clear you to leave just yet Princess" He said and pulled her closer again. "You didn't ask me to stay Your highness. In fact, you were the person who had made it clear from beginning that you do not want me to be here, you do not want to see me anywhere near you, or your family, you do not think I am fit for the royal life. So, I am not counting upon you to teach me how to be a royal or feel welcomed in here." Avni whispered. 

"And I do not blame you, I know you think I am trying to take your place in your family, I am trying to drive them away from you and towards me. And the expression you have on your face now would have been the same if someone would threaten my place in my family. Sadly, I have limited time to enjoy that place now, and I understand how it feels." Callahan raised his hand to touch her face. He placed his finger on her cheek.