The Good and Bad Souls

Chapter 14: Analia

"Woah, I never knew you could cry. This is new."

"I've had enough, I'm overloaded with too many emotions. Yeesh, You're right. I should stop crying."

"It doesn't suit you. C'mon, let me see your smile. 1... 2... 3..."

And a smile starts coming on my face. 

"See! It always works," he says.

He is so unlike his brother. While Prince Drake is the thorn that hurts everybody, Prince Andrew is the rose that everyone loves.

"Whenever I'm sad, I go to the library. Would you like to accompany me?" Prince Andrew asks me.

"Of course, that'd be awesome," I answer him, grateful for some company. He helps me stand up and our eyes meet. He has such a sweet and friendly smile, a chiseled jaw. Any girl would fall head over heels for him. We stare at each other until he lets go of my hand and I come back to my senses.

I look away and close my eyes. I need to get out of here, not stay. 

"Lead the way to the library," I say and put on a smile. He looks flustered and answers me, "Yeah, c'mon."

I follow him through the Grand Halls. I've been to the library before, and I even know the way there by now, which I am very proud of as this palace is huge.

The two guards open the door to the library for us. I give them a smile and one of them smiles back and the other one nods.

"Looks like you have also acquainted with the guards here Analia," Prince Andrew says to me.

"Well, when you are desperate for some normal company, you gotta make new friends," I tell him.

He chuckles and shakes his head.

I did make quite a lot of friends, or let's just say, acquaintances here. The guard outside, who gave me a smile, his name is Laurence, and the one next to him, who seems quite grumpy but is also actually friendly is Marton. I talk to them about books, telling them about what I am reading and they keep me company when I am in the library. And as soon as they sense Camara or one of the Princes coming towards us, we go back to what we were doing. Their power? Sensing danger.

I know Sally from the kitchen, she taught me how to cook so many new things I'm sure I'll be hired at the bakery again. I know Nori, the handmaid, and Mina, and John and... I learned almost everyone's name in the palace.

Prince Andrew leads me to the end of the library and I stop in my tracks.

"Isn't that your working area? Am I even allowed there?" I ask him, confused, although curious.

"Well, I am the one taking you there so... Unless you don't want to come?" he says.

"No! Let's go," I say. I need to know what they are always working on.

We reach his working area. There is a huge table with piles of papers, a pile of books (no, not fiction books, but like historical, boring books) and pens and pencils lying around.

"Oof, I think I should've cleaned this mess up before bringing you here," he says.

"No, no, it's okay. I'm always this messy."

I walk to the table and pick up one of the books. It's a historical book, but the history of the Good And Bad Souls. 

I turn the book around in my hand and then open the first page. "What exactly is your history?" I ask him. He looks at me from across the table. I keep on looking at the book but I feel his eyes on me.

"You may have that book. Read it. All the history is in there," he says.

I stop flipping the pages and look at him, surprised and shocked by what he said.

"Wait, so you just said I can have it? Like keep it in my room, read till late night etc?"

"Yes, just make sure, Drake doesn't find out about this. He wouldn't be too thrilled with the idea."

"Right, of course."

And then, the stupid me asks a stupid question that ruins the whole mood. "Is your parent's history also in here?"

Silence.

I bite my tongue, look at him and slap myself in my head a million times. 

"Sorry, I- I shouldn't have asked that."

"No, it's alright. You should know. No, our parent's history isn't in that book because.. well, because of my brother's order."

"Brother's order? Why?"

"Because... He killed them."