"How do I look?" He asks her looking at her anxiously.
"Like you got hit by a carriage." She says smiling lightly at him.
Taking a deep breath, he steps out to head to the ballroom for the ball.
The royal guard announces his presence. "Lords and ladies, presenting his royal highness prince Edgar."
Everyone applauds and murmurs in awe as he comes down the stairs. He smiles for one, knowing that people liked his stature and the robes he had clad in. It was the appreciation he wanted for the hard work Mia had put in.
A lady then curtsies and asks for a dance. He bows to her and takes her hand and pulls her into a dance courteously.
All the senior maids had been invited to the ball. Caramel had been watching the prince dance. He had stolen the whole room's attention with his graceful moves.
She however noticed that he did not have the look that a man would give a woman he is interested in.
After his last dance, he bows and goes to the refreshment stands. "See anything you like?" Asks king William.
"Do you want honesty?" He asks.
"How old are you son?" Asks William.
"Seventeen sir." He answers.
"Great! Then you know how an adult handles being lied to." Answers William.
"I am not interested in any of these ladies father. I want to go to my chambers and sleep. I am not feeling well." He says.
William understanding the familiar lines he had used pats his son and sends him off to his chambers.
***
He couln't get her out of his head and he needed some fresh air. He hadn't realised that he was jogging down the hallway. He then bumps into a maid and falls down.
"I am so sorry. I did not mean to hurt you." He apologises while lifting her. Looking up at her, he sees that it's Mia and sighs in frustration.
"Oh, if you do not want to see me I will go away." She says as she starts walking away.
He grabs her hand to stop her from leaving. "No, no. You are exactly the person I want to see." He says.
They clean up the hallway mess and go out the back way of the castle back to the haven. She turns to face him. "Running away from all the pretty ladies?" Asks Mia.
"Yes. Quite. I cannot stand that ball." He answers. "One more dance and I will go crazy." He says sighing in relief.
"Well, whenever I feel frustrated, I come down here to be alone and to feel better. You should try it." She replies. "And from what I have heard, you are supposed to be asleep." She says poking him on the shoulder.
"Ouch!" He says poking her back.
She gets up and starts running back to the castle. He runs after her and catches her pinning her to the ground.
"You cannot run away from me little mouse." He says smiling down at her.
She feels her heart start to race as she realises that their faces are only inches apart. Before he does anything, she lifts him off and turns him around to be below her. "What if I can?" She says returning his smile.
She pulls him up and starts walking back to the castle. He runs up next to her and feels her scent of raspberries hit him in the face."You have strength for a maid." He says his tone playful.
"We girls from the gutter have had very tough lives." She says.
"What do you...oh, you heard." He says
"I sure did." She replies.
"Well, don't mind her. She isn't as human as my father." He says.
She smiles at his bold remark.