"Seems like the prince has fallen for Tatyana and she doesn't know. He seems to get hurt every time she doesn't tell him first what's bothering her cause he feels like she doesn't trust him enough. We're going to have to tell the prince that we're not planning on taking her away from him." Lukas said while holding his chin in a thoughtful manner. Booker looked at the man in front of him in utter shock.
"Weren't you the one who was on a date with her?" Luke just shrugged.
"I guess I was until he showed up. To be honest, I am interested in Tatyana. But why not give the prince his chance at trying to win her heart. Maybe those two stand a chance. But if he fails....I guess I'll be on standby to swoop in and mend the fair maiden's broken heart." Booker gave up on trying to have a serious conversation with the man in front of him. He then smiled at a certain memory he had.
"I remember when Tats was a kid she used to be friends with Daryl." Luke's brows knitted in confusion.
"They knew each other when they were kids? Then why doesn't Daryl remember her?" He asked while facing Booker.
"To Daryl, hearing about Tatyana's death, was a traumatic experience to him. It was to all of us, but I guess it impacted him really hard. So he's brain erased all the memories he had of her as a way of defense."
"How did you know that?"
" I had started learning about the brain when I was twelve. It was kind of an obsession I had." He said while taking a seat. The hotel was empty and their voices echoed through the walls.
"Where did you get the money to buy books about the brain or teachers to teach you? Wasn't it expensive?"
"Money wasn't an issue to my family."
"What do you mean 'money wasn't an issue to my family'"? He said while mimicking his voice and using air quotes.
"My father was a lord. That was a big deal back in Aruza. We didn't stress about money. I got what I wanted whenever I wanted it." He said with a nonchalant tone.
"Oh! You should have just said you were a spoilt brat." Luke said patting Booker's shoulder. He looked at him and took off the hand he had placed on his shoulder. They sat there in an awkward silence till they both stood up at the same time. They said their goodbyes and parted ways.
***
Tatyana mixed the ingedients together in the pan. Her usual, bright smile was nowhere to be seen on her face. Nonetheless, her food was still inexplicable. Luke looked for a way to cheer her up but he failed miserably.
When the clock struck twelve, she started heading to the gazebo in a hurry hoping that Daryl was seated there waiting for her to make her late appearance. Luke stopped her on her away. "How are you going for a lunch break without the lunch itself?" Tatyana looked at him and took a plate. She headed to the stove and served for herself some food.
" I forgot to put some food since Daryl always had our food ready at the garden." She explained. Like just said 'oh', cause, what else was he supposed to say that wouldn't lead to an awkward conversation? She hurriedly left the kitchen and went to the garden.
She felt a pain in her heart to see the seat Daryl loved to sit at empty. She quietly sat down and ate her food. She couldn't bare feeling his absence. She finished eating and took the plates back to the kitchen. She then left off to Daryl's quarters.
"Excuse me sirs, may I speak to his lordship?" She asked the two guards on the corridor leading to his rooms. They looked at her and gave her a sad smile. "Sorry miss. His lordship isn't in his quarters in the time being."
"Oh, I was kind of hoping he was. Tell him that Miss Jones was looking for him." She said before leaving. The guards knew that Miss Jones was the only woman who his lordship had opened up to. Not even his parents were able to do that. In the little times that they were around his area, they saw how his lordship exuded warmth when he looked at the young woman. They wondered why his lordship hadn't spoken to the girl all day.
"Mother, why can't she love me the way I do? I try so hard but it all just goes to waste." Daryl said while laying his head on his mother's shoulder. His mother patted his head softly. She never saw her son so vulnerable. He was always this dashing, confident young prince. She saw the night before during dinner time that her son was behaving rather oddly than usual. She wanted to ask him after dinner but when she went to check on him in his rooms a little while later, he was fast asleep.
When she asked him today his eyes welled up with tears, and he said all that was troubling him.
"Don't cry my darling. She will soon come to her senses." The queen said trying to console her son. He raised his head and looked up to his mothers blue eyes.
"But...what if she doesn't?" He asked with hopelessly.
"Well, there are plenty of fish in the sea my darling."
"Mother, she is the only fish in the sea that I was meant to have." He said determined. His mother was about to say something when they heard a knock on the door.
"Come in." The door opened and a royal guard came in. He bowed down and slowly stood up.
"I have a message for his lordship."
"Speak", was the only word Daryl said.
"Miss Jones was looking for you in your quarters." When Daryl heard that name, his heart ached. He waved his hand to dismiss the guard. He looked at his mother.
"Mother, should I go?"
"That is a desicion that you are supposed to make my darling."
Daryl didnt wait to hear what his mother was about to say next. He stood up and grabbed his cape. He walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.
He walked into the kitchen that was busy preparing their dinner. He went to where the head chef and sous chef worked and opened the door. Nobody paid any attention to who had opened the door because people came in and out to deliver the ingredients. He cleared his throat and all the chefs turned to see his lordship standing on the door. "Sous chef Jones, follow me." He said in a cold tone. Tatyana took off her apron and hat and followed him outside. They walked to the place which they always had their lunch together.
"You wished to see me Miss Jones?" He asked with his face not showing any emotion whatsoever. A smile appeared on Tatyana's face for the first time that day. "Yes, I wanted to see you Daryl. I'm sorry that I don't give you all the trust you deserve. I just want you to know that you're the dearest person to me." She said looking at his blue eyes which showed no change at all.
"Was that all you wanted to say?" She nodded her head and was shocked to see Daryl walking away.
"Daryl! Please! Don't leave me!" He stopped in his tracks. Those words seeped into his heart. He turned to see tears on her face.
"I need you! I don't know how I'm supposed to go on if you're not by my side." A tear broke free from Daryl's eyes. He walked to her and gave her a big hug.
"Those words carry a very heavy meaning Taty." He whispered in her ear.
"But, thats just how I feel." She said with her voice muffled.
Those two sentences were just enough to break the frost surrounding him. He pulled back and wiped the tears from her face.
"But please Tats, put a little faith in me okay?" She nodded her head and pulled him back in for a hug.
Next up on Hidden Princess:
"What are you two doing here? Were you perhaps.....waiting for me?"
"Yeah we were."
"Then what do you want?"
"You're in love with Tatyana right?"
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