Today marks the first day of the Prince's Palace's members' secret operation.
"Everyone! We have two days to make this work. We got no other choice so we must.do.our.very.best!" Anton yells in front during the members' second meeting about their so-called 'secret operation'
The mission is to make the Prince and the Lady closer and make marriage an option for the two.
Despite the Prince's unsettled attitude, all the members of the palace care for him as much as his mother does. The queen whom they served when she was still alive still lives within themselves.
The Prince's loss of freedom and pain from his father gave them the urge to do something about it in the way that they can.
And if they have to squeeze in a bond between the two, they believe they may be able to make things work.
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Celeste's POV
It was early in the morning. I was already dressed with my new pair of dress and it's matching shoes. I did my own hair and put on a couple of accessories to make myself look presentable.
It wasn't even time for breakfast yet. But I went out of the room to wander around.
I haven't been reading much lately. I probably have read every book on my shelf. All I had to do was to come back for the books I left in the Prince's study room.
If I could ask him if I could bring a couple of books and read them in my room, it would have been great.
But for some reason, I am too scared to ask.
After a couple of interactions with the Prince, I have noticed that he changes his attitude very quickly. According to how you act in front of him.
And that is why I have been very careful not to touch or step on his bad side.
I might get kicked out of here and die.
But putting up a space for me in his study because I liked to read is such a kind gesture.
I can say he isn't that bad at all.
The moment I stepped out of my room, I noticed an abnormal figure on the right side of my face. I was so surprised and immediately turned my head to the side only to see one of the elderly maids holding a parasol and is wearing a flowery hat. She carries an empty basket and the sweetest smile.
"OH my, Good Morning, beautiful Lady!" she greets me. I smiled back and bowed a little to greet her back. She seemed to like it very much, and her smile grew bigger. "It's my first time bumping into you around here," she says with a smile on her face and a very sweet voice expression.
She reminds me of an old lady who liked taking care of young kids.
But, it's normal to bump into me in this area because my room is literally behind me.
"I'm on my way to go pick up some flowers, do you by any chance want to come with me?"
Flowers?
She then proceeded to hand me another hat with a beautiful flower arrangement on it. I don't even know where she took it from. It just spawned in her hands.
"Well, how do you think about that, Lady?" her smile never faded.
I couldn't help but accept her offer.
"Alrighty!" she cried happily.
I stood there while she put the hat on me and tied the lace under my chin so it didn't fall off.
"My name is Mary, my Lady! One of the Prince's loyal servants. It's my pleasure to serve you too,"
For some reason, the maids in this palace are nothing like the maids back in the mistress' home.
Mary seems to be extremely friendly and caring. She made sure the flower arrangement on my head looked pretty and she gently touched my hair and put it back so it didn't hang on my face.
While the mistress would have been angry with this gesture, I let Mary do it and I felt nothing but comfort over me.
It made me smile even more when she bent her arms on her side and gestured for me to put my hand in so we could walk next to each other.
It was my first time having an interaction with her but she has already made me feel at ease around her.
She was babbling about a lot of things and before I knew it, we already got into the garden.
I've never seen this part before. The garden was a plane full of nothing but flowers. The entrance was a viny archway that was a way into the fence where the flowers were kept.
If I am not mistaken, it looked twice as big as the ballroom and was filled with nothing but flowers.
And bumblebees!
"You seem to be enjoying this, my Lady!" she cheered as soon as she saw my reaction.
I wanted to thank her for bringing me here but I don't know how to sign that to her that'll make her understand.
"Do you want me to pick out some flowers for you too? Here, take this." she handed over the basket she's been carrying this whole time. It came with a stem-cutter.
I smiled really wide and took it. I then looked around to see which ones to pick out. And that's when I started working and thinking about the arrangement that I'd like to have.
I was on my 8th cut when I heard a voice coming from nearby. "My Lady!"
I looked around to know where the voice came from. "Oh, Anton!" I heard Mary say from across me. I looked where she was looking and saw Anton waving from a distance.
"Can you come here for a minute?!" he shouted.
"Go, my Lady!" Mary told me. I then left my flowers on site and started walking closer to where Anton was. He was in a small resting area in the middle of the huge garden. When our distance grew smaller, I noticed the familiar dark red pair of eyes looking at me from behind Anton.
I still pray he wasn't mad about me touching him last night. It was only an accident.
"Good morning!" Anton greeted me as soon as I was able to come near him.
'Good Morning,' I signed him. I then shifted to the Prince sitting in the shadow of the ceiling whose eyes were looking at a distance. 'Good Morning, your highness.' I signed.
He ignored me.
"Come take a seat, the Prince is having a tea. You may join him." Anton invited me to take a seat. But I am afraid I might offend the Prince if I sit closer.
But the table creates a distance enough to keep out of touch. I should be fine.
I regret to notice that the only seta was the seat blocking the way to where he was looking at. I carefully emerged to his sight and kindly asked for permission. 'May I sit here, Your Highness?'
"Sit down," he answered shortly and looked away.
Despited the broad daylight, the Prince still radiates a dark and gloomy aura. For some reason, I can sense that he screams all black and red. His eyes darkened even more with the sunlight and his black hair was dancing in the wind.
He doesn't look like he was trying but he still turned out looking extremely attractive. If there was something I adore about the Prince, it is his features complimenting each other. Like how the color of his hair makes the color of his eyes pop up.
Anton served me tea and a cup was already on there like they were waiting for me.
"Now that I think about it, Your Highness, isn't it a great idea to let the Lady join you on your boat ride?"
Boat ride?
I immediately looked up to Anton when he mentioned boat and ride simultaneously.
I've never been able to ride a boat before and I've been wanting to do so.
'Can I join you, Your Highness?' I asked him almost immediately.
He looked at me with a little surprise in his expression because of my reaction and looked away again. "Do what you want,"
A few moments later, we walked a little deeper into the woods at the back of the palace. I never noticed because my window faces the other side.
There was a beautiful pathway leading to a dock and there was a boat with it. A beautifully decorated boat that had two seats in it.
I also just noticed the huge lake hiding in the woods. It leads to a way even deeper into the woods which I cannot see from m distance.
At this point, I was tweaking to get myself into the boat.
"Alright, get on now both of you,"
Both of us?
Then how do we make the boat move? Do I have to--what's the word? Row it? Will the Prince do it?
In the middle of thinking about it, a hand came into sight. I looked up and was surprised to see that it came from the Prince who now has just got himself onto the boat.
Is this alright? Can I actually touch him? Won't this make him mad? But won't it be disrespectful not to take it?
Come on, he's waiting.
While he was looking completely the other way and not making eye contact, his hand still reached for me to help me get on the boat.
Despite his strange attitude, the Prince is never actually that bad.
I reached for his hand and took it. He gave me a gentle tug, and again without looking, he supported my weight so I got to the slightly moving boat.
The boat was almost 2 meters wide and 4 meters long. There was plenty of space for us. But the seats were too close to each other so I made my way in front of the boat and squatted pretending to look at what was in the water letting go of his hand in the process.
"Ready?" Anton asked. I looked back at him and before I even knew it, we were already moving.
MAGIC
I was fascinated. The boat was moving on its own and directing its own way away from Anton who cast the magic.
This is amazing.
The boat moved farther and farther. Anton left the dock. It was only then when I realized how awkward it was to be alone with the prince once again.
I don't know what he was doing. I never dared to look back. I was looking around but always avoided him.
"Celeste,"
It was all good and smooth sailing when suddenly, out of all questions, he asked me.
"What was the reason why you lived up to this day?"