Finley's POV
I stood up from the floor and dusted my trousers. I can't believe it hasn't even been twenty-four hours yet since I started this assignment. Prince Edward really knows how to get under my skin. Since he's awake, I guess it's time to do my job. Looking around the garden, I couldn't help but think about how much Christopher would have loved it. He was never made for the battlefield, though he was an amazing warrior. He deserved the softest of lives, one he's not privileged to have now. Stop this, Finley. Thinking about this will do you no good.
Putting him at the back of my mind, I forced myself to move towards the Prince's chambers. I would be here for a while. I have to get used to the prince, though that won't be fun. The prince is interesting, though—provoking for sure, but interesting. I wonder what it is about him that gets under my skin so much.
I knocked on the door as I got to my location, waiting for the prince to answer. After about five minutes, I opened the door slowly to see why he wasn't responding. The prince was not in the living area of his chambers. Maybe he was still with his father. I proceeded until I got to his bedroom, where the prince sat with his back to me, facing the wall, his shoulders shaking. Was he...crying?
"Is everything alright, your highness?" I asked tentatively, not wanting to spook him. Even though he must have known I was already in here. There was a brief moment of silence before he turned to face me, and sure enough, his eyes were red, although they were dry.
"What do you want?" he slurred. Was he drunk? It couldn't be. It wasn't even noon yet. Plus, he had just left to see his father not too long ago. His slurred speech and the bottle of liquor on the floor proved otherwise. The prince was still looking at me to answer his question, but I had one of my own.
"Are you drunk, Prince Edward?" I asked, saying his name, even though I knew the answer already. His freezing at me mentioning his name made me realize this was the first time I was saying it out loud. He recovered quickly and gave me a bored look, the best he could muster in his drunken state.
"I don't see how that's any of your business, Sir Finley. You are here to guard and serve me. You are not my friend. So stand in the corner, look pretty, do your duty, and stop asking unintelligent questions," he spat out with as much venom as he could. The message was clear; he was trying his very best to hurt me. Unfortunately for him, I hadn't known him enough to be hurt by his words. I had known him enough, however, to realize he was deflecting and trying not to show vulnerability.
I was about to argue that making sure he didn't make a habit getting drunk before noon was part of protecting him, but I wasn't able to get the words out. There was light knocking on the door. The prince stared at the door briefly, turning away, fully prepared to ignore the person at the door. It was probably just a servant with his breakfast, and judging by the lack of force in knocking, it was probably a shy—or scared—one. I sighed and walked to the door. His lack of protest showed he didn't mind me opening it.
Sure enough, it was a servant with his meal and herbs in her hand. I relieved her of the load, and she thanked me briefly with a blush on her face. She stayed put with her head down for a few seconds before I realized she was waiting for the prince to take his herbs. I looked back at him, and he made no move to do so.
"Don't worry, I will ensure he uses his medication," I said with a smile to reassure her. She looked unsure for a moment but glanced at the prince and his disinterest before curtseying and turning to leave, then stopping in her tracks.
"I'm so sorry, I forgot to add," she said, looking apologetic. "King Edmund requests your presence in the throne room." Confusion must have been clear on my face because originally, the king had not cared for my presence at all, and I had made peace with it. I guess he decided to see who was guarding his son. That makes enough sense.
"Alright, I'll be right with him. It wasn't an immediate summoning, was it?" I asked the maid. She shook her head lightly.
"No, but if you could see him as soon as possible," she added shyly. I nodded. Looks like I'm meeting the king. I smiled at her, and she curtsied once more before leaving the room.
"She likes you," the prince declared, making me raise an eyebrow in question. He tried to stand but swayed on his feet and almost fell. I rushed to his side, sitting him gently back on the bed.
"I doubt that. She was seeing me for the first time. That doesn't matter anyway. You should eat your meal." I brought the tray containing his meal and medication to the table beside his bed. He looked at it in disdain before picking up the goblet with his herbs and downing it in one go.
"There, that's all that matters. Nobody cares if I eat or not. As long as I take these stupid herbs," he said, laying back down on the bed. I'm sure that wasn't true, however. What's the use of taking herbs if you're not going to eat?
Maybe I hit my head as a baby because the next thing that came out of my mouth surprised even me. "How about I feed you, your highness?" I could see the prince's back stiffen, and I was about to apologize when he turned over and gave me a barely there nod. I was taken aback that he agreed, but I quickly sat in the chair in front of the table before he changed his mind. I brought the first spoon up to his lips, and he opened his mouth. I wonder how weird this must look. The prince's knight feeding him. We were ten spoons in when we heard another knock on the door.
The prince sighed in irritation, and I laughed at how quick he was to be irritable. I stood up from my position to check who it was.
"Sir Finley," it was a palace guard, and he bowed slightly, "the king demands your presence, sir." I totally forgot about that. What was so urgent that he needed to send someone else to call me?
"That is fine. I'll be right there." The guard made a show of shifting from foot to foot and looked a bit uncomfortable. Did I have to follow him?
"Am I required to follow you?" I asked, hoping the answer was no.
"If you don't mind, sir."
"Alright, give me a minute." I closed the door and went back to meet the prince, wanting to explain what had happened.
"It's fine, I heard. Goodbye," he said, not allowing me to speak, once again reverting to his cold self. I narrowed my eyes at his behavior but just nodded.
"I'll be back as soon as possible so you can finish your meal." I bowed and headed out of his chambers, following the guard to the king's presence.