Irene's POV

   I kiss my father goodbye as I head out to start another hectic day, I drop by the temple to pray for a favorable day, I hope the gods hear me.  
  

I arrive at the palace gates and it's already open, I was late. I walk in dusting my dress from the muddy floor of Diera village and straightening my hair. The palace was busy, maids and watchmen moving like light I could barely see past anyone, I better get something doing. I say to myself.

 I ask around for Hattie and I found her in the throne room, the throne room smelt like nothing but flowers, bedazzled with fine jewels. The ceiling of the room was more than 10 feet high and the silver-lined curtains that swept the floors made complimented the whole decorations. A high chandelier hung just above the ceiling and a huge table in the middle. All these for the Princesses arrival.

"Irene!" my name echoes through the whole place. I look over my shoulder to find Hattie cleaning the putting out some torches to make the room a little dim.

"Hattie, hey sorry I'm late" I walk up to where she was putting out the torches.

"It's okay, here.." she trailed as she grabs some sheets and it pops down my arms"Here, take this to the king's chambers and change the sheets with these" she finished.

"All these?" my eyes widened.

"You want more?" she teased.

"Shut up" I rolled my eyes and walked out the throne room to the halls, the gods are these things heavy, I look at a few of them while they were still in my hands, one was silver coated, the other smelt like calla lilies. My mesmerizing moment cut off as I bumped into an obstruction, a feel like masculine body and the sheets went flying.

"I ...am so sorry "I apologize as I slowly lift my head to look at the face.

"No, it's my bad, "the obstruction said as our eyes met and there's something about those eyes, I have seen them before. Is it?__

"Leo?" I ask trying to remember.

"Irene?" the face looked puzzled before our eyes darted.

"Leo!!"

"Irene"

We both screamed as he wrapped his arms around me, squeezing me like a ball. Leo was my childhood friend who I haven't seen in like forever, just two years silly, my subconscious tells me as I ignore them.

"Oh my, Leo where have you been?!"I squealed.

He chuckles and he looked so ever cute with his jet black hair and nardy teeth with his v-shaped jawlines that made compliments to his nymph ears. "I've been around, what about you, when did you get here?" he asks.

"Yesterday, how come I didn't see you?" I shove his jacket.

"Sorry I went out," he says.

"So what are you doing in the palace?" I ask curiously.

"Let's go to my workshop" he offers as I nod and he helps me with some of the sheets.

We strode down the one million halls as he tells me all about everything that happened, after his mother's passing, he came down to Deira to engage in the art of healing with Darius, and now Darius is partially retired from the business, Leo is now the Royal healer and the personal servant to the prince, such prestige. We arrive at the doorstep of his workshop as it creaks open and we both walk in. The workshop was a little huge. There were shelves to the right, notice the s, they contained books from wherever and the left was just about bottles and antidotes.

"Wow this is where you work, "I asked feasting my eyes on everything.

"Mhm-hmm, and that's where I sleep" he points at a small wooden door to another end of the room.

"This is amazing, congratulations" I smile.

"Thank you my lady" he teased as he courtesy and I just roll my eyes.

"I have to go now, I have a lot of things to do before the arrival of the prince and his betrothed" I announce.

"Sure, I'll see you later," he says as I nod and leave the room.

*****

The rest of my four hours was suffering, I didn't have a minute to drink water or something, I barely saw Hattie and Orla today. All I could think of was how the prince will be with his betrothed. Everything had to be perfect, I can't mess this up. Orla taught me everything I needed to know.
   The palace bell rings and trumpets blown from outside fly through the halls, immediately maids and guards pass me by as I am grabbed by the wrist and pushed into the crowd then outside, it was Hattie who pulled me "Ha..." I was about to say something when I noticed the compound was filled and a red carpet was at the center. People were chatting loudly and noise echoed all around. It was oddly satisfying.

"Is it time?" I ask.

"They'll be here any minute" Hattie replies as I straighten my dress to push off any scrub of dust less.
    
On the large stairs to the entrance of the palace stood the king and queen just in front of the carpet, then followed by the noble knights and the council, then lastly the maids and watchmen.

Another trumpet blows as horses ride in, I didn't know horses could look this beautiful, first came in maids throwing roses and all sorts of flowers on the carpet, then the knights on their horses, followed by a black horse with a cloaked person on it and beside it was a horse as white as snow with a lady on it wearing a beautiful white garment that just soared through her body, she wore a veil that hid her face and another white horse followed them at their back, veiled too.

"Is that them?" I ask. 

"Yes, it is " Hattie beamed at me.

I gulp hard, this is becoming exciting.

The knights gave way as the black horse and white one come forward standing just in front of the king and queen. The prince, I guess, gets down from the black horse still cloaked all this time as he helps the lady down and the other one jumps down, this is so confusing.
  
The prince bows down with the lady before the king. The king steps forward as he spread his arms.

"Ladies and gentlemen, knights, children, welcome our very own, Prince Hadrian Wales.." the crowd cheers as flowers are thrown" And his betrothed and her sister, please welcome, the lady Natasha..." he contains, the crowd screams"....and her sister, the talented lady Eleanor". The crowd goes wild this time, I guess she is very talented to be this well known.

The prince and the ladies rose to their feet, all still cloaked and veiled.

"Which one is the lady Natasha and lady Eleanor?" I ask curiously.

Hattie chuckles at my ignorance" That's the lady Natasha..." she points to the lady wearing a soaring white gown, a white gown in Deira signifies purity, it isn't misused anyhow"...and that is the lady Eleanor" she finishes pointing to a lady wearing white crazy pants and a white-cloaked shirt.

They all removed their cloaks and veil. The lady Natasha looked beautiful, her green eyes were the first thing I caught with her batting eyelashes, she had long brown hair that made compliments to her onion nose, her elf ears, and her curvy pink lips.  Lady Eleanor looked mesmerizing with her curly short blonde hair and her curvy face with those familiar hazel blue eyes and a look like pouty lips.

I narrowed my eyes to the prince as I just couldn't look away, he was handsome, he put on a black woolen cloak and a pair of knightly pants. He was adored by his long Teutonic gold-black hair, it had a casual jumble a couple of times as the breeze soothed the arena but mostly his hair seemed neat and just flowing, he claimed a pair of sea Rover blue eyes and bristly eyebrows, and his marvelous cheekbones carved down to his flinty jaw. The one thing I couldn't stop looking at were his eyes, they looked so familiar I know I have seen them somewhere before, I just don't know where. I flinched at the thought, his blue eyes darted so constantly in my head. 

Maybe the woman in your dreams knows him, my subconscious tells me but I ignore it, it isn't possible.

"Welcome home son" king Triton rubbed the Prince's shoulders as he gave him a bright smirk.

"Lady Natasha" he smiled as she batted her eyelashes to the king and he places a kiss on the back of her palm.

"My Lord" she bowed. Her voice sounded so soothing, any man could fall for just the voice.

"How is king Aaron?" lord Triton asks.

"He sends his greetings my Lord" she replied. King Aaron was the father of the lady Natasha and the lady Eleanor. His wife was rumored to have died immediately birthing her last child which I suppose was the lady Eleanor.

The king smiles as they continue their brief greetings and I turn to Hattie.

"Did the prince know any other woman?" Hattie looks confused by my question.

"I don't know, he has his Mistresses," she says.

Hmm, she can't know him, I ignore the thoughts of trying to remember those eyes. He is a prince after all, I shouldn't be bent on trying to remember his eyes.

"Have you arranged the Prince's chambers?"  Hattie pops the question. What chambers? I gaped. I totally forgot, that was the last thing on my list. I was so busy trying to help everyone else. I didn't expect their arrival to be so soon.

"Oh my word!" I exclaimed. Her eyes darted at me, shaking her head continuously. "Oh my..."I silently screamed as I dashed into the one million halls and climbed a zillion stairs to get to the Prince's room.

It has that familiar sweet fragrance, I ignore the thoughts and quickly change the sheets, sweep the floors, mop them, scrub them, dust the curtains, and open the windows to allow fresh air to come in. I stand panting with my hands on my waist, not believing how fast I worked. I was impressed at myself.

   The Royal family must still be in the throne room sharing greetings and thoughts, I walk up to the wardrobe and the prince has few clothes, just a shiny armor, and some other things. My eyes caught a familiar necklace, I can swear I have seen it before but where Irene, think! Alas I touched my trinket on my neck and rubbed my hands on it. It was the same necklace as mine. I widened my eyes. How does he have this, my mother gifted this necklace to me on her deathbed. It can't be possible. How?

  The door flings open as I shiver and drop the necklace and jam the wardrobe close and shove my hands behind my back. It was the Prince. He was here.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?"

Okay now, I am completely frozen.

Hey🌹🌹, I hope you love this.
Watch out for the next chapter.

~craving chips 🥺