Just like at breakfast, there is a huge spread of food displayed in the middle of the dining room. Everything looks mouth-watering but I don’t get to go near it. We are seated as soon as the waiter sees me.
Doug and I join another four people at a table. Two were at breakfast, the other two are new to me. I’m introduced to the two females and they go back to their conversation.
Before the waiter can hassle us again, I lean in close to Doug. “Do we have to order something, or can we help ourselves?” I ask.
He leans in closer so we’re almost nose to nose. “You can do whatever the hell you like, Princess.”
A smile creeps over my lips. “Buffet it is.”
Doug stands with me. He nods to the perplexed waiter as we stride right past him. He grabs two plates off an unoccupied table and hands me one. We don’t stop until we’re at the food.
My eyes boggle and my tastebuds water as I take it all in. There is everything here from pizza to a roast, to curry, to vegetables dipped in gravy. I can see a dessert table on the opposite end and I have to make sure I leave room for it.
Everything looks so good that I can’t decide what I want to eat. I just want to try it all. Doug fills his plate eagerly and I do the same—taking small lots of different things. I’ll work on trying everything with every meal.
We return to our table and sit down. It’s then that I notice how many people are staring at us. I didn’t think getting some food would be cause for a scandal.
“Why are they looking at us?” I whisper to Doug. He glances over my shoulder and wiggles his finger to draw me nearer.
“They’re jealous,” he replies, laughing.
I can’t help it, a giggle escapes my lips. If I’m going to be a princess, I guess I need to get used to people looking at me—even when I’m doing things that I’d rather not be a spectator sport.
And if they’re going to stare just because I got my own meal, then so be it. I’m not going to be a delicate little flower that everyone needs to serve. I can get my own damned dinner.
The waiter comes over and fills our water glasses. Everyone eventually gets back to their own business. I take a bite of a savory pastry and flavor explodes in my mouth. I have no idea what’s inside but it tastes like heaven. This is going to be my favorite.
And so are the roast potatoes.
And the peas with gravy.
And every single thing on the dessert table.
We’re halfway through some strawberry shortcake when I spot Brad seated at the table next to us. He doesn’t seem any happier than when I met him at breakfast. I wonder if his scowl is permanent or if he has to keep reapplying it during the day.
He’s with a girl—a different one than he was making plans with this morning. She seems oblivious to his mood as she chatters away. He stares at his pizza and only glances up occasionally.
He intrigues me. A guy that gorgeous should not be that grumpy all the time. Especially if he has so much female attention. He should be screaming his happiness from a rooftop.
“That guy, Brad,” I start, “what’s his deal?”
Doug leans forward to see around me. “He’s nice enough. I’ve known him since we were little. Goes through the women like they’re candy.”
“So he’s a typical womanizer?” Disappointment hits me in the gut and I’m not sure why. It’s not like I was fawning over him.
Doug shrugs. “I guess. He’s never short of female company. I don’t think he’s ever found one he’s serious about.”
Brad looks my way and I’m caught staring. I quickly glance at my plate but I know he saw me. I can feel his eyes boring into my skin.
I try to ignore him and focus on Doug. He’s amazing and definitely worth my time—unlike Brad who has never said a kind word to me. I’m done with men like him. Once a womanizer, always a womanizer.
“Do you know what role you’re going to be taking on in the palace?” I ask to change the conversation. Now I know everyone here is either royal or working for a royal, I’m curious.
They have their whole lives planned out for them already. I was only in my first semester at college back home and I still had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I hadn’t picked a major and didn’t feel confident that I would anytime soon either.
“I’ve been chosen to be one of your advisors. Although, I doubt you’ll need any.”
Déjà vu rolls over me. “How many advisors do I need?”
“Four.”
“That seems like a very specific amount. Does every princess have four advisors?”
He nods. “Normally. You may choose to have more or less in the future. Four is the natural starting point as the numeral of balance. It’s been that way for hundreds of years.”
So I’ve already met two of my advisors, I wonder who the remaining two are. If they’re as nice as Reuben and Doug, I’m going to be happy to have them around. The thought of not having to survive on my own at the palace is also reassuring.
“I’m glad you’ll be there,” I reply. “Will you be living far from your family?”
“Everyone in my family works for the palace too. I’ve grown up there.”
A pang of envy stabs in my gut. I wonder how much I missed out on by being in the human world. I love my human family and they gave me the best life possible, but I still wonder what could have been.
There’s no point dwelling on it.
I crave more information about the palace so I can picture it in my head. It’s hard not knowing what’s coming up in my future and being surrounded by people that have a better knowledge of it than I do.
“What’s the palace like?” I ask.
His features lift with enthusiasm. “It’s beautiful. The palace itself is made out of gray stones from Mount Sanshee. It’s so tall that you get dizzy when you look up at it from the ground. There are trees and gardens everywhere, all colorful and the smell is…intoxicating.”
The picture he paints starts to develop in my mind. “I can’t wait to see it.”
“I’ve got pictures.”
“Can I see them?”
He taps a few times on his tablet and then shows me the screen. The photos look more like pictures from a child’s fairytale book. The palace is stunning and he didn’t downplay the gardens at all. Everything sparkles like new. There are so many colors that it would put a kaleidoscope to shame.
“That’s your home, Princess,” Doug says.
I can barely believe it. All those times when I played Barbies and imagined I was a princess and it was true. In the best way possible too.
I didn’t realize it until this moment that I had been imagining my future home as something dark and dank. More Medieval than fairy. I pictured cold rooms and equally as chilly people.
It’s not going to be like that.
My world suddenly got so much brighter.
Chapter 5
I can’t sleep. Even Mercury is getting annoyed with my constant tossing and turning. My mind just won’t quiet down.
Throwing back the bed covers, I sit up and look around the darkness of my room. I need some milk. And chocolate. Maybe chocolate milk. That normally helps me settle down.