"Hey Licht, you have a guest on table 4."
It had been a slow day at the café so Licht had been going through the pantry taking inventory. He was happy there was a customer in his section. He much preferred waiting tables to the drudgery of 'back of the house' work. He grabbed an apron and note pad and sauntered over to table 4. "Hello Miss, may I take your order?"
He said it oozing with charm which was alarming because he had really not taken any time to view the patron. He was just good at his job. He made everyone feel special. He could fake interest without actually making any meaningful contact.
"Do you prefer the spiced or the vanilla chai," the young lady seated at the table queried.
The voice drew his attention. It was clear and beautiful. He looked up and took in the sight before him for the first time. There sat a young teenager about his age. She had obviously been shopping as evidenced by the numerous bags that surrounded her seat. She was well dressed, but not in terribly expensive or elaborate clothes. Rather, her clothes showed skilled craftsmanship, were well tailored and had the sophistication of simplicity. Her hair was worn up in a loose bun but, presumably because of her day's excursion, a few arrant tresses had fallen out of the bun and spun themselves around in loose ringlets surrounding her smooth pale face. Her features were delicate, with the exception of her eyes which were currently downward cast. All Licht could see of her eyes were the carpet of lashes that arched in a long sweeping pattern away from her upper eye lid. She was mesmerizing.
"Vanilla. I prefer vanilla." He said. He'd taken a second to respond which was not like him in the least. He was a smooth talker. At the tender age of 14, he had already mastered the art of seduction. Of course, he hadn't done anything untoward. He was a gentleman and a royal. Rather, he had mastered the ability to captivate the hearts of anyone simply through the words that slipped from his silver tongue and his carefully planned gazes. His mother was quite concerned this skill would land him in trouble within the next few years.
"I'll have a vanilla chai then if you would please," she smiled up at him, grateful for this brief rest after a weary day of shopping.
As her gaze lifted, he was caught off guard by the deep blue orbs that looked back at him. The deep blue eyes set against the raven locks was a striking combination. He was speechless. He bowed his head and returned to the kitchen.
Licht had been betrothed since the age of two. He was a royal and with this privilege, came a responsibility. He had been permitted to work at this part-time job because he understood his place and would fulfill his royal obligations diligently and without compromise. He turned to his co-worker. "Hans," he asked, "can we switch tables? You can take table 4 and I'll look after table 17?"
Hans laughter. A family of four sat at table 17 and they were currently eating dessert. It had been a slow day and he needed that tip. No, he'd earned that tip. "Sorry," Hans replied, "no can do."
Licht sighed. He made the vanilla chai and carried it back to her table. Licht could see out the window and watched as one of the servant's carriages from the castle pull up outside the café. His father climbed out. He was dressed as a commoner and had been careful to ensure that nothing in his own appearance or in the appearance of their transportation would give away any indication of their social standing. He had simply wanted to pick up his son from work.
Victor had been 14 himself once and he had known how difficult the confines of royalty could be at that age. If Licht could pretend, even for only brief periods of time, that his life was normal, it would help him maintain his sanity. In truth, Victor needed that escape himself at times and he appreciated moments like this that allowed him to share in the fantasy.
Victor sauntered through the front door with the exact same easy walk his son possessed. Of all of his children, Victor found that physically, he shared the most in common with Licht. Victor could see his son was busy with a customer, so he smiled and took a seat in his son's section.
After Licht had taken the girl's food order, he walked by his father's table, gave him a nod in acknowledgment, and sent his father a look that made it clear he would finish up promptly and be ready to head home. While he waited, Victor leaned back in his chair and surveyed the small café. It wasn't nearly as busy as normal. That would mean it wouldn't take Licht long to finish up here. Maybe they would have sufficient time to take in one of the sites of the city. He looked over at the table that Licht had just left. He stopped, paralyzed. It was as though his soul has been plucked from his body and now stood frozen in time. That customer, that girl, looked exactly like a woman he had met a very long time ago.