''Wood?''

My eyes followed my fingers while they worked, making sure the needle was placed correctly and that all the details were correct. ''Yes?'' I murmured while keeping my eyes focused.

''Wood.''

''I'm not trying to be disrespectful to you by not looking up, but I need to finish this now.'' I did my best to sound calm and respectful while continuing my work. If I wanted to finish the deadline, I had to finish these adjustments today. ''You're usually not the chatty type, my prince, is anything the matter?'' I asked while quickly allowing my eyes to look up at him before returning to my fingers.

He was standing straight, his arms crossed across his chest and with that displeased expression he usually wore. ''Jan is smiling a lot lately…''

''Jan is always smiling.'' I softly answered while placing one of the last needles in the pants.

''It's different…'' he paused and he shifted slightly, looking down at me, ''I can't help but think it has something to do with you.''

His sentence startled me enough to mess up. I uttered a short ''ow'' beneath my breath and sat up. I had successfully stabbed my finger with one of the needles, drawing blood.

''I don't get what he sees in you.'' Prince Joshua scoffed while watching me with a raised eyebrow.

I pressed my lips together to keep myself from saying something and merely smiled, ''I'm done, be careful when you take them off.'' I spoke while standing up and making my way to the door. ''Please leave the pants here and I'll have someone bring them over later.'' I smiled politely and opened the door but was stopped when I was about to walk out.

Jan stood in the doorway, showing the same surprised expression as me. ''Oh, I didn't know you were the one to do the fitting.'' His soft smile made one appear on my lips as well.

''It wasn't planned, so you couldn't have known.'' I smiled softly, already feeling a bit of color appear in my cheeks.

''Jan.'' Prince Joshua's voice called out behind me and I felt my body stiffen. ''Is it because of her, you asked for the day off?''

I watched Jan's expression flicker for just a second, annoyance appearing on his face before it returned to his normal and calm one. ''Ah, you quite ruined my surprise there, your highness, but yes, it is.'' He smiled.

I felt my heart speed up as he spoke and my mouth went dry. ''Jan, you really-''

''As I just told her,'' Joshua interrupted me sharply and walked up behind me while speaking, ''I don't get what you see in her.'' His hands appeared on my shoulders and turned me around. His sharp eyes dug into mine before he started studying me closely.

''Your highness-'' Jan started, discomfort and slight anger clear in his voice, but Joshua interrupted him.

''I thought you had better taste than this.'' He muttered while his fingers grabbed my chin, turning my head side to side before making me look up and meet his intimidating eyes again.

''Your highness!'' Jan nearly shouted, voice slightly shaking with different emotions, but his try fell to deaf ears.

''She's hardly worth spending time on… She's not that pretty either.'' Joshua continued and completely ignored Jan.

''That's enough!'' Jan yelled while his hand grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back to him. Joshua's fingers disappeared from my chin and I found myself being pressed against Jan's chest. ''I'll be back in just a second, your highness.'' When he spoke again, his voice was mostly back to normal but the anger remained. He moved without waiting for a reaction, hand grabbing my wrist as he walked out the door and pulling me along. As he pulled me out of the room, my eyes met with Joshua's for a split second. I felt my cheeks burn when I noticed that he was smirking.

Jan didn't stop walking before we had turned a corner, then he turned around, hands grabbing my shoulders while his concerned eyes found mine. ''I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell like that but he….'' Jan's voice died out as he watched me. His hands moved, gently framing my face as he watched me.

''I'm fine. I'm more worried about you.'' I hummed softly, enjoying the feeling of his hands.

''I'll go back and apologize, it'll be fine.'' His voice was soft and he smiled bittersweet. ''I guess he ruined my surprise as well but I was hoping that you'll be free tomorrow.''

''You want to spend New Year's Eve with me?'' I asked with a smile.

''Well, now that you asked so nicely…'' He grinned while leaning in closer.

''Did you just trick me?'' I grinned back, his breath hitting my lips.

''Depends on how you look at it.'' He hummed before closing the small distance between us with his lips.

''I guess that's a date then.'' I smirked after our lips had parted.

''Good.'' He smiled. ''I'll come by and pick you up tomorrow then.''

''Deal.'' I grinned.

He kept smiling at me while I slipped out of his embrace and I started walking back to my room. I listened to his footsteps walking away from me and around the corner. Anticipation started to turn my stomach into a knot and the smile on my lips wouldn't disappear. I already knew I wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight…

I stood in front of the mirror, watching my own defeated expression. My dark brown curls fell down my shoulders, just like they did half an hour ago. I sighed heavily, I still couldn't figure out what to do with my hair. I felt ridicules and pushed myself away from the sink, walking out of the bathroom and over to the small dresser, where I had all of my clothes. I pulled out the first drawer and couldn't keep a small smile back as I picked up the cream colored lace dress. It was the only dress I had brought with me when I took the job and now I had a chance to wear it.

Three knocks on the door pulled me away from my thoughts. ''Just a second!'' I spoke while quickly putting the dress on and stepping into the black high heels I had. The heel wasn't that high, so they weren't a problem to walk in. I hurried to the door and opened it with a smile.

''I hope I'm not too early.'' His soft smile made me calm down. ''You look beautiful.'' He stretched out his hand while watching me with those tender eyes. He was wearing black pants and a white shirt.

''No, the timing is perfect.'' I smiled and took his hand, closing the door behind me. ''Thank you.'' I felt my cheeks redden from his compliment. His hand brought me closer to him before he started to lead me down the hallway. ''Where are we going?''

''I'm showing you my quarters.'' He tried to sound calm but I could tell how nervous he was. His hand squeezed mine softly and I looked up at him with a small smile.

''You're nervous.'' I spoke softly while intertwining my fingers with his, 'it's not like you.''

''I'm always nervous when you're involved in what I'm doing, especially now where I'm hoping to impress you tonight.'' He smiled like always before stopping in front of a door I had walked past many times. ''We're here.''

''Wait… wait, impress me?'' I furrowed my eyebrows, ''you don't have to do that…'' I paused, now noticing the door. ''Your room is here? I thought-''

''That it would be in the same hallway as yours?'' He smiled softly as he interrupted me. ''If the prince needs me, I have to be close by, so my room is in the same hallway as his.''

''Okay… okay, still, I just want you to be… well, you tonight…'' I mumbled, still standing there with furrowed eyebrows.

He chuckled lightly while pulling me closer to him. ''I'm not good at being anyone else, so you don't have to worry about that. I do have a favor to ask you though.''

''What?'' I asked while relaxing a bit again.

''Close your eyes.''

I looked at him with a skeptical glance but ended up sighing and closed my eyes. His lips pressed against mine for a second before I heard the door click. His hands appeared on my shoulder and gently pushed me forwards, when they left my shoulders I took a sharp breath and the door clicked behind me again, this time closing. I felt his presence behind me, breath ghosting over my skin, almost teasingly, as I waited for him to tell me to open my eyes…