"Presenting Lady Cinderella!"

Sion looked up from his book on different heraldic plants of the world, to see the young woman who he met in the ball enter his study. She stepped into the room, looking around in wonder. Then her eyes found Sion's. A second pause and the two of them broke into fits of laughter. There was something funny about this second meeting. Neither of them thought they would ever be able to see each other again. After a minute they were able to calm down.

"Prince Sion." The young woman said curtsy, a smile pulling on her lips. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Lady Cinderella." Sion said bowing as he tried to hold back his laughter. "It's so charming of you to drop by and visit. I do hope you have been enjoying your say" She beamed back at him.

"Oh, it's been pleasant." She said formally. "But one of the knights questioned me before letting me see you." Her smile faded slightly. "I thought I was in trouble."

"Ash," Sion said sadly. "Sorry about that. That was my knight Sir Williams. He thought you might be an assassin."

"Oh dear."

"But it's all good now! If he let you in it must mean he approves. Anyways," Sion threw away all formalities. "How have you been?" Sion said

"Oh, good thank you." She said copying his casual tone. Sion paused before frowning.

"No, I'm doing this wrong. The first question I should ask is 'What's you name.'" he sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck. "I seem to have forget to ask it at the ball."

"Cinderella." She said softly. He smiled.

"It's nice to meet you Cinderella. Please tell me more about yourself." Cinderella nodded and took the seat next to Sion. Then she launched into her story. She told him of her dead mother and her father remarried. She explained how cruel her stepsisters were and how they treated her. Sion was shocked and horrified. He didn't know she was in such a predicament. He felt bad that he didn't ask her name during the ball. He would have been able to find her sooner. He finally made a friend his age and he already managed to fail at their friendship.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all that." He said gloomily.

"It's alright!" she said cheerfully. "I always had the mice and rats as friends." When Sion continue to look solemn, she quickly added "Besides it's not all bad. Thanks to my hard work, my fairy godmother was sent to helped me go to the ball. If I didn't go, I would never have met you."

"True." Sion smiled softly "Your fairy godmother was the one who made you that magical dress and shoes."

"Yeah." Cinderella giggled. "She also made the coach…" The young woman's face darkened as if she remembered something unpleasant "Among other things…." She looked so forlorn that Sion thought it was best to change the subject.

"That night at the ball." he said. "I met your footman." Cinderella looked confused for a second before her eyes widened in shock.

"What?" she gasped surprised. "Where..." She petered off as thought dawned on her and she frowned "Of course that's where he got the book." She looked anxiously at Sion. "I'm so sorry did he steel that book from you?"

"Oh no!" Sion waved his hands quickly. "I gave him that book." Cinderella's face relaxed and she gave a sigh of relief. Sion's heart pounding. He had found the mysterious girl at the ball, now he was about to learn about more about the mysterious footman.

"So how do you know Nezumi?" Sion asked, barely containing his excitement. "If a fairy made your dress and shoes, I doubt you have a footman already available at your house. Is he a friend of yours?"

"He was a friend." The young woman said sulkily. "But that was before the ball. Now he lives in my father's library and tries to ignore me all day."

"He lives in your father's library?" Sion asked amused.

"Yeah," Cinderella rolled her eyes. "All he does is read."

"He really does loves books, doesn't he?" Sion laughed.

"Indeed, he spends so much time reading that trying to talk to him is impossible." Cinderella grumbled. "I had some important things we need to talk about today, but he was so cold that I couldn't say them."

"Yep, that sounds just like him." Sion said fondly.

"Where did you meet him? I mean I didn't see him wandering around the ballroom." Cinderella asked curiously. Sion launched into the story of how Nezumi and him met in the garden. He told her about their conversation and how he brought him to his private library. At mention of the library Cinderella's eyes lit up.

"I would love to see your library." she gasped "It sounds amazing." Sion hesitated, his smile faltering. Although he wanted to show her the library, he wanted Nezumi to be there as well.

"Maybe later." He finally said lamely. An awkward silence filled the room. Sion glanced around. "So, where's Nezumi? I thought he would be with you." If he was living in Cinderella's father's library then he should have come with her to see him. He had asked Sir William to make sure that Nezumi was with Cinderella.

"He's busy with his performance." Cinderella said off handedly. Sion eyes widened.

"Ah, so he is an actor!"

"Yes." Ciderella said with a sigh. "Have you heard of the up and coming actor 'Eve?"

"Nezumi's Eve?! Sion gasped. He wasn't usually interested in theater, but even he heard about the mysterious Eve. The young man had appeared on the acting field only a little while ago, yet they say he was a natural. His manager had invited many critics and nobles to watch him rehearse. All who had watched him swore that he was the next big thing. Sir Willman always wanted Sion to go see a performance, but the prince always found an excuse not to go. Now however…

"We should go see his performance!" Sion exclaimed. Cinderella hesitated.

"Today was the last one" she said slowly "It started a couple of hours ago…It would be over by now."

"I see." Sion said sounded dejected. Cinderella quickly continued.

"I did hear rumors that there's a midnight show. But it's a small showing. Our local lord, Lord Borin, always books a special time for him and his men to watch plays without being surrounded by peasants. I think that was tonight."

"Then there might be hope!" Sion's eyes sparkled. He quickly turned to one of his guards

"Send a horseman as fast as possible to Lord Borin's and see if it he would let us join him at the theater tonight."

"You really want to go." Cinderella said surprised as the guard left. "I've always heard that you didn't have any interest in plays."

"This is different" Sion said waving a hand. "We know one of the actors."

"I suppose so." Cinderella said softly. Sion wasn't listening. His mind was already jumping ahead to that night's performance. He was going to see Nezumi again. The mysterious dark-haired man who showed up at the ball. Sion had been having dreams about his ever since they met. He had thought that perhaps, after he learned more about him, he would seem less mysterious. The prince found that he was completely wrong in that assessment. Now that Cinderella told him where Nezumi lived he had more questions than before. Why was Nezumi living in Cinderella's father's library? Where was his home? Where did he come from? How did he know Cinderella? If 'Eve' was his stage name, then why did he go by Nezumi? What was his real name?

Sion pushed down his growing excitement. Once the play was over, he would bring Nezumi back with him to the castle. Then the three of them could hang in the library and catch up.

This was going to be a great evening.

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"Nezumi!" The dark-haired man looked up from his mirror as the manager came bursting into his changing room. The older man took one step into the room and automatically tripped over a stack of books. He fell over onto another stack, causing the whole pile to fall on him.

"You're going to have to pick those up." Nezumi said calmly going back to his mirror. He opened up his make-up kit and started applying foundation. His manager swore and started stacking books again.

"Why do you need these blasted things in your changing room?"

"To read." Nezumi said rubbing blush into his cheeks. "Rehearsal is so short for me, but you want me to stay while everyone else does their part."

"Yes, well not everyone can be perfect." The manager snapped as he finished stacking the books.

"So, what is it? You don't usually burst into my changing room." Nezumi asked as he started putting on eye shadow. "Did you really only come here to complain about my books."

"No, no," the manger waved a hand. "Of course, it's not that. You can have whatever you want in your changing rooms." Nezumi hummed as he finished up his eyes. After checking himself out in the mirror he reached for his lipstick.

"So what is it then? We have a performance in a half an hour and I'm kind of busy." Nezumi finished putting on lipstick and made a kissy face in the mirror. "Someone" he shot the manger a look, "decides to not tell me that we had an extra performance." The manger spluttered but Nezumi ignored him

This last performance was for a noble man and some of his guest. Nezumi hadn't even known there was an extra performance until the manger had dropped it on him after the last show. Nezumi was not happy about it. Everyone was busy rushing around, touching up props and costumes, or practicing their lines. Since this guy was 'nobility' there was an idea that they have to be at their best. This wasn't the first time nobility booked a private showing this week, though usually the manger gave a heads up beforehand. Usually these private shows caused a lot of excitement and stress among the actors. It didn't bother Nezumi though. He didn't perform better or worse during private performances then day ones. The dark-haired man didn't really understand the whole idea of' nobility'. He felt that acting at his best for such a small crowd was a waste of time. Humans were humans after all. Besides even when he half-assed it, the nobles always told him he did amazing. Humans really were too easy to please.

"Were you listening?" the manger yelled. Nezumi glanced up. Apparently, the older man had been talking all this time. After a couple of days rehearsing Nezumi quickly learned that his manger had nothing important to say and started tuning him out every time he spoke. The dark-haired man closed the makeup container with an audible snap and reached for his brush.

"No." he said shortly. The man sighed warily, rubbing his temple.

"I'm just saying we need to be at our best to night."

"Of course, there's a 'noble coming." Nezumi finished brushing his long-haired wig and surveyed his reflection. He looked acceptable, so there was no reason for his manager to complain.

"That's not it! The prince is coming to this showing!" The man puffed his chest out pridefully. "I knew that you were a catch, but I never realized it would get our own prince to come." That got Nezumi's attention. He spun around on the bench to started in surprise at the manger. The manger observed his expression, frowning.

"What's with that look boy? Don't you realize what I'm saying?! The prince is coming."

"Yeah I hear." Nezumi muttered as he tried to prosses the information. The manager gasped in shock. Nezumi looked back at him warily. For some reason the manger was looking at him like he was crazy.

"Have you lived under a rock all your life? The prince!" he gestured with both of his hands "You know Prince Sion! The prince who never had any interest in theater before! The only Prince who personally asked not to have a play preformed on his birthday?" That got Nezumi's attention. Sion had never been to a theater before? The dark-haired man felt annoyance crept up his chest.

"I swear you're a strange one." The manger sighed. "Well it doesn't matter, just do you best!" And with that the man spun on his heals and left the room, closing the door behind him. Nezumi sat there in the silent room, possessing what he learned. He knew that Sion was strange. After reading most of the books in Cinderella's father's library Nezumi had to admit humans wrote amazing stories. To think that Sion barley read any of them was just shameful. But to think that Sion hadn't even been to theater before? Now that truly annoyed him. Sion was human. He should enjoy the one thing humans got right. Did he had no dignity?

Nezumi clenched his fists and forced himself to calm down. He could work with this. The dark-haired man would show Sion how amazing theater was. He would teach the uncultured prince what true art looked like. After tonight Sion better understand what he was missing. Nezumi turning again to his mirror. His make up was on wrong. Although it was acceptable the general population of humans it would not do for Sion. Nezumi wanted to show the extent of the art of acting. Sion may have read Romeo and Juliet, since he had it in his library, but now he needed to see what the story looked like when it came to life. This performance had to be perfect. He would make sure this would be a night that Sion would remember for the rest of his life. Nezumi bit his lip thoughtfully. Perhaps he could even coerce Sion into reading more. A smiled spread across the dark eyed man's face.

This was going to be a great evening.

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The small crowed of nobles were clamping energetically. Sion, who was sitting between Lord Borin and Cinderella, jumped to his feet when the actors came onto the stage to bow. Next to him he could here Cinderella crying softly. Sion knew he also had tears dripping down his face but didn't bother to wipe them away. The performance was amazing. Sion had forgotten to breathe through most of it. Was Romeo and Juliet always that powerful? He didn't remember the story having that much of an impact when he read it years ago. Part of Sion thought that maybe it was just because Nezumi played Juliet. He knew that if he was Romeo, he'd drop everything and runaway with Nezumi/Juliet. He doubted there was a single person in the whole theater who didn't want Nezumi to be their Juliet.

"That was amazing." Cinderella said. Sion nodded in agreement as he sat back down again. The actors had left the stage and the audience were starting to stir.

"This was my first time seeing a play." Sion said. "I never expected it to be this impactful."

"Nether did I." Cinderella said wiping any remain tear from her face. Sion copied her and then smiled.

"Well, shall we go find Nezumi and congratulate him." Sion said. Cinderella hesitated then agreed.

"I suppose we should." Sion beamed as he stood up and helped her to her feet.

"Are you leaving so soon you highness?" Lord Borin asked surprised.

"I was going to pay complements to the actor of Juliet." Sion said. Lord Borin's eyes sparkled.

"Ah yes, that young man was something else…." Sion and Cinderella bayed him good night before heading down towards the stage. Although there were many people mulling around Sion had no problem navigating. Everyone steps aside when they saw him coming. Finally, the found themselves in front of the theater entrance.

"Should we wait out here?" Cinderella asked nervously. Sion blinked surprise. The thought that maybe they shouldn't rush backstage was one that never crossed his mind. As a prince there wasn't many places, he wasn't allowed to roam freely in. He felt almost embarrassed at his actions.

"Ah yeah, perhaps we should." He muttered. As much as he wanted to see Nezumi, it felt rude to barge in his private changing room. He had a feeling that prince or not Nezumi wouldn't take his actions kindly.

"Ah Prince Sion, I hope you enjoyed the show tonight." Sion turned to see the director standing a few feet away, head dipped in a bow.

"It was wonderful" Sion gushed. "The actors were amazing." The man beamed.

"Of course." He said proudly. "Our actors are the best, especially Eve."

"I was hoping to talk to Eve." Sion said. The man hesitated.

"I-I'll go check on him." The man muttered. "Eve can be…difficult sometimes…I'll make sure he treats you with the best of respects."

"Don't worry about that!" Sion said cheerfully. "I know how he is." The director visibly relaxed.

"Are you looking for Eve?" a soft voice asked. Sion turned to see the woman who played Juliet's nurse wringing her hands nervously, "I saw him take off only minutes ago…." The director's face fell in horror.

"He what?! Surely, he knew the prince was here?! I thought I told him to stay." He turned back to Sion, bowing nervously. "I'm so sorry my league." Sion spirits fell.

"Oh" he muttered softly. Did Nezumi not want to see him? It wasn't like he couldn't have known he was there. He had thought they got along at the library. Maybe Sion had just imagined that. He knew he could be overbearing sometimes. Perhaps Nezumi hated him. The thought made Sion sink into a depression.

"Prince Sion?" The white-haired man looked up to see the actor who played Romeo standing nearby. In his hands there was a stack of books. When he saw that he had Sion's attention he bowed. "Your majesty. I was asked to give these to you."

He handed Sion the books. The prince grunted a little as the full weight of the books rested in his arm. After a quick count he found there were twenty books in total. Sion couldn't for the life of him think of why someone wanted him to have all of them.

"Robert!" The director exclaimed. "What's all this? You can't just hand the prince books!"

"Sorry sir." The man squeaked. "Eve asked me to give it to the prince along with this note." He held up a small note.

"That man!" the director roared before turning to Sion. "I am so sorry my lord!"

"It's fine." Sion said placing the books on the ground. "May I see the note?" The young man nodded shakily and handed the small letter to Sion. The prince opened it and saw a few slanted words form a single sentence.

Finish reading all of these, then we'll talk. -Nezumi

Sion repeated the message out loud. The manger groaned and rubbed his temple. The two actors slowly backed off looking fearful. Cinderella gasped.

"The nerve of him!" Cinderella exclaimed. "He should know better than this!"

"I'm so sorry about him!" stammered the director. "I'll deal with him when he returns. To treat a prince that way!" Sion raised a hand for silence.

"It's alright." He turned to Cinderella. "We should be going back to the castle." He turned ones more to the director and bowed. "Thank you for the show tonight." After that he rushed out of the theater, Cinderella following him.

Sion's heart was hammering. Nezumi didn't hate him. He just wanted Sion to read more. Of course, he did, this was Nezumi. He probably took it as a personal insult how little Sion read. The prince hopped into the waiting coach and impatiently tapped his foot. He was anxious to get back. Twenty books were quite a lot to read and Sion wanted to meet Nezumi as soon as possible.