Chapter 6
A week had gone past since Lady Babcock's accident. Potts' assistant had told him that it was lucky that he'd found her when he did – otherwise he wasn't sure she'd have made it! He'd cleaned and bandaged her cut, and had prescribed her ten days of bed rest. Lady Babcock had loudly complain about her not possibly being able to spend all that time resting since she had to work, but the Prince had shot that one down by giving her paid leave for all the time she'd be indisposed (a course of action which Queen Marie had supported, when she'd been informed about it).
He'd visited her often, throughout her convalescence. Mostly on the occasions when the doctor had had to go to her rooms to clean her wounds and change her bandages. They'd make small talk during the process, more often than not.
Not that the Prince would admit to it, but he'd grown to enjoy their little talks, and was more than happy when, after she'd been given the all-clear by her doctor, they'd finally been able to agree on a date to have tea together.
It had taken forever (although in reality it had only been five days), but the day had finally arrived.
Still, his future tea with Lady Babcock was only one of the reasons why the prince considered that he was having a fabulously enjoyable day – the second one was currently kneeling between his legs and had her pretty little mouth all over his hard cock. Then again, Ruth had always been able to brighten even the worst of days with it.
She'd been one of his better on-again, off-again lovers over the years. He'd gone to her fairly frequently, both because it was convenient (her bed was within walking distance) and because it never took more than a few charming words for her to agree. Of course that her favours for him often did get her favours in return – he'd spent quite a sum of money on things for her, in return for what she could give him – but he quite liked that exchange. It was almost as though she owed him for something he had done for her, and that gave him a kind of power he was very happy to wield.
He hadn't originally intended to sleep with her that day, but after several recent instances of poorer quality with...less experienced maids and one or two girls from the street, he'd really needed certain needs met that no other girl but Ruth could meet. It certainly hadn't been by the fewer girls he'd had recently. He hadn't been thinking so much of his usual rhythm, and he had to get back on top of it. That's why he'd approached her morning.
She'd been oddly aloof that morning, though, when he'd first told her to meet him in her room. Usually, she'd be offering herself any chance she got, but she'd been uncharacteristically cold to him. Still, it had only taken him the promise of some extra gold and a new necklace for her to agree and quickly follow him to her bedroom.
Right then, it was a change of pace from the two quasi-celibate months he'd had – she was there, she was willing and, more importantly, he'd really needed some loving. Well, not "loving", as such – there weren't any feelings like that attached to what they were doing. She was simply another willing and available body, who just so happened to get something out of what he wanted.
And there wasn't wrong with that in the slightest. It was how he preferred to conduct most – if not all – of the times that he had women.
"God... yes... yes, suck it just like that..." he groaned, pushing her head flush against his manhood, eyes nearly rolling back in his head.
Ruth's mouth was a wonder, but if he could get it like this every time, he'd never have another complaint again! It was lucky the maid had the morning off, or he'd...he'd...
"Stop!" he grunted, forking his fingers through her red hair before roughly yanking at it. "Stop – pull away…"
She didn't need to be told twice – she knew he didn't like it when their fun ended too quickly, and if he allowed himself to finish in her mouth, no matter how enticing the prospect might sound, it would be game over, and neither of them were ready for it to be over.
Not yet.
Ruth quickly got to her feet and allowed the prince to shove her on her bed. He gave her just enough time to get on all fours and ready to welcome him inside her. They'd tried several positions over the years, but doggie-style was their go-to position, given the nature of their relationship. It simply made no sense to shag in positions that would give them little pleasure.
Not to mention they both were into rough sex. At least when they were in bed together.
"What a lovely ass I see," he teased as he positioned himself behind her, "Perfect for slapping!"
As if to emphasise his point, he gave Ruth's backside two hard slaps, relishing in the feeling of her bare skin surrendering against his open hand. He smirked as the creamy skin of her buttocks turned a bright shade of red. He loved marking his quarries.
Seeing the outline of his hand firmly imprinted on a woman's backside fed his ego, as it was. And Ruth's backside had been marked by him many a time. She'd been branded. And now…
Now it was time to ride her.
He pushed into her roughly, one of his hands grabbing at her flowing red hair and yanking at it as he began to thrust. The feeling was exquisite – it was almost like touching the sky, he thought. Despite having been used plenty of times (and by plenty of men, he was certain), she was incredibly tight. Over and over again he pushed into her, fastening the pace and becoming rougher with each drive inwards.
"Oh, my lord, you…you are so good!" she moaned as she lowered her upper body onto the bed, her arms having gotten tired of holding it, "Harder…go harder…!"
He never usually did as he was told (he was the prince, why would he do as other people told him to, rather than the other way round?), but he always got spurred on when a woman yelled something like that out. It was the one time he ever let a woman tell him what to do, and he was willing to let it happen.
Especially when he gained something from it.
Well, mostly because he gained something from it, really. If it had all been about her, then he wouldn't have bothered. His own father had been the one to teach him how it all worked – if the man wasn't getting anything from it by the end, then there was truly no point.
Not that he should really be thinking about his father. There were much better things to focus on – like the feeling of Ruth's cunt pulsating around his manhood as he thrust even harder than he had done before.
"Yes...oh, yes, my lord! Keep going, you are so good...!"
He knew he was good. She hadn't been the first to tell him so, and he knew that she wouldn't be the last. But he didn't think the next time with some other agreeing (and agreeable-looking) wench would ever be like this!
She was so damn tight, and he could feel himself starting to slip – he could feel himself starting to lose control over his body. Not that he wanted to. Again, if he allowed himself to climax, the fun would be over, and he was having far too much fun to bring what they were doing to an end.
Without warning, he slipped out of her, rolled them over until she was sitting on his lap, and helped her sheath his manhood inside her warm cunt. He loved it when women rode him, and Ruth was well aware, so she was soon moving up and down his manhood at a frenzied pace. Just like Prince Niles, she was seeking release, but she sure as hell got a kick out of dragging on the moment they were in.
He aided her with his fingers, unable to resist the sight of her taking his whole length in and out over and over again. His touch made it harder for her to concentrate, and she was soon crying out his name, having reached her first peak.
Prince Niles, being the experimented lover he was, took complete advantage of her momentary lapse of attention, again rolling them over until Ruth was on her back and he was hovering over her. He quickly hooked both of her legs over his shoulders and pushed into her with no mercy or gentleness – his mind was after one thing and one thing alone: pleasure.
And when he eventually got to the point where he simply could no longer hold his climax back, he barely had time to slip out of her before he came. He was very careful about where he culminated. After having impregnated one of his lovers a few years ago (Lady Spencer – she and their child had sadly died in childbirth), he knew he simply couldn't indulge himself whenever he wanted. Sometimes it was inevitable, but when he could prevent it, he did.
Besides, climaxing on her was just as fun as doing it in her.
It was another element of dominance and control that he liked, letting it all go just wherever he wanted. When he did pick his next one, she'd just have to get used to the fact that he was the one in charge – he wasn't going to hold back on her account.
That was also why he was sure that it wouldn't be as good. Ruth already knew all of this; he didn't have to tell or train her, like he did for some.
They both collapsed after that, Ruth being in the near-raptured state of being that he often left women in for quite a while afterwards. Their chests were heaving and hearts were racing in their chests, but even then they didn't even attempt to hold one another. Ruth had long since learnt that the prince disliked any attempts at romanticism while in bed with her. He was happy to simply lie there, limbs entangled as their bodies recovered from the intense experience they'd just shared.
Eventually, once her breathing had returned to normal, Ruth lifted herself up from the bed.
"My lord left quite a mark on me today," she grinned, admiring the stain he had put on her. "I must get a cloth before it ends up somewhere the whole world will see...!"
With that, she hurried off, and Niles smirked to himself. He didn't care who saw it or didn't – it was yet another mark of his manhood, and of his prowess. All the world could see that he'd had that woman and it would make no difference to him. As long as they thought him virile for it.
She'd certainly earned her keep that day, he thought as he stretched his arms out underneath her pillow. Maybe some nice trinket would do the trick, and sweeten the deal for the next time he decided he needed a quick fix.
Something like...like a...bracelet?
He hadn't just thought of that. Underneath Ruth's pillow, there was a bracelet! He could feel it, and he pulled it out to take a better look. It was...rather beautiful. Made of gold and studded with precious stones of all sorts...
It would be worth far too much for Ruth to have bought it. This one little thing was worth more than any maid would ever be able to afford in a lifetime!
But it wasn't out of the price range of a duke's family, he thought to himself. And, from everything he could remember, it fit the exact description of the one Lady Babcock had lost.
Had...had Ruth gone into her room and stolen the bracelet? Obviously, she had to have done! It had been missing for so long now, and nobody kept a bracelet under their pillow for safekeeping!
She'd obviously been trying to hide the thing!
He sat up, suddenly no longer in the pleased and relaxed mood he'd been in previously. Ruth had her back to him, but he held the bracelet up in his closed fist anyway. He wanted the startled look on her face when she turned. It might lead to him learning all that he needed to know.
"Where did you get this?"
As expected, Ruth turned. At first, her face held confusion, but when she spotted what he was talking about, Niles was sure that a flash of panic went through her eyes. Before they settled back on a casual look, that told him she might have formed some sort of story in her head.
"Oh that, my lord? I bought it in the marketplace, from quite a craftsman of cheap jewellery," she offered him a smile. It didn't quite seem to reach her eyes. "He gave me a wonderful price."
"No he didn't," Niles replied immediately.
Ruth blinked, obviously feigning innocence, "My lord?"
Not that Niles was believing it. There was no way that her story made sense!
"You can't have done. Because there was no "maker of fine but cheap jewellery", was there? You got this from somewhere inside the palace!"
Ruth stiffened, her countenance now affecting one of shocked horror.
"My lord! I bought that little treasure with my own money! Why on Earth would you think such a thing as to believe that I took it?!"
Niles rose to his feet, now getting downright sick of the lie. He shook the bracelet at her, not wanting to damage it but also unable to help himself in his growing anger.
"Because there are no jewellers willing to pay a cheap price for proper gold and real gemstones. Because proper gold and real gemstones cost more than it does to keep you on as a servant," he then leaned in, speaking dangerously. "And, perhaps most importantly of all, because Lady Babcock told me that she has been missing a bracelet, and she described this exact one to me. Care to explain that?"
Silence reigned for a few minutes, but Ruth must have weighed up her options in terms of how things could get worse (and Niles certainly believed they could see them doing it if she didn't admit to her barefaced lie) because she eventually spat out an answer.
"She doesn't deserve it! The stupid little cow has no right to go parading about her things like she's so much better than the rest of us!" snapped the maid, beginning to pace around the room. "She thinks she is so much better than us now that she's lady-in-waiting! I was sent to clean her room and I found the bracelet there – Finders keepers and whatnot."
Niles had to stop himself from letting his jaw drop. He couldn't believe what he was hearing!
Ruth really had just told him that she'd stolen Lady Babcock's bracelet! And that she was not going to return it! He remembered Lady Babcock saying that it had been her mother's bracelet...her last remaining connection to her family...
It took an extraordinarily cruel person to refuse to give that back, and Niles suspected that Ruth would have found out what that piece represented to Lady Babcock! The disgusting wench had lied and cheated as though there was nothing wrong going on. She only cared about what she could gain from everything and everyone, and that apparently included stealing from innocent people!
Well, not for much longer. He was going to make her regret this for as long as she lived! And he was definitely going to make her regret the vile things she'd just spewed out about Lady Babcock!
"How dare you say that about her?!" he barked. "That bracelet belongs to Lady Babcock, whether you like it or not! It isn't your place to decide who gets what, or what fate people go to in this world!"
Ruth's face was rapidly switching between a scowl and a look of hurt. Not that he cared. If she couldn't even decide whether to be openly angry at him or to continue with some awful lie that he wouldn't even listen to, then he wasn't going to waste his time with standing there!
He had an afternoon tea to attend. And his guest for it was going to be overjoyed at the return of one lost-but-treasured bracelet.
"I am leaving," he snarled towards Ruth, putting his now dishevelled and undone clothing back on and pocketing the bracelet. "And this is coming with me."
That spurred Ruth into action. She tried throwing herself at him, begging and pleading.
"No, my lord! Please, let me keep it – it's only one little trinket, the...Lady Babcock...won't even miss it!"
They both knew she didn't care at all about whether or not Lady Babcock missed it. She was just trying to shut him up – and she wasn't done with her tactics.
She came close and started trying to stroke at his chest, slowly and sensually, "But I might miss...other things, if my lord leaves now. And I'm wondering what can be done about that…"
She'd tried to punctuate the words by leaning in to kiss him. Repulsed, Niles roughly pushed her away, glaring at her as she gained her balance after staggering.
"If you think honeyed words and empty gestures will make me forget about all of this, then you take me for a bigger fool than I am," he snapped, taking a step away. "You are a liar, a thief, and utterly vile inside. I'm taking this bracelet back to its rightful owner, and you can miss me for the rest of your days for all I care, because I am never coming near you again!"
With that said, he turned on his heel and marched out, not listening to Ruth's cries – which soon became curses, showing exactly what kind of a foul being she truly was – as he made his way towards the stairs.
He was fuming – how dare she! How dare she take something so precious from Lady Babcock's room?! She may be an employee at the castle, but Lady Babcock was still her better, given her noble birth. That scullery maid had no right to take what did not belong to her, and he was planning on returning the bracelet to its rightful owner.
She was going to be so happy! – the mere thought of her smile made a strange warmth ripple in his heart. He...oddly liked it. Making Lady Babcock happy was making him happy too!
The little weight in his hand felt very secure there. He truly couldn't wait to hand it back to the woman – to see her eyes light up and her face brighten in a beaming smile.
She had a really nice smile. He liked seeing it, and he hadn't had much of an opportunity, until he'd promised to help her. That, of course, was his own stupid fault. But perhaps he could turn things around? Him finding this necklace could start them off on a far better path.
A path he'd never taken with any woman – not Ruth, nor anybody else.
Him returning Lady Babcock her bracelet would be the perfect way of starting off their tea. But he wanted to make sure that it wasn't damaged – who knew what Ruth could've done to it? There might've been initials on it that she tried to scratch out, or discreet stones that she tried to remove to sell for money, or...well, anything!
Clearly, nothing was beneath that harlot. Luckily, the bracelet seemed untouched. She must've just coveted it so much she took it. She was a thief. And a liar to boot – how had he never seen just what an awful person she was?!
Well, he truly knew why. Personality, no matter how terrible (or in, some cases, lacking completely) was hardly important when you were just intending on using a person. Not that he was going anywhere near Ruth from now on – not even if she begged him! He'd meant it when he said he didn't sleep with thieves. He had far better things to be occupying his time with than with that maid, anyway.
Namely, making himself presentable.
Seeing as he wasn't due to meet with Lady Babcock for a little while yet, he took the opportunity to have a much needed bath and change into cleaner, more presentable clothes. The last thing he wanted was to look or smell bad when Lady Babcock arrived. That worry extended to the state of the actual space where they'd have their tea, so once he was ready and he'd safely slipped her bracelet into his pocket, he hurried to the parlour where they'd be meeting to oversee the preparations for that afternoon. He just wanted to make sure everything was perfect for their tea.
Of course, the servants were supposed to do that, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
He was thoroughly pleased when he found everything was in top notch condition – all the cushions on the sofa had been plumped just right, the tables were set, and the room was bright, welcoming, and cosy...
He'd never used the term "cosy" in his life, and yet here he was...!
All his ideas were giving him something of an adrenaline rush. So much so that he couldn't sit down anywhere while he waited for his guest to arrive. He was having too much trouble deciding where he should be when Lady Babcock came in. Should he be sat, so he could stand up, like a gentleman should when a lady came in? Should he be stood anyway, and just not sit until she did? Would he present the bracelet to her right away, or would he wait until they'd started their drinks?
He'd never made such difficult decisions regarding a woman in his entire life!
Eventually, he decided on sitting and waiting. It made him look less awkward, and he was less likely to drop the bracelet than if he was pacing as he practised what to say.
He couldn't believe he had to practice speaking to Lady Babcock, either. He knew how to speak to women – he had a track record that proved so much!
At least, he knew how to charm women into getting what he wanted. He had to admit that he wasn't totally well-versed in the art of actually conversing with them. What would Lady Babcock want to talk about? Would she be up-to-date with politics? Did she like hunting or games? Were there people in the palace that she knew, whom she might wish to discuss?
Eventually, he resolved to ask what she wanted to talk about. None of his topics seemed completely likely, and besides, the woman was fascinating all by herself anyway. The fact she'd survived the death of her entire close family, and stopped herself from falling into ruin, were miracles in themselves. But he was not going to ask about those. They were also highly sensitive topics, and he had no right to pry.
He almost leapt out of his seat when the door opened, but it was only the footmen, wanting to start to set the table. That made him visibly deflate. So much so that the footman noticed.
"Your Royal Highness?" the man appeared concerned as he set the tray he was carrying down. "Is everything alright?"
Of course, the man was worried for the well-being of the prince, the treasured heir to the throne. Niles wondered if anyone ever stopped to ask Lady Babcock how she was feeling. She had more reason than anyone not to feel alright. Other people had more reason to check up on her than they did on him.
And yet he was the one who was considered more important...!
He shook his head and waved his hand dismissively at the footman, "I'm fine, Peter. Nothing's the matter."
He was starting to get a little anxious because Lady Babcock wasn't there yet, but other than that, nothing was the matter really.
But there was nothing to be done, except wait. He kept himself seated and thought about how happy Lady Babcock would be about her bracelet and how nice the tea would be. And, eventually, there came a knock at the door which set his heart beating at a faster rhythm. He knew who it was, even before he called out for the person to come in.
He checked that the bracelet was still inside his pocket before leaping to his feet as the door opened. Of course, it was the woman he'd been waiting for. Ans she was dressed...finely. So very finely, in a new dress of a fabric so smooth he thought touching it would be softer than a feather, and sparkling jewels that glittered in the light, matching the bright spark in her eyes...
The sight was making his knees feel uncharacteristically weak...
"Lady Babcock," he gave a slight bow, not even thinking about how he'd never bowed to any woman outside of a dance. "Welcome. A-And thank you, for agreeing to meet with me like this."
C.C. offered him a polite curtsy in return. She was feeling...well, a little dressed up for what she'd had in mind as an afternoon. It was only tea, after all. But Queen Marie had insisted on selecting her outfit for her, saying that she'd never gotten the chance to do such a thing with her late daughters…
C.C. suspected that wasn't the queen's only reasoning, but she hadn't pressed the issue. It was...nice, to be dressed in such a fashion again.
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness," she said in reply to him. "For inviting me."
Niles smiled briefly, suddenly worried that the conversation was being rather formal and stiff so far and that perhaps he should say something else. Luckily, a solution to two of his problems seemed to resolve themselves from that idea.
"The pleasure is mine, milady. Those are lovely jewels, that you're wearing," he said, discreetly reaching a hand into his pocket.
C.C. smiled rather sadly down at them, "Thank you, sir. They are borrowed, though..."
"Ah, yes...of course," the prince pulled her bracelet out of his pocket and held it in his fist, just out of sight. "I am sorry about that. But perhaps this one piece I found will look even better than the rest...?"
He opened his fist, holding the bracelet out to her on his palm.
A strange choking noise came from the back of Lady Babcock's throat, and her eyes widened noticeably before they started to well-up with tears. She covered her mouth with her hands and took a few unsteady paces towards the prince, feeling like her knees would give way beneath her.
"Is… is that…?"
"Your mother's bracelet," said Niles, an odd warmth taking over his heart when he saw her so overwhelmed with emotion. Somehow, her happiness was making him happy, and that in itself – enjoying from making someone happy without actually getting anything in return – was a novelty.
And one that he was liking quite a lot.
So much so, that before he knew it, he'd opened his mouth again.
"I…I found it in my…" the prince gulped, feeling a pang of unfamiliar guilt weighing over him and his cheeks reddening, "…my now ex-lover's room."
There was a small silence, but Niles would not dare to look up at C.C.. He hadn't meant to upset her by bringing up the subject of his...reputation with women (she'd made her stance on that quite plain to him!). It had just slipped out!
Could he tell her that he was never going to see Ruth again? That he felt disgusted at the mere idea that he'd ever thought of going anywhere near the maid?
He could try it. Whether or not it would work was another thing entirely.
He wouldn't blame her if it didn't.
"I… I got her to confess what she'd done," he continued, "and then I took this from her and left. I… I know what you think of me, but I promise you, I am not going to–oof!"
He never got to finish his sentence, for the Lady Babcock lunged forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him. She didn't seem to care about the declaration he was about to make. She didn't even seem to care that he was stumbling all over his words like some kind of fool.
"Thank you," her voice was an overwhelmed whisper; like she was trying not to cry. "For everything..."
Even though Niles was shocked at first, his natural reaction was to hug back. And when the thought came up in his head that he usually did this with fewer clothes, he also cringed minutely. He didn't want to think about those other times. The time he was in was the part that counted, and he wanted to spend it completely in that moment.
And so he held her, his hand still secure in holding the bracelet. Lady Babcock had been so overwhelmed that she hadn't taken it! It was up to him to remind her, so when they finally pulled away he brought it back in front of her again.
"You needn't thank me, dear lady. Though I cannot help but think your wrist is looking rather bare," he said. He then gestured to her wrist, holding out the bracelet. "May I?"
It was a bold move, but he was so happy he couldn't help himself.
And C.C., while also noting that it was a bold move (nearing thin ice, compared to what she'd told him she'd expected from their tea), also found herself oddly charmed by it. She wasn't quite sure why, either. Perhaps it was the sincerity about where he'd been to find the thing. Maybe it was his offer in itself – the gentlemanly offer to place the bracelet back on her wrist and clasp it shut.
Or it could've been to do with the way the fact that he was stumbling and stammering over his words like he was so concerned about getting it right!
It was...kind of endearing to watch, if she was honest.
So, with a beaming smile spreading even wider across his face, extended her wrist too.
"You may, sir."
And, with his own expression of joy, Niles gently took her wrist and slipped the bracelet on, clasping it so it didn't fall.
"There," he said, pride clearly showing through as he admired his small piece of handiwork. "It actually looks...rather beautiful there..."
"I am inclined to agree," replied the Lady Babcock, looking down at the gorgeous bracelet. "It's a fine piece; my good father used to say he chose the most beautiful jewels for the most beautiful woman."
Although he did not say it, Niles could only agree – the Lady Babcock was certainly deserving of the finest jewels in the kingdom. He could imagine that his father would feel the same way about Lady Babcock's mother – after all, Beatrice Babcock had been a renowned beauty, back in the day.
Wanting to move the afternoon forward, Niles gestured at the table that had been set for them, "It sounds like your father was devoted to your mother."
C.C. chuckled as she took her seat, still not getting over the wonder of having her bracelet back and of being back (at least for a short while) in proper society. It had been ages since she'd last had tea.
Or... well... ages since she'd had tea with the proper appliances.
"Oh, he was!" she replied, reaching for a freshly baked scone and delicately laying it on her plate, "He was a charmer, but she was the apple of his eye. He spoiled her rotten, giving in to her every whim..."
She suddenly pursed her lips, her eyes losing their previous shine the longer she paused in thought, "It was devastating for them both, when the plague came to our house, taking my sister before taking them, too. My mother was the next to go. My father followed only days after we'd buried them…"
Niles couldn't even begin to imagine. He had never lost a parent or a sibling (well, technically he had, but he hadn't been alive or had been too little to remember when it had happened), and he was unsure of what would be of the most comfort.
He had one idea, though. It might not work completely but it was something.
"But it did not come for you," he told her. "You are still here to honour their memories, and to pass down your family history for the generations to come. And I'm sure they are watching over you, and that they are very, very proud."
He felt a glimmer of hope when he saw Lady Babcock offer him a little bit of a smile. He had no idea that it had put a little bit of warmth in her heart, too.
But he did know what was about to happen next.
He knew exactly who it was when there was a knock at the door. One of the maids had been sent up to refresh their tea.
"Come in," he called, having a sip of his drink.
Prudence didn't waste a moment, wanting to get back to her duties downstairs as soon as possible. She had been about to scream at some scullery maids for their insolence and their sloppiness in cleaning the fireplaces, and she didn't want the force of it to go out of her before she got there.
The sooner this was over and done with, the sooner she could get on with the part of her job she actually enjoyed. I
"You summoned me, Your Royal High...?"
Her question faded away into nothing as she saw that Niles wasn't alone. Both he and his guest were looking at her.
He and his... surprising guest...
No! Surprise had the element of pleasure or happiness to it! Seeing that...that upstart girl dressed like a lady and taking tea with the prince brought about no pleasure whatsoever!
In Prudence, it only brought about a sense of horror. This was not how things were supposed to be!
Niles, of course, could only smile pleasantly at her arrival.
"Yes, I did summon you," he told her, gesturing for her to stop standing there gawking in the doorway and to come further into the room. "You're here to refresh our tea."
Prudence looked like she might throw up, and she didn't care who knew it. She was there to serve tea to the prince, that she could do without complaint (she'd done so for almost her entire life). But she couldn't – wouldn't – serve that little nobody who was using a lady's clothes when she had absolutely no right!
Life had forced her down, and that was where life had intended for her to stay!
Not that anybody else seemed to recognise this!
"Serve Lady Babcock first," the prince ordered, apparently unfazed by the whole thing. Including the maid whose jaw was very close to dropping from how scandalous this all was. "And when you leave, go to the kitchens and ask if they have any more cakes left – which ones were your favourite again, my lady?
Prince Niles' command only served to further infuriate Prudence. Maids did not have to serve other maids, no matter who one of said maids used to be! She was nobody now, and that was the important part!
Not that the prince or his new bit of skirt seemed to notice. No, they clearly only had eyes for each other, and what they could get out of each other. That was all this was – an arrangement that would suit the prince until he dropped the slut, and it would suit the slut while she could get whatever she wanted out of the prince.
But it would suit her a shorter amount of time. Prince Niles would be done with her before she knew it. He never stayed with one woman for long. Prudence could only hope he tired of her soon – she didn't think she could bear this alteration of the natural order for long.
There was no need for them to have tea like this! Why bother for some nobody maid who'd remain nothing, when he could've been getting tea served for himself and someone who actually deserved it?! Like a foreign princess or an actual lady who wasn't dirt poor?
"I have no particular preference, my lord," said Lady Babcock, smiling timidly at the prince. "I shall eat whatever pastry my lord desires."
Prudence very nearly scoffed at the little slut's fake show of humility. A pastry wasn't the only thing "her lord" desired. Nor would it be the only thing the little whore ended up eating before the day was out. And then, before anybody could say so much as one word, she would be out on her backside and the next pretty young thing would be in through the door and in Prince Niles' bed.
It was the way things were and would always be. And the sooner the slut learned that she'd never really be special in the prince's eyes, the better!
The sooner he had her and threw her out, the better. This one, unlike the countless others who had eventually accepted that the prince found them to be nothing more than playthings he no longer wanted, had gotten far too comfortable where she was!
And she was grinning smugly all over her slutty little face as Prudence came over to refresh her cup of tea.
There would have been a hefty amount of saliva in it, had it not been for the fact that Prince Niles was watching every move the maid was making.
Why couldn't he just marry, and then keep all these little disease-ridden concubines of his in some clandestine location, or go to visit them purely in their brothels?
That last one was where this one would no doubt end up, once the prince had had his fun.
"That's enough, thank you," said Lady Babcock.
"Milk or lemon?" asked the Prince, not ready to let Prudence go.
"Milk would be lovely!"
Again (and much to her chagrin), Prudence had to bow to the Prince and his slut of choice before grabbing the milk jug and pouring some of it into the slut's cup. How she detested this! How she hated having to stoop so low as to–
"Have you got a problem, servant?"
The Prince's sharp voice brought Prudence's musings to an end, her eyes widening slightly as they dashed to meet the Prince's. Had she made her disgust too obvious? If so, she didn't regret it, but she knew the Prince didn't take kindly to anyone being ill-mannered towards his current…lover.
"N-n-no, my lord," she stammered, "I…I apologise to His Royal Highness if it appeared that way."
She wouldn't apologise to her. To the Prince she had no qualm, but to her…over her dead body!
"Then you'd better change that sour expression of yours when serving my guest," he barked, "Now, once you have finished pouring a cup of tea for both myself and her ladyship, you shall go to the kitchens and bring the best cake my cooks have prepared. if I should find anything disgustingly untoward in any single cake or pastry meant for her ladyship or you continue to serve her with this attitude, you will be seeing yourself out of this palace. Are we clear?"
If Prudence had gritted her teeth any harder, they would have probably broken. But still, she curtsied once more and, with a choked "Yes Your Royal Highness", she dashed out of the room to complete the task that had been given to her.
Niles watched her go, face stern and lips pursed but overall pleased with the outcome. He was well aware of Prudence's dislike for Lady Babcock, but she was very wrong if she thought he'd allow her to disrespect his guest in any way. She had to serve her, whether she liked it or not. What he said, went.
Not that Niles noticed, but the Lady Babcock was smiling softly at him. Perhaps, just perhaps, she'd been wrong about him. Or perhaps she'd been right and prompted a change in him. It was too soon to tell, but either way, she was beginning to see a new, kinder version of the prince coming into his own.
Still, only time would tell.
And sharing a nice tea was as good a start as any.
"How dare you!"
Ruth could hear Niles' enraged scream as she neared the doors to the parlour where he and the Babcock Bitch were waiting for her. The fact that it had to be her and not literally any other maid in the palace that they were waiting for made Ruth mad enough to compel her to throw the entire tray across the room.
Not that Prudence had cared one jot that Ruth didn't want to go! The old crone was so concerned with not having to see "that mortal sin" with her own two eyes, that she didn't care who else she might've been sending off!
She certainly didn't care if Ruth was Niles' favourite or not...
She was still steaming over him leaving her room in such a rage over nothing, all so that he could have afternoon tea with the little wench that was probably already worming her way into his bed! How dare he just suddenly decide to drop her because of some trivial trinket that couldn't possibly even matter to him?! How dare he treat her like she was one of his common whores?!
She would certainly have the prince beg for her attentions before welcoming him back inside her. He'd get bored of the little virgin bitch in there, and he'd run back to her. He always did. Virgins were no fun to anybody – it was a wonder beyond all comprehension that some of the older ones ever stopped being them at all!
Fortunately for Ruth, the angry yelling hadn't ceased, and she started to smile maliciously to herself. She hadn't been expecting the falling out to happen so quickly, and yet there it was! By the sound of things, the Prince was not pleased, and Ruth was itching to hear and see the carnage in the room. The Prince's loud protests were still coming:
"You witch!"
"I cannot believe this!"
"I will not stand for this!"
Lord... this was going to be so good!
She practically ran the rest of the way to the parlour, and pushed the door open...
And found a nasty surprise: both the Babcock virgin bitch and the Prince, sat side by side, playing Cribbage.
They'd...been playing a card game, the whole time...
And, just to really rub it all in, Babcock had won.
She was certainly rubbing it in the prince's face, too – wearing a grin a mile wide and pretending to fan herself with her winning hand. The winning hand that Ruth hoped would grow old and hideous and wrinkled with the rest of the bitch's body – as unattractive and unwanted as the rest of her.
"I do believe that's the second game in a row that I've won," C.C. teased in a singsong voice. "Doesn't this game go in odd numbers to decide who wins a match? If it does, I think I've already wo––"
"We're playing best of five," Niles cut in, the very image of a man who was annoyed about losing.
C.C. raised her eyebrows in return as she lowered her cards, "Well, that's certainly news to me..."
Neither one of them had noticed that Ruth had come in. They were still too busy being hideously flirty with each other, causing bile to make its way up Ruth's throat.
She'd kill Prudence, for having to make her witness this!
It actually took her marching over to the side table and slamming the tray of cakes down as loud as she could get away with before anyone even noticed she was in the room!
"Ah, it appears as though the second part of our refreshments has finally arrived," Niles said, the last of the irritation leaving his voice to be replaced with...a different sort of irritation, when he looked up and properly saw who was there. "Oh. And the apology, that Lady Babcock is due."
Ruth felt her insides starting to burn at his demanding tone.
So, he'd told the bitch what she'd done...
It took all of Ruth's strength to not flip over the table in front of them. Apologise, for taking that little bracelet (the bracelet the woman was now wearing, as it so happened)! Why on Earth did she have to do that?! The Babcock bitch must've had loads of jewellery in her life and Ruth had had none (well, apart from the trinkets she'd gotten from her lovers)! She deserved to have at least a little, even if it came at the expense of the woman who was clearly about to be the prince's next bit of skirt.
And when he'd worked out that she wasn't very good, he'd come straight back to Ruth. It might take a while for her to stop being angry (especially at the order to stay and serve them both) but she'd welcome him back into her bed eventually.
Meanwhile, C.C. hadn't been able to do anything other than let her jaw drop.
Niles hadn't told her who his...lover, as uncomfortable as that term now felt...was! She'd never imagined that it would come down to this!
Ruth...? All along, it had been Ruth that had taken her bracelet?! She'd known the woman didn't like her (that had been apparent from day one), but she'd never imagined that she'd do anything so…devious and underhanded!
How dare that...that cow go into her personal space and just go through her things as though she had any right?! She might've...well, she and Prince Niles might have...
Well, that didn't matter! What mattered there was that she couldn't go putting on airs because of it, or touching things that didn't belong to her!
"Ruth?" Niles insisted, irked by the maid's silence. "Did you hear me? I said that you have to apologise to Lady Babcock!"
She didn't want to apologise. She wasn't going to apologise if it could be avoided! Perhaps she could discreetly offer something else instead? One night back where they'd left off earlier, and the prince would forget that there even was a Lady Babcock! She could go back to being his favourite, and maybe he'd make her a lady someday, if she served him well...
And in an actual way, not by completing the pathetic request he was ordering that she carry out!
Niles was starting to get angry with Ruth and his fade was showing it. What was the matter with the woman?! Did she have trouble following orders that didn't involve her getting men off, or...
Or was she being openly defiant to him, because she hated Lady Babcock? Ruth had told him that she thought the woman had deserved her misfortune...
It made a lot of sense. Unfortunately, it also meant that Niles' anger could only grow.
"This silence of yours is starting to irritate me," he told her, on the verge of starting to shout. "Tell her you're sorry, or I'll have money deducted from your wages!"
Ruth's eyes widened – both she and Niles knew that, between dignity and money, Ruth would always choose the latter. She could not afford the luxury to lose any money, especially when her pay barely covered her monthly expenses. It was despicable to be forced to yield to the Prince's demands purely because of monetary reasons, but as it was she had no choice.
She had to bite the proverbial bullet and apologise to the stuck-up little slut that was getting dangerously out of line. Had they not been in Niles' presence, Ruth would have made sure Babcock understood her place in the hierarchy – at the end of the chain, as scum like her should be.
Not attempting to conceal her indignation nor her new-found smouldering hatred for the lady-in-waiting, Ruth curtseyed to the Prince and then turned to Lady Babcock, who had remained silent through the entire exchange between Prince and maid.
There was hate in Lady Babcock's eyes as well – Ruth knew what had happened to her family. She'd opened up to and trusted her fellow maids with her suffering. She'd even told them about the bracelet! And the bitch had taken advantage of her naivety; of her trusting nature…
Not anymore. She wanted this apology not for Ruth's repentance (which C.C. knew was non-existent), but for the sake of humiliating her.
And it was taking its time coming. Ruth seemed to be having trouble getting her mouth to open. It was screwing up, like she was eating something sharp or incredibly bitter, and no matter how hard she tried she couldn't swallow or spit it out. The sight was hilarious. At least, C.C. thought so. Niles appeared to be getting more annoyed by it by the second.
"Say it!" he barked.
The order was just about enough for Ruth to make a decision.
"I...'m so...so...sorry...!"
The words came out a strangled mess, but they were clear enough. C.C. was very happy with them, especially when they came with the punishment that Ruth had been given. It'd take her down a notch or two, and she might think again about stealing C.C.'s things.
Her mother's bracelet felt so very good, back on her wrist. And, for some reason, so did the look Niles was giving her. It was like he was asking "Are you satisfied by this?".
C.C. was almost tempted to say no, she wasn't satisfied by the funniest apology her own two eyes ever had seen. She wanted another one, or to see Ruth do something else to prove that she really had learned her lesson and would never do it again.
But she didn't. She still had to see the woman in settings where she wouldn't be protected by the prince's apparent sense of justice (who would've thought that he had morals somewhere?!), and she didn't want to take advantage of the fact that his power to order his servants around was practically limitless.
So (after pretending to consider for a while, because why not drag out Ruth's discomfort for just a moment longer?) she nodded.
"I accept your apology."
Niles held back from smiling. Lady Babcock truly was gracious – perhaps undeservingly so in Ruth's case. He could tell that she had been, at one stage, on the point of openly laughing at the maid, but she hadn't. She'd known exactly when she thought it had all run its course and that it was time to move on.
Unfortunately for Ruth, he wasn't going to be as generous.
"You can be thankful that it wasn't up to me to accept," he told the maid. "Because we would have been waiting here a lot longer than we were. I'm not letting you off the hook for your punishment, either – now you have apologised to Lady Babcock, we'll need you to start serving us the cakes to go with our tea," he then looked over at Lady Babcock and gestured at the selection of cakes. "Is there any particular cake that you had your heart set on?" he asked. "To the victor, I suppose, must go the spoils."
Lady Babcock apparently pondered the decision, craning her neck to look at the selection.
"Hmm...I'll have that tart on the left," she pointed. "The one with all the berries on it."
Niles pretended to sigh in disappointment and punched his fist through the air in a "damn" sort of way.
"Just the tart I was going for myself!"
Ruth almost rolled her eyes. The little pastry was very obviously not the only tart in the room he was after!
The maid delicately picked it up with the tongs and slipped it onto her plate, part of her wishing she could actually throw it over her head. She then waited for the Prince to select a treat and eventually served him a plain slice of lemon drizzle cake.
"You really made an excellent choice, you know – the strawberries and blackberries will be fresh," he said, gesturing at her treat.
C.C. smiled, admiring her tart before she dug in. She couldn't believe that she was getting the chance to eat something like it again!
"I wouldn't have cared if they hadn't been, Your Royal Highness," she told him. "I, uh...haven't had fresh fruit beyond apples in a while, and it's been even longer since I had a real pastry!"
Niles' eyebrows raised in surprised shock, "Really?!"
He had never fully imagined what servants had to eat – he'd always supposed it would be similar to what the nobility ate, even if just inferior quality, on the rare occasions that he had thought about it. It hadn't occurred to him that there were simple foodstuffs that might be out of reach to the servants because they were busy putting it all on his plate instead...
But that was what Lady Babcock was telling him, and he had no reason not to believe her.
"I used to have them a lot, but I haven't had a berry or a pastry since I got here," she told him. "But the kitchens stock apples in larger bulks. Everything else is for cooking."
Servants weren't allowed any form or even a hint of luxury – cakes, tarts and pastries were to be made downstairs, but no one who lived down there could so much as look at them for too long without being punished. They had to watch as someone else got to admire their handiwork, and how delicious it was...
But Prince Niles wasn't looking at his lemon cake. He was back in his seat and looking at her from across the table, with what might've been a hint of guilt in his features.
"Well, here it has been cooked for you," he said. "So please, do try it."
So she did, and she relished the flavour when she finally took in her first mouthful. The sweetness of the strawberries and the tartness of the blackberries bounced off one another in a wonderful battle to be the most flavoursome and swirled into the thick, wonderful cream that just enough softened the crisp base...
It was...practically divine, really, and she felt herself involuntarily moan before she could stop herself.
She was mortified the second it was out, though. She covered her mouth with one hand, feeling her legs stiffen as though preparing for her to make an apology, a flimsy excuse and then an exit.
"Your Royal Highness, I do apologise...!"
Niles had, of course, heard what she was apologising for. What he didn't understand was why she felt she needed to.
He had heard women moan before. He'd been the one to make it happen, and all of them had been declaring various levels of satisfaction, but this...this one felt more important, even if it was not his doing. Lady Babcock had been through so much in her time, she was owed the satisfaction of a treat that she missed from her home.
"There is nothing to be sorry for, Lady Babcock," he said. "You were enjoying your chosen pastry, not committing a crime."
A sense of pride swelled in him when he saw the small, grateful smile spreading across the Lady Babcock's finely chiselled features.
No... maybe pride was not the right emotion. Not entirely.
The warmth in his chest felt like pride – it felt like he'd done something worthwhile, but it didn't exactly describe his feelings in their entirety. There was an aspect that Niles felt had to do with what his mother had always described as caring for someone. Almost as if his happiness were coming not from the action of being kind, rather than from the enjoyment she was getting out of it.
It was a very unknown state for the prince, but oddly enough he found himself smiling and enjoying from it. It almost felt like he had butterflies in his stomach, or like his whole body was tingling. It really was the strangest yet most pleasing feeling he'd ever experienced.
And to Niles, a royal prince used to having everything, novelty was always attention-grabbing.
She was attention-grabbing.
Much more so than...well, any other woman he'd ever encountered!
It was almost impossible for him to even think of more than picking at his own cake whilst Lady Babcock was eating, in between their chatting. The little sponge, whilst a firm favourite amongst the nobility, just wasn't catching his appetite as much that day as watching her savour every bite of a pastry she'd waited for months to have again.
His cake was mostly uneaten crumbs that had been pulled apart with a fork by the time that she was done. The strange thing was, he didn't even care! He'd normally have been annoyed at himself for wasting a perfectly good cake, and he wasn't!
Instead, he couldn't help leaning towards Lady Babcock, with a smile on his face.
"Did you enjoy your cake, Lady Babcock?"
C.C. smiled, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, and discreetly wiped the cream from the corner of her mouth.
She nodded, "I did, Your Royal Highness… thank you."
Niles felt his chest swell in elation and pride. He couldn't believe he was hosting a tea for her so successfully! He gestured eagerly to the tray of cakes that Ruth had brought in, almost out of his seat already in preparation.
"Would you care for another one? Again, you may pick whichever you like..."
And pick she did – that time, she chose a light bun made of puff pastry, filled with cream and covered in caramel. Niles knew they were divine, and his mind could only think about how the treat suited her.
He himself chose a long eclair, but its top was layered in chocolate instead of caramel. He hoped to either eat more of his second choice, or to at least appear as though he had. For some reason, he found the idea of Lady Babcock knowing that he had been distracted by her presence rather...embarrassing.
He was a prince. He was supposed to be suave and charming to women at all times (his father said it bettered his chances at getting what he wanted). But with this woman...well, all of that just went straight out the nearest window! All he could think about was how happy each next action he took would make her, or if something he'd just done had been noticed by her (the good and the humiliating).
It felt...better than any of his interactions with women before. There was a sense of something natural about it.
Even if he did turn very red as he sat back down after serving her the bun and more tea, and immediately sat in a pile of lemon crumbs that he'd accidentally left in his seat!
God... he was acting like a baboon!
And yet, he simply couldn't care less. If his tomfoolery amused Lady Babcock or it meant he could spend some more time with her, then he would gladly make a fool of himself.
What a funny thing, really, to be willing to act like a ninny for someone else…
Niles was so smitten that he failed to notice Ruth was still in the room. She, unlike Niles, was well aware of the origins of the prince's new behaviour. He may have been a skilled and cultured young man, with a sharp mind and possessor of political acumen, but he was painfully daft when it came to feelings.
And it was clear from his demeanour that there were...feelings, present. Even if it did make bile rise up the back of the maid's throat to even admit it to herself, in her own head!
She had to swallow it back down, and not accidentally forget herself and spit it at the woman who'd clearly taken the place that was owed to her – the position of favourite, and all the attention of the prince that went with it.
She hated to think how much more actual attention Babcock was getting! She'd never had tea and cake with Prince Niles, or played at cards, or laughed and talked...
It couldn't possibly last. He was just buttering her up because she was from a prim and proper background and wouldn't let him get his leg over without a little something beforehand to make her feel special. Like she meant more than she really did to him. It'd be over after that, and then Ruth would be back in. He'd always enjoyed her more than anyone else, and it would be the same with this one too, in the end.
The pair of them laughed at something Ruth hadn't been listening to, and she scowled. Even if she was certain of the future's outcome already, it didn't make the present any less grating. They were going to be insufferable until the prince had gotten what he wanted, and Babcock was probably going to lord it over everyone in the kitchens.
Ruth would see about that. She'd keep a close eye on them from then on, and gather what information she could, in case it turned out to be useful to her. She'd see to it that Prince Niles' attention was directed back where it belonged. And that Babcock was put back in her place at the bottom of the pile.
Soon enough.