Notes: It is done! Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed. I know this isn't as long as my other stories, but I wanted to go for something short and sweet. It was still longer than I expected, but I enjoyed writing ever bit. I hope you like it, too.
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"A bird may love a fish, signore, but where will they live?"
"Then I shall have to make you wings."
-Ever After (1998)
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PART II: AND EVERY MOMENT AFTER
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"I am sorry, Seto, but this is absurd."
The king was pacing back and forth behind his study. His declining health did not allow him to move very fast, but he had surpassed the doctor's expectations by even walking at this point. Seto was standing before him, having refused to sit in the offered chair.
"You were supposed to choose a bride last night. You knew the consequence if you didn't."
"But I did choose," Seto argued vehemently. "I chose Téa!"
"Yes, but where is this Téa now? You have no idea where she is, you have no family information, and you have no way to find her. I know you aren't fond of the Princess Vivian, but a deal is a deal. I ought to punish you for this insolence. Not to mention your behavior at the ball. Abandoning your guests and disappearing for hours. Preposterous!"
Seto glared at his father. "I told you, I needed a break! You were throwing the women at me so fast my head was spinning! I needed a bit of fresh air, so I went to find Mokuba as you had requested."
"For two hours?"
"That time was spent with Téa! How many times do I have to tell you?"
"Two hours alone in a secluded location with a woman is not a good excuse–"
Seto was seething. "Don't you dare imply that sort of thing. Of her or myself."
"It matters not," the king dismissed, growing weary and taking a seat. "She has vanished without a trace. You need to be married. I am not getting any younger, and, well, you need to be prepared."
Seto pressed his lips together in a thin line and regarded his father. The king had his reasons, Seto supposed, but couldn't he just understand his son's feelings for once in his life?
"I love her," Seto stated firmly.
The king sighed. "What do you know of love? You only met her last night."
"I know she's the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. She's the first person I want to see in the morning, and the last person I want to lay eyes upon before falling asleep. She is wonderful, witty, charming... the only woman I have found myself wanting to know better. She makes me laugh, and she likes me for me, not for my crown."
The king regarded his son apprasingly.
"You have so much of your mother in you, don't you?" the king mused. "Fine. Two days."
Seto scoffed. "Ridiculous. One month."
He locked eyes with his father, refusing to back down. Finally, the king let out a sigh.
"You have one week." Seto frowned, but nodded to show his acceptance. "You have one week to find this mystery girl," the king declared. "But if you are unable to do so, we will announce your engagement to Princess Vivian, is that understood?"
Seto jerked his chin again. He wasn't happy with the time frame, but it was still better than two days.
"Well?" his father barked. "What are you doing still standing here? Go find her."
"You are gracious as always, father," Seto replied, though with less mocking in his tone than usual. Then, he obeyed the king's order and set off to find the girl he wanted to marry.
The problem was, Seto had little idea where to start.
She had been a guest at the party, so that was something. Seto found himself in his study, pouring over the lengthy guest list. He had already eliminated every noble and titled family, as her father had been a merchant, which had narrowed it down by half. However, the list did not include individual names or how many women from each household had attended. Last night, Seto had asked the royal crier if he remembered introducing anyone named 'Téa', but the man could not remember doing so. She had come in with Mokuba... so it was possible her name hadn't been announced at all.
Mokuba...! Perhaps Mokuba knew more than he was letting on. Seto gathered up the documents and strode from his study, heading for his brother's quarters. Mokuba had been by her side for half the night, and Seto could surmise they may have even arrived together, sneaking in from the side as Mokuba often did.
At first, he had been downright suspicious. Who was this woman dancing and laughing with his younger brother? Mokuba despised entertaining women; half the ladies who spoke to him only did so with ulterior motives, and the other half were Seto's rejects hoping to snag the second prince. Mokuba may only be thirteen years old, but age mattered not in the game of royal matrimony. Seto had been surprised to see Mokuba arrive in time for the first dance; generally he would skip the activity altogether. He initially assumed Mokuba grabbed the first girl available, randomly, but upon closer inspection, it had appeared Mokuba genuinely enjoyed her company.
Then it came time to change partners, and Seto was sure the girl would latch onto him like all the others.
Except she did not. In fact, she appeared to be ignoring him on purpose, not even looking at his face. He could feel the tension in the way she held herself. She was hiding something.
But then she practically laughed at his threats and assumptions, and declared she was only there to dance. Not the reaction he had been expecting.
Seto wanted to question her further, but she had returned to pretending he wasn't there, and the dance ended before he could think of what to say next. He was forced to tend to the many awaiting women who had formed a lengthy queue. He had nearly groaned; it was to be a long and suffocating night.
He danced with too many women to count. Princesses, baronesses, ladies, commoners. Seto cared to remember none of their names. Each one was more presumptuous than the last. Some played coy, others were far too forward. And all of them wanted to talk.
"My father owns the best bakery in town, your highness."
"Tell me, my prince, how do you like my gown?"
"Once we marry, the things I want to do to you..."
He had handed off that one rather quickly.
"For someone who has everything, you're certainly looking rather surly," a blond had commented. "I can see no amount of interest on my part will impress his highness."
Well, she wasn't wrong. She didn't complain when he passed her along to his waiting guard; she actually seemed amused when the man began animatedly explaining the delicious refreshments that awaited her on the lengthy table to the right.
Unfortunately, none of the others gave up so quickly. Seto had already danced with over a hundred women, and the line looked longer than ever. He caught sight of Mokuba across the room, heading outside and dragging the same girl along after him. That Mokuba had been with the same girl for nearly two hours did not go unnoticed by the other two members of the royal family. When Seto finally had a break in the dancing to give a report to his father, he seized the chance to be the one to find Mokuba and send him in to provide some explanation to the king for this unusual behavior.
Seto knew exactly where his brother would go. Their mother's favorite garden had in turn become their favorite, so Seto was unsurprised to find Mokuba there. However, he had paused in shock when he saw that his younger brother was dancing. He and the girl were highly enjoying themselves from the sound of it, prancing along in a minuet that Seto was sure Mokuba had never cared to learn before.
When Seto sent Mokuba inside to please their father, he was certain the girl would leave and avoid him again. But he had questions that needed answering... However, Mokuba saved him the trouble by ordering her to remain in the garden until he returned.
She was flushed from the dancing, and the hem of her gown was stained from the wet grass. Her face was bare and she wore no jewels like the other girls. She clearly had not spent as much time on her appearance as others. She was very plain in comparison. But, she had captured Mokuba's attention somehow, and Seto was determined to know why. She continued to stare after Mokuba, trying to ignore him standing there. Seto was having no more of that.
After continuous pestering, he finally learned why his brother had singled her out. She was the girl who had helped him on his most recent escape attempt. Mokuba ran away often, forcing Seto or his father to send a search party in his wake. However, this last time, Mokuba had returned before anyone had even set out to find him. He had been vague on the details with their father, but Mokuba had confided in his older brother. His horse was spooked by a bird, and a girl had calmed it. She was apparently unaware of his royal identity, offering to accompany him to the village to find his parents. Seto could hardly believe there was a woman in the country ignorant of the royal family line, but he wasn't complaining. Better that than the girl try to use the knowledge to her advantage, or worse, attempt to kidnap Mokuba for ransom.
But this girl, Téa, he learned was her name. She sounded sincere in her description of the events. She seemed fond of Mokuba. And it would make sense Mokuba wanted her to enjoy the party in return. She had gone out of her way to aid Mokuba and had expected no reward. Seto's opinion of her rose significantly.
Téa had mentioned several times she was here to dance. Seto himself was bored and found the pastime tolerable, so before he had really considered his actions, he held out his hand.
There was a fire lit behind her bright eyes, and Seto was drawn to it.
She was the first person in a long time whose company he found he truly relished, aside from Mokuba. She reminded him a bit of his mother, but it was more than that. Téa treated him no different than anyone else; she didn't play nice to please his crown, and... she had a lovely laugh. Seto caught himself smiling on more than one occasion.
Asking her to marry him seemed only natural.
Seto was certain she had wanted to say yes. But she kept providing excuses, until she had finally fled altogether. She argued they barely knew each other, but did that really matter? There was plenty of time for getting to know one another after the marriage. Téa was the only woman at the entire party with whom he wanted to spend more time. She was pleasant enough, and plenty of marriages were built on friendship rather than love. Even if she did not love him, she would be well-provided for and taken care of. That was all women seemed to care about anyway. What had gone wrong?
He intended to chase after her, to stop her from leaving, but then Mokuba had appeared and slowed his pursuit. His younger brother thought Téa was crying because Seto had said something mean. To say Mokuba had been shocked to hear Seto wanted to marry her was an understatement. However, they had spent too much time; she had managed to slip away. Seto had wanted to ask more questions, but he had been pulled back into the ball by his father for royal duties, and he hadn't seen Mokuba since.
He rapped upon his brother's door. "Mokuba, we need to speak immediately."
His brother's voice granted permission from behind the door, and Seto entered the sitting room to find Mokuba still finishing his breakfast. At least one of them had slept in.
"I need you to tell me everything you remember about Téa," Seto pressed, getting straight to the point as he spread the parchments across a side table. "Our father has only given me a week to locate her before he forces me to marry the atrocious Vivian."
Mokuba nearly knocked over his plate while hurrying to join his brother in front of the guest list. "I never learned her last name; she refused to tell me."
"You too?"
Seto certainly had his work cut out for him, it seemed. Mokuba looked over the list. "She wasn't an official guest; she was driving the coach for her stepmother and sisters, I recall."
An alarmed expression broke across Seto's face. "She was driving the carriage?"
Mokuba nodded, watching his brother carefully, unsure of where this was headed. Would Seto give up the chase once he knew Téa's backstory? "Her stepfamily is not very nice, from what she told me, they treat her like a servant."
No wonder she didn't seem fond of them, Seto thought. "Her own family wouldn't let her attend the ball?"
"Yes," replied Mokuba, still searching the list. "Unfortunately, she never told me her family's name. If I remember correctly, she has a stepmother and two sisters. She never mentioned what happened to her real mother, but I'm guessing she died at some point and then her father remarried. When I first met her in the woods, and again last night, she was very dirty. She mentioned they don't let her have proper baths, although I think that slipped out by accident. She was quite embarrassed."
Her rushed appearance made sense now. Not to mention, Seto had held her hands in his own, and they had felt oddly rough for a lady's. They were definitely the hands of a working girl. Mokuba went on to explain he had wanted to repay the girl's kindness by letting her clean up and attend the ball. Téa hadn't even wanted to really dance; she would have prefer to stand in the corner, content to sway to the music in a single spot. "She was quite shocked to find out my royal history," Mokuba chuckled.
"An evil stepmother and two ugly stepsisters," mused Seto. "Pity she didn't leave behind a magical glass shoe to aid me in my quest."
"Actually, she left all of her clothes behind," Mokuba supplied. At his brother's surprise, he continued. "Becky and I helped her clean up and borrow clothes from one of the spare rooms. Becky had them cleaned last night in secret. The silver slippers she borrowed were of the smallest size."
"Your friend who helped her dress, have someone fetch her," Seto decided. "Perhaps she will have more insight. Otherwise, we'll have to comb the guest list, asking every household for a Téa."
Though if her family had shunned her, they were not likely to reveal her identity. Seto's mood darkened as they waited for Rebecca to be summoned. Those who would treat their own family with such contempt... who would make Téa a prisoner of her own home... what a twisted sort of mindset they must possess. Seto was beginning to understand her rejection of his proposal.
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Téa had thought nothing could surprise her after the night of the ball.
She was wrong.
It all began the next day at breakfast. Cynthia was still in bed, resting after what had apparently been a night of lively drinking among the older adults at the party. Téa was serving her stepsisters their eggs and toast in the dining room when the arguments began.
"I think I danced with the prince the longest," Serenity claimed proudly. "I watched him with the others, and he moved on from one to the next most quickly."
Mai rolled her eyes. "I don't remember him spending any extra time with you."
"You weren't even paying attention," snapped Serenity, spreading jam upon her toast viciously. "You insulted him, and then went off and spent the rest of the evening with that dimwitted palace guard."
"As if the prince cared," Mai replied coolly. "It was obvious that he was not interested in any of the women. Excuse me for wanting to spend my evening with someone who actually enjoyed my presence."
Serenity's attention suddenly fixed upon Téa, who was collecting empty dishes. "Do sit down, stepsister, and listen to this nonsense." Caught by surprise at her stepsister's insistence, Téa proceeded to stand there. Serenity must have decided this worked just as well, for she continued her story. "Mai here had the opportunity to dance with the prince, something half the girls last night missed, mind you, and she not only had the gal to slight him, but then she ran off with one of the servants and danced with him instead!"
Téa could not help herself. "You insulted the prince?" she asked, wondering how Seto had responded. It pained her to think of him, but Téa had forced herself to move on. She couldn't dwell upon the past and mope about; Cynthia would have surely found it suspicious.
Mai scoffed. "Hardly. I only stated the truth, that he was the most dour-looking prince at his own party, and there was nothing I could do to catch his interest. I didn't think anyone would, for that matter."
Serenity didn't leave time for Téa to contemplate on Mai's words. "Yes, well," she started, stabbing her eggs with vigor, "he disappeared for hours with Lady No-Name. I think she's a temptress. I heard she was with the younger prince first, and then used that to snag the older one. I hope she meets a terrible end for her treasonous actions."
Téa's eyebrows rose up under her bangs, but she wouldn't allow herself to comment on that. She wondered if this was how everyone at the ball had thought of her. Perhaps they would convince Seto of it. Maybe that would be for the best.
As she was washing the dishes later, Mai came into the kitchen. Téa wasn't even halfway done; she hoped whatever her stepsister needed could wait, although it usually could not.
Téa made to dry her hands, but Mai stopped her. She waved, pulling out a chair and sitting at the small table there.
"You weren't there last night, so I am hoping for an unbiased opinion," Mai said, flipping through the recipe book on the table. Téa tentatively returned to her dishes, waiting for her stepsister to continue. Likely it was something about Serenity. The only time her stepsisters wanted Téa's opinion was when they were having a fight with each other.
"I... may have been less than flirty to the prince," admitted Mai. "However, you would have too, if you'd seen his unpleasant demeanor." Téa smiled to herself; she had experienced it firsthand. "Being queen and ruling a country honestly sounds like a lot of work anyway, and I don't think I could live with such a brooding husband. I... Well, I want my future husband to pay attention to me. I want to be noticed, to be complimented. Appreciated. And I knew from first glance that the prince had no interest in me."
Mai was being uncharacteristically insightful. She was a few years older than Téa, older than the prince even, and Téa felt perhaps Mai was finally maturing. She had been spoiled and vain when they were younger, but lately she had calmed down and grown quieter, not even mocking Téa as often. Serenity still took after her mother, but Mai had done some growing up.
"All of the eligible women were lined up, waiting their turn for a chance with Prince Kaiba. But he spent less than a minute with each of us, obviously bored. He certainly was a disagreeable man. I was handed off to one of the servants and taken to the refreshments table. And, well, I rather like the young man who entertained me for the rest of the evening."
Mai's voice was fond and gentle. "He said his name was Joseph and that he's one of the palace guards. There were so many foreign dishes upon the table, probably for the various nobility, and Joseph knew such details about each and every one of them. He complimented my dress and paid so much attention to me. Complete opposite of the prince. Tell me, Téa, what do you think? Was it wrong of me to lose interest in someone who had no interest in me?"
Téa paused in her chore, drying her hands and turning to look at her stepsister. "I think it perfectly acceptable. Why waste time chasing after the prince if he has already dismissed you? It sounds to me you like this Joseph, so why not pursue him instead?"
Sighing, Mai answered. "Mother would never allow it. She wants me to marry a duke or a lord or some other stuffy person. Joseph has no title and certainly not much wealth. He's not even a knight, merely an overnight guard on the west tower. But... he's the first man who showed any interest in getting to know me. Really know me. He wanted to know my thoughts on various topics, from the food at the party to what my favorite book is. He's an atrocious dancer, but he knows how to laugh at himself."
"I think you should go for it, Mai," Téa told her. "It sounds as if he really likes you. You might have a chance at true love."
Don't let it slip away like I did. One of us should be happy.
"Mother would hate him, though."
Téa turned back to the dishes. "Don't forget your own happiness, Mai. I'm sure Cynthia would get over it in time."
She heard her sister's hummed agreement from behind her, and then Mai surprised her yet again.
"What about you, Téa?" she asked curiously. "You're clearly unhappy here. Mother treats you like a slave. Serenity and I followed in her example, and I'm only just beginning to realize how horrible we all have been. Why haven't you left? You could pack a bag and leave, go find work somewhere. Why are you still here?"
Téa stilled, thinking over her response for a long time. "My father loved Cynthia, I could tell. And he treated you and Serenity like his own daughters." She couldn't bear to turn around because her face was too emotional at the thought of her father. "He used to say, 'Family first. Everything else comes after.' And you're still family... even if Cynthia doesn't act like it. I... I can't just leave."
Mai's voice was quiet. "I think your father would have wanted you to be happy." Then Téa heard the scraping of the chair against the floor, and Mai was gone.
Tears slipped down her cheeks. She wished her father was here now. She wished circumstances were different. She wished she could marry Seto. But she couldn't. This was the way things were. There was no use in wondering what could be. As for leaving... Téa had considered it many times. But each time, she remembered her father's words. How important it was that family stayed together. How much he loved this house. She couldn't just abandon everything her father had cherished.
She quickly wiped away her tears and returned to the dishes.
Cynthia was feeling well enough to come down by the early afternoon. She was still resting a bit, lounging on a sofa with a tall glass of water on a nearby table. Mai was sitting in the chair across from her, not really focused on the needlework in her hands, her mind off somewhere else. Serenity was in the drawing room next to them, practicing Mozart on the piano. Cynthia cringed every time she hit a wrong note, her head not fully recovered.
Out in the front hall, Téa knelt over the wood floors, scrubbing them thoroughly with a brush. The front of her apron was covered in dirty water and her hair tied in an unkempt knot on her head as it usually was. Téa rarely cared about her appearance; the filthier she was, the more her stepmother seemed to think she was doing her chores well. The only time Téa dwelt on her appearance was...
The doorbell rang.
Either her stepfamily did not hear it over Serenity's abysmal playing, or they expected Téa to answer it like the servant she was. Groaning from the pain in her back after leaning over so long, Téa struggled to her feet.
She opened the front door, and then wanted to close it in the man's face. There in the doorway, was a palace messenger! She was suddenly glad to be covered in grime; hopefully he would not recognize her from the ball. The man looked similar to the one who'd brought the ball invitation, and perhaps it was the same person entirely; it was hard to forget that long white hair. He held out a letter for her to take.
"For the master of the house," he instructed. "Please see that it is read as soon as possible. Good day to you."
Téa released the breath she had been holding as she watched him mount his horse and ride off. For a moment, she thought the letter was for her, that Seto had found her, and perhaps even that she was to be punished for deceiving him. She shut the door and headed for the sitting room where her stepmother rested.
"You know I take the mail with afternoon, tea, Téa," Cynthia berated, shooing her away. "And that's not for another hour at least."
"It's from the royal messenger," Téa informed. "He said it is to be read at once."
Both Cynthia and Mai immediately looked up at this news. Cynthia called Serenity in quickly, and Téa backed away. She lazily dusted the furnishings in the room, attempting to eavesdrop without notice.
"Now girls, we don't know what this letter may contain," Cynthia told her daughters. "However, we must remember. If one of you caught the prince's affection, it will benefit everyone." Téa rolled her eyes; in other words, don't start a jealous fight.
Her stepmother eagerly opened the letter and smoothed it over, reading aloud. "By royal decree, their royal highnesses Crown Prince Seto Kaiba and Prince Mokuba Kaiba, and company, shall visit every household in the country. They seek an acquaintance of Prince Mokuba's from the ball who left without contact. Every member of the household and staff is expected to present themselves when the royal entourage arrives. Please anticipate a visit sometime this week, in correlation with your region."
Téa nearly dropped the piece of china she had been dusting, managing to catch it just in time. Seto was looking for her. Well, technically they made it sound as if Mokuba was looking for her. This way, in case Seto never found her, they could announce his engagement to the stuffy princess without question. Every member of the household and staff... He knew. Seto knew the details. That was the only explanation. Mokuba must have shared her family history. She couldn't believe it. Seto knew, and yet he was still trying to find her.
She quickly returned to the floors, not wanting her stepfamily to spy the tears in her eyes. She could hear Serenity's scornful comments, having concluded they were looking for the girl who had captured both prince's attentions, as Mokuba had only been seen with one person the entire night. Téa tried to tune out the terrible rumors Serenity and her mother were discussing.
It was possible Seto didn't know of her servitude. She supposed the decree could have been phrased that way to ensure everyone be present. Even if he had figured things out... It did not matter. Téa couldn't marry him. She was unworthy. And she couldn't bear to let her stepmother know of this connection. In time, Seto would forget her and marry someone else, someone more deserving. Perhaps a princess.
It was all for the best.
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Two days later, the bell at the door rang again.
Téa had been cleaning out the fireplaces, shoveling the soot into a bag. The sound startled her so much she jumped and banged her head on the mantle.
"Quickly, you idiot, get this mess out of here," Cynthia ordered, horrified of the prince possibly seeing such filth. "And keep out of the way. Go to your room and don't come out! I can't have you embarrassing me in front of royalty."
"But Mother," argued Mai, "I thought the staff was supposed to be present, too."
Serenity wrinkled her nose. "And let Prince Kaiba see that? She hasn't bathed in days!"
In the end, they agreed Téa should hide in her room. For her part, Téa had no complaints for once. She hastily stashed the bag in the kitchen and headed upstairs. On her way to the attic, she stopped in front of the large mirror across from her stepsisters' bedrooms. Her face was covered in ash and soot. Her unkempt hair hung in sweaty clumps around her face, and her nails were dirty. She really did need to wash up.
Téa climbed the stairs to the attic just as she heard her stepmother open the front door. She swiftly closed the attic door behind her, not wanting to hear Seto's voice. For good measure, she locked it.
Grabbing her favorite book, Téa fell onto her bed. She may have accepted her fate, but she couldn't help feeling sad about it. She flipped through the pages to where the dead flower lay hidden. She fingered the blue ribbon. Mai was right; she wasn't happy. Family first, everything else comes after. She couldn't reject them... even if Cynthia had cast her aside the moment her father died. Téa was told the same things, day after day. You are not my daughter. You can never compare to Mai and Serenity, you're beneath them. You're worth nothing more than a servant in my house. You will earn your keep like the others. You want to leave? Fine, see where it gets you. You have no beauty, no talents, and no money. You should be grateful to live here.
"I am grateful... I'm grateful," Téa muttered to herself. "Everything is fine, I'll be okay... Family first..."
She curled into herself, clutching the book tightly.
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"Your highnesses, Lady Cynthia Crawford, at your service," she greeted, stepping back to allow them entry. The two princes came in first, followed by three guards. Another handful remained on their horses outside.
Cynthia led the way into the sitting room. "I'm sure you remember my two daughters, Mai and Serenity Crawford."
"Ah, yes," the older prince agreed. He ignored the hopeful look on Serenity's face and turned to Mai. "You're the one who called me surly."
Mokuba coughed, clearly trying to hide his amusement. Cynthia looked appalled, and Serenity glared at her sister.
Seto appeared unaffected. "One of my guards wishes to speak to you, actually..."
A blond man shuffled to the front, and Mai gasped. "Joseph? What are you doing here?"
The man smiled sheepishly. "Ah you know, making the rounds. Can we, uh, talk... in another room or something?"
"Of course," Mokuba replied, eager to cut off Lady Cynthia, who appeared as if she might have a stroke.
The two quickly left the room and headed down the hall. Seto faced the remaining family members. "Is this everyone? Where is your staff?"
"At their home, your highness," Serenity answered, recovering faster than her mother at Mai's disappearance. "The youngest has scarlet fever, and his older siblings are taking care of him. We did send for them, but I imagine the letter was only just received. You arrived so fast! We were not expecting you for another day or two."
Mokuba smiled wryly. "Yes, well, things moved faster than we expected."
Crossing the room, Seto examined the painting that hung over the fireplace. "Lady Crawford, is this your husband?"
Cynthia snapped out of her daze and looked to where the prince was gesturing. "Oh, yes. My late husband, Charles Gardner."
The two princes exchanged a look.
"Are you certain no one else lives here?" Seto pressed, looking around. He abruptly walked from the area and began to check the other rooms, causing the others to scramble after him.
"Just us!" Serenity responded in a high voice.
"Is this really necessary, your highness?" Cynthia interjected. She faltered under the look both princes sent her way. "I can assure you, this is everyone."
They ran into Mai and Joseph just then, returning from wherever they'd been chatting.
"Actually," Mai spoke up, ignoring her mother's panic and her sister's scowl. "There is one other person here. She's probably in the attic."
Prince Seto gave a harrowing look at the other two Crawford women, and then he took off up the front staircase. Cynthia and Serenity followed quickly, Mokuba and one of guards behind them.
"Oh, yes, your highness," Cynthia agreed with a false laugh. "I forgot! Our fourth servant is in her room in the attic. She too has scarlet fever."
"She got it from the other servant," Serenity added unnecessarily.
Seto strode anxious up the halls until he found the staircase leading to the attic.
"I beg you, your highness, do not go up there!" Cynthia said desperately. "She's highly contagious!"
The prince, however, was not to be stopped. He stormed up the stairs and jiggled the doorknob.
"It's locked," he grumbled. Then he addressed Lady Cynthia. "Surely you have a key?"
The woman laughed nervously. "Now where did I put that..."
"Prince Kaiba, please," Serenity pleaded. "You really don't want to go in there. Not only is she sick... but dirty too! She hasn't had a bath in days." Seto scowled, but Serenity mistook it for a look of disgust. "Exactly! So why don't we go back downstairs, and we'll bring you some tea."
Seto turned away from. To Cynthia, he growled, "The key, madam."
It was with a shaky hand that Cynthia withdrew a set of keys from her pocket. Serenity looked horrified, and Mokuba was trying to keep a straight face. Nervously, Cynthia inserted the correct key and unlocked the door.
With a sharp intake of breath, Seto opened the door and swept into the room.
"She's... gone," he mumbled to himself, his eyes sweeping the room five times before he could believe it.
The others had crowded in the doorway at his words. Cynthia and her daughter appeared relieved. Mokuba was confused. The guard sneezed.
Seto walked about the room. It was a small, round attic with no other doors. He checked under the bed and behind the bookcase just to be sure. The room was fairly dusty, but it was obvious someone lived here. His eyes flew to the quilt on the bed, where a book lay forgotten. He picked it up and scanned the pages. It was a book of far off places with painted pictures accompanying the words. He stopped on a page about the ocean.
A tulip had been pressed between the pages here, and a blue ribbon appeared to serve as a bookmark. The pages fluttered in the wind, and Seto's gaze was drawn to the open window.
He snapped the book shut, handing it to Mokuba. He then spoke to the guard. "Put them under house arrest. No one leaves until I return."
Cynthia and Serenity protested at once, but the other guards had finally made their way upstairs, and they forced the women to follow them back to the sitting room. Seto hurried back outside, Mokuba trailing after him.
"Seto?" he asked, watching his brother mount his horse.
"I lost her once, Mokuba," his brother said, looking to the roof of the house to locate which way the attic window faced. "I won't let her slip away again."
Mokuba smiled. "Go get her, Big Brother. I'll cover things here."
Seto nodded, a look of pure determination overtaking his features. He snapped the reins and took off at once, two of the guards following behind him at a leisurely pace.
Mokuba glanced at the book still in his hand. Letting it fall open to the bookmarked page, he smiled when he saw what lay hidden there. He closed it once more and tucked it under his arm protectively. Then he headed back inside.
It was a good thing Rebecca had paid attention while washing Téa's soiled clothes. She had remembered the name Gardner sewed into the labels. And it was only a matter of time before one of the households they were visiting recognized the name and directed the two princes to the correct manor. They had known she would be here before ever having stepped inside.
Returning to the sitting room, he found Lady Crawford silently stewing while her daughter Serenity paced back and forth. The other daughter, Mai, was speaking with Joseph in hushed tones in a corner of the room.
Serenity rushed to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder that Mokuba jerked away from. "Please, your highness, I have my suspicions as to what this is all about." She took a deep breath. "There can only be one explanation... Our servant somehow stole away into the palace, thieved a gown, and then bewitched you and your brother."
Mokuba had not been expecting... that. Serenity pressed on in his silence. "She is a thief and a liar, and I pray your brother finds her, and that she is adequately reprimanded." Lady Crawford stared at her youngest, confused at first, but then she, too, stood and declared Téa to be nothing but a criminal who had committed treason and endangered the royal family. Mai watched quietly.
Mokuba's face had blanched at the accusations. However, he would reveal nothing until Seto returned. For now... he had to make sure the stepfamily didn't leave and interfere with his brother's plans.
.
Téa had put a sizable amount of distance between herself and the manor when she stopped to catch her breath.
That had been extremely close... As soon as she heard the thundering footsteps on the main staircase, Téa had made a run for it. She climbed out the window and down the tree next to the side of the house. She had done this several times before, so she managed it fairly quickly. She jumped down into the backyard, careful to stay out of sight of the guards stationed at the front of the house. She had then taken off in a sprint across the grounds, heading for the woods behind the home where she often went riding. But she hadn't been able take the horse this time; fetching him would have made too much noise, someone was bound to hear.
Now, she was deep into the trees, where hopefully no one could find her. Téa rested against a an old oak, sitting and stretching her legs. She supposed while she was here, she may as well head for the river to wash up. She would never be as clean as the night of the ball, but at least she could wash off much of the soot and dirt caked onto her skin.
No doubt Cynthia would admonish her later. Either for disappearing, or for the prince going upstairs, something. It didn't matter what, but it would be Téa's fault. She may as well try to lessen the blow... Téa stood up again and headed for the river, picking flowers along the way. Cynthia always did love beautiful bouquets, perhaps one now would lessen the punishment she was sure to dole out later...
By the time she reached the river, Téa had collected a good amount of various flowers. The sound of the flowing water and the wind rustling the trees was comforting and familiar. Téa allowed herself to relax, humming as she continued to gather more petals.
"Back to avoiding me now, are you?"
Téa shrieked in fright, her gut instinct kicking in. She threw the only weapon she had, the bouquet, in the direction of the intruder.
The flowers, not weighing nearly enough to go very far, fell short of their intended target, landing unceremoniously in front of the crown prince. Téa covered her mouth in horror.
Seto glanced at the fallen flowers. "And now you would try to attack me with flora?"
"I..." Téa had no words. The shock of seeing him was too much. She spotted a horse and two palace guards a ways behind him. How had he managed to track her down?
He approached her slowly, afraid she might run if he moved too suddenly. When he was close enough to get a good look at her, Seto frowned at her condition. Téa paled. She had forgotten how filthy she was at the moment; undoubtedly he was revolted. But then Seto stepped even closer.
"Téa..." He made to step forward again, but he stopped when she retreated. "Why did you run?" He sounded confused and hurt, his eyes searching hers for an answer.
Why had she run from him now? Or back at the ball? Her answer was the same to either question. Oh, how Téa wished the ground would swallow her whole.
"Please, Téa, talk to me," he pleaded, sounding desperate. "You said you were not repulsed by me. I would even wager you enjoy my company. Why are you so against marrying me? Is it really because we only just met? I promise, we'll get to know each other very well in the coming days."
She hiccuped, choking back the tears that threatened to start again. "It's not that..."
"What is it then?" begged Seto, closing the distance between them in one large step. He put his hands on her shoulders in comfort, and though Téa wanted to brush him off and run again, she couldn't get her legs to move.
"You..." she sobbed, covering her hands with her face. "You... you deserve someone better."
Gently, Seto pried her hands away from her face. He held both her hands in one of his own, while his wiped at her tears with the other. "Don't say that," he whispered. "Please don't believe that. You are worth more than every other woman who was at the ball that night."
"But look at me," she cried, desperate to make him understand.
Seto sighed. "I am, Téa. Trust me, I'm looking. And do you know what I see?" He tugged off one of his white gloves. "I see the most amazing, beautiful, witty girl I've ever known." He began to wipe the soot off her face with his glove. "I see the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with. No matter how much grime may cover your skin," Seto informed her in the sweetest voice she'd heard yet. "I see the person underneath, the girl who's captured my very heart."
Téa closed her eyes when Seto leaned forward to plant a kiss on her sooty forehead.
"I don't care how you look. I don't care if you're a servant. Which you are not," Seto added firmly, "no matter what your awful stepfamily might claim. You are, without a doubt, the most deserving person I have ever met. You have been treated unfairly, and yet, you are still kind. If anything, I am the one undeserving of you."
He wrapped his arms around her, tugging her close in case she tried to run away again. Téa pressed her face into his coat, the elegant buttons digging into her skin. She clung to the fabric tightly, not wanting to let go. Sniffling, she cried into his chest.
"Téa," he whispered into her ear, "do you really think your father would want this for you? Wouldn't he want you to be happy?"
Hadn't Mai said something similar? Of course any father wanted happiness for his daughter, but...
Family first, everything else comes after. She had repeated this to herself so many times. Believing in those words, she had justified her life until now. Family was the most important. So even if they weren't ideal, even if they mistreated her, she wouldn't tarnish her father's memory by throwing away his values.
But as she stood there, clinging to a man who had just poured out his heart and proclaimed his love for her, Téa began to want more than the life she had reconciled to herself. She wanted everything Seto was offering before her now. She wanted to be loved. Like Mai, she wanted to be noticed and appreciated, even slightly. Was she being greedy by wanting more than what she had?
Now, Téa, she recalled her father once saying, I always bring back gifts for your stepsisters. Isn't there anything you want? She had only wished for his safe return every time. Take care of yourself while I'm gone, my dear. Your stepmother and sisters... I'm not worried about them; but you, I will think of each and every second I'm away. You'll keep happy and healthy, won't you, my Téa? Please don't be sad while I'm gone.
But she had been sad ever since he left.
Perhaps Mai and Seto were right. Her father couldn't have wanted her to continue living like this. Family first, but then, Cynthia had all but declared them not to be family any longer. Perhaps... perhaps it too was time to stop viewing them as her family. They hadn't really been a family in years, perhaps even to begin with. Cynthia had never loved her.
I want to be loved. I want to be happy, she thought. "I..." Her voice was raw from the crying. "I want... to be happy." The jacket's fabric muffled her voice.
Seto pulled back slightly, bending to catch her eye. She swallowed, gathering her courage. "I want to be happy," she admitted in a small voice. Then, braver, louder, "I want... I do want to marry you, Seto."
He blinked, letting her words wash over him completely. Then, the brightest smile she had ever seen began to spread across his face, and he was laughing with joy. Téa felt more tears slip out, but these were not sad tears. Seto hugged her tightly, before pulling back to wipe her tears away with his thumbs.
"Then it's finally official; we are engaged," he said, practically glowing. She decidedly liked this cheerful personality over his brooding one.
Shyly, Téa reached up to run a hand through his hair. "I look forward to spending a lifetime with you," she said demurely.
Seto leaned down close. "And I, you."
He closed the gap between them, kissing her soundly.
Téa nearly melted against him, until she remembered why she had come to the river in the first place. She pulled away suddenly, wanting to giggle at the whining noise he made. "But I'm filthy!"
Seto practically glared at her. "Didn't I just tell you, none of that matters to me?" She was rendered speechless at the sincerity in his voice and the intensity of his gaze. "Now, come here, I wasn't quite finished yet."
Téa, having no further objections, complied very willingly, pressing her lips back upon his.
.
They were married the following spring.
The engagement of Crown Prince Seto Kaiba and the commoner Téa Gardner was rejoiced throughout the entire country. The people loved their future queen for her kind spirit and hardworking background.
No one could be happier than Téa's future brother-in-law, the prince Mokuba Kaiba. He loved to take credit for their romance, citing that he was the reason she had been at the ball in the first place. Every time his head swelled at the revelation, Rebecca would shove him into some painful type of furniture.
Mai and Joseph began to court, much to her mother's disapproval. She paid no heed, moving out and away from her mother and sister, and in with a cousin who lived closer to the palace. Téa had offered Mai a place at the castle, but she had refused. Although she had apologized and stood up against her family, Mai still felt guilty for all the years of mistreatment she had allowed to befall her stepsister. It would take some time for the rift to fully heal, though Téa had already forgiven her.
As for Cynthia Crawford and Serenity, Seto wanted to try them for treason against the future queen. Téa persuaded him otherwise, and instead, they both were removed from the Gardner estate. The two women were forced to find refuge with distant relatives, and they were banned from ever setting foot inside the royal grounds again.
Now empty, Téa bequeathed her family home to the only other family she had ever known: the Ishtars. They had loved serving her father, and she knew they would appreciate her old home as much as she had. And they were, of course, invited to the wedding.
The wedding was an even grander event than the prince's birthday ball, if one could believe it. The king had spared no expensive, overjoyed that his son had finally chosen a wife and his cold exterior somewhat melted by Téa's kind heart. Everyone in the country, barring the Crawfords, was invited as well as various foreign nobility. Including the slighted Princess Vivian. Although Téa had noticed she'd moved on quite quickly, having spotted the woman sidling up to the Prince Amelda from the south.
Although they had tried to hide it, Téa had also discovered the engagement ring upon Mai's finger. She didn't care if it was supposed to be her day; she squealed and caught the attention of half the ballroom upon noticing her stepsister's left hand. She was incredibly happy for both Mai and Joseph, who clearly adored her stepsister.
Téa had quickly appointed Rebecca as one of her ladies-in-waiting. This gave the girl more opportunities to converse with Mokuba without worrying about her lower station. And Téa wanted to cheer when Mokuba finally pulled Rebecca out onto the dance floor that evening. Thank goodness, those two were getting somewhere.
Near the end of the night, Téa had at last exhausted herself of dancing. She almost cringed when another royal cousin asked for her hand, but she was saved when Seto appeared at her side and sharply told the man to keep moving.
"I thought princes were supposed to be charming," she giggled, allowing Seto to pull her away from the party and out to their favorite garden.
He leveled her with a gaze so heated, Téa's knees felt weak. "I'm saving the charm for later."
She smiled back lovingly. "I'll be looking forward to it. But, in the meantime, if I can't have Prince Charming, who am I left with?"
Seto tugged her close enough to kiss. "A loving husband, who knows when even his wife needs a break from all of the festivities."
She laughed against his lips before kissing him again. "I'll settle for that."
"No," Seto told her firmly, cupping her cheek, "there will be no settling. You are not allowed to settle, ever. You deserve all that you want, and more."
Her heart fluttered, and Téa leaned into his hand. "What I want, is for us to live happily ever after."
Seto's hand crept from her cheek to the back of her head, his other hand holding her waist tightly. "I want that, too. There is no one else I could love more than you, Téa."
Téa kissed her prince passionately, overflowing with happiness. Surely, this was something her father would have wanted.
"I love you too, Seto."
They wanted to live happily ever after, and so they did.
The End