After that night with that failed marriage interview, I'm on guard when it comes to Sieg, now. It isn't helping that he's dragging me around everywhere he goes; what is his deal? Why is he doing this? I may not know what his problem is, but it's not really I have time for. but when he springs something unexpected on me, I'm all ready for it. Contains "Ma Belle Evangeline" from Disney's "The Princess And The Frog".
Prince Sieg takes a bite of the cake before looking to Hans, and then Prince Sieg says, "Hans, get her a chair."
"Of course." Hans says.
"Hey, I can't stick around! I gotta go back; I'm going, anyway…" I say, about to make for the door, but…
"Who gave you permission to leave? You'll sit here and eat with me." Sieg says.
WHAT?!
Before I have a chance to bark back, Hans seats me and I end up eating the cake with Prince Sieg.
What's this guy's deal?! I feel my confidence start to fall when I remember how yesterday's marriage interview went.
I see Prince Sieg inspect the cross-section of the cake, and he begins to open his mouth; he says, "This sponge cake…"
"Don't like it?" I ask, about to get sassy.
"I do… It's moist and delicious. Is there anything special in it?" Prince Sieg asks me.
"I added honey in there; the flavors get rounded out and it makes it easier to rise." I state.
"I see. That's a good idea." Prince Sieg says to me.
I'm surprised Sieg noticed a difference in the batter… That's a twist.
"Nice catch," I say. "You into cooking?"
"Anyone would notice that," Prince Sieg says; jerk… "Although, yes, I'm rather skilled in cooking. Next time, I'll make something for you."
"Don't bother," I say, turning my face away. "It's not like we'll meet again after this, anyway."
"If you refuse, it'll make me want to force-feed you." Prince Sieg says.
"Don't start!" I say.
However, I get the feeling that things are going better than last night… I soon decide to speak up.
"So this order was for your personal snack, er, I mean, an important part of your break, but… There's still a lot of other cakes in the kitchens; what are you going to do with them?" I inquire.
"I don't really have any plans for them." Prince Sieg says.
Say what?
"Pardon me?" I ask.
"I thought if I was gonna order, then I should order a lot, so I did," Prince Sieg says to me. "Shouldn't a humble cake store be grateful for that?"
"You…" I begin; I'm totally floored. THAT was the reason?! I'm stunned speechless…
"Why the face?" Prince Sieg asks me. "I thought it'd be an honor?"
"Don't spew garbage!" I shout, losing my temper. "You're as off-target as a blind archer!"
"What do you mean?" Prince Sieg asks me; he's obviously shocked about me flipping his script.
"No matter what, pressed for time or not, I make each cake with love and passion; I go for broke with each one! The happiness of the customers is what I value the most, and I want to make them happy!" I shout, before pointing at Prince Sieg. "And you just wanted us to make a large amount of cakes for no reason other than the heck of it! We worked our butts off to get everything right and everything together… And it was a waste in the long-run!"
"I'm paying a pretty penny. Petty complains are unbecoming." Prince Sieg says to me.
"You're missing the point! Money's not what I'm talking about, you ingrate!" I shout; I know calling him names is pretty rude, but I'm boiling like a lobster here!
I get up from my chair and say to him, "Your position doesn't give you the right to walk all over people, you got that?!"
I snatch Prince Sieg's plate away and then I give him my most angry look.
"H-Hey!" Prince Sieg says to me.
"You lost your right to eat this cake the minute you admitted your reasons… You cockroach!" I say.
Prince Sieg is stunned silent, and Hans says, "Miss Carly…?!"
I storm out of the door, taking Prince Sieg's plate with me, and I don't look back.
I make it back to the store, still fuming, and then Yosef greets me.
"Welcome back, Carly. What did they think of the cakes at the castle?" Yosef asks me.
"It went well." I say, with a vague smile; I decide not to let on my little blow-up at the castle.
I know it really isn't the best thing in the world to blow up at a Prince the way I did, but I don't care; prince or not, he didn't take our work seriously. I'm sure he's fuming right now, but if he is, I'm glad that I did what I did. I'm secretly hoping this doesn't turn into something big, but I decide to let it go and get back to work.
A few days later, I think that Sieg might have even forgotten what had happened, so I let my guard down for the moment. I'm lounging around at home, just doing my own thing, including working on other recipes for my work.
I hear the doorbell ring, and I immediately get up and go to the door.
"On my way!" I say, and then I get my door on the handle. "Now who is - WHA-HUH?!"
I'm speechless when I open the door and see whom it is that's standing at the door. Of all the people, of all the places…
It's Prince Sieg! What the heck is he doing here?!
"What's with those clothes? Is that what people wear at home?" Prince Sieg asks me.
I ignore the jab at my loungewear. What the heck is his deal, coming here?!
"This entryway's as small as a dog's kennel." Sieg says; he's probably trying to get me to speak to him.
I don't answer, being cautious around him. I don't know what his idea is, but…
"Hey, what's with the silence?" Prince Sieg asks me.
Rather than answering, I slam the door in his face, lock it, and shut out the lights in a panic.
"Hey! What's with shutting me out like that?!" Prince Sieg demands, knocking on the door.
"Go away! After what I said last time, I have no intention of being a victim of whatever disciplinary action you intend for me!" I shout.
"Oh, yeah… When you lectured me?" Prince Sieg asks. "There's no way I can let a woman who stands up to me get away."
THAT'S his intention?!
"Let me in!" Prince Sieg demands; I give in and unlock the door, and open it.
I'm surprised that he isn't upset because of last time…
Prince Sieg pushes his way into my house and doesn't even give me time to protest.
"I came here to visit you. Hurry up and let me in." Prince Sieg says, as he rudely barges in.
Something occurs to me: how did he figure out where I live? I never told him…
"Hold it!" I say. "How did you find my house?!"
"It's not that hard to find out." Prince Sieg says, grinning at me, slyly.
He comes into the main room of the house and then he starts throwing jabs about my living situation.
"Do you really sleep, eat, and do everything in this tiny place?" Prince Sieg asks me. "I didn't think it was possible, but now I've seen it with my own eyes… So this is how the people live."
He's just here to tease me. Now I'm mad.
"Get out!" I shout, pointing to the door, and he turns to me in confusion. "If you're here to be a bully and mock me, then make like a banana and split! You have no right to be a jerk to my face, is that clear?"
"No; I'm not leaving. More importantly, don't you have any better clothes?" Prince Sieg asks me.
"What's it to you?" I ask. "These are my house clothes."
"Then change into something else. We're going out." Prince Sieg tells me.
Say what now? What does he mean by that?!
I have no idea why this is happening to me… Prince Sieg brings me to a concert hall, along with Hans. I see that the building is very beautiful, and it has centuries of history behind the walls. I'm waiting behind Prince Sieg with Hans, like his attendant.
I'm going to make sure that as soon as I find an opening, I make a run for it.
"Wow! It's Prince Sieg!" "Ohmigosh, so handsome…"
I see Prince Sieg smile benevolently at the crowd. He responds like a gentleman. I subtly roll my eyes at the fakeness of his demeanor.
"Sieg, we've been expecting you. It's a great honor to have you here today." The manager says.
"It's my pleasure. I head that the orchestra has been performing excellently lately." Prince Sieg replies.
"Would you say a few words to the musicians?" The manager inquires. "It would mean the world to them."
"Yes, of course." Prince Sieg says.
He's acting so different. In fact, this is how he acted when he and I first met. I gaze at him with bitterness and reproach in my eyes; I know what he's really like. The lying termite…
"Miss Carly," Hans says, speaking up. "Shall we go ahead and take our seats?"
"Whatever…" I mutter, and then I follow Hans to a seat in the VIP section.
"He'll join us in a moment." Hans says, as we take our seats.
The bell signals for the start of the concert, and the lights dim. I don't really care for music like this unless it's an Opera, like "Phantom Of The Opera", or something to that effect. Since this isn't "Phantom Of The Opera", I start to tune out.
If that Prince Sieg doesn't come soon, the concert will start without him. However, I'm soon surprised.
I see Sieg between the stage curtains as they start to part, and I'm surprised.
"Sieg?" I say, in surprise.
The audience buzzes as they all notice Prince Sieg; Hans says "Sieg will be performing a piece as a special surprise guest."
"Seriously?" I say, as I smack myself in the face.
Prince Sieg sits down before the piano and silence descends on the hall; once he started playing, the hall fills with graceful music.
I, on the other hand… I end up falling asleep and tuning out. I will admit that he's got an aura that's completely different from most normal people; at least, that's what I think as I end up napping through the piece.
I manage to wake up in time for Sieg to finally come to the VIP section.
"Hey, sit next to me." Prince Sieg says, as the orchestra begins playing.
There's a ton of guards around us, but I want no part of this.
"No," I say, turning my head away. "Why should I? It's not like it's even okay for me to be in that position with you."
"There's no problem with my attendant sitting next to me, is there?" Prince Sieg inquires of me. "Just follow my orders."
"I don't follow orders unless they're from Yosef." I say, crossing my arms.
This gentlemanly side of him is just an act; what a phony… And I don't like this sort of thing.
He scowls a bit and then yanks my hand before sitting me down next to him. I keep myself from making eye contact, and I'm teed off at how he treats other people.
~Sieg's POV~
This girl is really starting to intrigue me; she won't do what I tell her, she shut me out at her house, and she doesn't respect my position…
This is actually a nice change of pace from what I'm normally subjected to. I'm sorely tempted to take her hand into mine, but I'm still trying to get to know her.
What can I say? You shouldn't jump the gun on romance; especially if it's love at first sight…
"So… Did my piano playing please you?" I ask; I know fishing for compliments isn't polite, but she hasn't said anything about my piano playing.
"I wouldn't know; I slept through it." She says.
She did WHAT?!
"You slept through my piece?!" I ask, my jaw dropping.
"I don't care for classical music," Carly says. "It's not like I was bored by it; you dragging me around tired me out."
I mentally slap myself. Commoners…
~End of Sieg's POV~
I don't know what Sieg's deal is, but I can tell that whatever piece Prince Sieg played is carrying over into the performance of the orchestra and it's really good… Even though this isn't the style of music that I like.
"I can see that everyone loves you. People are moved to tears when you talk to them, and everyone loved your performance." I say; I have to admit, he's something else… But I would never tell it to his face.
"It's not like anyone's really smiling at me," Prince Sieg replies, flatly; this takes me by surprise. "They're just happy they got to meet 'Prince Sieg'."
"That's unexpected…" I say.
"I'm just someone who bears the title of 'prince'. That's all I'm worth." He says to me.
I don't know why, but those words are causing my stomach to churn. I wasn't expecting those words, especially not from someone who's usually so condescending, too; what a twist.
"Maybe so…" I admit; I don't think there's an easy response otherwise. "But I don't think other people would flatter you if you weren't royalty."
"Haha, yeah." Prince Sieg says.
However, my eyes are telling me that while he's handsome, he looks a bit gloomy, too. Even I know that princes have hardships; they may live in luxury, but with that comes a lot of restrictions on behavior and the like.
As I keep giving him a sad look, our eyes meet, and I end up flinching.
"But here I've got the only woman who doesn't treat me like I'm special." Sieg says to me.
"You're ticked about what happened before, right?" I ask him.
"No," He says to me, catching me by surprise. "It was my fault for not thinking about the feelings of the people who made those cakes. Sorry."
I'm speechless; I didn't think someone as hoity-toity as him would own up to such things.
"I gave the rest of the order out to my staff, so it all got eaten." Sieg tells me.
"That's a relief." I say, sighing in relief.
"That cake was delicious." Prince Sieg says, and I can swear that he's red.
"Thank you." I say, and I smile widely.
After that, we seem to be on better terms with each other during the rest of the show.
After the concert, Prince Sieg started to show up at my place at the most inconvenient times, very frequently, and to my consternation.
"Tonight we're going to a wine-tasting event. Hurry up and get ready." Prince Sieg stated.
"Hey! Don't go barking orders at me! I just got back from work! For crying out loud…" I complain, trying to protest his demands.
"I thought you looked more tired than usual," Prince Sieg says to me. "You've got two minutes. Wash your face."
"Listen, Sieg, you turning up unannounced and at completely random times is starting to get very old!" I say, as I stand my ground. "I want no part of this!"
Prince Sieg merely gives a cough and then he changes the subject.
"By the way, I wanted to ask you… does someone living around here have a cat? I saw one over there." Prince Sieg asks.
He changes the topic to cats? Seriously?
"A cat? I'm not sure," I say. "It could be a stray."
"A stray…" Prince Sieg says, his eyebrows rising for a moment.
"What?" I ask, crossing my arms.
"N-Nothing," Prince Sieg says, stammering. "More importantly, hurry up and get changed."
"Idiot…" I say, and then I go into the bathroom to change clothes.
Who does this varmint think he is?! He might be the Prince of DresVan, but he's so condescending and high-and-mighty that it makes me want to throw a plate at his face and hope it gets scratched.
At the wine-tasting event, I take a break in the corner; I feel like I'm being used as an accessory to this roach's needs… I see Prince Sieg, feigning chivalry as always.
I don't know why, but whenever he can, he brings me along to these events. It's not like I'm his partner here or anything. If he thinks he's got himself a new maid or something, then he's got another thing coming! If that's the case, I won't stand for it!
As my temper is simmering, Prince Sieg comes over to me.
"You look like a mouse huddled there in the corner," Sieg says to me; I'm annoyed. "Does your body lack the refinement to handle fine wine?"
"Don't be an idiot; I took the chance to have more than my share," I say to Sieg. "And stop comparing me to mice and other vermin. I'm human."
Now, please don't hate me for this, but mice and other rodents, like rats… From a bakery standpoint, calling them 'vermin' is completely appropriate. Mice and rats, cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, and ants can actually cause a lot of problems in a bakery. Rodents spread germs and pathogens that they carry if they invade the food, cockroaches spread the chemicals they carry in their droppings by contaminating the food they get into, flies eat food differently than humans do, and this causes the food to go bad, and their maggots cause issues, too. Ants, well, they're just annoying, while Mosquitoes multiply in grease barrels and can spread disease when they bite. See what I mean when I'm asking Prince Sieg not to compare me to vermin?
I'm not immune to Prince Sieg's sarcasm, so I just state reality to his face; it's nothing I'm incapable of.
He snorts, and takes a sip of wine.
"Why do you drag me to these functions?" I ask, getting to the point.
"Is it a bother?" Prince Sieg asks me.
"Yes and no; there's a reason you do this, isn't there?" I ask. "I just don't get it."
Prince Sieg downs the wine he's been holding in one gulp.
"There's not really a reason," Prince Sieg says to me. "I thought it would be interesting… to have an ordinary person like you around."
"Oh, so there's no deeper reason than that?" I ask, getting my sass into my voice.
Sieg refuses to reply. So he DID just bring my around for his own amusement! I can't just keep doing this; I have work to do.
"Sieg, I have to think about…" I begin, but…
Sieg rudely interrupts me and he says, "By the way, there's going to be a boat party hosted by Nobel Michel."
"Another party?" I ask.
"Yeah, this time it's to entertain the politicians and members of the royal family who will be working to hold the Nobel Expo." Sieg replies to me.
"Politicians and royalty… Tch…" I say, with a scoff.
With Prince Sieg's behavior, I have a gut feeling that all royals are just a bunch of stuck-up nobleman with no sense of delicacy. Then again, Prince Oliver isn't like that, from the first time I met him at the least…
"Yeah, and I want you to come too." Prince Sieg says.
"Beg your pardon?! I…" I begin, about to protest and tell him that I have my job to think about.
"If you were there as a pastry chef, you'd have no complaints, right?" Prince Sieg asks me; he's right.
"Excuse me?" I inquire.
"According to Hans, the head pastry chef at Nobel Michel Castle said he wants you to help again." Prince Sieg says.
"Really?!" I say, lighting up.
I knew it! I must have impressed him with my work!
"That would be an honor! Count me in!" I say, getting fired up.
"Thanks to me, you're used to parties now. It'll be a piece of cake for you, pun intended." Prince Sieg says to me.
Is it possible that Sieg's been dragging me around to these things is to prepare me for the boat party? If that's the case…
"What, is there something you're not happy with?" Prince Sieg says.
"Don't be stupid," I say with a smile. "This is the best thing that's happened to me! Thank you so much!"
I've gotta go for broke; it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be working for a Nobel Michel party.
At the party, I'm on the boat, and I see that there's a chandelier hanging from the ceiling; the ceiling just seems too high to fit on a boat, luxury liners or not. There's the light tinkle of voices and melodious laughter ringing through the room, and if I were not a pastry chef, I'd be pretty nervous.
However, I've helped bake cakes for the party, and since I'm here doing my job, I feel a lot more comfortable.
"Oh my, this cake roll is really delicious." A guest compliments me.
"Thank you. Would you like another piece?" I ask her.
After I'd soon finished making the cakes about two hours ago, I'm serving them to the guests in the large hall. As I'm serving the cake, I hear a familiar voice a little bit away.
I look over and I see it's just Prince Sieg; we make eye contact for a second, but he immediately turns back to the of guests around him. I suppose in this situation, it wouldn't be appropriate to socialize with him unless he approached me.
I felt like we got a tad close with each other after all those events he brought me too, but… Watching him in his formal outfit, talking with the elite members of parliament and royalty, reminds me that Prince Sieg and I are from completely different worlds, and neither one of us could enter the other… As if I want to anyway.
"What's the matter? You look down." I hear a friendly voice said, and I look around behind me.
"Oliver?" I ask, in surprise.
"It's great to see you again!" Prince Oliver says to me. "Could I get some of that chocolate cake?"
"Here you go!" I say, handing him a plate and smiling widely.
"Thanks, and some for those guys, too." Prince Oliver says, gesturing beside him.
Looking to that direction, I see Prince Hayden and Prince Aslan standing there.
"I'll have the baked cheesecake." Hayden says.
"I'll take whatever you recommend." Aslan said.
"Just a second." I say, with a big smile.
I see the other princes are here, too. Then again, since Prince Sieg did say that this is to entertain politicians and royals holding the Expo, I think it's a given that they'd be here. It makes me a little nervous to be around them; their presence is too dazzling for their own good sometimes.
I watch the three of them eat, and then I start to overhear their conversation. Then again, they're right in front of me, so it's not really eavesdropping… Is it?
"I see Sieg's entertaining the royals." Aslan said.
"Yeah, he takes his position seriously." Oliver said, in response.
Being a prince is just a fancy name for a politician in line for the next position of a higher rank. At least, that's what I think.
"All things considered, is it okay for him to be here?" Prince Hayden inquired. "It wasn't long ago that I heard a rumor about DresVan."
This catches my interest; what rumors are he talking about?
"Yeah, I heard that too," Prince Oliver says, turning serious; that's odd for him. "That there's been a lot of glitzy parties in DresVan recently, even though their motto is one of austerity."
So they're extravagant parties, contradicting the usual, modest type of party?
"It seems like large-scale construction works are on the increase, too…" Hayden comments.
"That's under the direction of the current King, right?" Prince Aslan asks; he means Sieg's father… "I thought he was all about protecting the traditions of his predecessors…"
This gives me the impression that there are definitely some issues going on in DresVan Kingdom, but even though I know it's irrelevant to me, I'm starting to become worried.
Prince Oliver seems to notice my expression and demeanor before smiling at me.
"Oh, sorry," Oliver says to me. "We shouldn't be talking politics while eating this fantastic cake."
"It's very subtly flavored. Thanks." Prince Hayden said.
"You're very welcome." I say with a big smile.
"It was great. I'll have to have it again sometime." Aslan says to me; he puts his plates back and then they walk off.
I don't know why, but I'm worried about Sieg. As I gaze at his profile, seeing him talking seriously with the guests, I'm somehow overcome with worry and concern.
I'm beginning to wonder if Sieg knows about the rumors; then again it is his Kingdom, so he should know…
"Miss Carly." A maid says, speaking up.
"Yes?" I inquire.
"There's some leftover food in the back. Feel free to take some when you have the time." The maid tells me.
"Thanks." I say.
Sheesh… I'm famished; I haven't eaten since breakfast. I'm about to head into the back, when…
"Miss Carly, could I have a moment?" Hans asks me, stopping me in my tracks.
"Hans?" I inquire.
"Could you come with me?" Hans inquires.
"What? Why?" I ask.
"I have a request from Sieg." Hans explains to me. Not again…
I glance towards Prince Sieg, and see him talking to a noblewoman.
"Sieg's a bit busy…" I point out.
"For now, if you could follow me?" Hans asks me.
"Hold it…" I begin to protest, but Hans brings me out of the hall, almost by force.
For crying out loud… Just when I thought I could eat something, too…
"Miss Carly, we've been expecting you." Some maids say, as I'm brought into the room Hans showed me to.
"What in the…?!" I begin, quite surprised.
"We are here to help you transform into Sieg's partner for the night." Hans says, with a big smile.
"Now hold on," I begin. "Aren't there plenty of other girls for that role?"
"But you are the one Prince Sieg asked for," Hans replies. "By the way, this dress is one that Prince Sieg chose especially for you."
I see another beautiful dress hanging in the room, and while I'm surprised and stunned by the beauty of it, I'm also immobilized by the maids; they're surrounding me, and I can't move.
"This jewelry was also personally chosen by Prince Sieg." One of the maids told me.
Another one inquires to me, "Would you like your hair done up? Or would you prefer it down?"
"Hold up…" I state, getting an idea of what's going on.
"Well then, I'll be waiting for you outside." Hans says to me, before leaving the room with a smile.
I have no idea what's going on…
After changing, I go over to Hans, who was waiting for me in the corridor.
"Miss Carly, you look lovely." Hans says to me.
"Thanks…" I say, sardonically. "But why does Sieg want his partner to be me? When we had dinner before, and now… I haven't a clue what's going on."
"You don't know…?" Hans asks me.
"No, I don't. And I want answers." I say.
"I can't say myself what my master is thinking, but… You might be able to get a hint tonight." Hans says to me.
"Pardon?" I ask.
Hans smiles a bit, before opening the door to the hall.
Once I go in, the room has become a dance floor, and music is playing. There are skirts of women swirling around, as they're looking around for a partner; I, on the other hand, am more comfortable in sweat pants and a T-shirt than I am in this dress. Doesn't mean I don't like it…
I'm about to make a break for it, but my eyes meet with Prince Sieg's.
~Sieg's POV~
I had finished up my work in the kitchen. That's right, I went into the boat's kitchen. I was making some food for Carly. I had noticed she had not eaten all day, minus her breakfast, so she's probably pretty hungry about now.
I'm making items like rice balls and omelets for her; being a normal girl, I think she'd enjoy this type of cooking.
After I finished, I go back into the ballroom and go around greeting guests and the like while Carly is serving cake to the others.
Some time later, I see Carly come into the room and my eyes light up a bit at seeing my future princess in that beautiful dress.
"Excuse me." I say, excusing myself from the woman I'm talking to and then I make a beeline for her.
"Your hand…" I say to Carly, as I hold my hand straight out to her. I give her a smile, trying not to drop any sarcasm and the like in my usual tone.
I see Carly shake her head in embarrassment or something at the moment, but she then puts her hand in mine.
I immediately plant a kiss to it before leading her out onto the dance floor.
I know there's a fuss about us going on, but… I couldn't care less about that.
We stop at the center and I begin to lead Carly in the dance. The lights dim and it's almost perfect; I only see Carly in front of me in the dim light and she sees me, as well, but she does not seem to know how I really feel.
"Look how she lights up the sky," I sing to myself, as I see her inner charm lighting up the room and the ceiling. It's perfect. "Ma Belle my sweet Carly."
I do an underarm turn with her, and while she seems somewhat okay with this, it does not seem to be what I wanted right now.
"She's so close to me, but I… hope her heart belongs to only me," I sing, as I keep waltzing with her. "Je t'adore, je t'aime, my sweet Carly."
I spin her around on the dance floor, with everyone else watching; I ignore them, and try my best to keep my attention towards Carly.
"My princess of the night; so sweet, so bright," I sing, quietly, so she won't hear me. "If someone as beautiful as she… could love a prince like me…"
I dip her down a little bit and then raise her back up as I sing, "Love always finds a way… It's true. And I love you, my sweet Carly."
Carly seems to get into the swing of the things, and then we started really dancing well together; she and I seem to be oblivious of the others around us, including the other princes, and I feel like we're getting somewhere.
"Love is beautiful… Love is wonderful… Love is everything! Does she agree? Hopefully…" I sing, and then I dip Carly down more. "Look how she lights up the sky…"
She looks up at me, and her eyes reflect whatever light there is around us. I smile dreamily – I hope she doesn't notice – and I slowly bring her back up.
"I love you, my sweet Carly…" I sing, and then the lights turn back up; I mentally curse myself for hoping that this could have gone on forever.
We keep dancing and I feel my heart accelerating again.
"What's your issue?" I hear Carly ask.
"What do you mean?" I reply, confused.
"There's something off about you this time around." Carly states.
"I'm not. I'm the same as always." I say to her; I can't tell her I'm happy to be dancing with her.
"Is that so?" I hear Carly ask, lifting an eyebrow; she's not convinced.
I hear a rumbling noise, and I notice it's coming from Carly's stomach. She looks down; must be embarrassed.
I don't react, and I continue with the steps.
After a few more minutes of dancing, I bring Carly over to the wall.
"You wait here." I say to her; I have some other things to take care of.
"Okay…" She says.
I soon head off.
~End of Sieg's POV~
While standing about, I see Hans coming over, and he's pushing a cart.
"Miss Carly, I've brought you some food. I thought you might be hungry." Hans says.
"Oh, thank you. I'm starving." I say.
My stomach was rumbling during the dance; for crying out loud, I hate it when that happens…
"Wow! Rice balls! Is it okay to eat them?" I ask.
"Of course." Hans says to me.
I take a rice ball and I sink my teeth into it. I smile brightly and I say, "These are so good!"
"Hehe, you must really like rice balls." Hans tells me.
"Yeah; I'm happy to be seeing familiar food. I think the fabulous, rich foods at the parties are delicious, but it gives me stomach pains; must upset my stomach." I say.
"I'm glad to see you so happy." Hans says.
Something in my mind clicks; I realize something: why would a royal have something as common as rice balls in a place like this? Especially on account of how high-class this party is.
"Why do you normal rice here…?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
"Well…" Hans begins explaining, but…
"I said I'd make something for you, didn't I?" I hear someone say; I turn to the direction of the voice and I see Prince Sieg out of nowhere. And he's looking smug as always…
When he said that he would make something for me…
"No way… You made these?!" I ask, quite surprised. "But how? This is just normal home cooking. How do you know something like this?"
"My grandmother taught me." Prince Sieg says.
Wait…
"King Joshua's Queen?" I inquire; I just want to make sure. After all, it could be his maternal grandmother or his paternal grandmother.
"Exactly." Sieg says.
Now that I think about it, the story of Prince Joshua and his princess was no big secret; the hardships they encountered were no match for their love. So, even after fifty years of their love, the Queen is still an icon of admiration for women and girls on an international basis.
"I learned to cook from my grandmother," Prince Sieg informs me. "She was from a common background, so these are all simple foods. They taste great, though."
"Really?" I ask.
"Try something else." Prince Sieg says to me.
~Sieg's POV~
I watch Carly take a bite of the omelet I made for her, and while I know this is inappropriate…
"How is it…?" I ask, hoping it's good.
"This is fabulous. It's really comforting and filling…" She says, with a big smile and with a whole heart.
I relax, and tell her, "I thought these flavors would be perfect for you."
I feel so much better, and I give her a big smile.
"Anyway, are you gonna eat them all?" I ask; this is a lot, even for her.
"I'm starving," Carly says. "I hadn't eaten a thing since breakfast."
"I know. Your stomach was rumbling during the dance." I point out.
"I was hoping you didn't notice…" Carly says, face-palming herself.
"There's no way I couldn't; with how close we were together, it's sort of impossible not to hear…" I say; her face goes red. "Even if you're that hungry, are you sure you can eat all of this?"
"Of course I can; it's be a waste to just leave it to rot, especially since you made it for me." She says to me.
That reminds me of a few things my grandmother said… She would often rant about food going to waste.
I guess that's another thing about Carly that attracts me to her.
"Hahaha." I laugh, and I can't help it.
"What's so funny?" Carly asks me, getting on the defensive.
"Sorry, you just reminded me of my grandmother; she would always say 'don't waste food', and the like." I say to her.
"Seriously…?" She asks, blushing.
"Hey, Pastry Cutie, what are you eating there?" I hear someone say.
Oh, no… It's Oliver.
We all turn to see Oliver, Hayden, Aslan, and Kuon coming over to us.
"Prince Sieg cooked me some food that his grandmother taught him to cook." Carly says to them.
"I heard the rumors, but you really are smitten, aren't you?" Kuon says to me, with a smile.
Crap, he, Hayden, and Oliver know me too well for my own good… But I try to keep my poker face on and relax.
"I don't know what you're talking about." I say.
"And yet, the two of you were off in your own little world during that dance." Oliver points out.
I change the subject and ask, "Did you come to mock me?"
"Whoa, scary! Can I try some of this, too?" Oliver asks.
Heck no!
"It's not for you." I say; is this guy an idiot? I'm trying to court a girl with my cooking skills here.
I'm distracted with this conversation, when…
"Thanks for the delicious cake earlier." Prince Aslan says; he takes Carly's hand into his own with a smile.
"Er, no problem…" Carly said, but her body language told me that while she was charmed, she tried not to show it.
That little desert snake! I can't believe that he's making moves on my girl!
"Aslan… you don't need to show gratitude over a mere cake," I say, cutting in. "It's her job to make excellent desserts."
I hear Hayden chuckle, and then he says, "You've gotta be less confrontational, Sieg."
I see Carly gazing into Hayden's eyes, and this annoys me even more; especially since Hayden's right.
~End of Sieg's POV~
The party is beginning to wind down and I step out onto the deck to get some fresh air. I look up to the sky and see that not only is it nighttime, it's also filled with stars. But before I could really enjoy myself…
"What?! The boat's not going back to port tonight?!" I shout, hearing the news of the schedule.
"You didn't know…?" Kuon asks me.
"No…" I say, slapping myself in the face.
Snap, now what? Where can I go…? As I'm beginning to lose my cool, I hear Prince Sieg call over to Hans.
"Hans, go and check." Sieg says.
"Yes, right away." Hans says, and then he leaves us for a while.
A few minutes later, he comes back and says, "I'm so sorry! It seems like there was a mix-up and no room has been prepared for you…"
"Are you serious?!" I say, freaked out.
"There isn't a spare room for her?" Oliver asks.
"I checked, but unfortunately, they're all full…" Hans states.
"Well, this is a problem…" Aslan says.
That's the truth… What a stroke of bad luck.
"What? A girl can't sleep on a bench?" I say, giving a thumb-jerk over to a bench that I see on the deck.
"That's a bench… and it's outside." Kuon points out.
Sieg starts laughing all of a sudden and then says, "You're a funny girl, offering to sleep out on the deck!"
I see that he's holding his sides while laughing, and there's something about this statement that annoys me.
"I'm impressed by your boldness, but I can't allow that," Sieg says, and then he takes hold of my arm. "Come with me."
"Now hold it! Where are you taking me?" I ask, a little annoyed.
"To my room," Prince Sieg explains, and I give him a pretty surprised face. "Your other clothes are there, so it's perfect, right?"
"S-Sieg?!" I shout, quite surprised.
"Your other clothes…?" Oliver asks us.
Nuts… That's going to give others the wrong idea.
"So it's already… like that between you two?" Aslan inquires to us.
"Don't be idiots!" I say, trying to make things clear.
"Really?" Oliver asks me.
"Yeah. Carly just used my room when she changed into her dress." Sieg explains; thanks for backing me.
"But it's pretty suspicious, the way you were both so quick to deny it…" Oliver says.
Sieg and Hans lead me back to Sieg's room, and then we both go into the cabin on the boat.
"Go ahead." Hans says.
"Thanks…" I begin, a bit nervous.
For crying out loud, even though I've been in this room once before, I'm still stiff as partially dried clay as I walk in. What am I gonna do?! I can't really spend the night in Sieg's room, can I?!
For the moment, I sit on the sofa, and I sip the herbal tea that Hans pours for me; I try to relax, but it's impossible. After all, I'm really aware of Prince Sieg's presence next to me.
"Hans, that'll be all for today." Sieg says, and hearing this, I go from clay to stone…
"Understood. Well then, excuse me and good night." Hans says, as he then leaves the room.
Once the door shuts, my body goes stiff again and I try to make some distance. Now I'm worried...
"What is it? You've been awfully quiet. Are you ill?" Sieg asks me.
"I'm okay…" I say, trying not to stammer.
As I lift my head up, I'm face-to-face with Sieg.
"Uh…" Sieg says, I end up looking away.
What is wrong with me?! As soon as I break eye contact, the atmosphere just turns awkward. I don't know why I'm so conscious of him right now! Whether or not it's due to the teasing of the other princes, I don't know…
I hear Prince Sieg clear his throat, and then he says, "Today must have been tiring for you."
"No, everyone was happy with the cake; pair with that the fact I got to try your cooking, it was a great day." I say, albeit I'm still redder than an apple.
"Really? It's been a while since I cooked, so it was fun for me too," Prince Sieg admits. "I often cooked for parties back in DresVan, but… Recently, they haven't had the right sort of atmosphere for it."
"Are you serious?" I begin.
"Yeah. There are a lot more parties I skip out on now," Sieg explains to me. "They all just feel pointless."
Now that I think about it, Oliver and the others had spoken of a lot of extravagant parties being held in DresVan.
"They're completely different… The King…" Sieg begins.
"Yes…?" I ask, worried about him; what?!
He frowns for a moment, but then he looks up and says, "No, it's nothing… By the way, about your cakes…"
"Yes?" I ask.
"Give me the recipe." Prince Sieg says to me.
"The recipe? Are you serious?" I ask him.
"Yeah, I wanna challenge myself to bake cakes next," Prince Sieg explains to me. "I've already mastered general cooking."
"You? Baking? Hehehe…" I say, before chuckling; I don't know why, but when I imagine it, it's kinda cute.
"Are you laughing at me?" Prince Sieg asks me.
"No. I just think that it's a great idea," I say. "Since you're good at cooking, you'll pick up baking in a snap."
"You think so?" Sieg asks me, looking happy; his eyes soften. "Your cakes have a nostalgic taste, just like the food my grandmother made. I want to try and reproduce them myself."
I feel my heart flutter at that explanation; his expression is tender, like when he held his hand out to me on the dance floor.
He blinks, and I don't know why, but my eyes are drawn to his eyelashes. I manage to snap out of it.
"Well, let's go to bed. Get up." Prince Sieg says, taking me by the arm and pulling me towards the bedroom.
"To bed?!" I say, nearly shouting.
"What? It's late. We should sleep." Prince Sieg says.
"Not the issue…" I begin; as if I can tell him that I'm scared of sharing the same bed… Assuming that's what's going to happen.
"Or is it that you want a goodnight kiss?" Prince Sieg asks me; he lifts my chin and brings his face to mine.
"Don't be an idiot!" I say, blushing red.
"You're incredibly stubborn, but you lose your nerve pretty quick." Prince Sieg says.
"N-N-Not true! Idiot!" I say.
"Then you don't mind?" Prince Sieg asks me.
He opens the bedroom door and I'm immediately afraid of what I've gotten myself into.
Crap, now I'm stuck in the same room as Prince Sieg. What's gonna happen. I'm not really sure, but it seems like I'm too anxious for my own good, but what does Sieg want to do with me?!
