Sieg vents to me his troubles and why he feels that people only see his title rather than himself. Now I understand a little more about him. But when I end up getting sick a while later, who ends up making a house call but Sieg himself?! Why is he even doing this for me? Songs included are "So This Is Love" from Disney's "Cinderella", and "Fallin' For You" by Colbie Caillat


"See? You're the cause of their smiles. Don't think that the fact you're a prince has anything to do with it." I say.

"Carly…" He tells me.

"Thanks to you, I learned something as small as a cake is capable of spreading happiness around. To the patrons and me, you're important as a human being, not a royal." I say.

Sieg seems to be in shock and his coldness melts.

~Sieg's POV~

I can't believe I ever doubted her! Hans was right; she'd never betray me.

"Sorry for jumping to conclusions." I say, apologizing.

"No… I was the idiot who put the 'S' on the madeleines," She tells me. "You deserve credit; they were your idea, secret or no secret."

"Didn't people ask you why you put an 'S'?" I ask her.

"It stood for 'Special'." She admits.

"Special Madeleines…?" I say. What a simplistic name!

I smile and turn away before laughing, "Hahaha! Special Madeleines…!"

"Not funny, Sieg…" She tells me.

"No, I thought it was kind of… simplistic, but that's so you! Pfft." I laugh.

Carly merely shakes her head in annoyance.

I want to sweep her in my arms right now…

She and I lock eyes before smiling.

"Thanks, Carly…" I say to her.

"Sieg…" She says to me.

"You really are a cut above the rest…" I say to her, and then caress her cheek.

I want to spend forever with her.

"Can we… talk?" I ask her. "There's something I want to ask you…"

~End of Sieg's POV~

I'm relieved that Sieg and I are at an understanding, and I feel a lot better. When he asked me if we could chat, I knew it wasn't the right time.

"Can it wait? My shift isn't over." I say.

"Okay. I'll be waiting in the car." Sieg says to me.

"Sure… I should get back." I say.

"Yeah." Sieg says.

That's out of character; no impatience? Protesting? I feel where his hand was on my cheek, and I get back to work.

Once all is said and done, I get in the car with Sieg and then Hans drives us to the lakeshore looking out over the castle. The castle itself makes a beautiful backdrop across the twilight sky.

"Wow… This is quite the place." I say, in awe of the scene.

"Isn't it?" Sieg asks me. "All the castle residents know about it."

"It's new to me." I state.

"You like it?" He asks me.

"It's very calming. Hey, I could get some great inspiration for decorations for cake." I say, looking at the scene and getting out my sketchbook.

"I love coming here when I need thinking time." Sieg says, suddenly growing somber, and staring off into the sunset.

I guess he came here to cool off after that little misunderstanding started.

"What's the issue you want to vent about?" I inquire to him; I'm worried.

"Oh, that," Sieg says, and then gets started. "Remember you said I matter more as a person than a prince?"

"Yes, I do." I say with a nod.

"To be honest, that really made me happy. Because sometimes I feel that all people see is my title." Sieg tells me, blushing.

He did say that during the concert.

"Doesn't that come with the birthright?" I inquire. "But why do you think that?"

"I…" Sieg says, but then sighs. "Recently, a man called Ulrich embedded himself at my father, The King's, side. The King… threw me aside in favor of consulting him."

"Ulrich…" I begin, running that name through.

"All of my father's decisions about the country now pass through this man," Sieg admits. "All he's left to me lately is carousing at galas and the like… I'm pretty much a cardboard stand-in for when they need a royal appearance."

Now I get it. This 'Ulrich' guy has managed to earn the King's trust to the point where he won't even trust his own son. That's pretty pathetic.

"I've been trained to the strictest of royal standards since I can remember. I'm here to support the King and take his place when the time comes… I feel discarded." Sieg admits.

"Sieg…" I say, putting my hand on his shoulder; it must be breaking his heart knowing his own father has lost faith in him somehow.

"I've heard the rumors of strange happenings in DresVan. It all started when Ulrich attached himself as aide to my father. What the hell is he thinking, relying on someone as shady as that…?" Sieg says.

He's gazing at the castle, but I can tell his mind is somewhere else, but in the situation he's in, I can't really blame him.

"I'm with you," I say in agreement. "He's your father; why wouldn't he have any faith in you? That makes about as much sense as chocolate chip cookies without any chocolate."

"I have no idea. The commemoration of the founding of DresVan is creeping up," Sieg began. "I expected an invitation, but…"

"Let me guess: you haven't gotten anything?" I say to him.

"No, I haven't…" Sieg says to me.

"What the heck?! That makes about as much sense as lemon cake without any lemons!" I say, ticked off. "You're invaluable to the DresVanese! The very fact that you're not invited to the commemoration ceremony is unthinkable!"

"What go you in a tizzy?" Sieg asks me.

"I couldn't help it," I say, crossing my arms. "I just got quite upset."

"Actually, the day we first met, I had planned to rush back to my country. I received some information from a contact back in DresVan about a political upset. On the way to the airport, I got a call from my father that my presence wasn't needed. He told me to attend the party and that Ulrich was taking care of it," Sieg explained to me. "I was on my way back when I picked you up."

"That explains a few things." I say.

"Pfft…" Sieg chuckles, and I see his gloominess dissolves with a happy smile. "I can't help laughing when I remember you back then. Standing in front of the car covered in flour. You were pretty desperate!"

"Hey, can't you forget that even happened?" I inquire.

"Never! You're the first woman that ever left a lasting impression on me!" He says to me.

Okay, Sieg chose me as a marriage candidate for the fun of it and just to amuse himself. As if he'd take it seriously…

"When I'm with you, I'm distracted from my obligations." Sieg tells me.

"Hey, I'm a nuisance, is that it?!" I shout, getting a little upset.

Besides, he brought me here, anyway!

"Coming from me, that's a high compliment." Sieg tells me.

I blush and I give him a bit of a smile; I shouldn't have snapped.

"Really?" I inquire.

I see him smiling at me, but there's another emotion I can't read in his eyes.


A few days after that misunderstanding was cleared up… Let's just say things aren't really what they should be.

"*Ah-choo!*" I end up sneezing, and it wakes me up. What the heck…?

"I gotta a lesson with Sieg…" I say, before trying to get up. However, my body feels like it weighs more than twice what it should.

Crud… Must have a cold or I'm just overworked… I decide that to play it safe, I cancel the lesson.

I pull out my phone and call up Hans. I explain that I have a cold.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Hans asks me.

"I think a little R and R is what I need. Could you inform Sieg of this? And let him know that I'm very sorry about it?" I ask over the phone.

"Yes, anything." Hans replies, and then we hang up.

~Sieg's POV~

I'm working really hard to finish up my work before Carly comes for my lesson. It's such a nice stress reliever to have her around. What with all of the trouble in DresVan going on, it's nice to relax a bit.

Hans comes in and then I look up before asking him, "Hans, once I'm finished with work, all I have is Carly's lesson, right?"

"Sieg, about that…" Hans says, and judging from the tone, it's not good. "I just got a call from Carly. Apparently she's caught a cold and would like to cancel today's lesson."

What?!

"How is she?! Does she sound ill?" I ask, sick with worry.

"She sounds fine, but she's still sick in bed…" Hans said.

"Hans, prepare the car; I'm going to go and see if Carly's okay once everything is finished." I say.

"Understood." Hans said, before leaving the room.

~End of Sieg's POV~

I end up falling asleep and then a few hours later, my doorbell rings, waking me up.

Who in the name of Sir Isaac Newtown could it be at this hour? I go to the door, and I look through the peephole only to see Sieg standing there.

"S-Sieg?!" I say, quite surprised. "I can't have the lesson today, Sieg!"

For crying out loud, I'm still in my pajamas, and my hair is a rats' nest! What do I do?!

"What's this? You've got some nerve turning me away." Sieg says, from the other side of the door.

"I'm sick, Sieg!" I say, but I don't sound that ill.

"Are you really that dainty? Let me in!" Sieg demands.

I slap myself on the face and then I open the door. Sieg then looks me over as he comes in.

"What's this? Hans said you were bed-ridden, but you look suspiciously well." Sieg tells me.

"Just feeling a bit icky." I explain, looking away.

"And yet you tried to ditch our lesson?" Sieg asks me.

"I wasn't feeling good enough to have the lesson! What would have happened if I'd gotten one of us sick?!" I say, in my defense, before sniffling.

"Then get back to bed." Sieg says.

He's the one who made me get up! This idiot…

Sieg leads me by the head back to my bed, and tucks me in.

"Why are you even here, Sieg?" I ask.

"As you can see, I came to make sue you're nourished." Sieg says, as he lifts up a paper bag that he had been carrying, to show it to me.

"I beg your pardon?" I ask.

I'm watching Sieg working in the kitchen while I'm still in bed.

He's pretty good-looking when he's cooking like that.

"Are you hungry?" He asks me.

"I have been sleeping all day, so yes." I say, with a nod.

"I see illness has no effect on your appetite. How very much like you." Sieg says to me.

"Taking that as a compliment." I say.

"I swear you were packing it away like a hamster at the last party." Sieg says to me with a laugh.

"Hamster?" I inquire, before coughing.

"There, it's done." Sieg says to me, as he finishes cooking.

"That was fast." I say to him.

"I'm a pretty good cook, you know." He says.

"Scrambled eggs? Looks good…" I say, as I see what's in the bowl he has in his hand.

However, he pulls a chair over to the bed.

"What? What are you doing?" I ask him, a bit surprised.

"Open up." He tells me.

He takes a spoonful of the eggs, blows on it, and he holds it towards my mouth.

"What?! I can feed myself!" I say, trying to hide whatever embarrassment I'm feeling.

I don't know why I'm acting like this, anyway…

"Patients should listen to their caretakers!" Sieg says of me.

"Ugh…" I say, before giving up.

"Come on." He tells me.

I roll my eyes before opening my mouth. I'm really not feeling too hot; the fact that I'm getting spoon-fed by a prince is a little unnerving.

As the spoon enters my mouth, I chew a bit and it tastes great.

"Really good…" I say, as I swallow.

"Of course it is." Sieg says to me, a bit conceitedly.

"The food you make is really nostalgic in taste. Was this something your grandmother taught you to make, as well?" I inquire.

"Yeah, she did. She used to make it for me when I was ill," Sieg tells me. "I always felt much better after eating it."

"I think I know what you mean," I say. "When you eat food that's been made with love, it just warms you up form the inside out."

"Lo-?!" Sieg begins, but then he flinches a bit.

"What's the problem?" I ask; I've never seen Sieg act like this before.

"N-Nothing," He says. "I'm gonna clean up. You eat the rest yourself."

"Okay…" I say.

He shoves the bowl at me before dashing back into the kitchen. What burned his biscuits?

Talk about odd…

~Sieg's POV~

Sheesh, that was close… I certainly didn't expect her to pick up on my feelings quite yet.

Right from the get-go, I've been in love. But I'm no fairytale prince where he proposes to the heroine right off the bat just from meeting her for the first time.

"I'm certain, and I know I've truly fallen for you, dropping so quickly," I sing, before looking towards the bedroom where Carly is still eating. "Maybe I should keep this to myself, waiting 'till I know you better."

I blush a bit before turning away and going back to my song.

"I am trying not to tell you, but I want to. I'm scared of what you'll say," I sing, imagining her pushing me once I tell her those three little words. "So I'm hiding what I'm feeling, but I'm tired of holding this inside my head."

I sigh before remembering that after that first meeting Carly and I had, I've been acting on my feelings for her and getting to know her.

"I've been spending all my time, just thinking about you." I admit in song; when I was at the marriage interview, I completely put my foot in my mouth.

"I don't know what to do. I think I'm fallin' for you." I sing, as I remember how my heart pounded during the first dance we shared.

"I've been waiting all my life and now I found you." I sing, remembering the first time I met her. The day I met her and fell in love with her.

"I don't know what to do. I think I've fallen for you. I've fallen for you." I sing.

"As I'm standing here and I hold your hand," I sing, remembering the first dance we shared together. "Pull you towards me, and we start to dance."

"All around us, I see nobody. Here in silence, it's just you and me." I sing, remembering how I was able to ignore everyone in the room when I first danced with Carly.

"I'm trying not to tell you, but I want to. I'm scared of what you'll say, so I'm hiding what I'm feeling." I sing, as I look over to Carly; I wanted to tell her how I felt for so long that I can't seem to hold it back much longer. But if I say it aloud, it could complicate things.

"But I'm tired of holding this inside my head." I sing, feeling my heart throbbing once again.

"I've been spending all my time just thinking about you, I don't know what to do

I think I've fallen for you." I sing, remembering the first time I met her.

"I've been waiting all my life and now I found you," I sing, remembering that when I was a lot younger, my grandparents told me their own love stories and I've then dreamed of someday finding love like that, too, and now I've found it in Carly. "I don't know what to do. I think I've fallen for you. I've fallen for you."

"Oh, I just can't take it. My heart is racing. Emotions keep spinning out." I sing, as I remember all the times I put my foot in my mouth or did something rude to her. Acting on emotion isn't always the best thing.

"I've been spending all my time, just thinking about you. I don't know what to do. I think I've fallen for you." I sing; I have totally fallen head-over-heels for her right from the get-go.

"I've been waiting all my life and now I found you, I don't know what to do I think I've fallen for you. I've fallen for you." I sing, looking back at Carly, still eating. I look down with a sigh.

"I think I've fallen for you." I sing, blushing.

"I can't stop thinking about it. I want you all around me, and now I just can't hide it. I know I've fallen for you." I sing, as I fantasize about the two of us dancing together in a romantic setting for the rest of our lives.

"I can't stop thinking about it, I want you all around me, and now I just can't hide it! I know I've fallen for you. I've fallen for you." I sing, as I secretly have collected mementos of our time together, but I know someday it will be forever.

"Oh. Oh, no, no. Oh… Oh, I've fallen for you." I sing, feeling relieved to know I vented my emotions.

I get back to cleaning, feeling my face heat up.

~End of Sieg's POV~

Once I finish eating, I go into the kitchen and say, "Thanks for the eggs."

"You done eating already?" Sieg asks.

"Yes, thanks. I'll clean everything else up." I say.

"It's fine, you stay in bed. Cleaning up is part of cooking." Sieg says to me.

"Okay, yes, you're right, but…" I say, but then Sieg snatches the bowl before washing it at warp speed. "Alrighty, then… I'll leave you to it."

I head back to bed, but then…

"Hey." Sieg says, before I turn around, and he reaches towards my mouth.

I'm surprised; this came out of nowhere, so I can't move.

"There's something on your lip." Sieg says, as he squints a bit, and then wipes something off my face with his finger.

"Geez, you're like a little kid." Sieg says to me.

"T-Thanks…" I say, blushing a bit.

As we go back to my bedroom, I'm a little nervous.

"Well, you're fed and watered," Sieg says to me. "Now you need bed rest."

"Yes, chief…" I say, before rolling into bed, about to nod off.

Sieg sits down on the chair and folds his arms.

"Are you staying here?" I ask.

"That a problem?" He asks me.

"How can I sleep when you're watching? It's making me nervous." I admit.

"You're thinking too hard." Sieg says.

I don't answer to start, and then I close my eyes. Sure, that's what he says, but it's not that easy. How can I help it? I try to sleep, but my anxiety is getting to me.

I meet Sieg's gaze as I open my eyes.

"You're hopeless." He says, chuckling, before stroking my hair back.

I wish I knew why, but my heart's beating wildly. At the same time, I feel safe and happy. Why is my body reacting this way?!

"Why are you doing this, Sieg? Why are you going out of your way for me?" I ask him, not sure what's going on. "I'm no one special; just a pastry chef. Why are you even thinking of being friends with someone of a lower class?"

"I…" Sieg begins, but then he changes the channel again. "I thought I told you not to think too hard. Now get to sleep."

"Fine…" I say. "Night."

"Yeah, goodnight." Sieg says to me.

I don't know what my heart is bursting with, but it bursts as I go to sleep.

~Sieg's POV~

I see Carly sleeping peacefully in her bed. I know that she's asleep and I soon feel at ease enough to admit how I really feel.

"Carly… I love you…" I admit, as I gently stroke her cheek.

That's how I've felt since day one. Obviously, she doesn't answer back, but I feel really relieved in knowing that I've finally said my feelings out loud.

"Mmmmmm… Mmmmmm… So this is love…" I sing, feeling my heart flutter. "Mmmmmm… So this is love… So this is what makes life divine. I'm all aglow, mmmmmm… And now I know… And now I know…"

I look up and my heart is aflutter.

"The key to all heaven is mine… My heart has wings, mmmmmm, and I can fly…" I sing, as my heart pounds out of my chest and wings grow.

"I'll touch every star in the sky…" I sing, as a speck of light falls into my open hand. "So this is the miracle that I've been dreaming of."

"Mmmmmm… Mmmmmm… So this is love…" I sing, as I am very tempted to kiss her on the cheek, but that could risk waking her up.

I feel so happy and comfortable that I end up falling asleep.

~End of Sieg's POV~

A stream of sunlight is coming through a crack in the curtains. In response, my eyes open up; it's nearly impossible for someone to sleep when there's sunlight.

I give a quiet yawn before blinking a little bit.

"Phew… What a good sleep." I say, before breathing a sigh in relief.

However, I feel that there's something on my feet, and it's heavy. I sit up, and then I see that Prince Sieg is flopped across my legs, and he's still sleeping.

I'm surprised that he stayed overnight. Being the busy guy he is, I'm sure Hans would have dragged him back to the castle for his duties. Why did he stay by my side the whole time?

I don't know why, but my mouth leaks out, "Seeing his sleeping face… It's so cute."

I see his elegant nose and his eyelashes are so long.

However, I shake my head and slap myself in the face before saying, "No! This isn't proper for a royal! But now I need to figure out a way to thank him…"

I'm feeling so much better, so I decide to make some breakfast. I slowly get out of bed; can't wake him up, after all.

"Now… What to make… Bingo!" I say, before snapping my fingers.

I'm working in the kitchen, when…

"What are you making?" Sieg asks, from behind me.

"Oh, morning, Sieg." I say, smiling.

"Mornin'…" Sieg tells me.

He's wobbling around, all groggy… And this is so weird, but it's attractive. I don't know what's going on with me?!

"You feeling better?" Sieg asks me.

"I sure am; I'm completely better! Thank you so much for this!" I say, with a big smile. "But, um, I'm sorry that I had to make you sleep like that."

"It's been a while since I've slept like that. I actually slept pretty well. Thanks!" Sieg says to me.

"Er… Sorry…?" I inquire.

I can't tell whether Sieg means it or not.

"And I got to hear you talking in your sleep." Sieg says.

"What?! Me? Sleep talking?!" I say, my face getting quite hot.

"I heard everything." Sieg says, with a smirk.

Oh, no… No way…! Gah! I can't believe this!

"What did I say…?" I ask.

"You were calling my name." Sieg says, still smirking.

EH?! Why?! Why would his name be the thing out of my mouth at night?!

"EH?!" I shout, feeling a bit scared.

"Pfft, hahaha!" Sieg laughs, as if he's being funny. "Just kidding."

"You…! You're messing with me again?!" I shout, pretty upset.

"So, are you making breakfast?" Sieg asks me.

I sigh, glad that he changed the subject, and then say, "Yes. I wanted to thank you for yesterday…"

"Rice balls?" He says, noticing what I did.

"Remember the boat party? I thought that it would be a good idea for me to make them for you, but as you can see…" I say, before glancing at the rice balls. "I can't get them in the right shape."

"Heh." He lets out a snort, laughing, as he looks at my handiwork; he takes my hand into his.

"You're the queen of pastries, and yet you can't mold a rice ball. Maybe your hands are too small?" He says, as he holds my hands in his and gently strokes my fingers.

It's almost as if my hands are so precious, more valuable than real gold.

"Um… Sieg…?" I say, with a tone that asked him if the lights were on in the attic.

I'm wondering whether or not he's just teasing me, like earlier, but I'm feeling the warmth he has spreading through my fingertips, and why is it that my heart is going faster?!

"Sieg? Are the lights on?!" I say, a little louder.

"Oh, uh, sorry." He says, before letting go of my hands in a flash.

"It's fine…" I say.

"I guess I'll have to show you how to do it." Sieg says.

"Okay." I say with a nod.

After a while, it seems like time has gotten away from us. We've made a lot of rice balls, and Sieg has stayed at my side the whole time.

Out of nowhere, the doorbell rang, and then our attention is focused on this.

"Someone's here." Sieg says.

"Who'd be coming this early in the morning?" I ask.

Sieg and I clean up and then open the door, and Hans is standing before us.

"Good morning, Sieg, Miss Carly." Hans says to us. "I'm sorry to intrude."

"Good morning, Hans." I say, with a smile.

It's relieving to know that the one coming over this early in the morning is only Hans. It would have caused a commotion like a snake in a chicken coop if it had been anyone else.

"I'm here to pick up Sieg." Hans says.

"Is it that time already…?" Sieg asks, checking his watch. "Well, thanks for everything."

"That's my line; I really appreciate you looking after me." I say to him.

"Don't worry about it. You were sick." Sieg says to me.

Sieg hurries off with Hans, but then something occurs to me.

"The rice balls!" I say, snapping my fingers. I snag the basket of rice balls and then I make a dash for the door outside.

"Hold up!" I say, calling out to Prince Sieg; he's about to get into the car.

"What is it?" Sieg asks me.

"Your rice balls. I wrapped them for you, so take them with." I say, handing him the basket.

"Uh…" Sieg says.

"I did make them for you." I say.

"O-Okay." Sieg says to me, blushing for a second. "If you're so desperate for me to try them, I'll take them. You should be grateful that I'm deigning to eat them."

He takes the basket carefully, and then he says to me, "I'll let you know what I think of them later."

"I can't wait." I say.

I don't know, but I feel my chest get warm as I'm watching the car drive away. However, I get this pit in my stomach for some reason. I don't know why, but I feel like someone was watching us…

A few days later, I walk into the bakery's kitchen, feeling peppy and cheerful, but...

"Morning!" I say, happily.

Everyone then focuses their gaze on me, as if I did something wrong. I'm not sure why, but I have the same pit in my stomach from a few days ago.

"What's going on? Is there something on my face or what?" I inquire.

"Carly, you are so awesome!" One of my coworkers says. "But I can't believe you kept it from us!"

"What do you mean…?" I inquire. I have a bad feeling about this…

"Carly… this is you, right…?" Yosef asks, anxious. He holds out a gossip magazine to me.

There, on the front page…

"Prince caught the morning after! Spent the night with a Nobel Michel pastry chef?!"

"Eh?!" I shout.

The front page has pictures from when I saw Prince Sieg leave my house! Not only that, but while my face was turned away, if someone knows me, they'd recognize me.


Oh, snap, how did this happen?! Now I'm in a bind… I can't get into my own apartment, and now I'm stuck at the castle while everyone at the bakery is having a hard time. What am I going to do?!