Halle stepped out of the room and left Prince Roberto behind her and lightly closed the door, and she pressed her back firmly against it. She shut her eyes and sighed deeply, trying to relieve herself from the stress that conversation had caused her.
She and Prince Joshua? An item? No... That was completely unacceptable; it just couldn't happen. Dating a commoner when you were a prince was bad enough, but the bastard child of a current ruling King? That was even worse... You were like a mutt that didn't belong in either class; too poor and not noble enough to be a royal, but too royal to be common. That was why when Halle found out who her biological father was when she was eighteen, she decided to keep it a secret from everyone and just continue referring to herself as a commoner. It was safer that way, and not just for herself, but for everyone. She really never intended to meet Prince Roberto, her half brother, but when the prince found out that his father had had an affair with one of the palace maids and got her pregnant while his mother, the Queen, was sick and dying, Prince Roberto had tracked Halle down and wouldn't leave her alone until she heard him out. Although the young prince who was twenty at the time was disappointed in his father's infidelity, he was thrilled to learn that he had a little sister, although he did wish that they had met under better circumstances.
And so, over the past five years, Prince Roberto and Halle grew very close, and they masked their relation under the guise of being best friends to avoid suspicion. Because unfortunately for Halle, even though she couldn't choose who her parents were, she had to keep her pedigree a secret for the sake of the kingdom, because her father, the King, wanted nothing to do with her. And he made that very clear when she tried to go and visit him the day she first found out who he was.
Just as these swarming thoughts left her mind, Halle stepped back into the hallway and contemplated whether or not she wanted to return to the ball. Before she had the chance to make her decision, however, she saw a panicked and worn out Jan come running towards her.
"Oh, Miss Halle!" Jan flagged her down, and he took a deep breath as he stopped in front of her. "Have you seen His Highness anywhere?"
Halle slowly shook her head no, growing slightly worried as their conversation progressed. "No... I haven't. Is something the matter?"
"I haven't seen him around for awhile..." Jan nervously glanced around him before looking back at the young lawyer. "He hasn't really eaten anything since breakfast, and I was wondering what could be the matter."
Halle's eyebrows shot up into her hairline upon hearing this, and she instantly was ready to jump in and take action. "Shall I help look for him?"
Jan just smiled at her offer. "No, it's fine. I'm sorry to have worried you while you are enjoying the party..."
Halle instantly just shook her head no with a bashful smile on her face. "Oh no, it's okay. I don't really enjoy parties anyways without Prince Josh-" She suddenly widened her eyes in shock and slapped her hand over her mouth, a little surprised by what she nearly admitted out loud to both herself and Jan. "Er, um, I mean..."
Jan just smiled wryly and politely dismissed himself as he motioned to walk past her. "Please excuse me..."
As Halle watched him go, she got lost in her own thoughts once again. Prince Joshua hadn't eaten since this morning, huh? He just had to be starving...
"Is something the matter, Miss Halle?"
Halle turned around at being addressed so suddenly, and she smiled when she laid her eyes upon Zain, Lord Michel's royal butler. "Oh, Zain... Have you seen His Highness, Prince Joshua anywhere?"
Zain cocked his head to the side as he thought over her question. "No, sorry... I don't believe I have. Is something the matter?"
"No, it's..." Halle suddenly paused as she got an idea, and she smiled at Zain. "Actually, would I be able to make use of your kitchen?"
One hour later...
Halle left the palace kitchen and began walking around in search of Prince Joshua. Wow, was that a nice kitchen... So much more luxurious than what she was used to working in at home, which was to be expected, she supposed; a palace kitchen and an apartment kitchen would be very different. Halle wasn't a professional chef or anything, but she did know enough about cooking to take care of herself at home, and when she heard that Prince Joshua hadn't eaten anything since this morning, she went off to the palace kitchen to make him a little bento box of rice balls.
Halle stopped in her tracks at the end of the corridor, and she frowned a little as she looked both left and right. "I don't see him anywhere... Perhaps he already went home?"
She felt despondent at the thought and started to slump, when suddenly, she caught sight of Prince Roberto coming towards her.
"Hey, Halle!" Prince Roberto jogged up to her and stopped, smiling brightly at the young woman. "You heading home?"
"Yes..." Halle trailed off, a little lost in thought as she suddenly focused on Prince Roberto's profile. "Robbie, you haven't seen Prince Joshua, have you?"
Prince Roberto just smirked wryly at Halle's question. "Ooooh, now why do you ask? Did you want to give him a good-bye kiss or something?"
Halle's whole face erupted in a deep shade of red as she instinctively reached out and slapped the laughing prince's arm. "Of course not! Geez, Robbie!"
Prince Roberto just laughed even harder as he rubbed the spot on his arm that she smacked. "I believe he has already gone. I saw him leaving the castle just a few moments ago."
"What!?" Halle's eyes widened in shock as she immediately became alert. "Oh no! I have to catch him!"
Prince Roberto stumbled back as he watched her take off running past him, and he reached his hand out to stop her. "Wait, Halle!"
Prince Roberto's call fell on deaf ears as Halle took off running for the front of the palace, completely disregarding her high heels as she ran. She didn't even care if running dressed like she was was unconventional; she just had to get to Prince Joshua before it was too late.
Halle ran down the long, glorious front steps of the palace, being careful not to trip as she finally landed at the bottom. She looked off into the distance and spotted the tall form of a certain purple-haired prince, and she instantly shouted his name. "Prince Joshua!"
Prince Joshua turned his head to look as she called his name; his eyes slightly widened in shock as he spotted her. Halle ran over to him, completely disregarding her own exhaustion as she stopped just in front of him and tried to catch her breath.
Prince Joshua seemed slightly annoyed about something as he looked at her. "What's the matter?"
"Umm..." Halle suddenly felt herself growing awkward again, and she just abruptly held out the small bento to him in her hands and watched as he stared down at it. "Here."
Prince Joshua's eyebrows knitted together as he stared at the small box. "What is that?"
Halle just blinked owlishly as she plopped the box in his hands. "It's a rice ball."
"A rice ball...?" Prince Joshua looked lost for a moment before something suddenly dawned on him. "That thing we were talking about in the car earlier?" A kind smile spread across his face as he remembered.
"Yes." Halle nodded her head briefly with a smile.
Prince Joshua awkwardly averted her gaze as a tiny smile found its way to his lips. "I was unsure about what you wanted for a moment there..."
Halle felt relieved as she looked upon his face. "It was only for a short while, but I really enjoyed the time I spent with you in Dres Van."
Prince Joshua's eyes widened in shock, truly caught off guard by her statement. "You did?"
"Yes." Halle gave him her biggest, brightest smile to properly send him off, wearing it purposefully to hide her true feelings from him. "I am glad I had the chance to go to Dres Van and get to know you. So... Thank you."
A strange look came across Prince Joshua's face as he seemed to struggle for words. Instead, all he managed to say was, "Mm."
And with that non-committal sound, he got into the car without anything else said.
Halle watched him go, feeling more bummed than she was earlier for whatever reason. "It's a bit sad... This will be the last time I see him."
Prince Roberto came running down the stairs, and when he spotted the back of his little sister, he cupped his hands over his mouth and shouted to her. "Hey, Halle! We're going now!"
"Okay! I'm coming!" Halle turned and waved to the prince before glancing back as Prince Joshua's car started to disappear. "Good-bye, Prince Joshua..."
Meanwhile, inside the car...
Jan turned to speak with his master. "What is that in your hand, Your Highness?"
Prince Joshua looked slightly troubled as his butler asked that. "Nothing... Just a gift..."
Jan was genuinely surprised by both Prince Joshua's sullen face and the statement. "From whom?"
Prince Joshua quietly mumbled, "Halle," as he opened the small bento box.
Jan looked puzzled as he saw its contents. "What is it?"
Prince Joshua stared down at the bento as he spoke. "A rice ball, apparently."
"A rice ball?" Jan tilted his head to the side as he stared at the peculiar snack food. "So...it's just a lump of rice?"
Prince Joshua picked one up and carefully examined it. "It looks like it." He stared at it decisively before taking a bite, and Jan let out the breath he had been holding as Prince Joshua whispered to him, "it's...warm..."
"Sorry?" Jan didn't quite catch that as he strained to hear his master.
Prince Joshua turned and looked out the window, staring at the view of Nobel Michel Castle that was growing smaller and smaller in the distance as he continued to eat the rice balls Halle had made for him. "I should be the one thanking you..."
And the young prince did, in fact, finish those rice balls the young woman had made for him. However, although his hunger was relieved by the sweet rice balls, Prince Joshua felt himself feeling emptier than ever before.
Aww, poor Prince Joshua; he misses her now that she's gone. And Halle's slightly in denial, but she's more like on the level of, "I know I have these feelings, but I'm just going to keep ignoring them until they go away." Prince Joshua, on the other hand-well, who KNOWS just what exactly he's thinking?
Now that Halle's gone back home, I won't be picking right back up where the story left off, and you will get to experience Halle's normal life in Altaria as a lawyer for a bit! Finally, we'll get to see her take some cases, and even get to meet her crazy coworkers, like her ridiculous assistant Carrie, who I just KNOW you will love. Stay tuned to read more!
Read, review, and enjoy!