"Excuse me-"
A soft voice cut through my sleepy haze and my eyes fluttered open, slowly, cringing as sunlight blinded me.
It was the sight of a somewhat flustered Alberto that REALLY woke me up and I grabbed for the sheet. I didn't need to- Roberto was already awake, the sheet was already up to my nose- and Alberto bowed low.
"Excuse me for startling you."
"Come on, Al, we agreed. This is my safe space." Roberto groaned as he rested his head on my shoulder. He snuggled up to my side under the covers, his bare skin brushing against mine,s ending a shock wave through my body... "Let me have an hour more."
The urge to tell Alberto to leave and go back to what we'd fallen asleep doing rose sharply. I blinked sleepily, trying to convince it to calm down, half hoping Alberto would get the hint. Leave my room.
"I'm very sorry, Prince Roberto, Miss Sophia, but the talk show host is here." Alberto stood up slowly. He kept his eyes on anything except the bed, I noticed, and he seemed almost glad to fuss over what was clearly a breakfast waiting for us.
I hoped the room didn't smell like... well, like what we'd done last night. I'd never known doing that could cause a 'smell'. Not a bad smell, exactly, but when you knew what it meant... it was obvious. Flustered, I slid under the covers a little more, and Roberto muttered, "Al's going to stay till I get up."
"Miss Sophia has yet to decide if she'll also introduce herself as your... girlfriend." Alberto responded. He turned now with his back to us but somehow he managed to gesture towards a pile of clothing that was waiting for someone beside the en suite. "Please excuse me, Miss Sophia, but you must shower first."
"She's naked!"
"Something I cannot help. I will not turn." Alberto's voice was strained. "I know that should you enter that en suite first, Prince Roberto, you may turn around and go straight back to bed the moment I leave."
I supposed he had a point there. Roberto probably would. His hand was already sneaking up my bare leg, slowly, fingers dancing up the inside of my thigh... I squirmed sideways, suddenly.
"Hey, come back here." He grinned down at me.
"You won't turn around?" I asked Alberto. This was a little awkward but then... I had to get used to this. Butlers. They had a whole other type of privacy.
"I would not dare insult you by doing so." Alberto responded. "There is already a bathrobe beside the bed and you will find the maid has left you a change of clothing inside the en suite."
...So there was. Okay then. I breathed in, slid out of bed, got that thing on as fast as I could, and headed for the bathroom on my crutches with my face bright red.
"Where will I shower?" Roberto's voice echoed through the door as I shut it.
"In a bathroom close by." Alberto responded. His voice had grown sharper now. "You were well aware of the time I'd be coming to wake you- you could have easily have woken Miss Sophia up to spare her such embarrassment."
"Come on. We were up late."
"Then you should have gone to sleep earlier!"
I heard this argument even over the shower, as they left, shaking my head, but I had to admit it amused me a little. I had suggested we go to sleep straight away, last night, but Roberto had more or less 'forced' me to strip my clothing.
Well, okay, I may have been a very willing participant. It really hadn't taken much convincing. And I had known something was happening this morning as well.
Once I had showered, washed my hair and re-dressed in a light summery dress and shorts, the day already warm this early, I opened the door to find my room still empty. I headed for my bed and rested on it so that I could rub my hair with the towel.
Still- it felt kind of nice with wet hair in this warm weather.
Roberto didn't take much longer than I had. He strode back in, shirt in hand, long designer 'shorts' on. Pretty casual for an interview. I honestly didn't know much about what he wore as a Prince for this kind of thing. That side of him was still new to me.
He headed straight for me, pushed me back on the bed, and bent over me to kiss me with a sudden hard kiss, affection filling his eyes.
"There. Good morning." He announced against my lips, forehead against mine, adding, "Al doesn't get to see our good morning kiss."
"Agreed." I responded, leaning up to kiss him again, a gentle kiss that made him suddenly kneel in front of me again.
We stayed like that a precious minute, towel dropped to one side, and for that precious minute I could almost believe that no matter how stressful it'd be... I could cope. Maybe I … I could do this. But doubt filled me as soon as I thought that. Could I? What if he was just using me for a last minute choice?
What kind of role would that demand anyway?
"What would I be?" I asked quietly, Roberto sliding back a little, and when I muttered, "I mean... I … you ask me that, but you don't explain what … what that would be like."
"That?"
"You know. To marry you. Do you even want me for life? Or am I just... just your last minute choice? Because you haven't got … got someone?"
Roberto opened his mouth to answer. Of course at that moment Alberto returned. With maids, hair dryers, and two make-up artists.
"Alberto." Roberto stood, slowly, and said very clearly, "Out."
"Prince Ro-"
"Out! We need to talk. I'll let you know when we've decided what she'll say."
Alberto stared at Roberto a moment, then at me, and he nodded. I was shocked as he turned and escorted everyone out again, door shutting behind us, leaving the two of us alone.
"Wow." I blinked. "That was easy."
"Al understands. Sometimes." Roberto muttered the last part, before he turned towards me. His face brightened as he lunged for me, shoving me back onto the bed once again, pinning me down. "All right. Where were we?"
"Um." I wasn't going to repeat the question. In fact... I wasn't sure I wanted to talk about it. The answer was too scary. So that only left... "Were we going to do what we did last night?"
"You're changing the subject. Aren't you?" Roberto leaned down to kiss my throat, a knee sliding up between my legs, but he then flopped sideways so that he was lying on the bed beside me. "We're not changing the subject."
"Um. I can try?" I twisted onto my side to gaze at him. He still had that smile, the curly hair partly obscuring one eye, which Roberto brushed impatiently out of his face as he wriggled closer, closer, till our foreheads touched.
He seemed to like this. Us being close like this. But he hadn't answered the question.
"You going to ask me again?" He asked, after a long pause, and when I shook my head, he grinned. "Shy?"
"Of what? You rejecting me?" Shy was the wrong word.
"I'm not going to do that. All right." Roberto grasped for my hand and tugged it against his chest, squeezing it, breathing out. "It's fast. Isn't it? What we're doing."
"Yeah." A little too fast. Still, that simple gesture had my heart fluttering, and I felt breathless as he gazed at me with that intense expression. We lay there, side by side, with our hands and foreheads touching, his own face warmed up and his eyes drawing me in.
"I don't know. Right now I could see you in ten years, still with me, and I can see you as an old woman. Beside me." Roberto's eyes didn't leave mine. "While I get chased by some active grandchild."
"You'd still be running?"
"If you're with me. We'll be one of those old eccentric couples." He grinned. "Can't you see us?"
I could see it, all of a sudden. The two of us. Old, all grey and saggy, and still ...like this. Whatever else was overwhelming about his position, what he expected of me, that was one thing I could see. When I nodded, Roberto slid forward to kiss me suddenly, a hand running through my hair.
"I don't plan things like the others, Phia, but I know how I feel." Even with his smile, there was something serious there, affectionate, and maybe even responsible. "Of course I want you there for the rest of my life. I love you. And if we one day don't feel that way... which we never well-" He gave me a mock squeeze, all of a sudden, "-I'm your best friend too. Aren't I?"
He was. Holy cow. I shut my eyes a moment as emotion washed over me. Maybe he didn't know everything about me yet, or visa versa, but I trusted this man like I'd trusted no one in my life. "Of course you are..."
"Are you afraid of being a Princess?"
"I... I wasn't even sure that was what I'd be." I admitted. "I don't need to be. You know. I can be something lower."
"Alteria's going to love you." He gave me a nudge with his finger, prodding my chin, and shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Al will help you when I can't, you'll learn what you need to, but … it won't change anything. You can still do what you want to."
"Can I? Even work? I don't know if … if your country would really accept a Princess who'd … be like that. And what about when you're King and I... I'm..."
"What do you want to do?" Roberto prompted gently. "Tell me. You wanted to go to University, right?"
"I wanted to study to be a history teacher." I confused. When he burst out laughing, I went bright red, and tried to shove him off the bed. "Hey!"
"So...sorry, but... you? A history teacher?" Roberto laughed out loud all of a sudden. "Princess Sophia. Also history teacher!"
"Well, I already finished my archaeology degree, but... but when I was doing work placement, teenagers came visiting, and they came alive." I shoved a pillow in his face but I was smiling now too. "I mean, it was so amazing, because I'm sure they learnt more in that one day than they did all year, and I suddenly realised I wanted to do that. Teach them. I want to teach kids by making sure they can get out of the classroom and do it for themselves."
"You're an archaeologist?" Roberto's jaw dropped. He grinned suddenly, kissing me hard, and wrapped me in a hard affectionate embrace. "My Phia! She's a scientist and a teacher!"
"Not... not that good of one! Not a teacher yet" I squirmed, before giving up, and letting him have his way with this cuddle attack. "I wasn't very good at all! See? How can a Princess be this? A history teacher?" Or even an archaeologist?
"Phia- everyone's going to love that! The Princess and Queen always does something to help, she doesn't just sit at home, and it's expected of her to do some sort of part time or volunteer work. The crown Princess of Alteria, spends her work days as a teacher, or off studying the history of their own country!" Roberto seemed delighted. He grinned at me. "Like my very own Indiana Jones. With a good body."
"Oh, shut up." I flushed deep red at that as he gazed openly at my dress.
"Is this why you didn't want to marry me? You were afraid you couldn't handle that word?"
"...maybe." I looked sideways suddenly, embarrassed, because he seemed so amused by this. Why was it so funny?
"Say the word, Phia. Come on. Say Princess."
"No."
"Priiinceess."
I shook my head, bright red, refusing to say the word.
Roberto pushed me onto my back. He crawled on top of me and kissed along the edge of the dress. "You're amazing."
"Shut up." I pushed at his chest half heartedly. "I hadn't … said yes, you know..."
"Oh. Right." Roberto didn't seem put off by this. He had clearly decided for himself that I'd say yes. "Well. First thing's first. Where do you want to study?"
"Um. Somewhere good." I hadn't even thought that far ahead. When I'd told Father I wanted to study teaching he'd been horrified. It was a pretty 'boring' job I supposed, and a hard one, but I'd liked it.
"Do you want to find it, or do you want Al to help? Please. Distract him with this." Roberto pleaded against my neck, breathing in slowly, and I shut my eyes as his lips traced across my collarbone. "You smell so good. I love your smell. Princess Sophia. My Phia."
"If you keep calling me that I'll call you Prince Roberto again." I warned and jumped as I felt teeth give me a sudden nip, Roberto sliding a knee back up between my legs. "H.. hey, no teasing me if we can't..."
He laughed and stood up, slowly, his face flustered. "Good point. I'm sure Al is listening in."
Oh. That was an embarrassing point. Had I just confessed to Alberto that I enjoyed naked fun time with Roberto? Woops. Just as I thought this, we heard a knock, and Alberto's voice calling, "Are you ready?"
"Two seconds!" Roberto knelt suddenly, tugging me into a sitting position as he did, and he held up a box. "I never did it right, did I?"
"Huh?"
"Phia. Will you marry me? Not because of the crown, or because of anything else, just because... we're going to be great. For the rest of our lives. I'm only doing this because I want you." And with that... Roberto opened a little jewellery case that was empty. Empty? But his warm red-brown eyes bored into me with sensitivity, deep affection, and I suddenly had to remind myself to breathe... a pain crushed my chest. Happiness. Good god. I was crying and happy and struggling to breathe.
Of course I did. I wanted to grow old with him. Challenges aside... we would be an incredible team.
"There... there's no ring..." I muttered.
"Come on, that's not an answer." Roberto slid closer, between my knees, and shouted at the door as it went to open, "Not yet!"
"Okay. Yes."
Roberto lunged for me, laughing, and lifted me up. "Yes! I knew it. Third time lucky."
I hung onto him as he swung me around, partly afraid for my leg, but warmth filled me at the look in his face. I shut my eyes and leaned against him. "I'm not going to be very good at … you know. The job is going to take some extra training."
"Don't even worry about it. Al will help." Roberto squeezed me tight and hung onto me a good minute, holding me up off the ground, breathing out slowly against my ear as he relaxed. "We'll get a ring together in Alteria. Okay? Two. One for me as well."
"Do men usually wear one?"
"Who cares?" He grinned down at me as he lowered me. "I want to."
"Dork." I was stunned by how relieved I felt. Like this was going to be okay. Maybe Roberto was right. Maybe I could cope with this. I shut my eyes and leaned against him, letting him take my weight, exhausted from all the fighting I'd been doing against this idea. "I'm still not used to the idea of you being a Prince..."
"When we're alone I'm not. Deal?"
"Deal." I agreed.
"Okay, Al." Roberto gently released me, offering the crutches, and Alberto was back.
"Did Miss Sophia want to announce this?"
"Um." I suddenly felt put on the spot again, as Alberto gazed at me, flustered all over again. It felt way too sudden- suddenly telling some famous face that I was Roberto's fiancee. No. The Prince's fiancee...
"No, she doesn't have to yet. Al- you need to help her get ready for this kind of thing first." To my relief Roberto answered, shaking his head, adding, "But do you mind if I tell them without giving them names?"
"That's … okay." I nodded and he smiled. I had this feeling that he probably wouldn't have been able to resist telling them anyway.
I sat down and watched as Roberto was attacked by the make-up and hair teams. He didn't need any of it, the man was gorgeous, but they seemed to work magic. Enhance the eyes, make the hair glow, style it so that it was messy... but stylish... giving Roberto that naughty 'grown up boy' look he already had naturally. Once he'd gone and changed in the bathroom he looked like a Prince. A Prince shell of Roberto who was up to no good.
He grinned at me, winking, the same old Roberto under the Prince shell. Roberto turned to Alberto as he bent down to tug on shoes. "Al- contact the jeweller my Father and Mother used. And let Sophia watch it with you."
"Understood." Alberto nodded. To my surprise his eyes met mine and there was warmth there, real genuine warmth from him, as he bowed to me. "Miss Sophia. Did you want to watch from one of the rooms?"
Oh, right, because I was still a 'secret'. Not that I minded. When I nodded he smiled. Woah. He seemed to be really happy about this. Alberto held out a hand. "The filming will take place in the gardens but the recording will come directly to a room where I will ensure nothing is used that shouldn't be. It may be valuable for you to learn from. You can come sit with us and I'll have your breakfast brought up."
I'd forgotten about breakfast. Roberto ignored the staff as he grasped me, kissing me tenderly, and squeezed me. "Okay, darling. I'll be home in time for lunch, okay? We can talk about all of this then."
The word darling made my knees weak. Woah. That word... suddenly took on a whole other emotion for me.
"Perhaps dinner." Al corrected.. "The group recording will take place after lunch."
"Aw." Roberto sighed. He smiled down at me. "Then dinner. I'll be home for dinner."
I sat with Alberto all morning. It was kind of interesting. The interview, although it was supposed to be 'funny', had so many retakes and jokes being repeated that I was amazed that Roberto could keep laughing like that at jokes. He really seemed to be happy and in a good mood.
Alberto would occasionally use his phone to talk to someone, who I later realised was Claude when I saw Claude move into the cameras, whenever he was unsatisfied with a question or a statement. He was pretty fussy and most of the time his criticism went to Roberto rather than the interviewer.
Soon Wilifred and Prince Joshua joined us in that small room with their own breakfast, beautifully styled and made up, apparently preferring the privacy of that room rather than downstairs with the film crews.
Roberto, on the other hand, was having the time of his life. Teasing the interviewer about this mystery fiancee. Happily going with the cover story the three Princes had agreed to. But he'd decided to add me into the story, which frustrated Wilifred and Prince Joshua to no end as they had to keep adjusting their notes, and it suddenly occurred to me that this might have been why Roberto was going first.
"So you are engaged?" Wilifred said softly. I jumped.
"Um. I... yeah. We are." I admitted and he seemed pretty pleased at that. I flushed as he patted my arm.
"Congratulations."
Prince Joshua just shrugged. He was still watching Roberto on the screen. "He should have asked you after. He's embellishing the story too much."
"Just tell them that his fiancee is for him to announce. You barely talked to her." Wilifred responded. "It's true."
It was. Prince Joshua barely paid any attention to me. I wasn't that bothered by it either.
"There'll be too much speculation now." Alberto muttered to himself. He was scribbling down names. "I'll have to give them warning."
"Who?"
"There's a number of women who are seen as potential candidates for his wife." Alberto explained as he gazed down at a list of women's names. "I imagine the media will now be trailing each of them, seeking to discover the identity of his bride, hoping to see them in the middle of wedding plans."
Wedding plans.
My stomach flip flopped at that. Woah. Okay. Yes. Wedding plans. Hadn't thought that far ahead- flowers, a dress, cakes, guests, and... wow. How did someone plan this kind of wedding? It was going to be huge.
I kind of felt sick again.
"You need not think too much on it now, Miss Sophia." Alberto added quickly. "Most of the plans would probably have been pre-arranged."
"Pre-arranged?" So they'd already started planning for this?
"Guest lists, catering, venue, and so on. The wedding is in the hands of a planner. You will need to focus on training." Alberto was distracted by the screen suddenly and on the phone again to Claude.
I knew by 'training' he didn't mean University.
Roberto's interview went on for some time. The other two, Wilifred and Prince Joshua, vanished one after another to other interviewers only when he was done and it was already eleven by then. I could tell we'd kind of made it all a bit behind schedule. Woops.
Alberto wanted me to go back to my room- probably so that Roberto didn't find me here and get distracted- so once he was done I went back to my room with the guidance of a new maid. Prince Keith had to have had dozens of them employed here.
I sighed over lunch, relaxing, and shut my eyes as I tried to ground myself back into reality. IT was hot outside now, the French doors firmly shut so that the air conditioning could cool my room better, and the sound of insects were probably messing with the interviewer's audio. It would be interesting to see.
The paper was there with lunch, the headline 'Alive!' and the faces of the four Princes splashed across the front page, including Prince Alan, and a small blurb advertising their three interviews that evening. They must have had to make up a lot of stuff to explain their absence, because the article was talking about injuries, near-death moments in hospital, and the incredible work of Liberty surgeons. Prince Roberto's engagement and/or girlfriend was apparently page two. He'd done a pretty good job of making it clear that it was an engagement this morning. He had been so excited, so happy, like a little kid.
I smiled at that as I pictured his face. Then I dropped the newspaper to one side. I didn't need to scare myself to death thinking about media and stuff. Or comparing myself to women they thought were 'perfect Princesses'. Nope. It was between Roberto and myself. '
Slowly I sipped the soup, this sweet cold soup with grapes and crispy bread in it, and felt a kind of peaceful sleepiness drift over me. I could really go with a nap this afternoon and was suddenly so glad Roberto would be busy... I loved him, I really did, but we'd barely gotten four hours sleep last night. If that.
And if we were going to play around tonight, like we had last night, I'd need some energy.
Once I'd finished the soup I crawled into bed, careful of my leg, and snuggled into the clean soft sheets. The feeling of cool air being blow across me, in the warm room, the sound of the air conditioner and the full tummy... I was asleep within seconds.
It hadn't occurred to me that perhaps the soup had been drugged. Not until I'd woken late that evening and found myself on a private plane back to Oriens.
Dun dun dun :)
Sorry for my absence the past few days- I've been a bit sick and stressed about money. What a world.