Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot, setting, and personalities. The rest belongs to SM. Enjoy.
I woke up from my nap, seeing it still very bright outside and looked over to see Jan at my side.
"You needn't look like that… If there is anything at all that you need, please let me know and it shall be arranged."
I nodded, surprised at his hospitality and kindness, especially since he had been around Prince Jasper for so long. Just then, I remembered that I lived on my own and if my parent's tried to contact me they wouldn't be able to.
"Do you have a phone I may use to call my parents…?"
"Are you not of legal age?!" I looked up to see Prince Jasper leaning in the doorway.
"Prince Jasper. You are looking wonderfully fierce this morning," I offered sarcastically.
He sighed. "I was born looking fierce. Now, Alice…"
I hesitated. "Yes?"
"Are you underage?" he asked briskly.
"No, not at all. Why?" I was curious as to why he was keen on knowing this information.
"Then isn't about time that you stop crying for your mommy and daddy? You shouldn't need to call them about everything! There's honestly no hope for a common woman who acts like a child," he stated matter-of-factly.
Argh! I was fuming. "What so childish about calling worried parents?!"
A fierce look crossed Prince Jasper's face. "If you continue to rely on them and can't stand on your own two feet, then you're no more than a child!"
Contacting my parents had nothing to do with being independent. I couldn't hold back my anger as I spit out my reply.
"If I don't contact them, they will only become more worried. I call them, not because I need to, but because they care about me and want to know I'm safe. That is hardly a reason to call me a child. They may be overly protective and worrisome but it's just because I actually mean something to them! I think a person who would allow them to worry and not care is the childish one!"
"They won't worry after just one week, let alone the one day you've been here…" he said softly.
"Any normal parent would! Do you not get that!?" I screamed.
Prince Jasper's expression wavered. "A normal parent…"
Just then, I remembered what I had been told at the party. Prince Jasper was separated from his parents at a young age… I felt awful. Rather quickly, Jan jumped into the conversation.
"Parental issues aside, when there is trouble, you have a duty to contact someone, yes?" he looked over to Prince Jasper. "She is doing her duty by contacting them is all."
Prince Jasper seemed to accept this explanation and nodded. "I see… So it isn't a lack of independence then… Although you should show more respect when you speak to me. I am the crown prince of this kingdom."
And there it is. I rolled my eyes and nodded. "I offer my apologized and bowed, then felt someone's hand rest on my shoulder. I looked up to see Jan, in his own way trying to comfort me and smiled.
"You must watch your tone as well, Prince Jasper. People will start to doubt your capacity as a man," Jan offered politely.
Prince Jasper grew red and seemed to choke on whatever he meant to say next. "Jan go get me that thing," he sighed.
"What thing?" Jan looked over to him, perplexed.
"THAT THING!" he yelled out, slamming his fist down on the table he was next to.
"Oh yes, my apologies. I'll go grab that and be right back!" Jan hurried out of the room, looking slightly frightened and very frazzled.
"I swear he's in his own lithe world. He'll always be useless…" Prince Jasper mumbled under his breath.
My chest tightened as I caught his whispered words. Useless? Jan works his hardest and he calls him useless?!
"He's brilliant and he seems to care for you most of all," I stated confidently.
Prince Jasper frowned. "What would you know?"
I laughed. "I think you would know Jan's true nature better than myself, Prince Jasper."
Prince Jasper bit his tongue awkwardly and looked away, an uncomfortable silence settling around the room before being broken by the sound of hurried footsteps.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Jan came flying into the room with an armful of papers. Prince Jasper grimaced as he saw them.
"Your contract. Here is everything you need to fill out before being able to start your work," Prince Jasper stated calmly.
"I have to fill out all of these?!" I glanced at the unsettling large stack of papers I had to fill out, not looking over when he spoke again.
"Yes," he stated coldly.
Jan smiled softly at me, trying to ease my discomfort. "Now, Miss Alice. Is it alright for me to leave you with filling out these papers?"
"Sure," I offered a smile.
"Now get to it, I don't want to have to deal with a long process of this before we can get you done and ready to leave," Prince Jasper barked out.
I choked on my own words after hearing that. "Wha?!"
"Your Highness shouldn't speak to her like that," Jan sighed.
Prince Jasper automatically turned his back. "I'll leave everything else to you Jan. Got it?"
Jan smiled bitterly as he gave a deep, demonstrative bow. "Your will is my command, Master."
Prince Jasper left the room and Jan gave me a shy smile. "My apologies, Miss Alice. His Highness doesn't really mean anything by it, he's just…" he spoke awkwardly as he tried to placate me and I felt my anger ebbing away.
"It's fine Jan. I know none of this is your fault." My problem is with Prince Jasper. And I may as well get this paperwork over and done with so I can avoid receiving any more Prince Jasper's anger than necessary. And with that thought, I took the paperwork in hand.
Hmm… my surroundings had gone completely dark. I raised my head from the desk I had been lying on to realize I must have fallen asleep in the middle of filling out my paperwork. There were a lot of pages to fill out, but it also had to be written in the special Dresvanese writing style. I was provided with a computer and stencil sheet to look up the structure in which they write and the script in which they write as well, and it was taking a long time.
I sighed heavily, and I noticed the weight of something draped across my back. Upon checking I found it to be a blanket. I wonder if Jan covered me up with this? My heart lightened and I turned my attention to the paperwork once more.
It's already morning and I'm still nowhere near finishing. I had been told that breakfast was ready and was heading to the dining hall. On the way I bumped into Prince Jasper.
"Good morning," I smiled politely. He stared back at me.
"Couldn't you sleep?" At the same time he said this, he touched a finger to the soft skin beneath my eyes. I jumped a little and shied away from him, and he smiled slightly.
"Missing your parents so much you couldn't sleep?"
"No! I was actually trying to finish that paperwork you gave me as soon as possible!" I demanded harshly. I swear, he's so infuriating.
Nonplussed, he turned away from me. "Are you always this loud in the morning?"
"What!?"
"Come," he ordered. His short command confused me for a moment before i was able to get out anything.
"What do you…"
"Just keep quiet and come with me," he said. I sighed as I stared at him from behind. 'At least Jan's nice…' I thought to myself as I followed behind him and headed to the dining hall.
We sat down in our seats, at opposite ends of the long table. 'Well this is awkward…' I was alone in the dining hall with Prince Jasper. I assumed since his parents lived separate from him, he dined alone everyday. My eyes wandered around the room and Prince Jasper spoke.
"Jan has gone out for a while. He should be back soon. Was there something you needed?" he questioned, a look of concern on his face.
"Oh… No, I'm fine, thank you," I sat there confused by his constant shifts in attitude every time I saw him and, with nothing better to do, started to eat the food in front of me. I glanced up at Prince Jasper, wondering if he would mind if I spoke to him. He was reading the newspaper as we ate.
"It's very good…"
He responded without looking up from the paper. "Hmm."
I tried again. "Are meals always like this?"
"Hmm…"
"Isn't it quiet sitting in here by yourself?"
"Hm."
His eyes didn't leave the newspaper.
"Can you even hear me right now?"
"Mm hm…"
I stared at him. "You're not listening are you?"
"Mmh."
I frowned. "HEY!"
I found myself yelling at him and he finally lifted his eyes up from the newspaper.
"What?"
"I don't think it's very good manners to be sitting there reading a newspaper at the breakfast table," I stared at him.
He seemed unconcerned by my disapproval as he went back to reading.
"It's not against the rules," he offered, a hint of humor in his voice. "I don't read like this out in public or when there are other people around."
"Other people…"
Prince Jasper glanced up at me.
"Oh you don't count. Sorry."
"I don't count?" I took a moment to digest this before speaking softly. "I don't mean to be rude Your Highness, but while I think rules are important… I believe a person's feelings are more important."
"A person's feelings?" He asked.
"Yes. I think it's important to be able to put yourself in another person's position and imagine how they must be feeling."
Prince Jasper laughed. "What's the point of doing that? It's not something I'll need to know when I become King."
"Technically you will, for the people of your country. But the point is… Wouldn't it be better to enjoy your meal, since we are here having it…? That way even your food will…"
He stared at me coldly.
"I don't understand what you're talking about. It is more efficient if I read the newspaper while eating, that way I have more time for work and study. Why should I take time out of my day just to savor a meal?"
He cares more about being efficient…? It's so sad that he would think enjoying a meal to be a wast of time. I already miss my lunches with the girls. Their company was what made it all the better. I found myself staring at him and he raised his eyebrows at me.
"What? Did I say something strange?"
And no, it wasn't strange. Just a different way of thinking than mine. Then, I recalled what I had heard about the special training a prince must go through. Is that the reason he thinks the way he does?
He looked straight back at me and opened his mouth to speak.
"You look like you pity me… Don't."
Oh… I sat there looking down at the table and nodded.
"Sorry, but I don't see why a commoner should pity me."
I kept my eyes cast down and kept my mouth shut. I could only just make out the words he whispered next.
"My life has always been like this…."
I looked up immediately and caught a glimpse of sadness in his eyes, but his face went blank as soon as he noticed me. Is Prince Jasper….?
My thoughts were interrupted as Jan entered the room.
"You took your time," Prince Jasper said, uninterested.
"Yes, I had trouble finding—"
Prince Jasper stood up. "I have work to do. I'll leave the rest to you."
"Understood," Jan said softly. Jan bowed as Prince Jasper walked past.
"His Highness must have been worried about you to have stayed in here this long."
"What? No, His Highness was eating his breakfast," I offered quickly.
Jan tilted his head slightly.
"But His Highness doesn't like to waste time, so he usually isn't in here for long."
"Oh…"
Surely not… I suddenly remembered the blanket I had woken up with during the night.
"Oh, Jan. Thank you for placing that blanket over me last night," I smiled.
Jan's eyes widened at my words. "Blanket…?"
"Yes… someone covered me with a blanket last night… Wasn't it you?"
"No… it wasn't me…" Jan seemed to realize something as he spoke, but he kept whatever it was to himself and smiled. "Oh yes, here." He handed me the bag he had been holding.
What is it…? I opened it to find a new cellphone, similar to the one I had back at my flat.
"A cellphone so you can call your friends and anyone in any kingdom you like… non restrictive," he smiled.
"That's where you went? Thank you."
He hesitated for a second then spoke.
"It is His Highness you should be thanking."
"Prince Joshua?" I asked in surprise.
"Yes, His Highness was the one who ordered that this phone be made ready for you immediately."
Prince Jasper…. He had stayed with me in the dining room until Jan had come back so I wouldn't be alone. And arranged for Jan to get me a cellphone I could use to contact people in other kingdoms. And… Did he give me the blanket?
His eyes were always so cold, and he seemed not to care for anyone or anything. Yet his actions didn't quite match his appearance. I brought Prince Jasper's face to mind as I listened to Jan speak.
That night, I sat working on my paperwork distractedly. I wanted to thank Prince Jasper, but of course he wasn't there at dinner. I continued to stew over this when my pen suddenly ran out of ink. Shit. I need to find Jan. I looked up at the clock to see it was much later than I had thought, he wouldn't be awake. Slightly troubled, I decided to take a walk down the hall, hoping I would find a servant or made somewhere along. I carried my pen as I walked, noticing how different this place felt at night. I tiptoed through the halls, trying to make as little sound as possible and noticed an open door into one of the rooms, wondering if someone was in there.
Just then I heard a thud. I hurried toward the door and peek inside, noticing it to be some kind of office, most likely Prince Jasper's. It didn't look like anyone was in there though, so I was curious as to what made that sound. It was then that I caught Prince Jasper collapsed on the ground.
I pushed the door open and ran into the room, dropping down on the floor next to him.
"Your Highness?!"
He was completely unresponsive and I had no idea what to do.
Author's note: Well hello. I'm back, just not as long of a time in between, haha. *hides* Anyway I had a long weekend and thought hey why not? Anyway. I hope you enjoyed, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to contact me in the comments or in PM. R&R lovelies! ~Caroline 3