Dance lesson

During the next week and a half Aidan came to see Kat very often, whenever he managed to sneak out of the palace and while visiting he'd helped her to do her chores around the manor. Luckily to him King Kit had other engagements to attend to most of the days so the negotiations for the trading contract didn't take the whole day, or the negotiations didn't even occur some days at all, so Aidan only had to sneak out of his captain's, and bodyguard's, view and be on his way to see Kat.

Now after spending more time with Kat and getting to know her Aidan could freely admit to himself that there was more than just a slight attraction towards the young woman and that he even might be steadily falling in love with her. She was so different than all the other women in the court. Kat was hard working and to an outside viewer she might look like a beaten dog, who has accepted her fate as a mistreated servant. But Aidan could time to time see the spark that burned like a bonfire in her eyes and he knew that, even though Kat didn't admit it out loud, probably not even to herself, a small part of her believed that there was more life to her, waiting in the future.

Now a days Aidan also didn't have to worry about getting trampled by the young women of the village, who were now, after hearing the juicy rumors of a young rich unmarried prince, dead set on getting the prince's attention. And since, although many of the ladies in the court had seen him, the rumors of his appearance had spread so wildly, that nobody outside the palace really knew what he actually looked like. Some rumors claimed that he had golden hair like the sun and blue eyes like the sea, and other was that he had a hair brown as the bark on the side of the tree and eyes grey as the storm clouds.

In other words Aidan didn't have to worry about getting recognized when he went outside, plus he always made sure to dress down so he didn't look as rich to an outsider so he and Kat would be left alone if someone were to see them, which none had yet.

And like today Aidan, after one hour long negotiations with the King, had snug out of the palace, only after sending his captain to run some errands so he could actually sneak away to see Kat without being noticed. Aidan at some days took his horse, when he knew that he had to get back to the palace in hurry, but some days, like this, that were slower than others he could leave his trusty steed back into the royal stables and just walk.

Kat of course grew to love the charming young man's visits that brightened her usually long and lonely days. The Lady and Beatrice had now grown a habit of leaving the house to buy more expensive and flashy clothing items and accessories so that Beatrice would look more attractive if, or as she said when, she would meet the mysterious prince. So most of the days there was no worry about them noticing Aidan. Although there had been couple incidents, when Aidan had to hide behind the table or chair or even a bush when the Lady and Beatrice returned earlier than usual.

And this day, like many other before it, after Kat had made the breakfast the Lady told Kat that she and her daughter were going to the village to find a new belt for Beatrice's new dress she had bought a couple days ago and then they'd go to have some tea with one the Lady's close friend, whose daughter was friends with Beatrice. Kat had seen the new dress when Beatrice had danced around in it and it, of course, showed Beatrice's bad taste in clothes and the Lady's ignorance of the type of clothes Beatrice loved.

The dress itself had been bright orange with moss green lace on the collar and at the hem. It also had had puffy sleeves that had some green hidden into the layers and it made the sleeves look messy. To be frank the dress was hideous. Luckily it was custom made, like everything Beatrice had, and nobody else had to worry about having to buy something like that.

And so before they left the Lady made sure to leave Kat a long list of chores to do, like always.

Sometime later Kat was half way washing the manor's front windows when she heard a familiar whistle behind her. She turned around and saw Aidan, wearing a simple green cotton shirt and brown pants and boots, and he was smiling that sweet smile of his that Kat had grown to love.

''Aidan,'' Kat called as she walked to the front gate. A while back they had agreed that they should just call themselves with first names and forget all the mister's and miss'.

''Kat, nice to see you again. Has Lady Du Bond and her daughter left yet?'' Aidan asked. Aidan had eventually found out who lived in the manor and after hearing how Kat was actually treated there, he had half mind to just take Kat and leave this place and never return, but knew that he couldn't do it.

''Yes, they left about half an hour ago,'' Kat answered.

''And left you a list of chores,'' Aidan finished bitterly.

''As always,'' Kat admitted as she opened the gate.

''Well let's get started. What's on the list this time?'' Aidan asked as he started rolling his sleeves.

''Washing the windows of the manor, chopping some firewood and going to the village to get the Lady's luxury face cream,'' Kat read the list. Aidan could see, even though Kat tried to hide it, that she really didn't want to go to the village.

''Well let's get to work. Then we'll go to the village together,'' Aidan said as he walked to the well and started to fill the spare bucket with water.

''Aidan you don't have to walk with me to the village, you already help me so much around the manor,'' Kat tried to protest, but Aidan of course didn't hear it.

''Kat, I have rest of the day time to help you. Besides my options of the day's activities are to stay here to help you do your chores and have some nice company while doing it or to go back to the palace and do some boring paperwork I really don't want to do,'' Aidan said in good humor.

''Well if you insist,'' Kat teased as she sneakily took the bucket from Aidan. And so they started to work. They while washing the windows discussed about things they had done and everything else. Aidan had told Kat almost everything about his life, only leaving out the fact that he was a prince in fear that she might start treating him differently if she knew. And Kat, while not having much to tell about her past as all she had ever done was serve the Lady and Beatrice, had told Aidan about her secret dream of one day finding her real family and finding out why they had left her to the Lady and had they ever even wanted her.

Aidan, while not being able to say anything in her family's defense since he didn't know them, tried to stay positive for Kat and trying to encourage her to reach more for her dream. He also tried to make Kat truly believe into the fact that her life will not always be just serving the Lady, but Kat mostly stayed quiet about the matter, not wanting to fight Aidan about the fact that the possibility of that life was slim to none since she had absolutely nowhere else to go.

After three hours of scrubbing the windows they were finally finished and Kat said that they had finally earned their rest. And as Aidan sat beneath the apple tree to rest his aching muscles, Kat went to get some lemonade she had made the other day when Beatrice had complained about the heat and Kat had made so much of the lemonade that they still had it.

She came back with two glasses of lemonade and after giving one glass to Aidan she sat next to him under the tree. The day was beautiful to be outside. It was sunny and not a single cloud was one the sky, but there was a slight breeze of spring wind in the air, making the day warm but not overly hot.

''So next is the firewood, right?'' Aidan asked as he put his empty glass on the ground.

''Yes, the woodcutter came by yesterday and brought the wood the Lady had ordered from him. So now we only had to cut them into smaller pieces and to pile up the stack,'' Kat explained.

''Alright. Why don't you take the glasses back to the kitchen while I start cutting the wood. Where's the ax?'' Aidan asked when he rose from the ground.

''In the shed. And be careful with it, I had it sharpened some time ago so it's very sharp,'' Kat warned as she went to wash the glasses in the kitchen as Aidan headed towards the shed to get the ax.

When Kat had washed the glasses and put them to dry, she went outside to see Aidan cutting the firewood behind the shed. Kat noticed how Aidan had removed his shirt because of the heat and the hard word, and she couldn't help but to blush at the sight of Aidan's bare chest and defined muscles.

Kat had to clear her throat so that Aidan would notice her standing there, looking everywhere around her except his bare chest. When Aidan finally realized her standing there he immediately noticed her bright red cheeks and how she wasn't even looking at him. At first he was puzzled by her behavior, but then he too noticed how he wasn't wearing a shirt at the presence of a lady and he too got rather red on the face.

''Oh…um…I'm sorry about that,'' Aidan said as he put down the ax and quickly pulled his shirt back on, while blushing like mad. When Kat noticed that Aidan had managed to get his shirt back on she finally was able to look at him, even though there was still slight trace of the blush on her cheeks.

''I see you have managed to cut almost all of the wood,'' Kat said looking at the almost finished work.

''Yes there wasn't all that much wood to begin with,'' Aidan said feeling relieved that he didn't have to talk about his embarrassing moment. Kat just nodded and together they piled the stack and were finally finished with the firewood.

''Well that should keep the Lady happy for a while,'' Kat said as she wiped some sweat from her brow. ''You should probably clean up a bit if you want to come with me to the village. There's a barrel of water by the shed. I'll go get the money the Lady left me and then we can go,'' Kat said as she went inside to get the money, while Aidan washed most of the sweat and dirt from his face and hands.

After getting the money and her basket Kat went outside to find Aidan waiting for her, clean from the sweat and dirt. They left the manor and Kat lead Aidan through the forest like the first time when they met. During their walk to through the forest they thought back to the day when Aidan's horse got wild and Aidan was left hanging from the stirrup until Kat came and saved him.

Now they were able to laugh at the incident and, in secret, be thankful that it happened so they were able to meet each other.

They finally reached the village and once again as Kat entered in to it the whispers started. But now there was more to gossip about as Kat had an unknown handsome young man with her. Kat quickly lead Aidan to the Cosmetic Shop and Aidan politely agreed to stay outside while Kat went inside to purchase the face cream the Lady wanted.

Kat entered the shop and saw a familiar middle aged woman behind the counter. She had gray striped brown hair and green eyes, and unfortunately for Kat she was one of those villagers who believed the old priest and thought that Kat was the Devil's daughter.

She looked up from her work and the familiar scowl formed onto her face when she saw Kat.

''Oh, it's you again,'' she frowned.

''Hello Mrs. Winster. Lady Du Bond wanted some of her usual face cream again,'' Kat said shyly, not wanting to anger the woman.

''Of course. Wait here and don't touch anything!'' Mrs. Winster said very sternly as she went to the backroom to get the expensive cream. She quickly came back to make sure that Kat didn't have any time to 'destroy' anything. ''Here you are,'' she said as she slammed the cream jar onto the counter. Kat quickly paid the cream and left the shop.

When Kat got outside she saw Aidan surrounded by young women, who were all asking questions from him and felt the strange twinge on her heart. And through all of it Aidan looked extremely uncomfortable as he stood on the middle of the circle the women had created, but Kat in her yet again depressed mood didn't see it and once again questioned why Aidan was even spending any time with someone like her to begin with.

''Aidan I got the cream, do you want to go back now?'' Kat asked shyly, making all the women around Aidan look at her in annoyance. Like how could this little nobody have anything to do with somebody as gorgeous as this man in front of them?

Aidan though was ever so grateful to see Kat and quickly weaved his way through the crowd of women and was now walking away with Kat, leaving the shocked women behind.

During the walk to the forest Kat stayed very quiet, not saying a word and now when Aidan's attention was completely on Kat again he could see that something was bothering her. He could see that she wasn't looking at him at all and that her eyes were little red, like she had held some tears in her eyes a while back.

''Kat what's the matter?'' Aidan finally asked, not wanting to see that depressed look on Kat's beautiful face.

''It's nothing, don't worry,'' Kat said while sniffing. Aidan then stopped, took Kat's basket and put it on the mossy forest ground and then put his hands on Kat's shoulders and made her look at him. And as Aidan had suspected Kat's eyes were red and little puffy and held a defeated look in them.

''That's a lie and you know it. Now tell me, what the matter is?'' Aidan said while looking into her sad brown eyes. Kat looked at him for a while and then lowered her eyes to the ground.

''Why do you spent time with me?'' Kat then whispered.

''What?'' Aidan asked shocked by the question. Kat the raised her head and now her eyes were filled with fresh tears.

''Why do you want to spent time with me when you could spend time with so many other, more beautiful, wealthier, better women than me?'' Kat said as the tears started to fall to her cheeks.

Aidan finally realized what Kat meant. She was probably referring to those women outside the shop, who immediately surrounded him when Kat went inside. Kat felt like she wasn't good enough to be in Aidan's presence and that he could have better company with someone else than her.

Oh how wrong she was.

''Why do I spend time with you?'' Aidan said as he wiped the tears from Kat's cheeks, ''I spend time with you because you're kind, funny, sweet, caring, feisty, beautiful and just you. I don't want to spend time with other better women because there's nothing better out there. You're perfect in every way possible and there's nobody else I'd rather be with. You're the most amazing person I've ever met and I don't want to lose you, ever,'' Aidan said truthfully. His heart ached to think that Kat didn't see herself as the amazing person he saw her. Aidan had finally realized just how much he cared about Kat. He was truly in love with her and he couldn't imagine ever marrying anybody else except her.

Kat then buried her face on Aidan's chest as she started crying. Aidan of course immediately wrapped his arms around Kat and tried to whisper some comforting words.

''I'm just so tired of this. How long do I have to hear those nasty remarks and see the sneers on everybody's faces? I just can't go on like this for much longer,'' Kat cried on Aidan's chest. And every sob, every tear broke his heart over and over again. How can world be so cruel to this obviously wonderful woman in his arms?

The suddenly Aidan got an idea.

''Kat have you ever danced before?'' He suddenly asked.

''What?'' Kat asked as she raised her head from his chest, which felt oddly cold without her.

''Have you ever danced before? Back when my mother was still alive she used to say that whenever she was sad she would dance. And then she'd feel better. So,'' Aidan said as he removed himself from Kat and bowed to her his hand extended towards her, ''may I have this dance, my lady.''

Kat just smiled sadly at him, ''Aidan I can't dance. I've never had time to learn,'' she tried to explain.

''Well now I will teach you. May I have that honor?'' Aidan asked as he straightened his back, but still held his hand extended towards her.

''Very well,'' Kat said as she placed her smaller hand onto his. Aidan then guided her other hand onto his shoulder while he placed his hand to her waist.

''Now don't look your feet, look at me and trust me to lead,'' Aidan instructed. They began slowly, stumbling ever so often and usually laughing at it, but soon they were dancing around the forest like it was something they'd always done.

Kat was finally smiling and laughing again, her visit to the village completely forgotten as she looked at Aidan's warm blue eyes while they danced around. This is why Kat liked Aidan, he was the only one who could make her truly laugh and smile. With him she felt utterly in peace. With him she felt like she could fight a dragon or fly over the clouds.

This is why Kat loved him with all her heart.