by Anna Santos
“I have no wish to keep company to a person who wants to kill someone just because they trespassed and acted like a spoiled child. You don’t deserve to be saved if you’re that ruthless. You don’t deserve to be loved, either.”
Claire didn’t know what she was witnessing when his face transformed, and he stepped back. It seemed she had hurt his feelings, but he was supposed to be heartless in the first place. Insensitive people don’t care about taking a life, right?
After a moment that felt like an eternity, the prince waved in dismissal, turned around, and climbed the stairs to his throne where he sat back and rubbed his forehead.
Claire’s shoulders dropped, and she felt her body becoming sore from the tension.
“Isn’t he going to kill us anymore?” Deborah asked, raising her head to peek at the prince.
“I have no idea,” Claire mumbled, brushing her hands on her skirt. Her heart was still racing. “What do you want to do? Do you want me to leave and keep Deborah here? She might please you more than me.”
“What are you talking about?” Deborah asked. “Father chose you to stay. I shouldn’t be here.”
Claire frowned at her. “You change your mind fast.”
“I have no wish to marry someone who would kill me when he gets mad. You can stay and be his toy for the next six months.”
“Claire wasn’t going anywhere in the first place.” The prince spoke from his throne. “You’re the one trespassing. She has saved your life. Show some respect.”
Deborah looked in his direction. “You can keep her for more than six months if she pleases you. I have to go home. Father must be worried sick.”
The prince arched an eyebrow as if something caught his attention. “Are you in such a rush to leave already? Weren’t you here to be my queen? To seduce me and melt my icy heart?”
“You aren’t what I expected,” Deborah replied.
“As always, my Regent chose wisely whom to send here,” the prince praised. Claire watched his lips moving as if entranced. “Since I respect your father and Claire begged for your life, I’ll grant you mercy and send you home unharmed.”
“Thank you, my prince,” Deborah said, relief washing over her as she bowed.
“And what will happen to me?” Claire asked.
His lips curled up, and he secured two fingers against his temple. “You’ll stay here with me, so you can make me happy. Isn’t that why you are here?”
“Yes,” Claire replied without averting her eyes from his ethereal face.
“A monster like me needs someone to keep him company, even if he can’t be loved.”
Claire’s face contorted with annoyance. Instead of lashing out, she lowered her eyes to the floor and curtsied. “I’ll make you happy, my lord.” Her right lip curled up as she felt that he might not be expecting her reply. She raised her head to look at his devilishly handsome face. “After all, we don’t want your subjects to freeze to death, do we?”
Chapter 9
Despite the rocky start, and the feeling that the prince might make her staying there harder than it should be, the days passed by without anything unusual happening. The prince seemed to be avoiding her, and her only company were the fairies. Having time to do whatever she wanted, never felt so dull.
Claire often wondered what the prince did to keep himself entertained. What were the rooms that he frequently visited? Why was he keeping his distance when he seemed eager to punish her for saying he didn’t deserve love? Did he? He was nothing like what she had envisioned. He was much more handsome than what the girls said he would be. Was she that impressed by a lifeless and unemotional creature? He barely looked human. Nevertheless, he had chosen her over Deborah.
“That’s because she dared to come here without an invitation, and the Regent had decided to send me here instead. He was protecting his daughter,” Claire grumbled to herself as she mixed the bread dough on the kitchen’s workstation. She enjoyed helping the fairies with the cooking and baking.
“You’re talking to yourself again?” Ming asked, flying to her side and landing on her shoulder.
Claire straightened up and cleaned the beads of sweat off her forehead.
Ming giggled. “You have flour all over your forehead and cheeks.”
“I’ll wash once I’m done kneading the dough.”
“You can talk to us about what’s bothering you,” Kara said from the cooker, where she was using her magic to stir the contents of the pan with a wooden spoon.
Claire sighed. “I was wondering how I can make the prince happy if he doesn’t show his face.”
The fairies exchanged looks.
Tasha was the first to speak. “Do you want to see him after what he did in the throne room?”
“What did he do?”
“He almost killed you and the other girl,” Kara replied.
“But he didn’t,” Claire reminded them. “I might have offended him, too. Maybe I should find a way to apologize.”
The fairies exchanged another look.
Ming raised her hand. “Sweet bread with honey and hazelnuts, he loves that. Maybe we could bake some, and you can take it to the library.”
Claire glanced at Ming. “A library? Is there one in here? Where? Why haven’t you shown me?”
“It’s his refuge, and it’s in his part of the palace. We can’t take you there without his permission,” Kara clarified. She waved her hand, the spoon moved from the pan, and a drop fell on the fairy’s hand. She tasted the stew and nodded in appreciation. “Perfectly seasoned.”
“Is that where he spends his days? That’s selfish of him. It would be easier to spend my time here if I had books to read,” Claire complained.
“We like to read, too. We can bring some of our favorite books for you,” Ming said with a nod of her head.
“Oh, I would love that.” Claire folded her hands together with a smile.
“All fairies like to dance, sing, play instruments, and perform their favorite plays,” Ming shared. “Do you like to sing, too?”
“I’m not very good at singing and can’t play an instrument. I know how to dance but not the waltzes meant for the rich.”
“And performing, do you like it?” Tasha asked.
“I’m not very good at it, but it’s fun. We did a few plays in our village when the nights were warmer, and we celebrated the holy days.”
“Did you have an audience?” Ming clapped her hands. “We never have an audience here. It’s lonely. The other girls never wanted to do anything with us.”
“They were fools. I love spending time with you. I learn new and fun recipes, and we always laugh about the silliest things. Plus, who would I talk to if I wasn’t with you?”
Kara giggled. “To yourself, apparently.”
Ming and Tasha laughed as Claire covered her cheeks with her hands, powdering them with more flour.
“I think it’s time to force the prince to eat his dinner in the living room with Claire. Don’t you agree, girls?” Ming asked her sisters.
They nodded. “He needs to be more considerate of his guest.”
“Can you do that?” Claire asked with widened eyes. “Won’t that make him upset?”
“He rarely gets upset,” Ming assured. “He still needs food to keep living. Don’t worry about a thing. We’ll bring him out of his library lair, and you’ll be able to see and talk to him.”
Claire scratched the back of her neck while trying to conceal her smile. “What’s the recipe to make his favorite bread?”
Ming flew away. “Let me grab the ingredients.”
From that point on, the prince only came forward when it was time for dinner. His attitude had not changed in the slightest. In fact, Claire thought he was colder than before. He barely looked at her and didn’t try to talk. He never praised the food or complimented the fairies for their hard work.
The fairies served them the meals, but the prince remained silent and unattainable. After a while, Claire grew tired of his attitud
e and stopped making the desserts that were supposed to be his favorite. There was no point in serving them if they weren’t making him happy.
Royalty was meant to be well-mannered and gracious, but William seemed to have chosen the rudest and scariest version of that motto. He sat at one end of the elongated dining table and Claire at the other. Meals were had in nearly complete silence. Attempts at saying a few words fell flat with either him ignoring her or a few blank stares that ranged from dull and uninterested to downright intimidating.
Life at a palace was supposed to be fascinating and filled with wonder. Instead, Claire was stuck with a prince who was satisfied being alone in a grand but creepy palace. Swapping places with Deborah never felt more appealing. The prince’s decision to keep her became more of a punishment than a preference. She missed her parents, her friends, goofy and kind Myka, and even her days at the fair, selling her goods. She wondered if everybody was missing her, too. At least, in her home, she felt loved and cherished. The neighbors were ready to help each other and fraternize. Aside from the fairies, living in the Diamond Palace was lonely. Expensive trinkets and fancy dresses couldn’t erase the need for human contact and communication.
As time passed, she focused on exploring the palace more. As long as she did not disturb anything or bother the prince, she could go almost anywhere. The act became a hobby, trying to help pass the time and learn more about the place that was now her home. There were many rooms and floors to walk through. Everything looked expensive and rare. Just a few items would keep her family fed for the rest of their lives. But all of it belonged to a prince who stayed a recluse while his kingdom suffered.
The white decor and high cathedral ceilings made the interior look majestic but daunting. Everything around her felt vast but suffocating compared to her old life. Claire missed her comfy home and loving parents even more as her mind drifted to the past. Yes, they were poor, but they were rich in love and care for each other.
She was away from her family only to please a prince who was colder than ice to everyone. He didn’t care if she was there or not. No wonder girls made up stories about their stay at the palace. They either did it out of spite or to hide the fact that their royal ruler was dull and wasn’t the least concerned with breaking his curse and freeing his kingdom of the perpetual snow.
Her only salvation were the fairies. They were interested in her happiness, not just in the fact that she might break the prince’s curse. That belief had fallen apart when the prince didn’t even bother to speak to her while they shared dinner. Spending her free time with the fairies and helping around the palace was Claire’s only distraction. They didn’t deny her assistance. She even helped them sow dresses and do embroidery. They, in turn, complimented her talents and treated Claire like an equal. As promised, they found her books, so she could spend her time in more pleasant and exciting places. They often met in her bedroom, and she read to them.
The fairies became her dearest friends. They were happy hanging out with a human who just wanted to enjoy their company and share her passion for books with them. Plus, they were great singers, and they often danced around the dining table after the prince retired to his quarters and dull existence.
Ensuring the prince and butler were not around, the fairies and Claire had fun around the palace’s empty rooms. Singing and dancing were among their favorite pastimes. They avoided the butler and hid when someone spotted him nearby. He was practically a shadow of the prince, and Claire doubted he ever sang and danced in his lifetime. Still, he worked there and deserved her respect. She just didn’t want the butler to tell the prince what they were doing. He might not approve of their games and scold the fairies for it.
Soon, the fairies became bold enough to perform their favorite passages from the books they read at night. Picking the kitchen as their ground zero, they let their imagination run wild. Their best idea was choreographing stories within the pages of books and ones they’d made up. Claire loved doing the latter more since that allowed the females to become the hero of those stories. She did not mind reading about a damsel once in a while, but the deluge of books featuring that was annoying.
Ming enjoyed playing the princess in danger. It was hilarious, watching the little creature pretend to be helpless while Claire played the dashing prince. When those stories concluded, they celebrated by eating cake and drinking tea.
Claire was happy with the distraction, but she was aware that there was more to her living in the palace than playing games and making friends. The prince was still cold, and the kingdom cursed to a horrible winter. How was she supposed to make the prince happy when he seemed fine with being dour and angry? How could she help him if he was being obstinate and not talking to her?
Chapter 10
“Lady Claire, there’s news from the capital and items to help pass the time and keep you fed.” The butler peeked into her room. “The fairies are collecting the items, but I thought you would want to collect the letter personally.”
Claire bounded out of bed and straight to the chariot waiting outside. She peppered the driver with questions, but all he did was give her the letter and stated that the kingdom was counting on her to make the prince happy. While grateful for the news, she was getting tired of being treated as if the curse was her fault.
The fairies had brought in a load of new things—beautiful fabrics to sew new dresses and other lovely items. There were also new books to read, so that they could create new adventures to help pass the time, and scrumptious food to keep up their sustenance. There were so many items, Claire almost felt guilty. All of this food would feed her poor neighborhood well, yet it was just for a few people within the palace. She recalled the unfair disparity between the rich and the poor. Perhaps, she could change it if the prince made her his queen. As if I’d marry that stuck-up and pompous prince!
Claire focused on the letter she received. It was from her mother. That alone made the young lady smile. The Regent had been kind to her parents, helping them face financial hardship. Her mother was recovering from her disease and was able to do more around the house. Mother was also glad that Claire had a chance at a better life with the prince. She asked her not to worry about her and Father, but also reminded her that many citizens were preoccupied with the fact that the winter was still there. Blizzards were getting worse, and the prince needed to be happy. That way, spring would come to the kingdom in time for crops to grow. Mother gave other news about the nation and ended with the usual ‘I Love You.’
Guilt gripped Claire’s chest. The letter was a godsend and a sad reminder. She was not at the palace to play with the fairies. Their kingdom was in turmoil, and for that year, she was the one who had to make the prince happy and hold back winter. She had tried to reach the prince before with no success. Now, she was more determined than ever to get William to pay attention and let happiness into his life.
When dinner came that night, Claire was ready with her questions. “Prince William, do you like the tomato soup?” she asked but got no answer. “I think it’s delicious, and the fairies did an amazing job preparing it for us.”
“That’s their job.” The prince didn’t even look up.
Claire felt as if someone had splashed a bucket of cold water on her face.
“Actually, it isn’t their job,” she dared to say. Her throat went dry, but she continued. “They are here because they like to help people in need. They want you to be happy as much as everybody else in the kingdom. It’s not their job to cook for you.”
“They can leave whenever they want,” the prince grumbled.
“And who would attend to you if they did?”
The prince stopped eating and put down his spoon. “Do you want me to thank them?”
Her voice came out cold when she spoke. “It would be a start.”
His perfect lips pursed as his eyes aimed at her face, slightly narrowing. It was the biggest display of emotion since the occurrence in the Throne Room. His glare was supposed to be intim
idating, but Claire found herself lost in the blue of his eyes. She wondered how he would look if his skin wasn’t so pale. Was he like that because of the curse or because he didn’t go out into the sun?
Her wandering thoughts were interrupted by Ming. “There’s no need to thank us, Your Highness.” The pink fairy smiled as she landed next to Claire’s hand. “We enjoy being here with Claire. She’s the nicest of them all. You should spend some time with her and get to know her.”
The prince groaned instead of forming words.
Claire gripped her spoon harder. Be nice. You need to please him. “We made a lovely dessert. I’m sure you’ll love it.”
“Dessert?” His eyes widened with surprise. “Hazelnut chocolate cake? Vanilla pudding or sweet bread?”
“I thought you didn’t care about dessert,” Claire said under her breath.
“Why would you think that?”
“Claire has stopped making your favorite desserts because you didn’t seem to enjoy them,” Ming clarified.
The prince looked from Ming to Claire and from Claire to Ming. “You let her do this to me?”
Ming shrugged. “We are your godmothers, not your servants.”
“Yes, my godmothers. You should like me more than you like her,” the prince complained.
Claire pursed her lips, trying to swallow her grin.
“Claire made us her favorite dessert for tonight,” Ming said, placing her hands on her hips.
“I don’t care about her favorite dessert. I want my favorite dessert,” the prince protested.
“Spoiled and self-centered just like Deborah. I wonder if the Regent made the right decision. They seem perfect for each other,” Claire commented out loud, looking at Tasha and Kara, who were seated on the other side of the table.
They giggled.
Claire pointed her fork at them. “It’s probably your fault. You let him do whatever he wants.”
