44 Chapter Forty Four

"What is going on here?"

The angry expression on Prince Noah's face surprised me.

"H-Huh, it's nothing, Your Highness. I was just accompanying my friend to his dorm." I said.

Raising one eyebrow Prince Noah asked, looking at me, skeptical. "If nothing happened then why are you a mess?"

Then I noticed Prince Noah's eyes on my clothes which were still all stained from before.

"...Oh, that? I had an accident in the Servant's Hal, that is all, Your Highness." I said, omitting the truth.

'Is he mad because I stained his old clothes?' I asked myself noticing Prince Noah's angry look on me.

But then Prince Noah looked away fixing his eyes on Theo. "What are you doing here?"

"Theo was just-" I said, but Prince Noah interrupted me.

"I'm talking to him, not you, Alex." Prince Noah serious said, surprising me.

Theo looked at me for a second, then he bowed. "My apologies, Your Highness. I was making company to Alex and lost track of the time. I was already making my way to my dorm, Your Highness."

"I see." Prince Noah said without changing his expression. Then he looked at me and said. "Go to your room, Alex."

I was about to ask him why he was saying that so suddenly, but then Prince Noah said. "We will have to wake up early tomorrow, go rest now."

Seeing Prince Noah's serious expression I knew I wouldn't change his mind. Then I looked at Theo that just nodded to me in response.

"Yes, Your Highness." I said, bowing respectfully, and then I left looking back, unsure about Theo.

I didn't know if I was worried about letting Theo deal with Prince Noah's angry temper by himself or if I was actually anxious about leaving Theo, the only person that knows my secret, alone with Prince Noah.

Maybe I was feeling both.

'Theo seems to be really loyal to the monarchy, though he promised me he wouldn't say anything and so far he fulfilled his words, what if Prince Noah's title overcomes the importance of the promise he made to me?' I thought in my room, worried.

***

The next day I was surprisingly awakened by Mary knocking on my door calling for me. Looking at the clock I realized Prince Noah wasn't exaggerating about having to wake up early this morning.

Looking through the window I realized the sun had barely raised in the sky.

Yawning I opened the door, after changing my appearance using my magic as always.

"Good morning, Mary." I said, sleepy.

"Good morning, Alex." Mary said with her usual gentle smile. "Prince Noah is calling you."

"Right, just a minute I have to change myself." I said, quickly going to change my clothes, leaving the door open for her.

After a moment of silence, Mary asked through the other side of the dressing screen. "Are you alright, Alex? I've heard about what happened yesterday."

I wasn't surprised to hear that from her. I knew that soon or later Mary would know about last night's event.

"Yes I'm fine, don't worry, Mary." I said, reassuring her.

Mary sighed. "I knew it would happen one day… There are a lot of servants that envy you for your privileges as Prince Noah's playmate, Alex."

'I realized that much so far.' I thought, annoyed.

"But despite the rumors, I know things will get better with time for you. Don't worry, Alex." Mary said, hopeful.

"Rumors? What rumors?" I asked, curious, leaving from behind the dressing screen after changing my attire.

Mary looked at me surprised, realizing that she said something she wasn't supposed to.

"I-It's nothing, just old stories. A child like you shouldn't worry about those things." She said, avoiding answering me.

"But-" I was about to question her again when Mary interrupted me saying.

"Since you changed your clothes already, let's go see Prince Noah, he may be waiting for us." Mary said softly pushing me, trying to rush me to leave the room.

"B-But, Mary-" I said in vain since Mary kept pushing me to leave the room.

"Let's go, Alex." She said, closing my door.

I sighed.

"Alright." I said accepting that Mary wouldn't tell me anything.

'But what are these rumors about after all?' I asked myself, looking at Mary.

Coincidently Mary and I arrived at the exact moment Prince Noah left his room, followed by his maids.

Mary and I bowed respectfully as we were supposed to, then Prince Noah said looking at me. "Alex, come here."

I came towards him, but before I could say something he started walking, then I just assumed I was supposed to follow him.

We were walking together in silence for a moment while the maids were a few meters away, following us.

"I talked to Isabel last night." Prince Noah suddenly said not looking at me.

"What did the princess say?" I asked, surprised.

Prince Noah had a troubled expression on his face when he said. "Just try to not be alone with her from now on."

'This doesn't reassure me at all.' I thought, nervous.

Since I am Prince Noah's servant it will be hard for me to not end up meeting the princess through the palace all the time.

I sighed.

'I didn't want the princess to be a problem to me, but it seems I have no other choice but to stay away from her.' I realized.

***

In the main dining room Prince Noah wanted me to eat with him as usual, it has been some time since we had a meal just the two of us, so I joined him with no opposition.

"What happened with you last night? Your clothes were all dirty." Prince Noah suddenly asked me.

"Oh, I just… I just accidentally spilled all my food on me." I lied.

That servant boy already suffered enough at Theo's hands, literally. Telling the truth to Prince Noah would just get things worse for that boy.

'Theo already punished him enough.' I thought.

Just then I remembered about Theo, he and Prince Noah stayed together after I left last night.

"Your Highness, what happened after I left last night?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" Prince Noah asked, confused.

"You and Theo, the page boy, were together after I went to my room last night… Did you guys talk?" I asked, curious.

Prince Noah frowned and said. "We didn't talk, he left soon after you."

"I see." I said relieved.

'It seems that Theo didn't tell Prince Noah anything about me. Prince Noah wouldn't be acting so casual with me if Theo had told him the truth about me, after all. Theo kept his promise.' I realized.

Then I remembered. "Your Highness, can I ask you a favor?"

Prince Noah looked at me surprised. "Yes, what is it about?"

"It's about my friend Theo you met last night." I said.

Prince Noah frowned again. "What does it have to do with him?"

"It's that last night Theo, hm… helped me. And while helping me he may have gotten in trouble with the Head Maid. Is there anything you can do for him not to be punished? He was just helping me." I said.

I don't think it would take longer for the Head Maid to discover that it was Theo that hurt the servant boy last night. Though the Head Maid may not have power over the knights and pages, she can still make him get punished if she snitches him to his superiors by causing conflicts with the servants of the palace.

'After helping me last night, the last thing I want for Theo is to be punished.' I thought, worried.

Prince Noah looked at me confused for a moment. "Are you two really friends?"

"Yes, why?" I asked, confused.

Prince Noah looked away and then looked at me again. "Nothing."

Before I could ask him for more details, Prince Noah turned away looking at one of the maids.

"Come here." He ordered.

The maid came closer to him and then he said. "Go to the knights' section and tell them that the page Theo may not be punished for his doings last night. It's my order."

"Yes, Your Highness." The maid said and left the room.

"Thank you, Your Highness." I said, grateful.

"It was nothing." Prince Noah said looking away.

Then, surprising us the dining room door was opened. It was Nicholas accompanied by his maids.

"I woke up a bit late, I'm sorry." He said, approaching us.

"Good morning, Nicholas." I said, welcoming him.

But Nicholas looked at me blushing and quickly turned away.

"G-Good morning." Nicholas said, softly.

Then he sat by Prince Noah's side, on the other way of the table from me.

"Did something happen between both of you?" Prince Noah asked, looking at us, confused.

"N-Nothing happened between us!" Nicholas suddenly shouted.

For a moment I was confused by his sudden behavior until I remembered what had happened between us yesterday. After all that happened to me last night, I totally forgot about what Nicholas did.

"Hm… Is that so?" Prince Noah asked, but this time, he was looking at me.

I looked at Nicholas's nervous face before answering. "Yes, nothing happened, Your Highness."

Prince Noah didn't seem to believe me, but he didn't make any more questions.

"I see." He said, putting an end to this topic.

We went in silence then, the only sound in the room was from the noise of our cutlery occasionally touching the plate.

Whenever I looked at Nicholas he seemed to get nervous and look away, while Prince Noah seemed to be lost in his own thoughts, not making eye contact with any of us.

I sighed knowing that I could do nothing to change the weird mood in the room.

But then, the dining room door was open again. To my surprise, it was Princess Isabel, accompanied by her maids.

All servants in the room bowed respectfully to her, and so quickly I did the same, raising from my sit.

"What are you doing here?" Prince Noah asked her with a rude tone, surprising me.

'Why is he acting like that?' I thought, confused.

"I heard that you were having breakfast here this early in the morning, so I decided to join you, my brother." The princess said, smiling.

Prince Noah said nothing, he just looked away, frowning.

The princess came closer to us, then her eyes met mine.

I got tense, but Princess Isabel just smiled. "You are Alex, right? It is nice to see you again."

"I-It is an honor to see you again, Your Highness." I said nervously, bowing.

Then she took a glance at the table looking at my sit. "Is that your sit, Alex?"

"Yes, it is. Do you have any problem with that?" Prince Noah asked, staring at his sister, serious before I could say anything.

To my surprise, Princess Isabel didn't seem to be affected by her brother's rude tone. She actually seemed glad.

"No, not at all. Actually, I've been pretty curious about Alex. It's nice that I have a chance to talk to him." She said, smiling at me.

Then she took the sit right beside mine.

"Won't you sit, Alex?" The princess asked me with her golden eyes staring at mine, giving me chills.

'What should I do?'