Chapter 6: Accidents

Tap, tap, tap

Ansel walked through the hallways of the castle continuing to hold Gabrielle tightly in his arms.

She looked up, gazing upon his smooth face.

'He's like a painting, something you admire from afar. So handsome and caring… He's like nothing I've ever seen before… Why is he so sweet to me? I can't seem to figure him out…' 

She placed her hand on her chest, feeling her heart rapidly beating against her chest. 

'How can he have my heart so quickly?'

He glanced down at her, meeting her eye. She looked away with haste, her cheeks beginning to shift to a red color.

"Now I see why I can't focus," He hummed, giving a light smile, "I was wondering what had me so distracted."

She placed her hand on her face, hiding her blushing face.

"What do you mean Your Majesty," She mumbled, her face covered in embarrassment.

"Your gaze," He expressed, touching the tip of her nose, "Your eyes have my mind trapped." 

She jolted, feeling as if her heart stopped completely. She dug her face into her hands.

'I'm dying right now! He has me so embarrassed…' 

"Put me down,"  She blushed, squirming in his arms, "I can walk."

"Awe but you don't know your way around the castle, and since you were in a panic looking for me I think it's only fair that I escort you back to your room by carrying you," He smiled, continuing to walk with her in his arms.

"Well I wouldn't have been so scared if that door hadn't been locked. I mean whose idea was that anyway? Locking me away like some prisoner," She belated, pursing out her lips.

'Locked door,' He wondered, playing over his thoughts.

"Oh," He exclaimed, "I forgot the door handle gets jammed, I'll have a locksmith fix it as soon as possible. I don't want you to be panicked anymore, my Princess."

She felt her face turning red as she looked away from him."Why must you tease me," She pouted, slapping her hands down on her lap.

"Tease you, why whatever do you mean? I'm just being a good King," He smirked, finally making it back to her room. 

She jumped out of his arms, stepping away from him, pointing her finger in his face.

"You know exactly what I mean. Don't think I'll be nice to you if you keep going with this act," She huffed, stomping her foot on the floor.

"What act,"  He grinned, grabbing onto her wrist, pulling her in closer to him, "I want to know."

"The act where you pretend like you have even a slight inkling of feelings for me," She sighed, pulling her wrist out of his grip.

"Pretend," He asked, raising an eyebrow, "You think that's the case?"

She looked down, her hair rubbing against her face. 

'Come on Gabrielle, get it together… I mean am I actually to believe that the King of Florian fell in love with me at first sight,' She wondered, unable to speak. 

"Gabrielle," He called to her, watching as she slowly looked up at him, "Do you think that…"

"Your Majesty," Cobsworth interrupted, walking into the room.

"Yes, what is it," Ansel answered, annoyance creeping into his mind.

"Sorry for the interruption but Sir Darce is waiting along with Sir Harrison in the War room. They said they have news from Charbs, our fellow Kingdom," Cobsworth informed. 

"Ah yes," Ansel sighed, "I'll head over there right now." 

Ansel grabbed onto Gabrielle's hands, looking into her eyes. 

"I have to go into a meeting with one of my Generals and my Guard Master so I'll be gone for a little while," Ansel said.

He put his hand out towards Cobsworth, continuing, "This is Cobsworth. He's Majordomo and my most trusted servant. I've put him specially in charge of taking care of all your wants and needs so if you need anything at all Cobsworth will help you." 

Cobsworth bowed, saying, "It's my honor to help you anytime Milady." 

"Oh no," She gasped, "You don't have to go through all this trouble just to take care of me." 

Ansel kissed the back of her hand.

"It's not trouble," He beamed, "But I really have to be going now. I'll check on you later."

He left the room, as she watched him go.

'He's so perfect and so sweet. I can't stop myself from falling for him, but there's no way he can have any feelings for me… There's just no way… He must be doing this to be polite,' She thought. 

She continued staring at the doorway, thinking heavily about Ansel. 

"Deep in thought are we," Cobsworth interjected, disrupting her thoughts. 

"No, no, no," She stammered, turning away from him, "His Majesty is not on my mind." 

"I didn't say anything about His Majesty," He smirked, stroking his chin.

She snapped her head, looking at him.

"Neither did I,"  She stated, "So let's stop talking about him." 

"Of course Milady," He chuckled, "Whatever you say."

"Listen Cobsworth, I really don't want to bother you so whatever you normally do, please do," She said, pushing her hair behind her ear.

"I do whatever His Majesty asks me to do and His Majesty wants me to make sure that you are comfortable. So please, whatever you need, don't hesitate to ask me," He reassured. 

"Thank you Cobsworth but really I don't need anything,"  She reiterated, "I would really hate to be a bother to you."

"I promise you are no bother to me, but how about I have the cooks ready some lunch for you to give you some time to settle in, then I'll bring it to you,"  He suggested, giving a soft smile.

"I would appreciate that very much, thank you Cobsworth,"  She nodded feeling relieved.

"It's my pleasure, I'll be back soon," He said as he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

She walked over to her bed, throwing herself on it, letting out a huge sigh.

She rolled over onto her back, staring up at the ceiling.

'So this is my new life now… Never thought I'd ever have a noble title again… I can't figure His Majesty out…'

She sat up, got out of bed, and headed towards the door.

'Might as well check out the castle while Cobsworth isn't around… I really don't like the thought of bothering him.'

She stood in front of the door, placing her hand on the door knob

Click

'Great the door's jammed again.'

She continued pushing on the door while pulling on the knob.

'Come on, come on,'

Whoosh, SLAM 

The door flew open making Gabrielle and a servant woman fall to the ground

Gabrielle looked at the servant woman, seeing her covered in water with a metal tray, glass cup, and metal pitcher tipped over in her lap.

"I'm so sorry," Gabrielle gasped, "The door was jammed."

"It's alright Milady," The servant woman smiled, "It was an accident."

"No, no, I should've been more careful. Being a servant is hard enough, and I'm making it harder for you, I mean I even got your dress wet" She said as she helped place the dishes back on the tray, and helped the servant woman off the ground.

"I promise it's no big deal. This dress its just my uniform so I have hundreds of it. Changing is not a big issue,"  The servant woman comforted, giving a light smile.

"You're really too kind, what is your name," Gabrielle asked.

"Josephine," The servant woman answered.

"Well Josephine, I'm very grateful for your kindness and again I'm truly sorry," Gabrielle apologized, her stomach twisting from embarrassment. 

"It's no problem Milady. I'm going change my dress and get you some more water and then I'll clean up this mess. I'll be right back,"  Jospehine beamed, walking away with the tray in her hands as Gabrielle watched her. 

'I'm such a klutz… A huge klutz…' 

She walked back into her room, grabbing a towel out of her personal bathroom.

She walked back over to the puddle, kneeling down to clean up the water.

'The least I could do is clean up this mess…'

"You are disgusting," A woman scolded, "I shall teach you a lesson you pig."

Gabrielle looked up, standing to her feet.

'What is all that commotion?'