Not Barbie's Ken

Chapter 28| Not Barbie's Ken

"So yesterday, I talked about showing the kingdom of Indiosia in its Glory to you, didn't I?"

Kimberly bit her lower lip tentatively, "Won't the King be angry if he finds out?"

"He won't. He has no business seeking you out himself and your personal maid Chrystal isn't in Indiosia. She left for her Granny's."

"So it is not right for me to leave?" She looked nervous as she gave Saif a look making him sigh.

"Not exactly," he scratched the back of his head, "But Abba won't exactly be thrilled if he finds out that I'm taking you out so soon to step on unfamiliar territory."

Fear gnawed on her insides. Abba couldn't seek her out, but Tristan could. What if he finds out they were out and rat her out to the cold man with the scowl?

"How about Tristan?"

Saif grinned, "Not a problem. He is not in the palace in fact he is seldom around. He is a healer but prefers wearing a white dress and prescribing strange drugs to individuals at the city's infirmary.

"So he is a doctor?"

"If you call him that, he is! You are the most knowledgeable amongst us."

She gave him a smug smile he had been aiming for, knowing she will take great delight in his words. He would take one for the team, to feed the Human's massive ego, he thought drily.

"Yes, I am."

"So?"

"I have a real bad habit of mine you just might not know about," Kimberly started, her eyes having a mischievous light to it, "I hate following the rules."

Prince Saif beamed, "Then you need to follow all I tell you and meet me right at the left-wing corridor."

"Where is the left-wing corridor?"

He paused, thinking hard on how to explain a part of the palace she have not been to before without the aid of an elaborate map.

His eyes gleamed as an idea struck him, Kimberly smirked she could see it in his eyes, "The Big Ben Carson ideology" he had figured out.

"You see these stones behind us?" She stared at the plain brownstone and nodded.

"You'll count a hundred of them from your left once you come out of your room, it will lead you to a narrow part," he rubbed his cheeks thoughtfully, "Now, this is where it gets tricky. make sure your calculations are correct because if they ain't you will go into the wrong path." She nodded.

"Once you follow the path, you won't see any brownstone because the Cobalt magic stones aren't in my wing."

"Magic what?"

He knew that elaborating the purpose of what she was seeing as plain brownstone will take him all day especially if he involved the part where he had made sure her Chambers had one of those. He found it unfair if any of them took a peek of her thoughts or the activities that goes on in her room when it was supposed to be her comfort zone.

"Nothing. But you would see a silver precious stone. It might look white to you though, Count it thrice, then take a right turn, count twice, take a left turn and if you are in the right place you will see my devastatingly handsome face, on it plastered an inpatient, worried expression."

She wasn't surprised at his cocky utterances. He had the air of a proud one and his claims of his looks weren't absurd because that was the truth.

"There is one more problem."

"What other problem?" His brow was furrowed in genuine confusion making her roll her eyes exasperated.

"My other mmm__"

"You could use the word, maids. Because that is what they are."

"It sounds wrong and degrading."

"The maids who work in Indiosia palace take pride in their call and profession. It is a dignified Job and a great privilege to serve royalty. It isn't degrading in the slightest."

"Oh," she looked utterly surprised.

"Guess who is not so smart anymore?"

"You could indeed sound like a proper Prince when you want."

"It'd nothing to do with this title and robe. Nothing to do with the fancy education I'm being given as royalty. I sought validation as a child that made sure those who I saw around me, slaving every second of the day wasn't forced or saw it as some means of punishment," she blinked. She had not expected to see behind the curtain of the playful arrogant Saif, a Prince who genuinely loved his people. Saif loved his people, it was obvious. Even in the way his eyes shone showing just how much the subject meant to him.

He was a likable person. Truly, it was hard not to like the one person who had offered you kind words and some un-professed reassurances. She could see it in his eyes, he cared enough. She didn't know why and thought it absurd but he did.

But more than just liking his personality, at that moment she knew he had gained her respect and admiration too.

"It is really easy to get rid of your other maids who wait on you since Chrystal is absent, you are welcome by the way for sending her a forged letter by her Granny though," Kimberly gave him a horrified look.

"Relax. They were due for some heart to heart chitchat. If you stare intently at it, I killed two birds with one stone, get Chrystal away from you and to her grandmother who would have missed her so terribly since she barely left this four walls of this ancient building."

"So what do I have to do to get the other maids to leave?"

"See who is now freely using the m-word?" She shook her head chuckling as a result of his infectious grin, "So just cry."

"Mmmm?"

He rolled his eyes, not liking to repeat himself twice, "Look annoyed, irritated then burst into tears."

"And that is supposed to send them away?"

"Yes. They would feel like they are intruding on a private moment and leave, not coming back until you ask for their presence."

"Wow, rude much. You know where I come back, when you cry, normal beings tend to find out the reason."

"They are maids, not the royal therapist."

"Don't tell me you guys have someone in that position because it'll absolutely be a waste of whatever you pay the person with."

"Yes we have," Saif murmured, Chuckling at the vicious glare she directed towards him, when has he ever not done what he was asked not to? never and that moment was no different.

"And he is paid 15 gemstones per session."

She groaned. He chuckled leaving her in the hallway to find her way back to her room.

His deep baritone laughter echoed even as she watched his retreating figure, "So ungentlemanly!" She scoffed wondering how much more of her Prince charming fantasy, Saif was going to wreck in the short period she spends with him.

He was certainly not Barbie's Ken but he was more. Sarcastic, cocky, funny, and plain ole Saif. That was enough for her, she thought as she walked back to her room.

No scratch that, that was more than enough.