Chapter 9 : Who are you?

It had been a little over a week since Prince Nathan's birthday ball and Ella was still shaken by her encounter with the young man.

She was sure he'd read her mind somehow, and his presence gave her a very familiar but uncomfortable feeling. Who was this guy?

Ella's thoughts were flattered away when someone opened her door and walked into her room.

"Ella." William settled down on his sister's bed and studied her. "Is anything the matter? You didn't come down to breakfast this morning."

Ella cleared her throat and faked a smile. "I'm alright, I just wasn't hungry."

Ella had always been a bit distant from everyone, even her own family. After the turmoil she'd experienced in her past life, she'd told herself to keep attachment to a minimum. Her parents and older brothers were always busy with their own lives so it was easy for her to not get to familiar with them, but William was always home.

William and Ella grew up together since there were very close in age. And no matter how much Ella would try to distance herself from him, he'd find a way to play with his little sister. He loved her to death and always enjoyed being around her.

Other than her red hair and blue eyes, Ella and William looked a lot a like. People would sometimes mistake them for twins and this made William love his little sister even more.

"Come on, I'll have the servants get you big fruit tart, you've always loved those." William grabbed Ella's hand and dragged her towards the door.

The girl didn't even get the chance to retaliate, William never took no for an answer. She smiled inwardly, grateful for her brother who cared for her.

*

"My lord." The butler bowed in front of William . "The prince is here."

William dropped the piece of fruit he was holding and looked up at Leon the butler. "The prince?" William repeated, unsure of what his ears were telling him. "Prince Nathan Aldos? He's here?"

"Yes my lord, he is outside as we speak." Leon replied.

Ella watched her brother scamper towards the door to greet the prince.

[argh.. royalties. What a pain]

"Your grace.." William muttered lowering his back in low bow. "Welcome to our humble home, please do come in."

"No need." Nathan responded. "I don't mean to impose, I just happened to be passing by and decided to come through."

"Thank you your grace, we are truly honored. But unfortunately my father and mother are not home, I can send for them at once if-"

"No, no need for that William."

The silver haired prince jumped off his horse and pat William's shoulder. "This is an informal visit, I mean you and I are of the same age, why don't we become friends?"

"F- friends?"

"Yes." Nathan responded excitedly. "I don't have too many friends my age, and you seem like a bright and fun young man, what do you say?"

"Of course your highness, it would be an honor!" William responded nervously.

"Call me Nathan, formalities can be saved for when the adults are around."

William looked at the prince in shock. Was he serious or was he just testing him to see if he would fold and disrespect him.

"Forgive me your highness, I wouldn't want to be presumptuous."

Nathan wrapped his arm over William's shoulder, who was looking very uncomfortable with the situation. "Nonsense, call me Nathan, or do I have to make it a royal decree?" He said jokingly.

"Of course not your.. err Nathan."

Prince Nathan smiled broadly, now they we're getting somewhere, if he was going to marry Ella one day, he'd have to get close to William. After a little digging, Nathan knew that the two siblings had a special bond, to get to Ella he had to go through William.

"I hear you're training to be a knight, that's quite admirable."

William nodded. "Yes, I wish to protect our country some day."

"Yes yes wonderful."

Nathan looked around before questioning William. "Umm is your sister around?"

William couldn't help but smile when he heard the prince's question. Ah, so that's why he'd come to their home, had that five minute dance with Ella enchanted him so much?

"What's the matter?" Nathan questioned William upon seeing the faint smile on his face. "Do I look funny? Should I go change?"

"You look fine." William responded. "Come in, she's in the dining hall."

Ella had just finished the last of her fruit tart when she saw the two young men walking towards her.

[oh what the hell?]

She stood up and met them half way across the hall. The red head curtsied, trying her best not to let a single thought cross her mind. If prince Nathan had really read her mind back at the royal ball, he was capable to of doing it again.

"Your grace."

She looked up and locked eyes with the silver haired prince. "I'll take my leave and give your grace and young lord Morrell some privacy."

As Ella turned to leave, William grabbed her shoulder and stopped her. "Actually, Nathan is here for the young lady Morrell."

There was a slyness in William's tone that made Ella uneasy.

[Nathan? Oh so now you two are suddenly buddies?]

Ella turned to face the two males and forced a smile. "I'm honored your grace, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Nathan watched the girl's movements with great interest, he felt the strange connection he'd felt with her at the birthday ball taking over his body yet again.

"Lady Ella please, call me Nathan." The prince responded sheepishly.

William cleared his throat and held back a grin. "Well, I'll be going now, I have some business to tend to."

[you traitor]

"Aren't you going to offer me a seat?" Nathan asked the girl, a smirk crossing his face.

"Of course Prince Nathan, right this way."

The two walked to the library that was adjacent to the dining area and settled down facing each other.

Ella avoided the prince's honey brown eyes in fear he may try to read her mind again.

"I see you're a little uneasy." Nathan spoke, finally breaking the awkward silence. "You have no need to fear me, my intentions are pure I can assure you that."

"How do I know that for sure?" Ella questioned, her voice low and solemn.

"I know I came off a little strong at the ball the other night, forgive me." Nathan explained. "It's just that from the moment I saw you, I felt strongly connected to you, I feel like you and I are alike, and I think it was destiny that we should meet."

[destiny? What a load of horse shit]

"Call it what you may." Nathan spoke. "But it's not a coincidence that you and I crossed paths."

Ella looked up at the prince in shock. Had he read her mind again?

"I sense you have a lot of questions for me."

Ella gasped and looked at Nathan who was smiling at her.

"How.." she paused, trying to find a way to phrase her questions. Even though she wanted to know who the hell this guy was, she couldn't interrogate the hell out of him. He was the crown prince, one wrong word and her head might be up on a pike.

"How can you do that?" Ella spoke

"Do what?"

"Just now, and back at the ball. It's like you could hear my thoughts. How is that possible?"

"Oh."

Nathan leaned back on the chair and looked pensive, the look on his face made Ella nervous.

"I honestly have no idea." Nathan responded. "It's never happened before up until I met you."

Nathan leaned forward and looked into the girl's eyes.

"What is it?" Ella questioned the young man. "Do I have something on my face?"

Nathan chuckled. "No, quite the opposite actually, your face is unusually perfect. I was trying to see if you could read my mind as well."

Ella blinked wildly. Read his mind? How was she going to do that.

"I'm just assuming that if I can read your thoughts, maybe you can read mine as well." Nathan placed his index fingers on the sides of his head and looked into Ella's eyes. "The key must be concentration. Back at the ball, you're the only thing that was on my mind, all my thoughts were fixated on you and just like that I heard your thoughts, like a whisper inside my head."

Nathan stood up and walked to where the girl was sitting, he grabbed her knees with his hands and squat down in front of her.

"Try to focus on me." He spoke. "Concentrate."

Ella's heart was racing. Nathan's face was really close to hers and his honey brown eyes were fixed on her blue orbs.

"It won't work unless you try Ella, come on, give it a go."

Ella took a deep breath and stared into Nathan's eyes, what if they really did have some mystical connection? It wouldn't hurt to try right?

*you're so beautiful Ella, do you hear me? So very beautiful*

Ella's eyes went round as her eyes darted quickly between his lips and eyes. His lips hadn't moved, but she could hear his voice in her head.

"It worked!" Ella gasped. "I... I could hear you!"

Nathan smiled from ear yo ear. "I told you Ella, I told you that it was destiny that brought us together."

"Ehem."

Ella and Nathan turned to look at the door. Lady Morrell was standing at the doorway covering her smile with a handkerchief.

"Mother!" Ella quickly stood up, almost knocking the prince over.

"Lady Morrell." Nathan spoke as he dusted his very clean pants. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to intrude, I just-"

"Oh no need to apologize your grace." Mrs Morrell responded. "I wouldn't want to get in the way of young love."

"Mother! We're not in love!" Ella responded. "You're embarrassing the prince!"

Ella's mother chucked and turned away. "I'll leave you two be. I'll be in the garden if you need me."

"Actually." Nathan cleared his throat and looked to the floor in an attempt to hide the redness on his face. Ella's mother had found him in a very compromising position with her daughter, under her roof at that. This was not how he wanted his future mother in law to remember him.

"I was actually about to take my leave." Nathan added on.

"Oh. Then I'll leave you two to your goodbyes." Mrs Morrell smirked and walked away.

Nathan turned to Ella and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry about that Ella, this is not how I planned on-"

"You said you were about to take your leave your highness." Ella interrupted him.

She turned to him and curtsied. "Travel well." And with that, she turned to exit the library.

The prince looked at the girl walk away and smiled.

* I will come and see you again*

Ella halted for minute when she heard Nathan's voice in her head, she was about to turn and face him but stopped herself and exited the library. She'd had more than enough human interaction for one day.