Chapter 2

Sofia can't help but stare at the royal prince for a moment before she regained her senses and blinked a few times before giving another curtsey. And this time, she lowered her head as far as she could.

"Were you looking for this?" The prince asked pertaining to the ornament.

She nodded and was about to politely grab it from him when he takes it back out from her reach, fondling it with his fingers beside his ears while showing her his dashing princely teasing smile.

Sofia blinked for she could not believe that she was just teased by the grinning prince of Alphinster, Royal Highness Crowned Prince Claude Sonare Clemente.

"Where's your thank you?"

Sofia's heart skipped a beat with his question. She knows that it is disrespectful not to obey or answer the prince or any of the royal family, so she open her mouth and tried to let any kind of sound to provide an answer to the prince's question…but nothing. Not even the tiniest sound she always assumed that would come out. As much as she wants to properly say her gratitude to the royalty, she knows that she had not acquired the ability to do so.

So she just closed her mouth and did the only thing she can to communicate, hoping that he will be able to decipher her message in some way.

"W-what…what is she doing?" One of the prince's companions who seemed to be a noble as well whispered to the prince, confused of the gesture that she made.

"She's saying that she's thank you for getting the ball for her." Another companion of the prince suddenly spoke.

She did another sign language to thank the young gentlemen for translating her sign for them.

"You're welcome." He said raising his flute of champagne.

The prince looks at his friend confused and then to her.

"So you can't speak?" The prince asked in a confused manner.

Sofia apologetically shook her head.

"Oh…then my deepest apologies, I didn't know. Here's you ornament back." He handed her the silver Christmas ball and she took her with the lightest way possible that her hand would not scrape the highness's royal hands.

But her plan didn't work out for the prince himself took her hand and placed the ball on her palm when he probably noticed how slow she was trying to be.

And Sofia did not expect the tingling sparkles the prince's hand brought to her as their skins touched. She looked at the prince but to her surprise, he was not looking at her…but to their hands.

Sofia thought that she must've offended the prince in some way so she immediately pried her hand away. She's hoping that she did not offend him more than she already has.

She bows her head and did another sign to tell him that she was thank you and sorry for disturbing them which the other man thankfully translated to them.

She curtsied once more and signed, 'I must get back to my duties. Good evening your highnesses.' And she went back to the Christmas tree in the middle of the ballroom and made sure that she would not meets the eyes of the people she had just encountered that were still reached by her peripherals.