Once Upon A Time

«ONCE UPON A PRINCE AND A SERVANT'S TALE...»

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"What's a pretty lady as you doing here all by herself?" A voice behind me spoke, and I could feel my heart racing. In his mouth, he spew disgusting words that hurt like flaming sword pierced sharply to my very guts. I wanted to hit this man hard on the cheek and rob him off his joy of ever speaking again. While I was busy carefully planning on my next, slightly less violent move, another voice spoke up. A woman's.

"I wish I could stay and flirt, but good looks do no good for us if wealth is not involved." She said rather harshly, "good day, sir."

And I was quite disappointed. This world would never be good again. Deep down inside of me, I felt as if I'd lived long enough to had been sure of my claims. A market place normally should be a location where people regularly gathered for the purchase and sales of provisions, livestock, and other necessary commodities for life sustaining. That was what it should had been, not a place for flirting and having babies and such.

"Ouch! Not a good way to treat a man now." Said the voice again, but he was silent soon. Perhaps his lover had eloped. I heard him sighed, but I wouldn't turn from the spices seller.

"All done, here you go Miss." The seller, stout and well built said, handing me my newly bought items. "All complete. The cinnamons, cloves and saffron."

I grabbed the final ingredient on my list from him, handed him his fee and turned to make my way back home. As usual, the crowds were here. They never seemed to reduce at all. Too much humans equals violence and chaos. Their noises grew as they scarttared everywhere buying and selling things and gossiping underneath.

A fine gentle man was standing in front of me and I wondered why he wouldn't stop staring. Typical me took it as my signal to quickly disappear from the scene. Something caught my eyes though. As I darted off, his face struck a very eerie resemblance to a man I once knew.

"Fine lady,"he called and I wondered whether the fool would perhaps in anyway, be referring to me. I knew best not to turn, but the voice was the same as I'd first heard. The man who'd suddenly been dumped because he had no wealth. "I like you, because you have the most dazzling eyes like your gorgeous hair." He said, trying all of his best to sound poetic.

"I hate poetries," I said, then traded my anger with curiosity, by slightly turning to see the deranged man. "You should know." It was him. The fine young man who was looking very familiar now. An expression that resembled hurt, appeared on his face, but it was in a sarcastic manner.

"Ouch! I'm so sorry if that had upset you, lovely." He said, and I couldn't stop staring. I knew him before.

He was staring back, which made me guess we were sharing the same thoughts now. "Also, I have blue eyes. Not brown."

"I see that now," he said, disappointedly. His expression was back to normal once again; his thick brows arched up as his eyes shimmered brighter, accompanying a rather pleasant smile. He had long bright color of brown hair that appreciated his good looks, and judging from his expensive attire, my suspicions were right.

"Indeed you do, your majesty-"

"How do you know?" His eyes had now changed into a puzzled one. One that made me wonder why he would be shocked I'd recognized him. He shifted closer now, waiting for my reply.

It was obvious. He was the prince of Vatră. "Is that a trick question? I hate poetries as much as I detest riddles and prophesies and-"

"Tell me, how did you know?" He was much closer now, creating an unpleasing feeling for me.

I pushed him away, setting myself free from his strange aura. "Because that is who you are. Why do you seem so surprised?" I asked, waiting for good reasons.

He only stared like the way one would do after seeing a deadly creature, and was confusingly wondering why the creature hadn't attacked yet. "No reason," he said instead, but I could see the denial in his eyes. Horizontal wrinkles appeared on his forehead as his eyes widened, still glaring directly at me.

"Prince of Vatră, you dropped your tongue." I teased, enjoying the moment as it played out.

"No. I was thinking," he said almost instantly.

"Do you want me to fall down to the ground and kiss it, or grip your legs tight and worship at your feet?" I said, and his expression only spelled out one question; "What?" I sighed. "What is expected of me to do to acknowledge your presence?"

"No need. Do nothing." He replied firmly.

Great news for me then.

"But I must really know. How do you know who I am?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" I replied, but as I saw my question was bringing me nothing close to a reply, I explained myself. "We must have met sometime ago," his eyebrows furrowed. "Perhaps when we were little?"

His expression seemed not to have agreed. "Perhaps, but how come I don't remember you?"

"I don't know. I must be really smarter than you, I suppose." He stared at me like I were drunk, not that I was bothered. I hated alcohol.

"Perhaps so." He slowly said, fighting the urge to disagree.

I remembered the incident that had occured with the random woman, "Why doesn't anyone recognize you?"

"No reason. I'm insignificant, you see." He said in a rather muffled tone.

"Oh, noted." I decided home was calling. "I better head back now-"

"Wait wait, no." He yelled out.

I felt his hands reached for mine and I froze at the happening. I panicked. "Get your hands off me!"

"Sorry. Sorry," he quickly apologized, raising his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry,"

His voice did calmed me down, making me realize I might had overreacted. I couldn't explain why, but physical contact with any man at all, enraged me. A man had offended me. A man really terrible, and now, all men in my eyes were him.

"I should leave,"

"No. Wait," he said again, slowly. "Come to the palace tonight."

"Are you drunk? Have you accidentally hit your head on a brick?" I asked, and he just stared. He couldn't even reply. "Do I look like a palace material?"

"Palace material?" He repeated, looking rather disoriented.

"Yes. Palace material. Look at my rags for a dress."

"Okay, slow down princess. Listen, this event is for all the villagers. Everyone is invited, I assure you."

Assuring me meant no difference whatsoever. It was never in my existence that a mere girl like me would step foot in the palace. I was of the lowest rank that could possibly exist.

"So, will you come?" He asked, and seemed somewhat honest.

Was he being serious? "If I say yes, would you leave me be?" I asked him, and I knew what reply I would get. He was not stupid, because he would definitely agree, and I would be on my merry way.

"No. I won't leave you."

So, he was dumb... "You are a joke, you know that."

"And you are not so much smart, you know that?" He cleared his throat and frowned his face. "Just promise me you will come tonight. I really wish to see you again."

I couldn't give any reply. Deep down in my heart, and I knew it was wrong... "What do you want me to say?"

I too, wanted to see him again.

"Say, yes. Yes, your highness. I will definitely be there tonight," he said proudly.

"Alright, your highness. I will definitely be there tonight." I let myself smile. As difficult as it used to be whenever I tried, my smile appeared naturally this time.

"Great. See you tonight." Cheerfully, he smirked. Almost immediately, his brows furrowed as a puzzled look appeared on his face. "Very strange, the whole crowd seems to had suddenly dimmed their voices while we spoke." He said, making me see to his newly discovered theory. He was right.

For some reason, the whole crowd had been muted in a way I couldn't explain. They still smiled and talked and gossipped, but it sounded more like a muffle. Then, just as the prince turned to leave, the noise returned again.

He gasped out in shock, "that's strange. Their voices are back. We just ended our conversation and now their voices are back! Truly-"

"You really are not so well, are you? Is it hereditary?"

"Meaning?" He frowned, something that he did a lot. It wasn't a serious glower, just one that briefly noted a form of displeasure.

"Never mind. I'll be off now." I said instead, convincing myself that he was the prince and I were a mere servant. As much as I hated being nice, I had to. The dungeon was a very disgusting place to be at.

"I am the prince, and you, dear girl, should respect me. You should." His voice came out as a scream now that the crowd's voice had now surmounted his. "I must see you tonight." His voice yelled out as I'd covered few further steps away. I kept my pace and didn't look back.

Maybe, just maybe, we might see at the party.

If not, then it must be because of the strange urge to strangle that young man and send him to his early grave for what he'd done to me.

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