Page 4 of Slippers and Thorns
“Michael would let me,” Ella protested half-heartedly. And a year ago, Michael might have smiled indulgently and let her “have her fun” for a few minutes. At this point, he probably wouldn’t care one way or the other.
“His Highness might, but I must still respectfully decline,” Sarah replied, dipping into a curtsy. “I’m sorry.”
“Only for a few minutes,” Ella begged. “Cook let me knead some bread earlier.”
Sarah gave her a knowing look. “But she sent you away when Mrs.Hodgkins was coming, didn’t she?”
Drat the housekeeper and her agreement with the royals and the court. “Yes,” Ella sulked. “I had to leave before the regular patrol arrived. You’d think, as a princess, I could do what I like,” she added indignantly.
Laughing, Sarah turned back to her dusting. “Most princesses don’t like to spend their time cooking and cleaning. You’ve set them all on their heads, Your Highness, and scared them into greater rigidity for the rules.”
Most princesses.
Yes, that was part of the problem, it seemed – most princesses were born royalty or nobility before marrying a prince and earning the rank upgrade.
Most princesses weren’t the daughters of merchants, nor had they spent over a decade living the life of a servant.
Most princesses knew how to look and act the part, from embroidery to polite conversation to a proper preference for everything dull and useless, and if they weren’t born royalty, they were after the title, so the love and attention – or lack thereof – of their prince was of little import.
Ella was nothing like most princesses.
“Thanks anyway, Sarah. The room looks great,” Ella said softly.
Sarah waved in acknowledgement as Ella folded her hands in front of her and attempted to exit the room in a princess-like manner. No sense bringing more disdain down on her head if she could help it.
“Now what do I do?” she murmured to the wall, her lips barely moving.
As a princess, Ella had very few “approved” activities. Among them were riding her horse, mingling with the nobles, and the one she’d abandoned earlier: embroidery.
The only one she enjoyed was her horse.
“I would be perfectly happy with nothing to do if only I could be with Mike,” she continued in a wistful – but quiet – tone.
As she walked down the hallway, she allowed her attention to drift from her surroundings. They never changed. Tapestries, window, more tapestries, a suit of armor – why did royals feel the need to display old suits of armor? – portraits of long-dead royals, more tapestries.
She should probably watch where she was going, but now that she was a princess, other people generally dodged first.
Except, of course, for solidly-built crown princes.
“Oof!” Having been staring pensively out of a wide window, Ella failed to notice her husband before she walked straight into his chest. She bounced off, but he was considerate enough to reach out and steady her so she didn’t fall into an inelegant heap. “Michael! I didn’t see you there.”
One corner of his mouth quirked up. Heaven help her, was that a smile? “I noticed. The gardensarequite beautiful. If you are going to admire them while walking, though, perhaps they would be better enjoyed frominsidethe gates.” She felt a slight blush spreading across her cheeks. He didn’t sound disapproving. He sounded like he was… teasing her. When was the last time he had gently teased her? “I can attest to their beauty at close range – I looked there first. I certainly didn’t expect to find you in this wing. What are you doing?”
“You were looking for me?” Ella asked, hope blossoming. His hands still gripped her waist.
“Yes,” he replied lightly, releasing her. She hid her disappointment at the loss. “I suppose I should have sent a servant, but I thought you’d be easier to find.”
“Oh.” That didn’t sound very promising. “What do you need?”
Michael reached up and brushed a thumb across her cheek. “You had some flour,” he explained, ruining the impression that it had been an affectionate gesture. Leaning back, he scanned her person, then flicked his fingers across her sleeve where she had missed another smudge. Ella grimaced. So much for keeping her low-born activities semi-secret. How many people had seen the evidence before Michael came along?
“So, what did you need?” Ella repeated, drawing herself up as straight as she could and pasting on her princess face. It hurt to be treated so casually by the husband who had once adored her, but she wasn’t going to let him see that. “You said you were looking for me?”
“Ah, yes.” Michael straightened as well, clasping his hands behind his back. “Axel and Katy have invited us to Ralnor, and Father has granted permission for our absence. We will not depart for a week, but I—”
Ella smiled softly as he spoke, the hurt diminishing ever so slightly. He didn’t say it, but he was here, giving her this news himself, because he knew that she would be delighted to see her good friend Princess Katrin, wife of Prince Axel of Ralnor.
Much had changed, but every now and then, a trace of Mike peeked out of Crown Prince Michael.
