Simple Servant

Chapter 31 - Plans

Chapter 31 – Plans

~~~ Phillip

It was late in the afternoon by the time a carriage pulled up to collect the Alminia Princess.

Phillip watched from the behind the curtains of the parlor window as Noah said goodbye outside. They couldn't be seen together outside of the Terrafein Embassy.

Not yet.

He watched Noah help her into the carriage, and noticed that he held onto her hand slightly longer than what was socially appropriate. It was obvious that Noah didn't want her to leave.

There seemed to be a secret language between the two of them, a way of understanding each other without speaking.

Phillip remembered the day his father told him about the arrangement between Terrafeuw and Alminia. Phillip turned seven that day.

He was twelve when the war finally ended, and Terrafeuw started rebuilding. The other Nobles pushed for his father to remarry. They argued that Phillip needed a mother, that the King needed more sons, and that the Kingdom needed Queen.

His father had listened, rather patiently, to each of his Advisors before declaring that the next Terrafein Queen would be the woman that Phillip himself married.

Constance

He shoved the name from his mind and returned to watching Noah.

His brother seemed to be a walking contradiction to everything that Phillip knew. After everything that had happened to him, even after finding out who he actually was, Noah didn't seem the least bit bitter.

Phillip remembered how his stomach rolled at the sight of Noah's scars. Each mark that had been etched into his skin was a punishment that he had taken for someone else. Phillip thought about all of the pain that growing up as the Terrafein Prince had caused him. He wondered how scared he'd be if his were as transparent as his brother's.

Who would have more scars then?

Did it even matter?

Phillip watched as an Alminia Guards sent Noah a concerned glare, and his brother forced himself to release her hand. Once the carriage door was shut, the carriage took off. Noah kept his eyes on it until it had turned a corner, and was out of view.

As Noah and their father turned to head back inside Phillip couldn't help but notice worry dancing across Noah's pale blue eyes.

Phillip had been shocked to learn that Princess Alexandria and Lady Annabell were in fact the same woman. His father appeared to have suspected it, and it was clear that the Princess's escort knew, but he couldn't have guessed.

He once applauded himself for his quick understanding, and impartial mindset.

A flash of pale skin and white hair crossed his vision reminding him of his follies.

Constance.

He silently cursed himself for thinking about her.

Had he always been so blind?

Had he only ever seen what he wanted to see?

The door opened and the voices of his father and brother pulled him from self-pity.

Phillip couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him at his own ignorance, but he was able to stifle it by the time the others walked in. He managed to look up at them in a nonchalant manner, and couldn't help but wonder what each of them was thinking about. Neither of their faces seemed to be focused on pleasant thoughts, and a moment ago neither had his.