Atlas (A Selection/Hat Films Fanfiction)

~ Nine ~

When I looked up towards the royals' end of the table during lunch, Prince Alexandre was already looking at me. As soon as our eyes met he gave me a disgusted look and turned his head to look at something else in the room, but it caught the attention of his brother next to him. I ignored the small slight, thankful that I caught Prince Ross's attention.

Prince Ross furrowed his eyebrows and tried to mouth something discretely to me, but I couldn't understand him. He looked down towards his food for a second to make sure no one was watching this small exchange, and then gave me an expectant glance. I gave the tiniest nod towards the doors and then mouthed the word "after" when I was sure no one else was looking at me. 

Prince Ross looked down at the food in front of him and nodded; I could have sworn his mouth twitched up in a smile before he was talking to Christoph on his left again as if nothing had happened. He had on a sharp looking white suit today, and his vest and pocket square were a light shade of lilac.  

After pastries were served and eaten, the king and queen excused themselves, and Silver announced that we had an hour before our afternoon lesson to relax in our rooms or to go back to the Women's Room. I saw Silver approaching me, probably to tell me she was disappointing in my behavior this morning, so I quickly ducked out of the room and used the stream of girls to hide my escape. 

Once we were out in the hallway I looked around for Prince Ross, who was heading the opposite direction as everyone else down a short corridor. We locked eyes over his shoulder just before he turned the corner. Waiting until I was at the back of the group, I slipped away without being noticed and followed to where I had last seen Prince Ross disappear. 

"Oh!" I exclaimed as I turned the corner and came face to face with him, "Sorry your maj... Ross." He grabbed my forearms to steady me, but let them slide down into my hands when he realized I wasn't going to fall. 

"Are you okay Atlas?" he asked, concern contorting his features. 

"Yea- yeah, I'm fine," I said, surprised by his concern. 

He visibly relaxed. "Oh thank God," he sighed, "I thought my brother might have upset you again. He was absent this morning and I was afraid you might have run into him." He must have been asking about my general well being the past few days and not about nearly running into him. 

I decided against telling him where we had both been this morning. I was on a mission, and telling him about Prince Alexandre wasn't important right now. "No, it's not that..." I trailed, wondering how to start this. 

"I am sorry that I have not come to you soon," he apologized, "I know I promised to come see you, it is just that we have been so busy after the attack and we have so much work to do-" 

"Hey, it's okay," I assure him, grabbing onto his arm and giving him a small smile.

"I have important things I want to ask you and talk to you about," Prince Ross said, suddenly serious. 

I felt my stomach drop; he must have already heard. "Do you have a minute now?" I asked, sighing. I was not looking forward to having this conversation. 

His eyes lit up with warmth, confusing me. "Anything for you Atlas," he said, taking my hand in his. He lead me down a twisted path of corridors and turns, and somehow we managed to end up at the library. Prince Ross stuck his head through the doors to make sure no one was in there, and then asked the guards standing outside to come get him if anyone wanted to enter. I made a note that he thanked the guard before pulling me inside behind him. 

"Listen, Atlas," he said, sitting me down on one of the purple love seats on the second floor that was staggered between bookshelves, "I know you are reluctant to talk about this, but I wanted to continue our conversation from your first night here, when we were in the hospital ward."