A Pact With The Prince | Bridgerton ~ Prince Friedrich

Chapter Fifteen

When it was over Diana approached him but their moment was interrupted when her brother Damien intercepted.

"Diana, I am afraid Penelope requires your immediate assistance, I think she would very much like to be accompanied home right now." he replied with worry in his voice. Diana stopped in her tracks after seeing the rare seriousness in her brother's voice.

"Please, do see your friend." the Prince approached them. 

"I am afraid to cut your evening short." Damien explained glancing between them.

"It is not a problem, there will be many more to come." the Prince smiled at them. 

Diana nodded and turned to her brother. "Where is she?" 

They had crossed the ballroom with determined purpose, ignoring those around her as her brother trailed behind. Damien had informed her she was in the north hall and sure enough she found Eloise and Penelope huddled on the settee.

"Thank you Damien." Diana said as he closed the door behind them.

"Let me know if you would like to get our carriage, I'm sure Anthony will assist us if needed." Damien replied before leaving her with friends.

Eloise glanced at Diana concern etched into a frown, despite their issues Diana knew they could rally for her friend.

Penelope's eyes and face were puffy from crying. The girls hugged each side of her, they were grateful to find privacy in this hall.

Diana rubbed her back as she let her friend cry, the sorrow on her face was devastating. It was one of the worst feelings to be helpless to a friend's anguish.

"I'm sorry, I am such a watering pot." Penelope hiccuped finally finding her words.

"Don't be sorry Pen, can you tell us what happened?" Eloise asked gently, giving her a handkerchief.

"Please and if someone has injured you, I know 5 brother's between us that will be willing to defend your honor." Diana replied. Penelope rewarded them with a small grin before crying again.

"I'm sorry." Diana hugged her again unsure what else to say.

"I promise I will be better." Penelope replied, looking at them. 

"Can you tell us what has you so upset?" Diana asked, moving a stray curl from her face.

Penelope looked between the two of them carefully choosing her words.

"Have you ever felt something so acutely be ripped away from you without warning? I suppose after my father died, I would be familiar with it." Penelope took a deep but shaky breath. "I thought I'd be able to fathom it since the death of a parent is quite more painful but tonight, I suppose it all began to spill over."

"Fathom what?" Diana's brow furrowed confused. Eloise frowned, looking between Pen and her nervously.

"I have been in love with Colin Bridgerton for a long time." Penelope announced. Diana stayed silent, it was one of those unspoken truths that she and Eloise had known for a long time.

"I was informed that he will be on the continent indefinitely. I don't understand why it has me so upset, after all it's not like he had ever considered me anything more than a friend." Penelope sniffed.

"He's an idiot." Eloise replied. "Believe me when I say this, Colin does not deserve you." Penelope burst out a chuckle before crying again. "I don't know why I am so upset about this, maybe it's because I'll probably never see him again." 

Diana hugged her tighter. "It is alright to feel the way you do Pen, after all no one can control what love does to a person's emotion but eventually everything will be alright." Diana replied. 

Penelope's sad smile grew, "Having friends like you both is a guarantee I will be."

It was nearing midnight when Penelope's sadness transformed into laughter. The lifelong friends had nearly forgotten about the ball in the next room until Damien had arrived to collect Diana to return home. Diana said her goodbyes and even felt some warmth from Eloise reminding her that things would eventually be fine between them.

"I suppose everything has been sorted." Damien replied as Diana took his arm.

"It has for the most part." Diana glanced up at him, seeing relief on his face.

"Good when I saw her I almost swore one of us would have to duel for her." he grinned. 

"Which is why you are one of the best of brothers." Diana grinned, hugging her brother. 

"One of the best? I thought I was THE best brother." he teased. Diana smiled feeling quite lucky to have good siblings.

 "Oh, Damien, I wish we could all go on Dominic's tour together." Diana sighed as they meandered to the ballroom.

"I think after a week, Dominic would attempt to disown all of us if we all joined him, besides you are the only one foolish enough to tolerate him." he laughed as Diana rolled her eyes.

"Anyways, are you able to disclose what made Pen so upset? Or is this part of feminine code I am not privy to?"

"Without details, it was about love." Diana glanced around searching for the familiar blond curls.

"Ah of course." Damien nodded. "The only universal experience that can make you miserable and exhilarate you all at once."

Diana chuckled, "You sound as if you have experience." A small knowing smile grew on his face. Diana paused and looked at her brother with a quizzical look. "Have you experienced this?! With whom??" Diana asked, her voice shrill in realization at the audacity of it all.

"Diana I will cut off my favorite toe before I admit to that." he replied dryly but the smile still remained.

"You are aware I will find out somehow." Diana pinched his arm.

"I would be worried if you didn't even attempt, besides you have your own heart to contend with do you not?" he said.

Diana nearly tripped with her steps. "What?"

Damien rolled his eyes, "Please you can drop the pretense, I see how you and Prince Friedrich look at each other." Diana had now stopped in her tracks. 

"Tell me, how do I look at him?" Diana whispered, not even bothering to hide the panic she felt.

Damien grinned mischievously. "Like he is the sun, in a paradise that you have both constructed in these last few weeks." The words hit her like a runaway carriage, it was another unspoken truth. One that deep down in her subconscious she was frightened to admit out loud because it would suddenly become too real.

"Would you like to say goodbye to your Prince." Damien asked, drawing her from her thoughts.

Diana looked across the room finding the Prince's light hair among the sea of people. Prince Friedrich stood tall and regal surrounded by women vying for his attention. Diana hadn't realized until now how well their plan had been working for him. All politeness, the Prince granted each lady some attention that was appropriate rewarding many with that dimpled smile and pleasing gleam in his eyes. 

"It looks as if he is busy, and I do not wish to disturb him, besides he will be at our dinner table tomorrow evening." Diana said coolly.

Damien's brow quirked and wisely kept his words. "Alright, shall we go home then?"

"Please." Diana nodded, refusing to spare another glance at the Prince's way.

Diana sat in the carriage joined with the rest of her brothers. She was grateful that they were too busy irritating each other and was left alone with her stormy feelings. Diana bit her lip, hating that she couldn't bring herself to go to him because the unspoken truth had now been given life. Instead of the exhilaration that her brother spoke of, she saw Penelope's tears and sadness of a love that only led to devastation.  

A/N: OOOOHHH SNAP.