A Touch of Thorns

Chapter 7- I'm Joesph?

"Some people need a starfish in their face...It does them good"

~KM Shea The Little Selkie

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The library was a sanctuary of solitude, its grandeur echoing with the whispers of ancient tomes and the hushed reverence of knowledge seekers. Sunlight filtered through stained glass windows, casting a kaleidoscope of colors upon the polished marble floors.

Amidst the towering shelves of books, I found solace, losing myself in the labyrinth of literature that stretched before me. Each volume held the promise of adventure, the allure of discovery, and the comfort of companionship within its pages.

As the day waned and the sun dipped below the horizon, I reluctantly tore myself away from the library's embrace, feeling both enriched and enervated by the weight of the knowledge I had absorbed. It was a slow day, indeed, but one filled with the quiet magic of introspection and exploration.

I sighed, closing the book with a soft thud, its weighty pages echoing the heaviness of my thoughts. "Perhaps a few people would wish to be royalty if they found out how dull life is," I murmured, my words a lament for the monotony that often defined my days. "One day you're working yourself to death, and the next you're wasting oxygen."

As the words hung in the air, a voice interrupted my reverie, pulling me back to the present. "Princess, I agree your day seems quite boring but mine is filled with excitement." Startled, I turned to find Cedric leaning casually against a bookshelf, his arms crossed and his expression weary yet determined.

"What did you do this time?" I asked, a hint of exasperation creeping into my voice. It wasn't uncommon for Cedric to find himself embroiled in some sort of trouble, his adventurous spirit often leading him down perilous paths.

Before Cedric could respond, the booming voice of Joseph, our aide, shattered the tranquility of the moment. "Your highness! We need to finish these documents!" Joseph's urgent tone carried through the library, punctuating the air with a sense of urgency.

"He's over here, Joseph!" I called out, but before I could finish, I felt a firm hand grip my waist, pulling me back. A hand covered my mouth, stifling any protest I might have made.

"Princess, I don't quite like you right now," Cedric's voice was low, his gaze piercing. "I do not need my aide lecturing me right now."

"I don't like you ever," I retorted, my words muffled by his hand. In a bold move, I bit down on his hand, causing him to release me with a yelp.

"Joseph!" I exclaimed in relief as our aide rushed over.

"Your highness, we must get back to work," Joseph insisted, oblivious to the tension between Cedric and me.

"Oh dear, did I interrupt anything?" Joseph asked innocently.

"No, he was just telling me how he wanted to give you a vacation starting today," I improvised, shooting Cedric a pointed look.

"Oh my! Really? I must get going then! Thank you, Your Highness!" Joseph exclaimed before scurrying away.

"Princess...I'll give you three seconds to run," Cedric's warning was barely a whisper, but the threat lingered in the air like a storm on the horizon.

I narrowed my eyes at him, a flicker of defiance igniting within me. "You wouldn't dare," I challenged, my voice a defiant whisper that matched his own. But deep down, I knew Cedric was capable of anything, and the prospect sent a shiver down my spine.

"One..." I ran away trying to find a place to hide "Two..." I found a tiny dark corner and hid "Three..."

Cedric's voice echoed through the library, sending a chill down my spine as I realized he had found me. Panic surged through me as I struggled to control my breathing, the darkness of my hiding spot providing little solace.

"My, my, Princess, did you forget that I know you so well?" Cedric's taunting words cut through the silence like a knife, his voice drawing closer with each passing moment. "Your hiding has gotten worse from the years I've been away."

I remained frozen in place, my heart pounding in my chest as Cedric's footsteps grew nearer. Every creak of the floorboards seemed to mock my feeble attempt at concealment, and I cursed myself for underestimating Cedric's cunning.

Suddenly, a beam of light pierced the darkness, illuminating my hiding spot as Cedric rounded the corner, his expression a mixture of amusement and triumph. "There you are, Princess," he declared, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. "I must admit, I expected better from you."

I swallowed hard, meeting Cedric's gaze with a mixture of defiance and resignation. There was no escaping him now, no denying the undeniable truth that he had once again outwitted me.

"And now," Cedric continued, his tone taking on a more serious edge, "we have matters to discuss. Matters that cannot be ignored any longer. You are now my Joesph, since you sent my aide away"

"Excuse me what?! Why would I become your aide?!" I exclaimed

"Well you were just complaining about being bored" He spoke to me as though I am a child.

"No, no, I said royal life is dull not boring. Two different things." I scrambled to speak

 "Really how so" A glint of amusement showed on his face. His eyes, on the other hand, were like hawks watching their prey.

But arguing with Cedric was like trying to reason with a storm—he was relentless, unpredictable, and utterly convinced of his own righteousness.

"Being bored and finding life dull are not the same thing, Cedric," I replied, my voice tinged with frustration. "Boredom implies a lack of stimulation, while dullness suggests a lack of excitement or fulfillment. Just because I find certain aspects of royal life monotonous doesn't mean I want to become your aide."

Cedric raised an eyebrow, his expression incredulous. "Well, forgive me for assuming you'd jump at the chance for a change of pace," he retorted, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "But it seems that you don't understand. That wasn't a request."

---The room we were in was a stark contrast to the grandeur of the palace's main halls. It was a functional space, dominated by a large oak desk littered with stacks of parchment and inkwells. The walls were lined with bookshelves, filled to the brim with leather-bound tomes and scrolls, while a single window allowed a sliver of sunlight to filter into the room, casting long shadows across the worn carpet.

As for our attire, Cedric was dressed in the traditional garb of a royal, with a fitted doublet embellished with intricate embroidery and polished riding boots that gleamed in the dim light. His golden brown tousled hair fell in disarray around his face, giving him a rakish charm that was both infuriating and undeniably attractive.

I, on the other hand, wore a simple gown of emerald green, the color contrasting sharply against the muted tones of the room. I took my blonde hair out of my bun and shook it out, causing it to fall in waves, and I wore minimal jewelry save for a delicate necklace that shimmered in the faint light.

Cedric's glare could have frozen lava as he snapped, "Why aren't you working, Princess Vivienne? And get off my desk. You're messing up my paperwork"

"Well, I am a princess from another country. It wouldn't look too good to see a foreigner delegating internal affairs," I retorted, my tone laced with sarcasm.

"Since when did you care about reputation?" he muttered, his frustration evident.

"I don't care for yours as much as your father's," I shot back, a smirk playing at the corners of my lips. 

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you are loved and are beautifully perfect