Bad Prince Charming

1 - Offers

"Prince Marcellus Stone is gonna host a masquerade ball, and you're not going?"

A shrug was all Amora had to offer as she waited patiently for Josef's father to come back with her orders. She had resigned to sitting quietly in one of the fitting room chairs of the Shinning Castle Boutique, but Josef wouldn't let that happen.

"Only your species and gender matter, Amora-both in which you qualify for." Josef insisted. "I read the invitation twice before my sister stashed it away in her room. You can go if you want to."

"Hence on 'if I want to.' To which I don't. So therefore, I wont."

"Is it Regina that's holding you back?"

She shut her eyes at once, hoping he'd get the memo.

"You can't let that old hag tell you what's what. She doesn't own you."

'Oh, but she does, doesn't she?' Amora thought.

She pictured Josef looking at her from behind his place on the counter like she had three heads. He probably had a lot of work to do that he was slacking on. She heard him sigh.

"You know you have options, right? My father wouldn't mind taking you in. We're severely understaffed and Abbie doesn't like sewing, anyway."

At last Amora opened her eyes and met his gaze. Kind green eyes stared back with a look of worry she wasn't used to seeing.

"That is most gracious of you, Josef. But I could not forgive myself for becoming a burden instead of an addition to your family."

"You'd be the farthest from that. We're making good coin now because of the ball."

"That won't last. Don't forget that your father still accepts old dresses to save on expenses. Another mouth to feed subtracts from your profits. Besides," she continued before he could argue, "my stepmother would never allow it. Even if I left on my own volition...the consequences would only be more disastrous, I assure you."

"Who cares what she thinks? Amora you're old enough to make your own decisions. You are not property."

"Yet I will never truly be free. Now, please...that's all I want to say on the matter."

She saw his lips part but no sounds came out. He struggled to adhere to her wishes but he managed to nonetheless with a defeated slump of his shoulders.

"Anyways, I'm happy to see the boutique is still open even after all this time. I feared you all had moved elsewhere."

He wiped a hand over his curly locks. "My father considered the idea. After your stepfamily and most of our patrons stopped seeking business, Abbie's last suitor found out and then took off to Sequoia without warning."

Amora examined Josef carefully as he toyed with the eye of a pair of fabric scissors. He spun it slowly on the counter, a smile developing.

Amora smiled herself while checking behind him in case his father showed up. "My sincerest apologies. Abbie must be devastated."

"All torn up about it, she is. Men are unreliable fickle things, aren't they?"

"Speak kinder of your sort!" Amora giggled. "A few good men exist. Like you, Theodore, and...oh! Have you heard anything from Seth?"

Josef looked up.

"Or Arabella?" Amora added, "Perhaps they might've wrote you about where they are?"

"Ah...no. I'm afraid I didn't know Seth that well and I haven't heard from Arabella since...y'know."

Amora's shoulders lowered. She figured as much, but hope got the better of her and set her up for disappointment like always.