Masquerade [BANG CHAN FF]

12. Apology

For all the time Madeline has been in the castle and around the royals, she had picked on their habits and daily routines. And Prince Christopher had the unhealthiest ones. In short, he worked too hard and slept too little. 

During the day, the eldest prince had business either outside the castle, occasionally in a different town, or on the premises - training with the royal army or fencing. When the night came he was hollered in his office after dinner, doing paperwork. After the papers would bore him, he would go and train his body in the chosen facilities - underground, at the indoor pool, in his personal training room in the west wing, or outside. When he was done and used all of his energy or poured out his frustration in combat and working out, he would shower and return to his office to continue doing the paperwork he previously stopped. At what time of the night he went to bed was unknown to Madeline.

She picked up on this routine over time as she occasionally went to fetch a glass of water in the middle of the night and would see him, through one of the mirrors in the hallway, either training outside or sitting behind the large oak desk, the golden light of the desk lamp shining on his features and papers in hand.

Glancing at the tall clock in the hallway, which showed a few minutes past nine, Madeline knew that he was in his office, most likely reviewing the papers for his new business deal with a popular tailor.

The sound of her footsteps was nulled by the soft red carpet spreading down the hallway. She gripped her hands together, her heart pounding against her chest, picking up speed the closer she got to the tall closed door of Christopher's office.

Madeline stopped in front of it and let out another long sigh before the knuckles of her fingers firmly knocked on the polished wood.

A moment of silence stretched out for what seemed an eternity before a muffled "Come in" from the inside of the room reached her ears. Madeline nodded to herself, pushed down all the nervous jitters, and ignored the cold sweat surfacing and damping the cotton of the shirt on her back.

Pushing down the door handle, Madeline slowly opened the door and lowered her head before entering. She had never been in this room but the golden and white tones matched the rest of the castle's interior design.

"Do you have a moment, Your Highness?" she asked politely, raising her head to meet his icy glare. Christopher was sitting behind his desk, revising the business papers.

"No," he replied before returning his attention to the papers in hand.

Prince Christopher was dressed rather casually. Wearing a black t-shirt instead of his uniform took Madeline aback but then she noticed the thick and black uniform jacket hung on the back of his office chair. The fireplace in the office was lit, the wood crackling by the intensity of the flames just how Madeline's sanity started breaking apart at the sight of his exposed forearms tensing as he shifted the papers in his hands. However, she had to resist the warmth of the room and the blaze taking over her body, reminding herself about the purpose of her visit.

Madeline frowned and, albeit his response, entered the room, closing the door behind her.

"I won't take much of your time, I just want---"

"I said no," the prince didn't raise his voice. The words came out harsh and cold, matching his glare directed at the young tutor. "Get out."

"I will stay," she tilted her chin up and his eyes narrowed at her disobedience, "I need to talk to you."

"And I don't need to talk to you," emphasizing certain words, he looked back at the papers, "I told you not to speak to me again."

"You cannot force me away," she stood her ground and he closed his eyes for a moment, his jaw clenching with as much force as the one he used to grip the papers.