Reflections Beginning (Book 2) Now published so sample only

Chapter 2 - A stranger in the mirror

"Lunch." I heard Mary call out "Come on lovey."

I could barely sit still during the meal. Mary had to keep repeating her questions to me until she seemed quite exasperated. Eventually she gave up and talked to Roger instead. I ate about two mouthfuls and smiled like a crazy person for the rest of the meal.

I wanted desperately to go back and talk to the Prince but I was also incredibly nervous of what he might say. I poked my head in the room until I could see the mirror in all its glory. It reflected its normal grey silvery fleck and I was incredibly disappointed but a little relieved as well.

"Uh Prince Caden?" I called out quietly, but nothing happened. I turned away surprised by how upset I was.

"So you know who I am?" I heard his voice say and I turned around trying to hide my smile and my heart that was leaping with joy.

"Uh... yeah. You made the news, you know ‘cause your been missing for so long and all that." I blurted out the words.

"Yes and it is all the fault of my twin brother." He almost shouted as he glared of into the distance.

“Prince Markus?" I asked with a frown.

"Yes, he said that someone gave him orders to leave me here. Apparently someone is coming to rescue me but it has been two years, when apparently it was only supposed to be one." He vented his frustration and started pacing.

"Well maybe they are just running late." I said to try and soothe him.

"Next time he visits I am going to demand that he tell me who this mystery person is." He muttered almost to himself.

"So he comes to visit but how come you can't get out?" I asked in confusion and he turned to me and smiled the most toe curling smile I had ever seen.

"You did it again." He stated simply.

"What?" I asked perplexed.

"I still have no idea of your name and you always manage to distract my thoughts. So I would appreciate knowing who I am addressing?" He asked in a silky voice.

"Uh...Charlie." I said only to see his face fall into a disgruntled expression.

"Charlie? That is your name?" He asked in an amazed voice.

"Yep." I said shrugging my shoulders not understanding his aversion.

"It is not a very feminine name for such a lovely girl." He said still looking puzzled while I blushed at his compliment.

"Well it's the name I like." I said stubbornly.

"What is the name you dislike then?" He insisted with a heart-warming grin.

"It's Charlotte." I said it quickly, hoping that he would miss it.

"Charlotte." He let it roll off his tongue and for the first time I liked the way my name sounded "Why do you not like such a beautiful name?"

"I only get called that when I get caught doing something wrong." I said ruefully and his grin widened.

"How often would that occur?" He asked me cheekily.

"More often than I would like." I said sheepishly.

He laughed in such a beautiful way that I wanted to keep him laughing forever. It awoke something deep inside of me and I felt shock at how much I wish that I could reach out and touch him. There was just something so compelling that drew me to wanting to be near him.

"So how old are you Miss Charlotte?" He asked and I wanted to glare at him for using my proper name but it just sounded so nice coming from his lips that I just couldn't.

"I'm 15.1." I answered and he smiled at me setting my heart all a flutter in my chest like a caged bird.

"Well I'm 15.1 and a half, I think." He said with a grin. In Earth years he was sixteen and a half, just as I was sixteen.

"I know." I said and then slapped my hand over my big mouth that kept blurting stuff out and went bright red like normal.

"You seem to know a lot about me." He murmured and my mouth popped open to say something but nothing came out. His grin deepened into a smirk and my heart beat sped up ridiculously.

"Well...You are one of the Princes of the Royal Family, so everyone knows about you." I finally spluttered.

"True." He said quietly.

"Charlie, where are you my girl?" I heard Roger call out from down the stairs.

"Gotta go." I said quickly.

"Will you come back later?" He asked almost desperately which surprised me.

"Sure." I said before disappearing to find Roger.

I was forced to spend the rest of the afternoon occupied with Gate Management Procedures which bored me to tears. Every moment I had free my thoughts went back to Prince Caden. I found him so intriguing but at the same time I found it so hard to talk to him that I just blurted stuff out.

It wasn't until the following morning, after many restless dreams that were plagued with emerald green eyes that I got a chance to return to the attic. People were coming through today so I had to be quick. I was almost jumping out of my skin with how tense and excited I felt at seeing him again.

"Prince Caden?"

"Charlotte, I am so happy to see you." He exclaimed as he walked over from the other side of the tower. His whole face lit up when he saw me and I blushed profusely to which he chuckled warmly. "You are such an easy blusher." He said softly which only made me go redder.

"Um..." My whole mind blanked with him staring at me so intensely.

"I would like you to call me Caden." He said and I felt my mouth drop open in shock. Only very close friends and relatives were allowed to call any of the Royal Family by their first names. I felt privileged in the strangest way.

"Are you sure?" I asked tentatively.

"Of course." He said with a chuckle.

I heard movement at the foot of the stairs so I quickly said my goodbyes with a promise to see him later. With my whole body trilling with excitement I made my way through another boring day. Thoughts of Prince Caden sustained me throughout and I couldn't stop smiling at the giddy feelings he stirred up in me.

I managed to spend a blissful couple of days visiting him whenever I could. We talked for long seemingly endless hours about nothing in particular but at the same time it was everything important. He talked about his family, his schooling, and all the tiny facets of life that we sometimes overlook.

I found myself listening intently while saying little about myself even when prompted. I didn't want to tell him about being the next Ambassador in case it pushed him away from me. So that meant I couldn't tell him about my life on Earth, I could only tell him of the times I had spent on Argonia.

I found myself developing feelings for him that I knew I could never act on, but every day I went back to see him like I almost couldn't stop myself. The way he laughed made me happy, when he smiled at me my heart squeezed with joy and I felt I could talk to him forever while still know nothing about him. I knew I was falling for him but I couldn't bring myself to prevent the course of disaster that was coming my way.