Bellona woke with a start. She looked at the clock and realized she needed to basically get dressed and ready in 5 minutes so she could have good enough running time to get to the kitchen to bring out the kings breakfast. Hustling around, she nearly burst out her door and track ran all the way to the kitchen.
"Good morning! You're early." Arlo gave her a serious look as he spoke. Bellona's eyes widened.
"I'm joking, you're right on time, and here's the cart." He rolled the cart to Bellona, who was still catching her breath. She nodded a thanks and rolled out the cart of food. She almost froze when she saw Vladimir and Donovan both...in the same room...at the same table...
"Morning sir." Bellona stopped and placed his meal before him. The carts second under-shelf had food for what was assumed were Vladimir's.
"Good morning. How are you?" Vladimir smiled at her. His eyes alone could freeze me in my tracks. So could the kings, but that was a stop-dead kinda freeze and I didn't want that.
"Fine sir. And yourself?" She tried to be formal. He chuckled.
"Just as well I suppose." He nodded at Donovan, who sat as stone and hadn't touched his food.
"May we eat?" Donovan growled. Vladimir noticed Bellona flinch and excused her. Bellona tried not to run into the kitchen. Arlo caught her as she went in the doors.
"Hey, I figured since we never really finished our dance-or started it really-that we could finish it now?"
"I don't know, Donovan seems in a harsh mood, so I better be on standby in case I have to clean blood from the floors." Bellona almost smiled, but it faded when she heard Donovan yelling. She and Arlo looked at each other before tuning in.
"You're starting to sound like my mother!" she herd Donovan yell, standing up, she assumed, the chair had slid against the ground and there were loud foot steps towards the opposite of the room.
"You need to face it and stop running from it like a child!" Vladimir sounded loud and his accent seemed thicker. The footsteps stopped.
"You! You need to stop thinking you know how I should act!"
"Even so, you need to start acting like you should!" After that, there was a silence.
"Bellona!" Bellona's stomach dropped, "Take Prince Vladimir to his ship in ten minutes. He leaves this noon." and there was yet another silence.
"Yes, my Lord." She answered from the kitchen. there were footsteps of both men and silence, like a blanket, wrapped around Arlo and Bellona.
"You weren't kidding. I've worked for him longer but even I didn't see that one." Arlo was still in shock. Bellona sighed and went out to clear the table. After doing so, she walked up to the guest hall here the guests stayed, and where she would either run into Vladimir, or her mother. In this case, she'd rather the latter. She waited in the hall, and she saw a figure coming up. Tight pale blond hair and green eyes.
"Sir Vladimir." She bowed, retrieving his bags. He had a large carpet bag and a small leather case.
"I apologize for Donovan."
"He can apologize for himself." Bellona turned to lead him out.
"I know he won't." He stopped her.
"As do I." She looked at him, and turned to walk again. The walk was quiet except for the guests who were down for their breakfast and departure buzzing around. Donovan met them at the docks with a cold look. His eyes are never warm.
"Goodbye King Donovan." Vladimir had a pained expression, where as Donovan didn't hold one.
"Prince Vladimir. Take care." The king's voice was empty...like his eyes, and soul and heart-
"I will miss you Bellona. May you be well." Vladimir turned to her and held her had. There was a spark there before, but it was gone.
"Goodbye, I'll miss you too." A tear came to her eye.
He boarded the boat and sailed away.
Bellona turned around and no one was there. everyone bid him farewell and left? So quickly at that?
She, flustered and hurt, walked back to the castle and went to the library to think.
