With All That Grace

f o u r | Only Day One

f o u r | Only Day One

Princess Lessons with Bernice weren't bad.

But then again, we hadn't exactly begun. She'd wanted to give me the lay of the land first, so it was only sort of an introduction about everything we'd cover—unsurprisingly, it was over pretty quickly.

While I'd been somewhat looking forward to it with what little she'd mentioned before breakfast, I actually couldn't wait to start now.

Right then I stood in the hall after she'd left. Bernice had pretty much dismissed me to take a call, so I was left to wonder quietly to myself. Was I supposed to check out the castle now, or did I have time to stop in for a quick visit with Uncle Albert?

For the first one, I would need Alexander.

The thought alone was enough to send me walking towards my uncle's room.

It was pointless when the door opposite mine opened mid-step. I saw Alexander exit, look at me and then storm right past with a scowl on his face.

"Do keep up," he barked over his shoulder, pausing just above the stairs.

Great, he was in a good mood.

Feeling a stab of irritation, I followed him. If he was going to be a total bitch the entire time, I didn't have to take it. It didn't matter to me if he was the prince of Cordhovia, it really wasn't cool of him to be like this.

Or was this where I had to have patience? That probably would be the appropriate measure by a good leader.

God, not even twenty four hours here and I was already facing an internal—somewhat political—dilemma.

I joined him where he stood, scrutinizing him as I did. I was a hundred percent sure he knew I was staring, but he didn't look my way. Instead, he placed his hands on the railing wide apart as he leaned against it. "Look."

At what?

When he didn't say anything else, I tore my gaze away from him to follow his and stilled. The front interior of the castle—the hall I'd hurried through yesterday—was all laid out in front of me. The elaborate ceiling, the huge windows, the patterned walls, everything. It was insane. The best part was the light the windows cast in the hall—not harsh, but a soft glow that almost reflected all the snow on the other side of the glass.

So it was good.

Okay, no. It was great.

And Alexander clearly knew the castle well.

"This is everything," he said quietly. "I'll show you the entire castle and it'll be beautiful. But we'll end up right back here and you'll know this is the best."

"I don't doubt it," I murmured, at the moment more stunned at his lack of hostility than I was at the view of the castle.

It was like he snapped out of his thoughts as he threw a distasteful look at me before starting down the stairs. "Come on."

And he was back.

So began the torture.