The Search for Cinderella

Chapter 10

"Acceptable does not reveal his origins. Who knows where he hails from. My resources found nothing on him. Absolutely nothing. It's as if he appeared from Mr. Gepetto's apartment out of thin air!"


"Mr. Gepetto can be trusted."


Master Elliot looked incredulous as he read the stubbornness crossing his charge's face. He knew there was no fight that could be won now.


"Oh, heavens, why do you have this grimy bunch?" The grumpy man pointed at the dirty shoes destroying the expensive carpet the spoiled prince left no opportunity to defile.


"I saw a girl at the lake," The Prince uttered softly.




"Was it..." Elliot was frightened. He wished he could protect the Prince even through his arms were too stubby to enclose the boy like they used to.



Luke frowned and looked away. The Prince was starting to lose his grip on reality. He could sometimes not discern what was real and what was a dream. He did not wish to frighten his secretary but knew he must confess sooner rather than later. The shoes, just like before, were a symbol that he wasn't dreaming. There truly had been a girl at lake. Whether it had been her or not he could not surmise.



"A girl wearing these hideous slippers? At least the glass ones were appropriate," Elliot tried to break the tension. 

"Glass would have been a disaster on grass. It's sensible," The Prince was mercifully diverted. 

"Here you find a mysterious girl's choice of attire sensible but cannot find it within you to understand the dangers of employing a man without a past," The secretary went back to his favourite task of berating his charge. 

...
.
.
.
.....



Jade perused the contents of the shelf in the library. The books were diverse and unfortunately placed alphabetically making her task more difficult. She could hear Paul in the other row cursing the tedious task set before them. Harry had taken command of a table with his plethora of books and was making diligent notes at a fast pace. 

Robert's assumption had been correct. Prince Luke's entire episode with the girl had something to do with magic. They would not have been asked to research and write an essay on the subject if that were not the case. Although it was never vocalised what the purpose of this open ended task was Jade had realised it was sensible to frame the entire essay on relevant details. 

Jade nearly bumped into Jacob who was just as perturbed as her about where to start. The girl decided it would be best to ask the librarian which books should be suitable. Through the maze of rows she bumped her way out of the mix of men loitering around like lost lambs and found herself facing someone even better than the librarian; the head librarian's daughter. 

Emma sat on a carved wooden table at the end of the library writing furiously in her notebook. The spot was wisely chosen since rays of sun exclusively brightened up that particular corner and it was well away from the rest of the occupants of the room. 

Jade's steps faltered when she realised who sat on the other table right behind Emma. The Crown Prince was perched in a corner with a drab little book doing a very poor job of reading it. The fair haired girl has apparently not noticed the gaze firmly fixed on her back. He was surprisingly without any of his usual companions or guards.


The tall girl observed the scene with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. She did not know what the man was up to. Did he mean to join the girl he spied upon? She doubted it for even he must know Emma would swiftly vacate the room if she was aware of his presence. He would have to be daft to be oblivious of the effect he had upon her. Jade decided it was time to play with fire.


"Ello, ello, my fair lady," Jade squeezed herself into the ornate bench opposite the girl paying no mind to the dark haired man. She had no patience for whatever the Crown Prince was planning.


"Greetings, pretty boy! What brings you to my lair," Emma bestowed upon her companion a sunny smile. Her friend noted her petite fingers were stained with ink.