A Christmas Walk

16.

My alarm went off. My heart fell through my chest and became a puddle on the floor. I didn't want to leave. I was home sick, sure, but I didn't want to leave here either. My phone had a notification from the airline. My flight had been delayed. I moaned. I pushed the covers off me and got dressed. Prince Hayes knocked at me door.
"Good morning Autumn." I looked at him as I sat on the bed.
"Good morning Hayes. So, my flight got delayed." I frowned.
"There is a storm blowing through over England right now." I nodded. "Breakfast?" I glanced at the clock on my night stand.
"A little early isn't it?" Hayes smiled.
"Yes, I was asking if you would like breakfast or if you have time?"
"Oh, yes please." He nodded.
"I'll see you down there." His smile was soft.
"Of course."

Breakfast time rolled around and Emma was no one to be seen. I'm sure she didn't know my flight was delayed which is fine. I finally knew how to get to the dining hall by myself.
"Good morning Autumn." The Queen looked surprised to see me.
"Good morning." I curtsied. "My flight got delayed." I laughed nervously at my luck.
"It's almost like Baltaver doesn't want you to leave." King William smiled at me. I shook my head softly.
"I guess not." I glanced around. Hayes nor Ben were in the room. "Where's Prince William?" The looked between each other.
"I'm not sure." Queen Rachel looked perplexed. "He wasn't with you?" I shook my head.
"He said he'd meet me down here." She glanced at the clock that sat on the wall.
"William is never late." She assured me. I guess there is a first for everything. The door leading to the kitchen swung open. The chef and Hayes walked out. I tired to contain a smile.
"William." His father looked him over. "What are you doing?" He laughed a little.
"I'm learning to cook." Hayes said as if it was a normal thing to do.
"Why?" I laughed a little.
"Just a little piece of normal." He held up his fingers like he was holding a quarter. "I made French toast!" He exclaimed. The King and Queen looked down at their plates.
"I hate to break it to you, I really don't like French toast." I scrunched my nose. Hayes pouted a little.
"Don't worry, they aren't that good." His father joked.
"Hey!" Hayes crosses his arms over his chest like a child. I laughed.
"Come on, I'll show you have to make scrambled eggs." I grabbed the King and Queens plates.
"Thank you." The both said. I smiled at them.
"George, can I borrow your kitchen? I promise to clean up." He looks between Hayes and I.
"Good luck." I smiled at him.
"Would the rest of you like breakfast as well?" Emma and Ben appeared next to George. They slightly nodded. "If I may?" I heard the Prince behind me catch words in his throat. "They could eat in the kitchen." I looked back to King William and Queen Rachel. "Just a little bit of normal." They exchanged glances.
"Why not." The Queen smiled softly at me. I nodded.
"Thank you." She nodded to me. I drew in a deep breath. "Alright Hayes, scrambled eyes." I pushed into the kitchen.
"That was a bold move." He said once the door closed. I looked at him.
"So was making breakfast." Hayes studied my face for a moment. I thought he might have leaned in a little. We might of had, a moment. I cleared my throat. "Scrambled eggs."
"Right." He said softly. "Scrambled eggs." I put the dishes aside.

I taught Hayes how to make scrambled eggs. We made a generic batch along with some regular toast. I cut up onions, mushrooms and grated some cheese.
"These are easy." He looked down, slightly surprised at what he just made.
"Scrambled eggs are my favorite breakfast."
"Really?" I nodded.
"Normally, I put all of this in the eggs but I don't know what people do and don't eat so." Hayes smiled softly.
"Thank you, for this."
"Thank you for trying to make breakfast." He moaned a little, reminiscing about his earlier meal. I giggled. "You're a Prince, it's new to you how to cook, it's fine."
"But it's something people know how to do. People know how to cook."
"Do your parents know how to cook."
"I don't know, actually."
"Part of being normal isn't knowing how to necessarily cook but how to have bad food too." I paused. "Have you ever had bad food?" Hayes shook his head. "Have some of your French toast." He almost looked annoyed.
"Not funny." I tired not to smile.
"A little funny?" A grin appeared on his face.
"A little funny." He agreed. I laughed.
"Come on. Grab the cutting boards." I pushed out the door and back into the dinner room where King William and Queen Rachel sat. "I made a lot of eggs, how much do you want?"
"Two scoop." The Queen said pleasantly.
"Aren't I supposed to go first?" The King complained.
"Ladies first." Hayes and I said together. I looked over at him.
"Father, royalty should not out weigh chivalry." I moved over to the King.
"How many?" He looked at me.
"What have you been teaching my son?" He joked, or I think he did.
"Actually that wasn't me. That was one of the first things he ever told me when we met. I tired to let him leave the tea shop first but he told me that royalty should not surpass chivalry." The King smiled softly at me.
"What have I been teaching my son?" He looked at his wife. I laughed.
"How many scoops?" I asked again. He looked back at me.
"William made these?" I nodded. The King looked wary.
"They don't taste like French toast, I promise." He smiled.
"I'll take four."
"Four?" I started to scoop. "Hearty apatite."
"I like scrambled eggs."
"Me too. They're my favorite."
"I guess we have that in common." I smiled softly at the King. I turned my attention to Hayes.
"What about you?"
"I don't know." He was looking at his dad.
"You don't know how many you want? Do you think I'm just going to leave the bowl?" He looked up at me for a second.
"No." He looked back to his dad. "I didn't know they were your favourite."
"I guess we're all full of surprises." The King said just above a whisper. Hayes smiled softly and nodded.
"Leave the bowl."
"William Hayes." He looked up at me shocked. "Emma, George and Ben still have to eat. Make up you're mind." A smile appeared on his face.
"Well then I'll take 2." I nodded and placed the eggs on his plate. I scooped out 3 scoops for myself since I won't eat the toast. I turned around to the rest of them.
"How many pieces of toast for you?" I asked them all.
"Miss Leon, you don't have to wait on us." Emma spoke softly. I smiled.
"It's Autumn, and you're right I don't but I want to. How many?"
"One." She said with a smile in her eyes.
"Two." Both Ben and George said. I put five piece of toast on a plate and brought it into the kitchen with us. I already had three plates laid out for them.

After I served Emma, George and Ben I came back into the dining hall. Hayes looked up at me. His attention seemed to delicately placed on me. I joined them at the table.
"Why did you insist on serving them?" He asked.
"Because they wait on us all the time?"
"That's their job?" I turned my head a little.
"Sometimes, Prince William, it's nice to give and not always receive. Like my dad says, little things matter. It didn't kill me to serve them, but I can promise you, it meant a lot to them. To best serve your people, you have to be apart of your people." Hayes looked lost in wonder. I cleared my throat. "I feel like I over stepped a line with that last comment, I'm sorry." I looked at the King and Queen. King William had a similar express to Hayes, Queen Rachel smiled proudly.
"You're right." The King said. "To be a good leader, you need to know your people." I nodded. "I think some times we lose sight of that."

After breakfast we went back to our rooms. I gathered my bags at the door when my phone dinged. I check the notification. Moaning in disappointment, I flipped back on the bed.
"Ready?" I heard Hayes walk into my room.
"My flight got cancelled, again." He huffed a little.
"Oh." I sat up.
"I can go to a hotel."
"Please, Autumn, it's fine." I couldn't read his face.
"Are you sure? I feel like I've over stayed my welcome." Hayes smiled slightly and sat down next to me. "I thought royals aren't supposed to sit on beds." He laughed.
"I told that to Savannah so I didn't offend her by not sitting next to her." He said sheepishly.
"She can be a bit much, I don't blame you." I slowly looked around my guest room.
"I hope you know you are always welcome here. No matter what." I looked at Hayes. "Even after you've gone home." I leaned on Prince Hayes.
"Thanks." My head rested heavily on his shoulder. My feelings were like a mixed drink; one part happy to stay, one part sad to not be home and a drop of lust for Prince Hayes.
"Are you okay?" His voice was soft. I sighed. My eyes stared to sting with tears.
"I guess I'm just home sick." My voice broke when I whispered.
"Is there anything I can do to help?" I just simply shook my head. "I can't imagine how you feel."
"It's only when I'm doing nothing that I think about home and I get sad." I whispered.
"Let's do something then."
"Prince William, the car is waiting." Ben stood in the doorway. I sat up. Hayes looked at me.
"Would you like to go to Abigail's and get candies and maybe some tea next door?" I nodded. "Okay, grab your jacket."
"Sir?" Ben still stood in the doorway.
"Change of plans Ben, we're going to Abigail's gift shop and the cafe next door." Ben nodded without questioning him at all.

Abigail's face lit up when we walked in.
"Prince William!" She spoke in disbelief. I smiled to myself for a moment. "We have meet before." She pointed at me still grinning. I nodded.
"I was in earlier, last week."
"Right. The American, Autumn, was it?" I nodded quickly, I was shocked she remembered my name.
"Where are your friends?" The reminder made my heart heavy.
"They are back home, my flight got cancelled." Her eyes saddened.
"Well I'm sorry." She puts her hands gingerly on her hips. A smile smile crept onto her face. "Is Prince William as charming as you once thought?" My face flushed warm. I was glad she changed the topic, but talking about the Prince in front of him was awkward.
"Even more so." I sheepishly admitted trying not to look at him. Abigail smile widely.
"Then you really know the Prince." I nodded in a agreement. "So what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"Trip down memory lane." Hayes told her. I rolled my eyes.
"Don't let him lie to you. I wanted to come and get candy." I walked over to the boxes of it.
"I like her." Abigail said softly.
"I do too." I pretended not to hear them.
"She came in here and wanted to know about you and your family. Her friends seemed more interested than she was. I guess I was wrong." Abigail shared my secret with him. "I've got to be honest Prince William. I'm glad she's the one. She got you in here again. She must be good." I turned my head away, I didn't want them to know I was listening. An imagine on the wall captured my eye.
"What's this?" I pointed towards it.
"The Royal family crest." Hayes now stood at my side. It was a beautiful steel gray and ice cream white. The colors shouted at me. They were rich and charming. A blacks stallion stood on its hind legs in the middle. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"It really is." Hayes and I never stoped looking at his family crest.