The Search for Cinderella

Chapter 17

"Our childhood roles have been reduced to rubble. Luke is living in another word while the Crown Prince hardly pays attention to me and when he does it is full of censure," The girl concluded. Her hands landed back in her lap but her fingers were pressed into tight fists.

"Are you sure what you see in his eyes is censure?" Jade asked carefully. She did not wish to burn the world surrounding Emma. The bliss of ignorance would decrease the pain of her departure from the palace.

"What else can it be?!"

"Have you never tried to interpret the emotion in his eyes? He is-" Jade's words were interrupted.

"He is looking at us," Emma whispered. Her green glad shoulders shrunk as if trying to hide herself.

"Is he?" The brown haired girl looked around nonchalantly. From the distance they were at the party was barely visible but she could discern a small crowd at the edge indicating where the Prince stood.

"And yet he has made no attempt to accost us," Emma eyes caught her dirt covered satin shoes and sighed with dismay at the destruction.

"Of course, he hasn't. He would never put you in danger now that he knows the cause," Jade replied, "Your attacker has not yet been apprehended although Dimitri is certain he knows who it is. He is gathering evidence to lay the blame publicly."

"I should hope so for I am having trouble sleeping at night," Emma confided.

"Worry no longer for I am certain Edward will destroy them for daring to harm you," The older girl stated with confidence and her lips curled at the vision of her friend's ears turning blinding red at the thought.

.

...

Harry met Jade at the entrance of public dining hall. The secretary apologized for her lateness while her friend dismissed her words politely.

"I booked the private table early this week. I just knew there would be a rush at the last minute," The prim and proper man explained with a wave of hands. They made way through the crowd into one of the discreet dining tables that was covered with a curtain.

"The man of the hour appears at last," Richard barked from his corner. The handsome young man looked at ease with his surroundings. His limbs spread over the table and bench taking over a vast amount of space. Harry sat down next to him mindful of keeping the distance between them. On a chair at the head of the table sat Harrisburg while on the bench facing Richard sat Francis.

Jade snorted at the welcome. She inclined her head briefly and lifted her leather hat in greeting before sliding into the empty place at the bench next to Francis. The plates were already set and as soon as her rear touched the bench servants began bringing in the ordered dishes. Everyone commended Harry for his selection of menu.

"How is it, being the royal secretary?" Harrisburg asked as they settled into the meal placed before them, "Must be more thrilling then my life juggling the royal coffers."

"It's not as exciting as you presume. My hand cramps frequently from all the notes I have to write. Every second the Prince is awake needs to be accounted for," Jade related to her former dormmates.

"What a bore. We want to know which nobles boinking whom," Francis drawled, ignoring Harry's gasp of indignation. The man sitting next to Jade poured mead into her glass.

"As if I'd be revealing details to you vulgar lot?" Jade scoffed at their predictable behaviour, "Besides it doesn't matter who they share a bed with because as soon as we enter the room all they want is the Prince's attention. Pathetic."