Royal Academy Diaries I

Resident Prince Charming ⚜ Ch. 8

The first thing Marc could think to do was go find Ardenne.

His mind was reeling and his confusion was heartbreaking. Had Milica been playing him this whole time? He thought he knew her, but obviously he'd been wrong. Suddenly he remembered the looks his friends had given him when they'd started dating.

But that didn't matter now. He just had to find Ardenne and figure out what happened.

"Ardenne? Are you here?" he asked into a crowded room. Nothing.

Where could she have gone? He went to the passage he'd shown her and down to another common gathering place. Finally he found her.

"Ardenne!"

She glanced back his way and glared daggers at him.

He cautiously approached her. "Princess?"

"Go away. You made your point very clear - you don't care about me. May I note that you are the one who's approached me most. I would ask why, but I guess guys like you just can't help but to be charming."

He tried to put a hand on her shoulder. "Ardenne, of course I care. You need-"

"Don't tell me what I need," she snapped, brushing him off.

"Just tell me what happened. Please."

She was silent for a moment. "Milica told me you didn't actually care. Not that I expected that you did, or even hoped so. But I thought we were friends. Then this girl Miele told me you wanted to see me in the drawing room, that you had something to tell me. I got the message."

Marc shook his head, his heart panging. "Milica was lying. I do care, and we are friends. And I didn't tell Miele to say anything to you. I certainly didn't mean to hurt you, Princess." He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It would seem that Milica played us both."

The princess's shoulders dropped. "So it would seem."

Looking to her for a moment, he took a risk. "If you need someone you can trust. And... I think that I need someone to take care of, to build up. Would you let me try?"

"What about Lucien?" she said, still looking away from him.

He shrugged. "It's entirely your choice, but he seems to be one that's hard to please. Maybe I'm wrong. It wouldn't be the first time..."

She shook her head and groaned. "Why am I so torn up? Nothing even happened."

The prince was quiet. "It's Christmas. Let's be happy. Maybe with a new year, we could make a new start?"

Ardenne didn't look up. "Please just leave me alone," she said sadly.

He nodded and stepped back. "I'm sorry."

Turning to leave, he didn't know where to go next. Perhaps, he thought, to the one place he went to where he might find answers.