The twenty-eight day of October marked the fifth day since Madeline's intense encounter with Prince Christopher in the castle's ballroom where he spat his anger at her, calling her out on her lie when she previously melted in his arms as they danced.
Since then, the two would only see each other in the large dining room yet Christopher didn't even bat an eye at Madeline during the meals, engaging in short conversations only with the members of his family. And those delicious meals tasted like sand to Madeline as she still felt the anger radiating from him even though he never looked in her direction from across the table.
Madeline was honored to be sitting at the same table as the royal family instead of dining with the servants but, given the circumstances, she much rather wished to crawl inside a hole and stay in that dark space for the rest of eternity so that she wouldn't have to sit through a nerve-wracking meal every time and endure Christopher's raging aura. His presence made her uneasy and she barely ate as being in the same room as him made her lose her appetite and struggle to breathe.
However, Madeline would eat slowly and only leave the room when the royals were done with their meals, standing up and bowing to them in respect. She'd help the maids clean up despite their protest, using that time to calm down her nerves before she moved on to another task of the day. But her mind would only stream more thoughts...
Madeline was surprised that the king didn't take any action against her and feared that the blond prince would call her out again in front of everyone during one of the meals but that never happened and she thought that he was compassionate and understanding toward his siblings, not her, seeing how close they were with their "favorite tutor".
Christopher never again came to check in on his younger siblings during snack time at noon. He barely even stayed at the castle during the day - he was either with his friends and girls out in town or training his body in ruthless combat, disciplined fencing, or galloping horse-riding. He would participate in any sort of action where his anger would stream out and leave his body. However, a new portion of ire would occupy his body with a mere thought of Madeline's lie. The displeasure of knowing he was so easily fooled and the fact that Liliana, a woman who piqued his interest with her elegant dancing, never existed made his blood boil and would request another sparring match with Changbin, a new rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins.
Madeline did her best during classes and night-time reading but she desperately needed someone to confine to. She wrote to Alissa the very next morning after her breakdown in the ballroom. Madeline knew how busy her friend was with her biological and botanical researches that she didn't dare to call her over the phone but she hoped that her letter reached Alissa and that a reply would return.
Lounging in the white gazebo behind the castle, enjoying the warmth of the late October sun, Madeline's reading was interrupted by a maid calling out to her.
"Miss Simmons, you have a visitor," the young maid spoke and Madeline looked up from her face at the approaching female. Recognizing the waves of blonde hair, Madeline stood up, tears welling in her eyes.
"Alissa..." she whispered, her lower lip trembling. She took off her reading glasses and placed them on the small table, on top of the closed book.
As her heart picked up speed and her feelings upon seeing her best friend doubled, Madeline jumped out of the gazebo and ran over the colorful fallen leaves to Alissa, enveloping her in a tight hug and letting her bottled-up sobs leave her chest.
"There, there..." Alissa hummed, caressing Madeline's back. "Let it all out..."
And so, Madeline cried her heart out. Alissa patiently waited, shushing and hugging her friend until she calmed down and stepped out of the hug herself.
Two best friends returned to the wooden gazebo as another maid served them the calming afternoon tea. Luckily, the twins had their music class where Princess Hannah followed Prince Lucas's violin on the piano, so Madeline used that time to relax and be with her own thoughts. Only this time, she didn't have to be alone but speak her worries and suffering out to her best friend.
"Tell me everything," Alissa placed her hand over Madeline's, and the brunette lowered her head to sniffle and take a breath before she began.
"He was so frightening, Alissa..." Madeline bit her lower lip to stop its shiver, her eyes glossy with new tears as her mind recalled the memories from five days ago. Madeline shook her head and grasped Alissa's hand, "He just appeared one day after my dance class with Princess Hannah, bearing presents for the children and one for me. As I wrote you in the letter, I knew something was odd as his eyes didn't match the smile on his face." She talked and Alissa nodded, compassion and understanding written on her face.
"I... I wanted to believe that he didn't learn the truth but the selection of his words and how he dismissed his siblings to dance with me told me he knew. He just..." A tear fell on the back of her hand as fright claimed dominance over her body, making her shoulders quiver, the tremor conquering her whole body in seconds. "He pinned me against the wall, the impact pushing out every bit of air from my lungs after I foolishly relaxed in his arms as we danced. Rage poured from his eyes as he undid my hair and took off my glasses, and I knew what he was about to say," Madeline paused but Alissa's reassuring grip gave her courage to continue.
Madeline cried openly in front of her best friend, using the moment of silence to let those tears carry out every bit of anxiety she held trapped these five days.
"He..." Madeline's breath hitched, her voice coming out broken in a sob, "He told me I disgust him... because..." her cries couldn't be stopped and Alissa's own eyes started filling with tears, "Because I was wearing a mask this whole time, pretending to be someone I am not... I just... Alissa... All I wanted was to be a tutor... not to deceive and make the prince fall in love with me! I... I didn't... I didn't go to the masquerade ball for that purpose!"
She broke down and that was Alissa's cue to scoot over on the wooden bench and pull the crying girl into a hug, to let those painful cries echo and those tears pour out and soak her blouse.
"I know, darling, I know..." Alissa whispered, motioning her hands up and down Madeline's tremoring back.
Alissa let Madeline weep and mumble some words that weren't audible due to her shaky breath and sobbing quiet voice but then she pulled away a bit, took the delicate white porcelain cut of chamomile tea from the small round table in front of them, and offered it to the saddened girl.
"Here, drink some and calm down," Alissa spoke softly and Madeline reached with her shaky hands, taking the cup and letting the steam caress her crying face.
Alissa scooted away and took the other cup for herself, taking a small sip. Like a child, Madeline looked up at her friend with her big round eyes and imitated the movements, bringing the porcelain to her lips and sipping on the warm liquid.
"Now..." Alissa smiled, using the fingers of her free hand to tilt Madeline's chin up and that way make her body straighten. "I heard everything you wanted to say but now you'll hear me out too, okay?" she raised a brow and Madeline faintly nodded. "Since you're living here, you can't be on bad terms with the prince. Sure, his siblings love you but you can't ruin yourself after what happened, you hear me?" the brunette nodded again, taking another sip from the cup in her hands. "He's said what he has said, now it's your turn!" Alissa raised her voice a bit, watching as Madeline's eyes grew in fear.
"Wh-what? How?" the brunette stuttered and the blonde chuckled, scooting over again and patting her friend on the head.
"For a teacher, you're a dummy sometimes," Alissa giggled but then straightened her back, ready for her lecture. "Listen, you need to explain your reason to him. You need to apologize and tell him that it was never your intention to... I don't know... lead him on?" Alissa flailed her hand, sipping on the tea next. "He needs to hear your part of the story."
"But..." Madeline's gaze fell and she nervously bit her lip, her thumb trailing the golden streak on the cup's handle. "What he said was right... I did it to cover my true identity..."
"That is true but, Maddie..." Alissa pulled Madeline's chin up for her glimmering brown eyes to meet her blue ones. "I'm not saying you need to charm him again like Liliana did but you need to make up for the lost opportunity and explain yourself. Tell him everything you feel and think," Alissa took Madeline's hand off the cup and smiled wider. "And know that you have my utmost support throughout that conversation. My research team and I are currently staying in the capital so, whenever you need me, just call and I'll come rushing to you." She slipped a paper into Madeline's hand, the small piece containing a phone number and address of the hotel Alissa was staying in. "But, no matter how much I would love to give the prince a piece of my mind... you have to do this alone..." Her endearing smile brought more tears to Madeline's eyes and the teacher fell into Alissa's arms.
"Thank you... thank you for being here for me..." Madeline sniffled and Alissa chuckled, hugging her back.
"I'm always here for you, dear. Remember that one time you spilled hot tea in college and I had to borrow you my blouse?" Alissa giggled and Madeline straightened up, careful not to stain their clothes with the tea they were holding.
And, for the first time since their meeting, Madeline smiled, wiping away the remains of her tears.
"Yeah, I was lucky that your apartment was near the school," Madeline added and the two girls laughed more, engaging in a casual conversation, reminiscing old and funny college-day memories, and finishing their tea which significantly calmed Madeline down.
Their funny talk and laughs relaxed Madeline as well but those laughs echoed through the garden and reached the ears of two men horse-riding on the gravel path not too far away from the two best friends sitting in the white gazebo.
Christopher, riding his white horse in the company of his friend Changbin, halted to see where the mirth was coming from. Through tree branches and bushes, he spotted the white benches and chairs and two girls sitting there. The blonde was turned with her back facing him but the brunette and her animated smiling face were in a clear view.
His eyes narrowed. Christopher couldn't distinguish what the two were talking about but he heard their giggles, their rings of laughter and her amused face causing his jaw muscles to tense and flex. His fingers, covered in thick black leather gloves, wrapped themselves harder around the reins, his chest slightly heaving as the annoyance bubbled inside his ribcage.
"Chan?"
Christopher heard Changbin's voice and flinched, turning his head to his friend who stopped in front of him.
"Yeah?"
Changbin raised a brow, "Is there something wrong? You're frowning, like, really hard."
Christopher shook his head and eased the scowl on his face, ruffling his blond fringe to cover his forehead. He cracked his neck and relaxed his shoulders.
"I'm fine. Let's go."
With that, the two men continued down the path and through the back gate of the castle's premises, on their way to visit a neighboring town and hopefully seal the business deal with a local tailor because they would need him and his works for the upcoming ball.
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"A-are you sure I should be here?" Alissa whispered, her hand that Madeline held beginning to sweat.
Madeline giggled and stopped walking, turning to her friend. "I'm sure. They would be so happy to meet you."
"But I'm not a good of a dancer like you," Alissa whined, trying to find as many excuses to get out of this situation.
Madeline laughed again and pulled her friend to the tall double door. "You won't have to dance, just be there."
"But I'm not good with kids--"
Yet, before she could complain any further, Madeline opened the door and pulled Alissa inside, the royal twins already waiting for their teacher, playing rounds of rock-paper-scissors in the middle of the room.
"Maddie!" they shouted in unison but halted their run upon seeing an unfamiliar face.
"Hello!" Madeline waved. She noticed the children's confused stares and gripped Alissa's hand tighter. "This is my best friend, Alissa Matisse. She's working at a research laboratory in Lagueria but is visiting the capital for a couple of days so I hope you don't mind her joining and observing our class."
Silence emerged after Madeline's words and Alissa got more nervous by the second as the twins didn't give them any reaction. But they suddenly giggled and ran to them, glomping Alissa the same way they did Madeline.
"Every Maddie's friend is our friend," Prince Lucas smiled, stepping away from Alissa. The blonde girl visibly relaxed and smiled back.
"And every Maddie's enemy is our enemy," Princess Hannah furrowed her brows but the older girls just chuckled at that and resumed their walk into the room.
"Alissa, you're very pretty," Hannah's face lit up with a beaming smile as she took Alissa's hand and led her to the chairs. The blonde nodded and thanked the princess. "What sort of research do you do?"
"Ah..." Alissa gulped and sat on the comfy chair, looking at expectant siblings, "I specialize in biology but researching about all sorts of plants is my job. I came to love botanic studies when I was met with the Lagueria's diverse ecosystem."
"That's really nice," Hannah sat next to her. "What's your favorite flower?"
"Hmm..." Alissa put a finger on her chin, thinking hard, "I love peonies."
A huge smile spread on the princess's face and the two girls started talking while Madeline and Lucas watched them. The tension dissipated from Alissa the more she talked with the princess and Madeline couldn't help but smile.
"You seem happy, Maddie," Lucas noticed and Madeline looked down at the sharp-minded boy, smiling big at her. "You are in a much better mood than this morning."
"Yeah," Madeline nodded and looked back at her best friend. "All because of Alissa... she took all my worries away, giving me the courage to be myself."
Her words sort of confused the young prince but he just shrugged and went to the gramophone, getting it ready for today's dance class.
Madeline breathed in and out, feeling more confident than ever to face the eldest prince and thanking Heavens that had brought Alissa to her as her words, hug, and smile as they had their relaxing cup of afternoon tea, poured in that much-needed strength for her to step forward and come clean.
Iron is struck when it's hot - she will confront Prince Christopher and explain everything as soon as she sees him. There will be no more running, hiding, and anxiously avoiding his eyes. She knew that their encounter would be brimming with tension but her mind and heart were settled.
The last thing she wanted was for Christopher to hate her. Her plan was not for him to get to love her but to earn back his respect and trust. She was his sibling's tutor, after all...
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To be continued...
A/N: We're all rooting for you, Maddie! Go for it!! Don't let this meanie win!
P.S. If you're wondering about Alissa's "nationality", I picture her as French (hence the given last name) so she has that accent on Rs.
Inspired look:
Alissa is the best of the best! Everyone needs a friend like her!