A Different Cinderella

Prince Caelen leaned back against the wall, his feet on the window seat as he sketched his new creation. He’d tried to work his frustration out in the practice arena but Miss Gail’s echoing voice had riled him up too much to concentrate. He’d turned to sketching in hopes of focusing his irritation, but all he’d done was redraw the very design he’d so adamantly rejected. How did she expect such a design to work? There was hardly any form to it at all. She couldn’t just put a pattern on a random design and call it fashion. Thea was going to end up looking like a destroyed painting. No, he’d just have to make Thea a gown she could actually wear to the ball. If only he could stop drawing Miss Gail’s dress!

He crumpled up the latest drawing and tossed it into the fire, rubbing his hands over his face and hair in the hopes of jogging a new creation idea from his mind. Nothing. Just striking green eyes and a sharp mouth. Sure, he’d come up against those with different opinions and styles before, but who did that little chit think she was, challenging him so blatantly? He’d studied under Madam Vivian for years, learning everything there was to know about patterns and fashion. He’s frequently traveled to Lendon to consult with top experts in the field. His mother and sister wore some of his greatest designs. They were constantly complimented because of them. Did Miss Gail think she could produce anything to his level? What had Thea been thinking?

“I was thinking that Miss Gail has the same determination in her that I saw in you so long ago. And you should probably break that habit of grumbling to yourself.”

Caelen jumped, snapping his head to the door to his rooms. Thea strolled to the chair by the window and sank onto the cushion with that laughing smile she always wore when something he did amused her. Well, he wasn’t feeling too terribly amusing today.

“Are you really giving her a chance?”

“And why shouldn’t I?”

“She’s going to make you look awful. You’re better off letting me make something for you.”

“By all means,” she said with a wave toward the parchment propped against his knees. “I can’t stop you from making anything. But I’m still giving her a chance. Just like I did when you wanted to start designing when you were young.” She raised a challenging eyebrow at him. “Shouldn’t I see what she can do before rejecting something just because you don’t like it?”

Caelen frowned but didn’t argue. There had not been too many people who had supported his interest in fashion when he was younger. The Royal Advisors said that a prince should focus on other things like fighting, strategy, and politics. He had, of course, but it had been his sister who had encouraged him to ask Madam Vivian is she would take him as a student. Over the years, he’d developed his talent and had shown those stuffy advisors that he wasn’t any less of a prince because of his hobby and he could sometimes do his work better because he had experienced the effort put into someone’s craft. It made him relatable and well liked, but he never would have been able to be so efficient if it hadn’t been for Thea’s encouragement. Didn’t Miss Gail deserve the same chance? Caelen groaned as he realized his sister was right. Again.

Thea smiled and leaned back in the chair. “She’s really gotten under your skin, hasn’t she?”

His hard glance failed to stop her amusement. “I gave her my opinion and she practically tore my head off.”

“Well, you weren’t very pleasant in how you gave your opinion. How would you feel if someone called your work unflattering? Wouldn’t you act very similar?”

Caelen groaned again. “Would you stop being so reasonable? I’m trying to vent here.”

“Oh, my mistake,” she said with a wider smile. “Please. Vent away.”

He stretched out his legs so his toes touched the wall on the other side of the window seat. He sighed and shook his head. “Well, now I can’t. You’ve ruined the moment.”

“My apologies.” She didn’t sound sorry. She stood and wiped at his cheek with her thumb, coming away with a bit of charcoal smudge on her finger. “I suggest you give Miss Gail a chance. She’s proven that she can set her mind to something, so maybe she just might surprise you.” Caelen shrugged but nodded. “Good. Now, I have to attend a meeting with Pelopo’s ambassador. We’ve almost come to an agreement for fair sale price on their imports. Shall I see you at dinner?”

“I suppose.”

Thea squeezed his shoulder and left, closing the door to leave Caelen with his own thoughts. He rolled his head to look out the window, his gaze absently watching a pigeon soar above the roof.

Why did Mother have to arrange a Marriage Ball? Of course he knew that he’d have to marry one day and have an heir to take over the throne, but he’d hoped that he could have the kind of marriage his parents had been fortunate to have. The king and queen’s love had been a source of great pride for the kingdom; something every person strived to have for their own relationship. Caelen remembered how his father used to surprise his mother with her favorite flowers from the garden for no other reason than a wish to see her smile. Thea and Caelen would pretend to gag when their parents shared tender kisses, regardless of where they happened to be, but Caelen had always dreamed of finding a woman he could love like that. The king’s passing had shaken everyone but they were all proud of the queen’s determination to continue caring for the kingdom that she and her husband had loved so well. Mother had vowed to never love another like she had Father and wore nothing but dark purple to show her decision to forever mourn her greatest love.

Caelen knew that loves like that were very rare, especially among the upper classes, but he didn’t want to give up hope that it might happen to him one day if he just looked. This Marriage Ball might have a slim chance of that happening, but he wasn’t holding his breath. The expectation of finding someone at the ball wasn’t doing much for his temperament, either. It had been far too easy for Miss Gail to get under his skin, but he honestly hadn’t expected such ferocity from a simple seamstress. Very few stood up to him like she had and even fewer could irritated him to this degree.

Caelen looked down at his parchment and growled as he realized he’d drawn her design again.

§∞§

The purpose of the Ster, the center kingdom of the Five Great Nations, was to be the mediator and business bazar for all kingdoms to trade their wares. Thea had sat through her fair share of politics in the years since she had been deemed old enough to have a hand in the running part of the kingdom. She’d mediated business and trade disputes, formed alliances with their neighboring kingdoms, and drawn up detailed agreements from fruit prices in foreign markets to border claims. For the past two days, though, she had been working with the heads of trade in both her kingdom of Ster and the kingdom of Pelopo to come to a fair trade agreement for both parties. But it was exhausting to play mediator between those who were constantly trying to get the better end of the deal instead of doing best by everyone involved. It was nothing short of a small miracle that they managed to finish negotiations and draw up a document between the parties on the third day after only three hours of arguing.

Thea kept up a pleasant smile until the last representative left the council chambers. Then she allowed herself to slouch in her seat, resting her forehead against the cool table in front of her.

Ball preparations, trade agreements, arranging for a new dress, it was all becoming too much. It wasn’t always like this, but the periods of sudden rush of political matters tended to get old very fast. Hopefully, things would return to how they usually ran after the ball; efficient and neat enough to keep everyone relatively stress free.

A soft smile tugged at Thea’s lips. At least Miss Gail had provided her with a bit of entertainment today. She was a strong woman, independent in her thinking and confident in her skills. When Thea had learned that the sketch she’d approved had been Miss Gail’s very own, she found that she had liked the young woman’s courage to present her own work as a solution. Thea liked her even more when she’d watched Miss Gail handle Caelen’s assertive behavior. He’d been in a mood since the ball’s announcement and Thea was pleased to find someone else who could handle his brooding. She might come to like having the young woman around if she could continue facing her brother. He needed a strong hand once in a while to keep him on track.

Slowly, the smile faded from the princess’ lips and she sat back in her chair. It wasn’t really a surprise that Mother would plan a Marriage Ball; she was growing older and passing more responsibilities to her children. It was amazing that she’d managed so long without Father by her side to help run everything. It was about time that Thea and Caelen looked for spouses who could help run the kingdom and let Mother have a well-deserved rest. She hadn’t been the same since Father’s illness and passing. Her eyes shined a little less and there were times where she seemed to be lost in a cherished memory, a sad smile gracing her lips as she stared into nothing. Thea knew her mother was worried about her children and what would become of them in the future when she passed as well. Thea would do anything to ease any bit of Mother’s burden and so would look to the Marriage Ball with open eyes.

It would be ideal if she could love her partner like her parents had loved one another, but she was the realist in the family. Her spouse would most likely be a partner first and maybe a lover second if she was lucky. She could logically accept that kind of marriage and might even come to love her partner as many in her position have done. But that wouldn’t do for her brother. Caelen wanted to find True Love and felt the ball was taking that chance away. Thea understood her brother’s reluctance to attend, even if she constantly used logic to sooth his temper. He felt things deeply, despite his brilliant strategic mind, and any marriage he had would have to be the equivalent of True Love for him to be completely happy. It was a tall order to fill.

A clock chimed somewhere in the corridor outside the council room. Thea pushed herself to her feet, collected her notes from the meeting, and made her way to the dinning room. She hoped that Caelen would join them for dinner instead of sulking in his room. It really did baffle her sometimes as to why, between the two of them, she was the more mature one.