Banished Prince Charming

Chapter 19 - All It Needs Is A Spark

"Yeah, Heather told me that our young master here slept like a log once he places his head down. The nights are cold, young master. I'm pretty sure you would need to have some body heat to warm the night, right?"

"Don't give us the reason that you had been talking to Heather all night before resting. Hahahaha..." Gwen chided me and I was opening and closing my mouth once again like a giant goldfish.

Besides, Heather was blushing and looking sheepishly at her own twiddling hands as if she was counting the lines if rings in her fingers and dare not look out due to her extreme embarrassment.

"If only we have a female dog I'm sure Sir Blackie would show young master a trick or two... Hahaha." Ben poked my ribs on my left side as he gave me a wink. "Blimey! Oh me god. Don't tell me deese guys was fnkin' ov askin' me ter do those a.d.u.l.t fngs when they are in bed wiv their spouses?!" I exclaimed loudly and everyone broke up in peals of laughter.

"I do not 'ave da slightest idea right now an' all I was fnkin' was da welfare an' da developmen' ov GraceHaven. I 'ave ter push that thought at da back ov me mind first!" I blurted out my intentions but was greeted by peals of laughter once again.

A few of them were wiping their faces when it became teary and after everyone had calmed down, Crystal spoke up and said, "In that's the case, we then let nature take its course then. From tonight onwards, you, the young master should be hugging Heather close to you since she had been getting the shivers and would be jittery during the daytime."

"Eh? Heather is not feeling well? Why does she not tell me then or Kayla? At least she could concoct some medicine for her." I asked in surprise that I thought that Heather might be down with a bug or something.

"The cure is in your hands, young master. All the medicine in this country would not be able to cure her except for you. You are her cure and the most perfect medicine ever." Kayla remarked with a gleam in her eyes or maybe die to the reflection of the fireplace I don't know.

Sniggers sounded among the group and when I glanced at them they quickly covered their mouths and pretended to mouth something from it. I smiled at their antics and knew that they were still chiding at Heather and me.

"Better close up that doorway from tonight onwards. Young Master loves to let the draft in on purpose." Frank said to me and then covered his mouth as he controlled his laughter.

I waved my hands at them and announced, "Don't forget about the tasks at hand tomorrow morning and be back by midday. I'm intrigued at the making of the bow that Gwen had mentioned. Maybe we could use that as another stepping in making bows for sale. Jack here could assist in making the plain arrow shafts instead. Alright, everyone is dismissed."

After I had announced the dismissal, the settlers cleaned up the camp from any food scraps and compile it for Sir Blackie's supper instead. Although it was some sweet potatoes skins and some gruel, it had not made any complains or sound its disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

Whatever we eat, it would also eat the same food. After its meal, it went about to do its business and soon returned to its usual resting spot right in front of my doorway.

The rooster had perched itself on the fencing area while the hens were safely roosting inside their new homes. It was lined with plenty of straws and if any of the hens happen to lay an egg, it would soon alarm the whole community by its incessant clucking.

=*=

The rays of the moonlight shone through the gaps of the doorway as I had used the thatched door to cover it partly. I wasn't used to a totally dark place and even when the shelter was not built yet, I had stayed near the fireplace due to its warmth and the flickers of fire that helped to illuminate the area.

Right now, there were 3 lit torches that had been erected at the farmlands to prevent the place to be shrouded in total darkness and also as deterrence for any passing wild animals that might barge in and destroy the young tenderlings.

When I sat down near the doorway, I could see the flickering lights from the torches and it gave a sense of security and hope GraceHaven. I do not know how to describe it but it definitely swells my heart at the very sight.

I wanted to strike a proper conversation with Heather but it seemed that I had to arrange my words carefully in order not to hurt her feelings at all. Even we are just a year apart, but due to the fact that we only knew each other as childhood friends, Heather appeared to be much m.a.t.u.r.ed and experienced when conversing with the others.

After muttering to myself to form up the right words, I decided to strike up the most perfect conversational piece that I could think of right now.

"Heather..."

"Yes, Mars. You don't feel sleepy yet?"

"The night is still young and I don't feel like sleeping yet."

"Is there something on your mind right now? Would you like to share it with me?"

"Actually Heather, what I'm going to say is... Well, put in terms so that you would not misunderstand what I am trying to relay to you."

"Don't worry, Mars. I understand. Whatever you do or say would be the betterment for us as well as the rest of the settlers here."

"What I am trying to say is, what do you think about me?"

After a period of silence, Heather finally spoke up. Fortunately in the dim shelter, I would be able to see her blushing face as she summed up her courage to tell me her true feelings.

"Well, I had known you for the past 10 years and I remember the first time when I entered the Royal kitchen that my parents invited me."

"I didn't know about you during that time and u was stuffing my face with a chiffon cake when you came near me and asked for a bite on what I was holding in my hands."

"Hahaha... You really remembered that part. Yeah, I was a bit hungry so I entered the kitchen and was looking for something to munch. I didn't realise that the cake you were eating was the last piece left over from the afternoon tea."

"Hehe...you also remembered that well, don't you. It only seemed like yesterday."

"You were not being fair during that time, you know. You bit a huge chunk from it and gave me just a teeny wee bit piece into my hands. Hahaha... And I still do not refuse the tiny piece and gobbled it up."

"Hehe... Yes, I remember it. The chiffon cake had a layer cream on it and it smeared over my lips and when my dad finds out, he gave me a warning. I didn't know you at that time as a Prince as u though you were just a helper of some sort."

"Hahaha... A helper indeed yeah? Of course, that was Tanya's birthday and I entered the kitchen with a paper crown on my head and a wooden sword at my waist. I remembered that the crown had those tiny bells that clinked every time I shook my head."

"Hehe... So you remember who you called yourself during that time when I asked your name? You put your hands at your h.i.p.s and puffed your c.h.e.s.t out and exclaimed aloud 'I am Prince Charming, I am storming the kitchen and taking every cake and pastries as my hostages...Hehe."

"HAHAHAHA... My goodness, you ever remembered that part. I almost forgot about it if you didn't mention it I won't remember it at all...! Yeah... Those were the days. The old King saw the event and he made closer to you. He even said to me to take care of you just as I take care of Tanya."

"Lucky for me, my parents were the head servants of your household if not I would not have the opportunity to go to the same school as you."

There was a long silence as I was reminiscing the past as the words of my father rang in my head, like as if he was just beside me. "Take care of Heather... Take care of Heather... Take care..." these words keep ringing in my head as if he had prophesied his future's demise as well as the part where the current situation had brought us back together once more.

"Mars, are you okay?" Heather asked me since there was a long silence after she last spoke.

"Heidi... That's what I used to call you after I changed calling you Heather the Feather. You cried when I called you and you reported to your father. My father he too doesn't like me to be name-calling others and told me to stop and think of a way to call you in more simpler terms."

"Heidi, Heidi... Where are you hiding...? Would you like to be my darling...? Hahahaha... Oh my gosh... Sorry if I reminded you by calling you Heather the FEATHER before. I guess it rhymes when that time you were just a scrawny little... OUCH...!"

Heather threw a punch at my arms and I was taken aback. Before I could react, her dainty hands pulled my face towards her as our lips touched for the very first time.

Do we happen to be cavemen where a woman would clobber us up first to claim them as their partner?