I Love You, My Cursed Prince

Princess Arya asked about the conversation during dinner ... technically.

"Was my son courteous to you?"

"Yes, Madam," Muriel said.

"Oh, that's nice to hear."

Nothing else was said of it. Princess Arya was cheerful, even humming to herself, so Muriel couldn't say that she was unwilling to talk about the issue. Perhaps she sensed that Muriel was the uneasy one, and she was showing mercy.

Dessert was a lemon cheesecake. It looked simple, but it tasted wonderful. Muriel almost forgot about her lack of confidence. Just when she was about to have her final bite, the butler came to her with two lower servants on each side of him. The servants had covered bowls of what was likely more food, which was confusing since the meal was practically done.

The butler said very solemnly, as if he was giving the women important news, "His Highness has requested that the cooks set treats aside for Miss Devin."

Muriel couldn't bring herself to finish her last bit of cheesecake. She gave the princess a concerned look, but the princess only shrugged. Muriel looked back to the butler and asked, "Does he expect me to eat them right now?"

"No, Miss," said the butler, "these are light snacks that can be stored for a long time. You may eat them at your leisure."

"Oh, that's ... that's very kind." Muriel got out of her seat and walked to one of the servants to look inside a bowl. There were golden brown crackers inside. They were clearly savory. There were green and brown flecks of herbs in the well cooked batter, and they smelled like the best bread. Muriel went to the other bowl. Inside that there were plump cookies that smelled like vanilla. "I could eat these as I read, if it wouldn't be any trouble."

She heard Princess Arya say with a light tone, "You most certainly will eat them. If those bowls aren't empty by the end of the week then I'll doubt your gratitude."

And so, on the following afternoon, after the women had rode horses for a bit, they retreated into the painting studio. The princess worked on her art while Muriel read books and ate her snacks.

Prince Vidar was likely watching her, making sure she enjoyed the food.

Muriel believed she knew why. She didn't want to dwell on that knowledge, didn't want to say it aloud, didn't want to admit to anyone or anything what was going on. She was a commoner, no title, no lands. Only a decent education and a decent profession kept her from being a nobody. But this prince was giving her all the attention in the world, and his mother didn't seem to find it offensive.

It was a mad, upside down world.