It's Not Too Late, Is It?!

Ugh… when did the sun come up? I groan as I stuff my head under the pillow to avoid the ray of light poking through the window. It’s been a while since I’ve slept in this late…That’s when I feel movement next to me. Tentatively poking an eye from under my hiding spot, I see Val sit up in bed.

Weird. Val doesn’t usually sleep in either. But there he is, rubbing his eyes and stretching his arms above his head.

When he looks down to me, his smile’s genuine. A hand lands on my head and scratches behind my ear. I lean into the touch, purring loudly, making him laugh.

”Good morning, Princess.” He says. “Tomorrow’s the dinner… I wonder if it’s too late to reach out…”

Val reaches for his phone, hesitating for only a moment before typing up a storm as he gets out of bed.

Reach out to who? For the dinner… it’s probably… Hmm… I feel like I had a conversation like this earlier. That doesn’t make sense. Did I dream last night? Feels like I did… but I don’t remember it clearly. I remember it felt nice, though.

It was a good dream, I’m sad I can’t recall.

When Val returns to me, he’s dressed and ready for the day. At least he seems to be in good spirits. Maybe sleeping in this morning made a miracle happen! He holds out his arms for me to leap into, so I take the offer, landing against his chest.

With a grin on his face, Val goes about his usual day. The steps he takes seem lighter, and the decisions he makes come quicker when he’s writing things down and signing documents. He keeps glancing at his phone now and then, seeming disappointed when he puts it back down. It doesn’t deter his good attitude, though. That goes strong! At least… until a knock comes to the door.

I lift my head from where I was resting on Val’s lap. It caught Val’s attention, his head mirroring my own,

”Come in!” Val calls.

When the door opens, the king steps through. He’s wearing glasses today, looking like he’s aged a bit more since last time. Or maybe he’s just not hiding it today? Who knows. His plastic smile comes out when he lays eyes on Val.

”Ah, Valentine! Hard at work as usual, are we?” He chuckles, clasping his hands behind his back.

”Yes, it never seems to end.” Val responds. He eyes the king with suspicion. “What brings you here today?”

”I just wanted to solidify our dinner plans for tomorrow evening.” The king approaches Val’s desk, looking down at his son. “We can’t wait any longer, now, can we?”

”Um, well. Maybe until after the work day? I’m waiting to hear back after messaging this morning and-“

”I think that’s enough of that.” The king sighs. “I suppose this means you don’t have someone. Pity, that. I was hopeful.”

Val blinks rapidly, slowly standing up. I leap from his lap to his desk, glaring at the old man.

”No… no I do! I’m just… we both have busy schedules. Here, let me…” Val reaches for his phone, but pauses when the king gives up a rough sigh.

”Valentine… I believe I have been plenty patient until now.” His voice begins to take a certain cadence that rubs me the wrong way, like someone about to give an unearned lecture. “It’s time, son. I have contacted Lady Janice, she will come tomorrow night and attend the dinner. We can finalize engagement plans then.”

”Absolutely not!” Val shouts, slamming his hands on the desk, causing it to rattle and papers to fly. “I will not marry someone I do not love! Not when the person I love is right there!”

”And I’m supposed to believe this person exists? When you’ve never once told me who or shown me a picture? Not even a name, Valentine! I can’t keep taking your word! Lady Janice will be your bride and that’s final. There’s no more time for playing around. Do your duty as the next king.”

I can see Val’s hands tremble as they curl into fists on the table. A thousand words run through his head, but none come out. Instead, he lets out a frustrated yell and storms out of the room, door slamming with force behind him.

That’s… not good. He just left me in here!! I risk a glance up at the king, who is focused on the door that Val just vanished behind. I don’t want to be here alone with this old coot! But as I go to jump off the desk, a pair of hands snatch me out of the air and hold me at a distance. When I twist my body, I see the king staring at me with blank eyes.

You jerk! Unhand me!! I wriggle and writhe to try and escape his grasp, but the way he holds me makes it hard for me to reach his hands to scratch them away. Ultimately, I’m carried out of Val’s office by the king, held like I’m some sort of vermin.

My stomach drops when we enter the king’s office and Janice is there waiting. She perks up when she sees the king, smiling towards me.

”Oh, good! You’re back, and you brought the kitty~” She says, walking up to greet the king.

”Yes… I did.” The king frowns, studying me. “Are you sure about this? I find it rather unbelievable.”

”Absolutely! There’s no doubt, there’s no questioning my own eyes.”

”I’m sure what you saw was spectacular, but… a human disguised as a cat? For over seven years?”

I stiffen at the king’s words. What… What did he just say?! How could he possibly know anything about that? No, scratch that. How does JANICE know?! She’s glaring at me as I sweat bullets.

”Just trust me, Your Majesty.” She says. From her pocket, a charm is pulled out and held in front of the king. It begins to glow as she speaks. “I know what I saw, you can believe anything I say.”

The king’s eyes grow duller and he nods. What did she just—?!

”I believe you.” The king says, walking over to his desk. There’s a carrier behind it, and I’m freaking out! It’s now or never!

I keep wiggling and twisting my body, protesting the king’s actions, when my back paw makes contact with skin and a claw scrapes against it. The old king drops me in surprise, going for the hand that was scratched, and I immediately make a break for it.

Janice scrambles to catch me again, huffing and complaining as I dodge her. I climb a bookshelf, and when she goes to reach for me, I jump down, landing on her head and using it as another platform to leap from, making for the door handle. I barely managed to grab it with my tiny paws, and the weight of my body combined with the forward motion of my jump causes the door to fling open. It creates the perfect opportunity for me to race down the hall out of the king’s office!

I can hear Janice screaming at servants to catch me, but I’m too fast and slippery for them to nab me. When I spot an open door to the garden, I immediately go to slip outside. I bob and weave around the plants, finally hiding in a tree as I watch the servants lose my track. They scatter like ants, looking everywhere in vain, only going further and further away from their target.

The relief that washes over me as I sigh is immediate.

Ok, let’s stop and think for a second. Janice somehow knows I’m human, or at least used to be. So then is she trying to separate me and Val? Is that why the king came into Val’s office when he did? If that’s her goal, then I HAVE to get back to Val. I can’t leave him all alone!

However, when I climb down the tree and start sneaking towards the side of the palace where Val’s window is, I spot more and more servants looking for me. Of course, they want to make sure I don’t make it back to Val! So they’ll be patrolling the area around his room the most. No going back and waiting for him then, I guess.

Then how will I find Val? It’s too dangerous to just wander around alone searching for him. Who knows where he stormed off to! It’s hard enough to sneak through the palace as it was. No way I can pull it off with people actively looking for me!

That’s when I spotted her, my angel! From my hiding spot, I see Yancy walking through the garden, back towards where I slipped out from. If anyone can help me, Yancy can! Maybe she can turn me human again and I can slip inside to warn Val about Janice! From the bushes, I make to follow her. Keeping an eye on where she’s going is tough, but I manage to slip in pretty close to her.

However, before I can get her attention, she walks up to a servant.

”Did you find her?” The servant asks, and Yancy shakes her head.

”I did not…”

”Ugh, useless!” From out of nowhere, Janice steps in between the servant and Yancy. She glares at the poor girl who flinches away from the other. “That cat trusts you the most! How can you not even lure a cat in?! Maybe I should have just used that garden boy and had you locked away instead.”

Janice pouts, while Yancy holds a hand to her head. She’s just barely staying on her own two feet, swaying slightly.

”I… I’m sorry… I can’t…”

”Hmph. Whatever. Keep looking. That dumb cat will probably come crawling to you sooner or later. I’ll go talk to that garden boy. The two of you need to meet with Vallie soon, anyways. No way am I letting either of you walk away with him.”

Janice spins on her heel, walking off with purpose. Lingering for a second, Yancy then also walks off in the opposite direction as I remain still as stone in my hiding place.

Okay… Okay. Yancy is working for Janice. Yancy? She doesn’t like Janice either, how is she working for her?

Wait… That charm Janice had… When she used it on the king, he stopped questioning her. Is she using the charm and magic on everyone to get them to do what she wants? Is Yancy under a spell? It’s a shot in the dark, but I think I see what exactly Janice is at least attempting.

But what do I do about it? I… am a powerless cat. If I can’t get back to Val, we’ll have a problem! A huge problem, actually!! Oh my god what if she tries using the charm on Val while we’re apart?! Will she make Val ditch the person he loves?!

No, Princess, stop and breathe… If I can’t get back to Val, where can I go?

…She’s going after people she knows like Val. More than likely, she still has spies planted on the maid team. That’s how she found out about Yancy and Leo, probably…

Does she know her brother also confessed to Val?

When I talked to her at the book fair, she acted like she had no clue what kind of feelings Marius harbored for their childhood friend. If my theory is correct, maybe she left Marius alone?

This is a risky train of thought. If I go to find Marius, I’ll be walking into the lion’s den. If he’s also been charmed by Janice, then I’m screwed. But if he’s not… He’s probably the only one I can turn to who can reign in Janice’s psycho behavior. He might be able to get Val away so that he doesn’t get charmed by her too… Ugh but I don’t wanna leave Val all by himself! What should I—?!

”Hey, is that the cat over there?”

I stiffen when I hear a voice call out.

Screw it! I have to act or I’m toast! I dart from where I hide, voices calling as they spot me. Let’s face it, if I stay at the Palace, I’ll get caught. It’s only a matter of time. The fence around the palace is tall, but the trees are taller, and I’m able to climb one and leap right over to the outside world. The servants lose my trail entirely as I make a run towards… the general direction of where I remember the Lias Estate being while praying to whatever Gods are out there to please, please let Marius be normal…!