Ill-Defined Distance

A quick spin on her heels and she tried to leave out the door. Unfortunately, the traitors that were her guards stood in front of it. And their accomplice to them was Miss Ophelia in front giving her a sternly polite eye.

“Ready or not, you need breakfast. Especially after I heard about your choices.”

Sophia slowly turned around looking over her shoulder at the charmingly cold Prince. “You heard?” She still flinched knowing that she couldn’t control her thoughts again. Ust. Hui. But the presence of everyone and the insistent look from the First Prince, she braved the steps towards the table.

It was a beautiful dark wood and not being a carpenter, she could only guess at the material. But it bounced the morning light wonderfully. She could nearly see herself in it and be reminded again of the stranger that covered her face. But matching with what she had seen in the castle so far, it kept to a modest presentation. It didn’t have extra engravings or embedded materials. Seeing it actually calmed her a little. It might have been richer in material, but it felt mundane enough that she wasn’t out of place. Though looking at her appearance, she had to remember she wasn’t dressed as a student anymore.

She saw a rather large and full plate of meat, bread and sweets set before her. ‘This is too much food! I’ve only seen so much at an Academy celebration.’ Her meal was isolated from Prince Henri. He wasn’t at the head of the table, she imagined that was reserved for the King. There was still the whole length separating them. ‘Being the Saint doesn’t change anything. He’s still the Prince of the kingdom and I’m a commoner. Probably insulted by me even being at the table. I shouldn’t keep looking at him. But he’s really distracting. Look away. That’s so much food.’

Looking over, Miss Ophelia had moved into the room proper, but lingered just enough out of view. Sophia glanced over at Prince Henri’s attendant keeping nearly identical distance. ‘Is that something they practice?’ She didn’t have much choice after everything Miss Ophelia did to get her to breakfast. She would have to eat.

Making a loud and uncomfortable dragging, she pulled the chair out. It was far heavier than it looked. She sheepishly smiled over to the blank looking First Prince who didn’t even seem to flinch. Ust. Hui. ‘This just keeps getting worse. I want to return to the books. They don’t judge.’

Quickly, she sat down and tried to absorb what was presented to her. It didn’t seem so overwhelming when she was standing. But in front of it, there were three plates of food. She leaned back to whisper over to Miss Ophelia. “Is this three or four people’s food and it’s all pushed here?”

“This is your food, Miss Sophia.”

“But I can’t eat this much! I had my books. I’m not very hungry! I’ll die if I eat this much.”

“Books aren’t food.”

“Yes, they are!”

“Miss Sophia, eat what you can.”

“But I’ll make whoever cooked all this sad if I left so much behind.”

“Then you should be motivated to finish it all.”

“Miss Ophelia…” A whining plea came from Sophia as she nearly reverted back to her days as a child. But that wasn’t enough to rattle the maid. She was well practiced in unruly children. She held firm to her stance.

Sophia swallowed, already feeling full from looking at everything. It was almost impossible to know where to start with it. She picked around at the food trying to see everything that she had as options. Beyond smoked meat, there was cooked meats, a few breads and cut fruits. It almost felt like they didn’t know what she liked and just grabbed anything and threw it together.

She picked up a cut wedge of bread and started to nibble on it. There was a hint of sweetness in it that she hadn’t really known before. Bread was normally bland and hard. Something soft and fluffy almost melting in her mouth danced on her tongue. She took another bite. And then looked up across the table seeking Cathie, but she wasn’t there. It wasn’t the same, an empty chair.

With the bread hanging out of her mouth, she stood up making the loud dragging and scrapping once more. But Prince Henri still ignored it. Taking up the largest of the plates, she carried it over the length of the table and put it down across from him. And then not making it any quieter a third time, moved the chair to sit down.

However, once she was seated the smart idea she had came to a grinding halt as she looked to see the First Prince. And then she froze. Ust. Hui. Feur. ‘This was a bad idea. Why did I do this? But sitting there alone. I should just eat.’ She couldn’t even finish the food in her mouth. The First Prince was in front of her now. She had moved to sit across from him.

For a painfully longer minute there was silence. She eventually began to choke on the bread that she couldn’t eat out of nerves until in the chaos she finally swallowed. It went down a little painfully and she felt she ruined the wonderful bread, but it was gone at least.

“Do you make it a habit of making decisions you can’t follow through on?”

“You make it a habit of harassing young women?” Silence cracked to the floor. She immediately clasped her hands over her mouth as she misspoke again. Sophia balled up in the chair shaking away. Ust. Hui. Feur. Her heart was shaking violently. She tried to open her mouth to apologize, but she was too scared. The shaking kept her completely sealed. ‘I’m going to be executed!’

Finally, the silence was broken by the Prince. “Impressive. You have promise.”

“Promise?” She could finally speak. “You’re not going to have me killed for insulting you?”

“No. I’m the heir to the throne, I’ve been called far worse by people more eloquent than you.” He nearly didn’t seem to skip a moment while eating. Sophia didn’t know how he managed to look like he ate naturally between that. He was an inhuman Prince. She was certain that he might have insulted her. But it only seemed fair for her tripping mistake. “If you’re staying, I would recommend eating. You’re going to need it later.”

She looked down at the plate, still full and almost yelling at her to pick something. Fruits felt a little safer at the moment on her stomach with it still in some turmoil. Sophia just made sure to keep her eyes down at the food. ‘Ust. Hui. Feur.’

While she slowly nibbled on a strawberry, she couldn’t see the Prince continuing to watch her. Small and vibrating, she almost seemed like a child despite being an adult. There was no easing her body. “If you’re so bothered by sitting in front of me. Why did you try?”

“Ust. Hui!” She stopped herself before she counted too far. But she was looking at him now. There was no helping it. It was just a reaction, but she felt caught in a trap. “I thought I could do it.”

“You can’t stop shaking in my presence. What made you think now would be any different?”

“You were alone. You seemed sad eating by yourself. I thought sharing the meal together would be happier. It is when I’m with Cathie.”

“I wasn’t alone. Welhem was at my side.”

“That isn’t the same.” Sophia caught her mouth again, but it was already out. “I’m sorry!” It came through her fingers, still trying to pretend like it helped.

The First Prince however remained unflinching still. It didn’t seem to matter how much she said by mistake, he could take it all. She really didn’t want to tempt such a position. She had to be better. Especially if that was going to be her new life. “You are surprising.”

He put down his fork and glanced over to Mr. Welhem, politely standing in silence, much like Miss Ophelia. There was visibly more happening on the maid’s face as she watched the repeated tripping. But she held her position. “You don’t need to eat everything, Miss Sophia. You just need to not be hungry during the lessons. I didn’t know your preferences, so I gave the staff orders to provide a variety.”

“But to waste such food.”

“It won’t be wasted. We are eating first. It’s a long day for you. What you don’t like or can’t eat will go to someone else.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Prince Henri stood up from the table as Welhem removed the plate. He walked over to the window placing a hand on the dresser by the wall. “You’re polite and formal. Which is important, but you’re unaccustomed to noble society. You have much to learn.”

With some reassurance about the food, Sophia took a more relaxed approach to eating. The pressure finally eased up. Perhaps no longer seeing the First Prince helped her heart. She was at ease. “Learn? I thought you were teaching how to be the Saint.”

“That will be a part of your training. But while you’re not a noble and you would not be expected to be one. You will be interacting with people of all walks. As such, you will need to learn about etiquette, the court, the Church and your responsibilities. You’ve become the most powerful person in the entire region. And the only one capable of using magic thanks to the blessing of the Goddess. You’ll be met by people with motives and desires. We need to prepare you for the day everyone knows you exist.”

Sophia swallowed hard on a piece of bread as he finished. She knew the Saint’s importance and read about many of their lives. But the weight of words reminded her that she forgot about everything history likely never recorded. The life the Saints lived that no one knew. ‘Can I really do this? I’m just a student.’