CHAPTER 1
Faith
Aloof.
Arrogant.
Self-righteous.
The papers, television, and the Internet all seemed to have the same opinion of him. And by him I mean him. Prince Alistair of Belmont. He was second in line to the throne and considered the world’s most ineligible, eligible bachelor. Eligible because unlike his brother he had yet to be married. Ineligible because unlike his brother he seemed to have little to no interest in the opposite sex, or anyone for that matter.
He was known for suddenly leaving social functions, if he attended at all. He rarely spoke, and when he did even that seemed like a chore. It was as if the only thing he wanted in this world was to be left alone.
I know the feeling because I feel that way myself. I’m trying to get better and am putting real effort into it, but it’s not easy. Not after what happened. I remind myself it would be hard on anyone, but I can’t use that as an excuse forever. I have to live for myself and move on.
And when I look into those blue eyes of his I know he’s going through the same thing I’m going through.
I wasn’t trying to listen, but my ears can’t unhear what’s been heard.
I guess people think there’s privacy at the royal kennel. I’d think so too. I’m about to admit it, but I talk to the dogs more often than I probably should. They’re always patient listeners and as crazy as it sounds it feels good to get things off my chest, even if my chosen audience has no idea what I’m talking about.
But I know they do. They may not know the words, but they can read my expressions. They listen and when I’m through they’re always there to try and cheer me up.
But I guess I’m not the only one who really believes in the idea of our four legged friends as being man’s, or woman’s, best friend.
He thinks so too. I heard him. He was there. While I was sitting in the hay petting a couple of the dogs I’ve been hired to walk and care for he was two stalls over exposing the real reason he is the way he is.
I listened and I cried. I couldn’t stop. I did the best I could to not make a noise in between the deep gasps for breath and the sobs and somehow I think I managed to go undetected.
I wanted to just jump up and go give Prince Alistair a hug, but I can’t. Servants aren’t allowed to initiate interaction with royals. It can only be the other way around. And even worse if he knew I was there listening I could be fired or even worse. There are laws that I could even be thrown in jail.
But I couldn’t interrupt him. He has to go through the healing process, just like I did. It was a Catch-22. I didn’t want to listen, but I couldn’t let him know I was there.
After I heard him leave I waited a full hour before I moved a single muscle. I wanted to be sure just in case he was still in the area.
After I got up and made sure it was just me and the dogs, I cried even harder. This time I didn’t hold back. My face was a wreck. Even my uniform was wet from all the tears. I managed to pull myself together and avoid everyone the rest of the day.
When I got home I thought back about how I’d long known he’d lost someone close to him, but just couldn’t tell anyone about it. Being a royal puts you front and center to the entire world, but somehow I knew he had buried a secret deep down inside. Something that no-one was ever to know.
Until that fateful day. And it was even more fateful that we’d experienced the exact same loss. I’d oftentimes wondered if that was the case, but had tried to talk myself out of it.
What I was really trying to do was talk myself out of believing that I was falling for the prince. But it was much too late for that. If I had to convince myself I wasn’t in love with him…well…then my heart already knew the truth. The mind can’t trick the heart, no matter how hard it tries.
But I was just another in a line of women who wanted nothing more than the stunning older man with the jet black hair who lived at the royal palace. His features were almost as dark as the aura he gave off. But his secret was even darker. A secret that no-one knew but me.
And somehow I had to tell him that I knew. That I understood. That he didn't have to go through this all alone.
Even if it cost me everything…my job, my freedom, my life.