The Photo

My head buzzed as I returned to my room that night. Cynder still hadn’t arrived at the palace, and no one seemed to know where he was. That concerned me as the papers and TV stations seemed to know everything else about him.

I’d instructed the guards at the gates to come and wake me as soon as he arrived, but it didn’t stop me from lying awake for hours. By the next morning, he still hadn’t shown, and I wasn’t sure if I was glad or not. I didn’t want to go through the ridiculous charade again, and it would give me great pleasure to get up on the stage and announce that it was all over. On the other hand, I knew that if he didn’t come, I’d probably never see him ever again and I didn’t think I could bear it.

I wearily went down to breakfast the next morning with my insides warring with each other. I was exhausted and could hardly keep my eyes open, but at the same time, alert for any mention of Cynder.

Everyone was already there at the breakfast table including Jenny who had taken to eating with us, rather than helping serve us now. Not that anyone seemed to notice or mind. I sat next to her, and she heaped my plate with bacon and eggs. At least something was going well.

I desperately wanted to ask if Cynder had turned up in the night, but with Luca there, I didn’t want to come across as too eager. They would tell me if they knew.

One of the footmen walked over to me casually and whispered in my ear. Cynder was sleeping in one of the guesthouses outside. He’d turned up in the early hours and requested that I not be awakened.

Nodding my head slightly, I carried on eating as if nothing had happened. I couldn’t be seen to be rushing off midway through breakfast, but I wolfed down that bacon in double-quick time and made my excuses shortly thereafter.

Following a quick detour to the kitchen, where I had them quickly cook up some more bacon and put it in between two slices of bread, I hurried out of the palace and down to the guesthouse that had been reserved for Cynder—the one next door to Luca’s.

I knocked impatiently, knowing full well that the paparazzi could get a photo of me from this angle if they chose to climb the outer wall, which they had on a number of occasions.

When the door opened, I thrust the bacon sandwich at Cynder, and marched past him, shutting the door quickly behind me.

“This is a turnabout for the books,” he grinned, taking a bite of the sandwich.

He looked as exhausted as I felt, and he was dirty. His clothes were the same he’d been wearing the last time I saw him.

“What do you mean?” I asked, sitting on the nearest sofa. I needed to keep my distance from him, or I’d launch myself at him.

“It’s usually me who brings you bacon sandwiches.”

“I thought it was about time I repaid the favor,” I answered, waiting for him to sit down. I could already feel the electricity between us. Apparently, filthy clothes and a half-eaten bacon sandwich were not enough to quell my heart racing whenever he was near. Would anything ever be enough?

“I only got in an hour or so ago. I’m sorry I look like this. I’ll go take a shower.”

“Do you have any clean clothes at all?”

“No.” He looked ashamed as he said it, but he could hardly be blamed. He’d not been home in more than a week and hadn’t anticipated coming back here to the palace.

“I’d use my magic to change, but I’m too tired. It takes a lot of energy. I’m sorry.”

“Eat up. You are coming with me.”

His eyebrows shot up as I practically dragged him from the guesthouse. He was due to go on stage in a matter of hours, and I couldn’t let him do it in filthy clothes. In stark contrast to Luca’s finery, I’d never seen Cynder in anything more special than a palace uniform. I knew he had one in his bag. The uniform of the Castle in Thalia, but I didn’t want the public’s first glimpse of him to be anything less than Luca. He might not be a prince, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t dress like one.

“Are you going to tell me where we are going because people might begin to ask questions if they see me like this and you like that.”

I looked down. In my haste to see Cynder, I was still in my nightclothes. I’d not even noticed. At least, I was wearing a robe over the top, but he was right. This would not look good on the front cover of the papers. I led him straight to the huge dressing room in the hopes that Xavi would already be there.

She was poring over a wedding magazine as we entered. As she took in the sight of us, she frowned.

“I’m going to have to get the whole team in, aren’t I?” she asked in a resigned voice, wrinkling her nose at Cynder’s messy attire to really put the point across.

“I want Cynder to get the full works. He needs to look like a prince for the interview this afternoon.”

Xavi arched an eyebrow as she made her way over to us. Taking a lock of Cynder’s hair in between her fingers, she grimaced.

“At least, you are a good-looking chap. All hope is not lost.”

“Thanks, I guess,” replied Cynder, casting his eyes over to me. I shrugged. I should have warned him about Xavi. Between her and her team, she could make a prince or princess out of anyone. After all, she’d performed miracles on me, but she did it without grace. When she thought you looked a mess, she’d certainly make it known.

“And do you want us to dress you up today?” she enquired as though, dressing me would make her day infinitely harder.

“Just give me the same look the same as yesterday, please.” Let them work on Cynder. The public had seen enough of me already. I’d been dominating the front pages for the best part of a year, but this was the first time they were going to see Cynder, and I wanted them to take him seriously.

I wanted them to love him, I thought to myself. I didn’t need to add the ‘as much as I do.’

Xavi ushered him into the marble room for a thorough wash. Heaven knew he needed it.

Xavi clapped her hands, and like magic, her whole team came running into the room and lined up as they always did. I often wondered if Xavi was actually a Mage, the way she got her staff to just appear like that, but perhaps they were all waiting outside the door for her command.

I was given three of the twenty staff, while the rest worked on Cynder.

A plain, but smart, blue dress was handed to me. I used the third room at the end to get dressed in. Usually, I had no embarrassment in getting changed in the main dressing room in front of all the staff, but as Cynder could come back into the main room at any moment, I didn’t think it would be the best idea. My helpers lowered the dress over my head and let me twirl in front of the ornate gold-framed mirror. I looked very plain. Perfect. Cynder couldn’t shine if they decorated me in diamonds to stand beside him.

“What clothes do we have for men?” I asked, glancing down the rows and rows of fancy dresses, all hanging, waiting for the right occasion to be worn. On a shelving unit at the end, hundreds of pairs of shoes filled the walls, and next to that, was the jewelry. The most expensive jewelry was kept in the vault down in the basement, but there was plenty here to choose from. Rows and rows of tiaras featuring every color of jewel imaginable twinkled in the dim light as did the countless necklaces, bracelets, and pairs of earrings. I hated to think just how much money they all cost when there were people still struggling to feed their children outside the palace walls.

My eyes skipped over all the pretty dresses, to see if there were any mens’ clothes. I couldn’t see any at all.

“Your father kept his clothes in a wardrobe in his room, Your Majesty,” replied one of the dressing staff.

“What about clothes that didn’t belong to my father?” I asked. My father’s clothes wouldn’t have fit the slim body of Cynder in a million years. While my father had enjoyed substantial meals throughout his life and had a portly stomach to reflect this, Cynder had to forage where he could. As a result, he was skinnier than he should have been. If there was one thing that made me happy about Cynder being here in the palace, it was that he was going to be fed well.

The young dressing maid shrugged her shoulders.

After having the full Xavi treatment, I couldn’t let Cynder wear his filthy clothes for the interview. I thought of all the men in the castle who were a similar size to him. There were two I could choose from.

I thanked the dressers and ran out of the room, forgetting to choose a pair of shoes. As it was, my plain blue dress was currently matched with a pair of old, fluffy, pink slippers.

I found Luca still at breakfast, chatting with my mother. He was discussing the upcoming interview whereas she was talking about the wedding. Neither was actually listening to the other. The day’s newspapers were spread out on the table, but I ignored them. Whatever they had to say could wait. Dressing Cynder could not.

“So there you are, sweet pea,” Luca kissed my cheek and dropped the newspaper he was holding. “I wondered where you had rushed off to. I was just telling your mother that you might have run off with that Cynder chap. I take it he’s arrived?”

“He has. He’s just getting ready for the interview now, but he has no clothes to wear.”

“Surely, he had some clothes with him when he left Thalia?”

“That was days ago now. They are all dirty. I don’t think he packed much. We left in rather a hurry, if you remember?”

“Can’t he conjure something up?” Luca asked irritably.

“No. Magic doesn’t work like that. To conjure a suit, he’d have to make it disappear from somewhere else. He isn’t a thief.”

“I never said he was,” replied Luca defensively. I realized I’d gone too far.

“I was hoping he could borrow something of yours.”

“He can’t wear my clothes. The public would know.”

“So?”

“So. I am a prince, he is a servant. They would know in a second that he was wearing my things.”

“He’s telling the truth there,” piped up my mother who had suddenly started to take an interest. “It wouldn’t be right for him to be wearing Luca’s clothes. If you like, I could ring down to the servant’s quarters and see if we have any of his old uniforms?”

“No,” I sighed. That’s exactly what I wanted to get away from.

I pondered over it and then remembered there was another man in the house. A man who always dressed smartly, no matter what the occasion.

I searched the whole palace before finding Leo in the Library. He was sitting in one of the leather-backed chairs, with his nose in a book.”

He seemed surprised to see me as I ran through the library door.

“Charmaine! What a pleasant surprise. I’ve barely had a chance to see you in the past few weeks what with everything going on. How are you doing?”

“I need to borrow one of your suits,” I replied, out of breath from running up and down the palace corridors.

“Ok,” he said without even asking why. “Go to my room and take one, but first I need you to look at this.”

He handed me an old photo. The young man in the center of it was undeniably Cynder. Beside him were two women. Both were dressed in the finest clothes money could buy, but despite this, they managed to look extremely unattractive. The photo was old, probably taken about five years or so ago. Cynder looked so young in it.

“What is this? Where did you find it?” I asked.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on things for a while now. When this whole thing with Cynder cropped up, I thought I’d look into him. I found out that he was the member of The Freedom of Magic group. They are a group of Magi, who have been trying to overthrow the monarchy for a number of years now.”

“I already know. He’s told me all about it. Actually, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about everything, but it’s been so hectic these past couple of days. I’ll have to make time to have a meeting with you and bring you up to speed.” I turned to leave, desperate to get back.

Leo grabbed my arm to stop me.

“What is it?” I asked, noticing the serious look on his face for the first time.

“Did he also tell you he is already married? That’s his wife.”