Al didn't seem the least bit perturbed by my accusation and shrugged it off.
"You never would have spoken to again if you knew I was a prince from the get-go. Wasn't it more fun talking like normal people for a while first?"
I rolled my eyes. That was not fun. That was sneaky and underhanded at best. I wouldn't be in this ss if he hadn't hidden his identity from .
"And you say I have a strange sense of fun."
"It's not strange in a bad way," he promised with the brightest smile I had seen from him so far.
"I happen to love your idea of fun. I never would have thought of sneaking into the kitchens for cream puffs and treating it like so secret mission."
A blush crept up my neck and onto my cheeks. "It sounds stupid when you put it that way."
By this point Marcy's confusion at our antics had changed to beaming at us. Clearly she was enjoying our bickering.
Embarrassed as I was, this might work in my favor. If she thought the prince was funny, she might develop feelings for him like she was supposed to.
A peal of laughter like the tinkling of bells rang out from behind us. Marcy was so amused that the corners of her eyes crinkled. We both turned to stare at her. She was less afraid of us this ti.
"Forgive , but the two of you are quite funny. Based on the easy way you talk to each other, it seems like you have known each other forever but from what I've heard you t at the debutante ball a couple months ago."
"We did," I said uneasily.
I wasn't sure I liked where this was heading. She seed to think we bickered like an old married couple. There was no way she would be interested in half of a couple she enjoyed seeing together.
Al sidled up next to and slung an arm around my shoulder. "That was practically a lifeti ago, wasn't it Katie?"
I wanted to glare at him but he was having so much fun. How could I spoil the fun of soone whose life was so pathetically sad?
If Marcy was comfortable enough with us to speak frankly, that was good enough for a first eting. We could always co back to the kitchens later and work on developing their relationship more.
Once Al was comfortable with her, I could send him on reconnaissance trips by himself so I wouldn't be in the way of the romance.
"It certainly was," I muttered.
A lifeti ago where my biggest worry was staying out of Duke Orla's way, not being smack dab in the middle of the ruined plot.
"You make a fine match," Marcy said with a smile.
Ah. That's exactly what I was afraid of. Al seed happy with the comnt but I had to disagree.
? With this lazy, inconsistent guy who had no desire to step up and do his job as the hero? No way.
"See Katie? Soone supports us," Al said with a wink.
He was obviously alluding to that disaster of a croquet tournant where no one present wanted to marry him. Had it really only been three days ago?
I sighed. "You're ridiculous."
"Only around you. You're my best friend," he said sincerely.
I was his only friend but it was basically the sa thing.
I still wasn't over my annoyance with him for making co here solely to be his friend while we ca up with an escape plan. He may have helped out today but I had a lot more miserable bridal lessons ahead because of him!
"We should go eat these before you have to et with Mariela," Al suggested before I could think of anything to say.
"Would you like anything else to go? I have so lemon tarts that are ant to go to Princess Rosenia but no one will notice if a few are missing," Marcy offered generously.
My mouth watered at the thought. "That would be amazing, thank you Marcy."
She waved us off cheerily as we crept back out of the kitchen with our contraband.
I had mixed feelings about their first proper eting. More than anything it seed like Al was showing off. In front of the woman ant to be his wife that simply wouldn't do.
Unfortunately, I couldn't be too mad at him because he had seed so happy just to have a friend. I was probably overthinking things.
He didn't like romanticallyhe was lonely and I was the first person he latched onto. I needed to be patient with him and not rush things too much.
That being saidif I could get the seeds of love planted between them before we got married that would be fantastic. Then I could just leave on my own without any fuss.
The wedding was still six weeks away. Could I really help them foster a relationship in that short of a ti? What about getting Al to cooperate with Franz?
Al, unaware of my tumultuous thoughts, happily snacked on his cream puffs in one of the palace's many unused rooms that we had stopped in to hide from nosy servants who would tell on for ditching Mada Chalaise.
I decided to test the waters. "What did you think of Marcy?"
His cheeks were full of cream puff so he looked oddly like a chipmunk. I barely held back my chuckle while he swallowed so he could answer .
"She reminds a bit of you, actually. I think the two of you would be good friends if we weren't trying to leave here as soon as possible."
A lump ford in my throat. I didn't know exactly what he ant by that but it didn't bode well. It reminded that I had accidentally taken her place in the story.
If I hadn't been reborn as Catherine du Pont, Marcy would be well on her way to becoming a princess by now.
I fiddled nervously with the cream puff in my hand, accidentally making the cream squish out over the sides and onto my hands.
Al noticed and clucked at with mock disappointnt. "Imagine how horrified Mada Chalaise would be if she could see you now."
I frowned at him before rembering I didn't have anything to wipe my hands on but my dress. I had to resort to the old standby: licking it off.
I couldn't count how many tis in my life I had done this with icing from cupcakes or cinnamon rolls. It was a perfectly natural thing for to do but Al laughed so hard he nearly knocked over the statue he was sitting against.
"What?" I whined as he continued laughing at far longer than necessary.
Finally regaining control, he coughed to clear his throat and pulled out a handkerchief.
"Here. This would probably be more effective than whatever it is you just did."
Face flaming, I rubbed it over my still sticky hands trying to get most of it off. To cover my mortification I shoveled in another two cream puffs and a lemon tart. The sweetness helped relax and I was able to regain my composure.
"I should probably get going. Mariela should be waiting for by now."
Al pouted and it looked a bit odd on his very masculine face. Just like a little kid. He had the strangest mood swings sotis.
"Do you have to? I haven't had this much fun in ages."
"Life isn't all about fun," I sniffed, still a bit put out that he laughed at .
Besides, sobody needed to teach this guy how to care about the welfare of others or the plot would never progress.
"And what about poor Mariela? You have to entertain you but she is usually stuck with those vultures all day or is left alone. She deserves a friend too."
"You really are too nice, Katie."
I sighed. So this is what Percy ant by soone taking advantage of soday. My niceness had gotten entangled with this lonely prince.
"So I've been told."
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