A searing feeling burned into the back of my head. I froze and slowly swiveled. It’s that same feeling from when I woke by the creek. Millions of ideas ran through my head. No, but wasn’t that just the deer? Was the buck back? He shouldn’t be in the garden, though. I bit my tongue to stop from vocalizing my thoughts. My eyes took in the scene around me, from the pond to the masterfully trimmed hedges and immaculately kept flowers. I let out a sigh.

A faint, shimmering pink shone out of the corner of my eye. Gasping, I spun around to see— nothing. Absolutely nothing was there, aside from the wall of roses. 

“Angie?” A voice rang out with a chuckle, “What’re you doing?” I jumped in surprise and bashfully rubbed my neck.

“Locke? I thought you were in the library?” Had that feeling of being watched come from him? Had he carried me back that night?

“Ah, yeah. Casey wouldn’t let me read in peace so I sent her off to patrol the borders, under the condition I find you.” A smile plastered his face.

There’s no way it was Locke, I thought and smiled at the guard, He’s a terrible liar.

“Oh?” I said mischievously and skipped up to him, “Is that so? Then why did I hear from the kitchen staff that she was in her room?”

He chuckled and held his hands up in surrender. “Okay, okay, you caught me. I just wanted to see you.”

His words made me pause. He just...wanted to see me?

“O-or I could go back if you want. I didn’t mean to disturb you.” Locke started to retreat with a defeated look on his face.

“No, wait!” I called and fumbled after him, tripping over my foot, and began to fall in slow motion. Fuck, I thought and put my arms out to catch my fall.

A hand wrapped around my waist. “Woah there, Angie,” Locke said and kept me in a firm hold. I felt the blood rush to my face and thanked the goddess Morrhena I had dark skin.

I could feel my body against his, including his heartbeat. It was beating fast, and I assumed it was from the adrenaline of having to save me from a faceplant. “T-thanks for catching me. You can let go now,” I squeaked.

“Oh, of course.” Locke looked equally embarrassed as he retracted his arm and turned slightly away from me. He cleared his throat. “What were you doing out here anyway? I thought you went to the kitchen for some grub.”

“I did. I just ate out here with Lynch.” I gave him a hesitant smile.

He stared at me blankly for a moment then squinted in suspicion. “You didn’t give him your food again, did you? He’s already fat enough!” I laughed guiltily. Locke continued, “Besides, human food is terrible for him! I don’t want him to suffer.” He looked sadly towards the small pond.

“N-no, don’t worry. It was just toast, and I only gave him a small piece.” 

That was a lie.

“Oh, alright, then.” A smile brightly lit up his face. “Shall we head inside, My Prince? I’ve been dying to try a new style out on your hair. You’ll look so cute! I mean, better than you already do.” A faint blush lit up around his cheeks and he cleared his throat.

He’s lying.

“Okay,” I said and gripped his upper arm. “Lead the way then, my oh-so-strong guard.”

That same pink shimmering, almost an opaque opal, glittered out of the corner of my eye. I whipped my head in that direction; nothing. Again. 

“Angélo?” Locke tugged on my arm.

I snapped my head forward and continued to walk.

Strange.

***

“Hurry!” Locked pulled me along like a lifeless rag doll as he sped through the halls and toward my room. I sighed and tried to keep up. We passed more paintings of old relatives, and I shuddered at the weight of their disappointed stares.

“We’re here!” Locke practically sang and shoved me inside. “Look, I’ve prepared everything!” His arms danced out in a wild display of his favorite hair tools.

“Yayyy,” I cheered in a sarcastic voice.

A pout formed on his pink lips. “C’mon! I want to redo your hair for dinner tonight.”

Oh. Yes, right, the dinner. I grimaced and sat on the bed. 

“Where’s Casey?”

“She should be on her way here. I don’t think she can stand to be away from you for more than a few hours.” He laughed and began to undo the braid he’d put in my hair earlier that morning.

On cue, Casey burst through the doors. “Angélo! Do you know what you’re going to wear to dinner tonight?” I shook my head. “Great, ‘cuz I have a few ideas.”

Casey and Locke, I thought to myself, My guards, best friends, and now— personal stylists?

***

If someone had asked me how long we’d been picking out what I’d wear to dinner, I wouldn’t have been able to answer. Casey would not rest until we’d gone through everything my closet had to offer. “What about this?” She held up a satin red cape with a black gem on its clasp. “We can pair it with the all-black suit, no? It’d definitely add a bit of color. I think it’d pair wonderfully with your crown, the two pieces will bring out your eyes brilliantly!”

A grimace formed on my face. I really didn’t want my eyes to be the focus of any attention. However, I put on a smile, faking enthusiasm. “That’s an amazing idea, Casey!” I tilted my head down, trying to escape the fingers scraping at my scalp.

“Stop moving so much!” Locke chastised, “I’m trying to style your hair!”

I sighed and felt a tug when I dipped my head back down. “What’re you even trying to do?”

Lock smiled, “I’m glad you asked. I heard of this thing called a ‘Waterfall Braid’ from one of the maids. She said it’d look dashing on you, and I just had to see for myself!”

I shrunk in on myself at the indirect praise and tried to hide behind my hands. Locke pulled my head up firmly. I looked away. He grabbed me by the chin and roughly turned my head up to face him. “Look here, Mr. I’m-too-busy-being-emo-to-look-up,” Locke said with a harsh glare. I felt blood surge to my face and stared with wide eyes. “Be still, or I’ll make you.”

“Y-yes, sir,” I said breathlessly. He nodded once in approval and focused his attention back on my hair. What the fuck was...that? I didn’t have time to mull over those thoughts as I fought with my body to be motionless.

A few minutes later I heard a proud Done! from above me and finally relaxed my posture. “Hey, we’re not done yet!” Casey pranced over with a smile. She held out an assortment of black shirts, vests, slacks, shoes, and ties. “Pick your favorite.” I groaned and randomly pointed at items. I don’t know why she insisted on my opinion, I knew she’d pick out what she wanted regardless of what I’d say. She handed me a bundle of clothing and pushed me toward the bathroom door. “Get dressed! Dinner is in fifteen minutes!”

She closed the door behind me before I could protest. Hadn’t it just been breakfast? Did time really pass by that quickly? I grumbled to myself and stripped off my clothing. I paused when the bandages caught my eyes. I ran a slender finger along them from wrist to elbow. With a sigh, I ignored the thoughts that flooded my head and hurried to change into the vampiric-like outfit Casey had chosen for me.

“Alright, I’m ready,” I walked out of the bathroom drenched in shadows. 

“No, you’re not,” Casey said and flung the red cape from earlier around my shoulders and fastened it at the clasp. Locke came over to me with a smile and placed my crown atop my head. “There, now you’re ready.”

I smiled weakly and allowed myself to be led down the hall and towards the grand dining room. 

Calm down, Angélo. Mother and father don’t know what happened. No one told them. I took a deep breath to compose myself. ...But what if someone had told them? Or what if mother tells father that I’d frozen her by accident the other day? What will happen…?

Casey tapped me on the shoulder and opened the door leading to the dining room. She cleared her throat and addressed the room. “Presenting Prince Angélo Gratzi, heir to the Jingato throne and son of the King and Queen.”

I bowed to the two people seated at either end of the much-too-long table.  

“Mother, Father.”