The Broken Prince's Love

Lucille almost collapsed onto her bed when she came back into her room. She buried her head in the pillow and let out a pathetic wail. Why had her father needed to hire a dragon as her new tutor? She had known that training with a professional would be hard, but this was ridiculous.

She had spent the last five hours keeping her head upright while balancing a book on top. Standing wasn't so bad, but whenever she walked, she dropped everything. That the tutor was the vilest woman in this world, who loved to yell at her student for every single mistake, didn't make it easier either. Lucille hoped that seeing that person thrice a week wouldn't become the norm. She understood that her father wanted her to improve herself to some extent, but there was no need to overdo it. After all, she had no time limit as far as she could tell. This didn't make her impossible mission easier, but at least she could delay her doom for a bit longer.

Lucille flipped over with a groan and stared at the ceiling. Maybe all of this would be a bit easier if she didn't carry another weight around with her. She was currently hiding the prince of Artias, who had attempted to assassinate the emperor three months ago and had broken out of confinement. That her father would kill her if he found out about this was her biggest worry. But that she didn't know what she should make out of Cedar was bad too.

She had hidden the prince for two weeks now and called him by his first name, but it was still strange. Maybe she was too inclined to sympathize with him because his circumstances reminded her of her own, but he didn't feel like a threat to her.

Cedar might even be a little bit kinder than she had thought. He had consoled her after she had come back from the tutor last time. Back then, she had almost cried while bringing him his dinner too, and he had told her a few jokes to cheer her up. He didn't seem to be a complete monster at least. But she still couldn't forget that he had tried to kill his own brother. He was definitely not an easy person.

Lucille never knew what exactly he was thinking. It felt like Cedar's smile hid a whole world of different emotions that no one would ever understand. And when they talked, she was almost sure that the lighthearted topics they addressed were nothing more but useless chattering to him. As if he blabbered a lot while revealing as little as possible about himself. But she wasn't really sure about that. After all, she felt like she didn't understand most of what was going on in his head. He did seem nice when he talked to her, but that might just be because she hid him right now and he couldn't risk upsetting her.

She had no idea. Thinking about him was a bit exhausting, to be honest.

Lucille was pulled out of her thoughts when a voice chimed in from outside the door.

“My Lady!” Mathilda knocked five times and didn't wait for a response before she rushed in. She lifted an envelope and showed her mistress a bright grin. “You will be overjoyed to see this. My Lady, a letter for you arrived. It's from Lady Lamont.”

Lucille jumped off her bed. She ran toward her maid and took the letter into her hands before impatiently ripping it open. It had been a while since she had seen Fiona or written to her, so she was truly happy to get some news now. As expected, she was greeted by the most beautiful handwriting she could imagine. Her eyes flew over the letter, and slowly, a beam spread on her face.

Mathilda stood next to her and tried to catch a glimpse of the text while grinning as well. “Lady Lamont finally has time to see you? I'm glad. Will you visit her tomorrow? You don't have a lesson then, right?”

Lucille happily nodded and put the letter back. “I will just ask Father first, but since it's Fiona, he will agree.” After all, her best friend was the daughter of Duke Lamont, who was one of the most influential men in the nation. If Raymond wanted his daughter to be in contact with one person, it was Fiona. This might be the only time that his ambition was beneficial. That didn't mean that Lucille was happy to face him, but at least she could be sure of a positive response.

The young woman considered delaying a visit to her father until tomorrow, but he usually disliked it if she told him about her plans too late. So, she decided to go now and get it over with. She quickly brushed her tangled hair and straightened her dress again before leaving the room.

As Lucille walked to her father's office, she focused on taking deep and steady breaths. Visiting Raymond Valerian while he was working was always scary, no matter how well she had behaved during the past few weeks. This meant that she had to focus on keeping a straight face even more than usual. She did her best to hide her nervousness as she greeted the butler in front of the office.

The elderly man nodded at her and then disappeared inside the office. Seconds later, the door was opened, and her father beckoned her inside.

Viscount Valerian looked even more intimidating than usual when he sat on his grand chair in front of the massive desk. Even the window with the view of the dark garden behind him seemed to make this worse. As always, Raymond had a grim expression on his face while he scribbled some notes onto his documents. He continued to write until his daughter stopped in front of the desk to curtsy. Then he set down the pen, which was unusual for him. “Lucille. Is there something you wished to tell me?” She wouldn't be here otherwise.

Lucille slowly lifted her head again. “Good evening, Father. I won't bother you for long. I merely wanted to request permission to go out tomorrow. Fiona invited me to come over for a few hours in the afternoon. I do not have any lessons to attend that day, so it will not interfere with my studies.” Hopefully, she hadn't seemed too excited about this invitation, or she might be scolded for neglecting her etiquette training. But it appeared like she was lucky.

Her father merely scanned her expression for a moment before he replied. “Very well then. Ask the coachman to prepare, and take two guards with you. Don't forget to bring a small hospitality gift and return before the sun sets. And remember that you should stay away from the trouble in the capital.”

Lucille bowed her head again and inwardly breathed out in relief. “Thank you, Father. I will remember all of that and take care of the planning now.” She remained quiet after that. For a few seconds, an uncomfortable silence followed, and she carefully made eye contact with her father.

Only then, Raymond spoke up. “You may retreat. Do not forget to prepare everything, or you might arrive too late.”

“Of course, Father. Have a good night's rest.” Lucille hinted another small curtsy before walking back to the door. She almost slouched her shoulders in relief and counted the steps toward her release. She hadn't tripped or done anything that annoyed her father this time, so it had been one of the best visits that she had ever had. Maybe this day wasn't so bad after all.

“Wait.” Her father's voice made her freeze.

A thousand thoughts went through Lucille's head in an instant. Had she disturbed him? Had she done something wrong? Had he found out about her horrible lesson today? Or had someone seen Cedar in the annex, which would be the worst case? All of Lucille's muscles tensed as she slowly turned back to the desk. “Yes, Father?” She cursed her quiet and uncertain voice and desperately hoped that whatever mistake she had made wasn't too bad.

Raymond's eyes seemed to pierce her mind and reveal her deepest secrets, but he wasn't upset. Thankfully, he was just stern as always. For a moment, he was silent, which almost made her tremble, before he looked down and began writing again. “Have a good night and rest well, Lucille.”

Lucille could only stand there and listen to that in confusion. She was pretty sure that she took a second too long before she repeated her farewell. “I will. Thank you, Father. Have a good night as well.” She stiffly turned around and left the room while being careful not to make too much noise. As soon as she was in the hallways, she let out a deep breath and relaxed.

She had received permission to leave, and everything should be fine now. She would inform the coachman and two guards before going back to her room. There was no need for her father to be upset with her, and she could finally see Fiona again. That was good. Even if she knew that this might be a horrible idea, she needed to tell someone about what was going on inside her head. There was only one person that she trusted enough, and she would take the risk to speak to her tomorrow. Maybe her friend Fiona could erase some of her worries.

The next morning, Lucille was in a hurry from the very beginning. She wanted to make sure that everything was prepared for her departure so that she would be on time. So, she had gotten ready before lunch and only ate with Cedar before leaving. She jumped up as soon as she was done with her plate and quickly put on her bonnet. “I will be back by dinner. I brought some extra food for you in case you get hungry so that you don't have a reason to go out. I politely would ask you to stay in this room to make sure that no one sees you.”

Cedar, who was still in the middle of eating, gave her a bright smile. “Of course. I swear on the Estien family. No one will see me. I am currently hiding, so everything else would be problematic. There is no need for you to worry. I can take care of myself for a few hours. Please enjoy your visit. I would ask you to greet Lady Lamont, but that may be difficult.”

Lucille swallowed and avoided his gaze. She couldn't tell him that she planned on explaining the situation to Fiona. He wouldn't trust her friend as much as she did, so that was understandable, but she knew that Fiona was good at keeping quiet no matter what the topic was. “Thank you. I will hurry to go see her then. Goodbye.”

The prince waved at her as she darted out of the room.

Lucille jumped down two stair-steps at a time and hurried to the carriage. She told the coachman to start moving as soon as she sat down and only allowed herself to breathe out in relief when they left the estate. She should have more than enough time to arrive punctually. There hadn't been a need to hurry at all, but she wanted to be sure.

She hated the thought of being late. Maybe because it had never been good for her to arrive even a minute after it was expected of her. Maybe because she didn't want to let her only friend wait. She didn't know, but it annoyed her more than anyone else. After all, she always stressed herself for no reason no matter where she went.

While the carriage drove over the broad streets that connected the capital to the many noble estates that were located close to it, Lucille looked out of the window and scanned her surroundings. The wheat fields usually were empty, but today, she saw multiple men in uniforms that walked through them. Apparently, these knights were here to find Cedar, at least if one wanted to believe the countless rumors that circulated among the citizens.

Her father had found out about this matter by using his connections, so Lucille had to assume that almost every single person in the vicinity talked about the prince's disappearance. And if someone accidentally found Cedar in their estate, she might be accused of treason. A shudder ran down her spine, and she quickly dropped the curtain.

No one should know about Cedar's location. If someone had seen him, they would have told the guards already. As long as he hid in the annex, they would be safe.

Lucille told herself that for the rest of the carriage ride. She was more than relieved when they reached the Lamont estate. She needed to vent her frustration soon, or she might snap. When the carriage came to a halt in front of the main entrance, she climbed out with the help of the coachman and quietly thanked him before turning to the building. As always, she had arrived way too early, as the clock in the center of the entrance revealed. This time, it was only by forty minutes though, which meant that she was rather late in comparison to other days.

Of course, Fiona knew about her friend's punctuality, so a butler already stood there to bring the guest inside. As Lucille was led into the building, she could barely suppress her happiness about being able to visit her best friend again. She had spent a lot of time in this house, so being here reawakened memories, which were much more pleasant than most she had made at her own home.

Lucille was brought to the room next to the main office on the second floor. She knocked and entered when she was asked to step in.

The room was medium-sized and neatly organized, and a big window front allowed sunlight to fall into the office. A tidy desk and a cushioned chair stood in the middle while the right side of the room was furnished with a seating area with some prepared tea cups. All the walls were hidden by bookshelves. It was almost like a paradise.

As soon as the door opened, a young woman, who was only three years older than Lucille, stood up from the desk and greeted her friend with a bright smile. “Luci!” Fiona was a head taller than her friend, and when she rushed forward to hug the other woman, Lucille almost felt like she was lifted up.

It was always fun to see how Lady Fiona Lamont, a person who was known to be calm, mature and dignified without a fault, acted way less careful when she was alone with her dearest people. Even her polite mask dropped, and she was as cheerful as a little child when it came to doing what she loved. Right now, she had sat in her office for a while, so it was to be expected that she would be in a good mood.

Lucille grinned back at her and hugged the other woman. “Hello, Fiona. You seem to be doing well. I'm happy to see that.”

Fiona swayed to the sides and pulled her friend with her while patting the other's back. “Of course! If I get to see my Luci, I feel better immediately. I missed you.” She tightened her hug for a moment before taking a step backward to make eye contact. “I'm sorry. I really am. I wanted to visit you but... I'm in the middle of the most important phase. Right now, it's pretty stressful, so it is hard for me to get some rest.”

That was understandable. Fiona was in the process of convincing her family that she was suitable to be the future head of the household. Duke Lamont, her father, agreed, but her aunt and uncle as well as her cousin, who had been supposed to become the duke until now, weren't happy about that decision. So, Fiona worked hard to prove that she was much more capable and dealt with politics, ran her own stores and even planned on becoming the first female minister. Right now, she already did as much as the duke himself, if not more. She only waited for the emperor to implement the promised laws that would allow her to claim the position of the reigning duchess herself.

Lucille understood that Fiona had to plan for her whole life now well. So, she would have to deal with not seeing her friend as often for a few months. “It's fine. I know what depends on this. Besides, I don't have too much time either. I need to attend etiquette lessons now, and my teacher is a dragon. She is worse than anyone you can imagine. If you had more free time, I would ask you to be my tutor instead.” She let out a small sigh and let go of the other woman.

Fiona gave her a sad smile. “I'm sorry to hear that. When this year is over, I can offer it to your father if you'd like to. Maybe I could become your tutor then. But I assume that he didn't just hire someone for no reason. If something happened, please tell me.” She gestured to the couch and sat down.

Lucille let out a nervous chuckle before following the other woman. She took off her bonnet and sat down on the sofa as well, on the side she usually picked. As always, the same tea was prepared, and she happily gulped down a bit while trying to ignore the churning of her stomach. She was definitely scared of addressing this topic, and that was why she was so reluctant to begin. She scolded herself for it but stalled for some time first. “Your office is even more furnished than last time. It looks elegant and, yet, comfortable at the same time. It seems that you are working hard. I'm proud of you. Don't neglect your health though. Make sure that you are sleeping enough.”

But of course, Fiona was used to this kind of a distraction. She immediately steered the topic back toward the important matter. “You look like you've been stressed in the past weeks too. Maybe even more so than me. Is it because your father came up with something again?”

Lucille's grip around her cup tightened as she gazed to the side. “Partly. For now, there isn't much to say about that though.” She tapped her fingernail onto the porcelain and bit the inside of her cheek. She stared at the tea in her cup and quietly continued. “He wants me to marry into a wealthy and influential family and told me to impress Duke Vasquez. He didn't talk about just approaching him and being nice but really about doing everything I can to make His Grace get engaged to me. I think that I'll really end up with a lot of problems this time. If I try anything, I will risk ruining my reputation, and if I don't...Father will get upset.” She wasn't sure whether losing face in public and being unable to marry for the rest of her life would be better than making her father angry. Most likely, it would be.

Fiona furrowed her brows and stopped drinking her tea. “That's horrible. It's serious this time, isn't it? Have you decided what to do already? I can help you in both cases. You know that you can always move in here if you ever need a place to stay.” That would be wonderful, but unfortunately, it was impossible too.

Lucille would need to listen to her father for two more years at least. Then she would be an adult at the age of twenty and be able to leave. But even then, it would be hard for an unmarried woman to run away from her household. She couldn't live with the Lamonts and make them pay for her forever after all.

While that would be much better than staying with her father, she also knew that Raymond wouldn't find this funny at all. He had always insisted on her owing him and her needing to do well for the family. If she ran away, he might get even angrier than what she had already seen, and she had no desire to witness that.

In short, Lucille lacked the courage to move out. Since her chances of avoiding her father's plans for two more years were low as well, she probably didn't need to think about that option either. But this wasn't what she had to talk about now. There was still a more problematic topic than marriage lying in wait. And even though Lucille wanted to bring it up, she had to collect herself before doing so.