After I regained my stamina, I looked up and saw a boy staring at me in shock.

He sat behind a desk where dozens of books were stacked. His hair long and white, and he had eyes grey like mine. It immediately made me forget my painful conversation with the prince.

"A pretty boy!" I blurted.

The boy seemed to be tall, even as he sat. But what had the majority of my attention was how feminine he looked. His features were the definition of a preeettyy boy!! I was internally squeeling.

"Who are you?" He asked after regaining his composure. And when he did, he raised his brow at me like he was talking to a rat. Hmph.

"I'm Riselle Astor. The prince's guest, I guess." I frowned as I mentioned the prince. Then stood up and dusted myself. "And you are?"

"Luca Donovan, a court mage. Now if you may please exit this room and leave me be, I am currently studying."

Well isn't he a rude one! However, I must respond with poise!

The ability to stay composed in even the toughest of situations is a weapon. This isn't a tough situation, but if I play my words right, I'll most likely be able to reverse our roles.

"Isn't that a little rude to say to the prince's guest?"

"You..." He growled.

Though, the book he had opened was quick to grab my attention. It seems he was reading about the "Drosera Rotundifolia, the sinister sundew flower. A carnivorous flower that feeds on insects by disolving them using enzymes." I accidentally spoke out loud for the second time.

"You study plants?" The mage's expression changed. "Are you a herbalist?"

"No, I am a musician, but I enjoy studying plants as well." I walk over to him and take a closer look at his book. "My personal favorite is the rafflesia arnoldii." I smirked.

"The corpse flower?!"

"Mmmhm!"

"But why that? Indeed it looks very out of this world, but it smells putrid!"

"And that's why I like it!"

"You are... A weird one. Miss Riselle Astor. Anyways," Luca closed the open book and pushed his chair back to stand. Oh wow, he is tall! Even taller than the prince!

"What brought you here? You looked tired when you entered."

"Oh... I was just playing tag with the prince, hehe!"

"Are you sure?" He was obviously not convinced.

"Yep!" I grinned.

"Riselle Astor, where did you go? Damn it. Guards, find Miss Astor and bring her to me immediately!" Prince Rowan's voice was heard from outside the room. RIP me.

"Well that's one rough game of tag." He whistled like a tease. "I'm suprised you even got the guards to play!"

"Please help me hide!" I said pleadingly and bowed. "I'll explain what happened, but please help me hide! I haven't committed any crime, I promise!"

"Ah jee, you are an idiot, aren't you?" The mage sighed. "You can hide under my desk till the coast is clear, I'll be here till then."

"Ehh? Are you sure he wouldn't find me hiding under there?"

"Yes yes. Now do you want to get caught?"

"No sir..." I bend down and get underneath the desk, huddled in a self craddle position. And the mage took his seat, going back to reading the book he previously had opened.

Is this really going to be the end of me?

Aww I was just staring to have hopes for a bright future too...

After a couple minutes, I heard the door open, followed by the prince's voice.

"Luca, have you seen any girl with long wavy strawberry blonde hair that had two small drills in front and grey eyes pass by? She wore a dress with blue laces."

You really could've just described my hair by it's color and length...

"Unfortunately I have not." Luca answered the prince nonchalantly.

"Please inform me if you do find her, if possible, best you bring her to me."

"Of course, my prince."

The door was shut immediately, and I heard the mage exhale. "So, just what did you do?" He asked.

"I... Slapped the prince."

The room was filled with a long silence. Then Luca began laughing.

"Ehh? What's so funny?"

"A girl with the guts to slap the prince, well that's rare." He answered once he was able to calm down. "But why?"

"He told me he wanted me to be his bride... But he also said he didn't find me attractive, and just needs someone so that the king would stop bothering him to get a bride!" I scowled.

"Hmm, that's surprising." Luca paused. "Now I wonder who the bigger idiot is. You, or the prince?"

"I'm no idiot!"

"But Riselle. I don't think the prince meant what he said."

"What do you mean?"

"I have not the slightest clue on what the prince was thinking, but he wouldn't just marry anyone. For something as simple as to silence his father."

"Well, you're right. Then what should I do now?"

"You can't hide here forever..."

"Yeah."

"And the second you exit this room you'll be caught for sure."

"Yeah."

"Stop saying 'yeah' you idiot and use your head!"

I pouted then crawled out from under the desk then stood up, taking a deep breath. "I will master the art of black magic while I'm here with the court mage, so I can escape the castle without getting caught!"

"You are a bigger idiot than I thought you were." Luca facepalmed.

"Oh so you're going to just call me idiot now?" I growled at him and he sighed for like the hundreth time this hour.

"You are going to approach the prince yourself, and I will escort you. Doesn't that sound a lot easier?"

"No it doesn't!"

"Stubborn." The grey eyed boy stood up and walked over to the door. "Come on now."

"But... What if the prince decides to have me killed!"

"I doubt he would." He cracked me a small, reassuring smile. Then put one hand out.

I hesitantly grabbed it and immediately noticed how his hands felt quite warm. My gaze shifted over to his face, his cheeks were a light shade of red, but he was giving me an annoyed look.

"Stop looking at me like that, idiot. Let's get going before the prince grows frustrated."

Even though he was calling me an idiot, I couldn't help but smile knowing that such a pretty boy was holding my hand.

I feel like such a simpleton.