Nasty Mr Stranger

"Why don't you watch where you're going next time." She said as the scroll fell into the pond. She quickly got down the bridge to grab it before it got soaked further.

She looked up to see who bumped into her and was immediately dumbstruck.

Cloaked in a royal robe of midnight velvet, the figure strode with an air of unwavering authority. His obsidian hair, meticulously styled, framed a face that bore the sharp edges of unyielding determination. Piercing sapphire eyes, cold and unapologetic, held a gaze that seemed to unravel the very fabric of one's secret.

Standing at a commanding height, his presence towered courtiers like a looming storm. His chiseled features, carved by the hands of destiny, bore aloofness that left no room for compromise. A smirk played on his lips as he looked over her like she was an ant.

As Danae cast her eyes upward, a mesmerizing reaction seized her. His icy gaze met through here, sending shivers through the corridors of her composure. His aura, an intoxicating blend of power and mystery, weaved a spell that left her momentarily breathless.

Her composure faltered and a stifled giggle escaped her lips but she quickly got back from her mesmerizing daydream. She stomped back up to the bridge to meet him, his height definitely swallowing hers whole.

"Why did you do that for?" She asked, lifting her head up to look at him. "You should watch where you're going. You can't just bump into someone without apologizing."

He looked down at her like she was an otter and looked away, ignoring her as if she didn't just utter anything.

Danae was pissed. He was probably a spoilt brat whose father was a well respected courtier. She knew likes of them, entitled, spoilt, and rude kids who thought they could get away with whatever they wanted.

"You have to apologize." She said, her voice serious.

He still didn't say a word but continued staring at the pond. He brought out a small pouch and began to pour the feed into the fish below.

"Oh right. Pretending not to hear what I'm saying. You have to apologize for bumping into me for no reason." She flashed him the wet scroll. "See, you even got my scroll wet. You —"

"You are too loud." He said finally, sounding indifferent as he continued to feed the fish. "You'll scare them away."

Danae scoffed and folded her arms akimbo. "So you can talk? If you don't want me to be too loud then you have to apologize. Or is that going to kill you?"

He looked at her, his icy eyes boring into hers and she moved closer to him.

"Apologize!" She said, emphasizing the word.

He dumped the almost empty pouch in her face and walked away.

"You spoilt —" she said angrily. "they don't teach these kids again? Hey! You have to apologize." She shouted at him as she watched him go.

"Hey! You." She shouted again but he didn't look back. "Ughh…" she groaned.

She took the wet scroll, tucked it gently in her pocket so it wouldn't tear, and headed to her chambers.

Danae sank into the bed as she got in. She remembered the wet scroll in her pocket and got up to dry it on the balcony.

It was evening and the sun cast a fine glow, giving a scenic view of the kingdom. Danae's mind went to her family and she missed them very much. It was the first time she had been so far away from them. She wondered how they were, if they were okay, and how her father was.

She didn't really leave on good terms with him as he was still reluctant to let her go. Danae missed everything about her home as she kept sighing every second.

Ty Lee came in shortly after and found her sitting on the balcony, lost in thoughts.

"My lady?" Ty Lee said gently. "My lady?" She tapped Danae gently causing her to come back from her deep thoughts.

"Ty Lee! It's you. When did you come in?" She said, quickly folding the scroll.

"Less than a minute ago, my lady. You seemed so deep in thought. Let me guess, you miss your family?"

"Yeah," Danae replied sadly. "I've never been this far away from them before."

"Trust me, I understand how you feel. My mother died when I was five. I spent most of my childhood days in the palace with other people like me."

"I'm so sorry about that," Danae said, placing her hand on hers.

"It's okay." Ty Lee replied with a wide smile. "I had the best family here. The Queen treated all of us like family until things changed with the young prince."

"Oh… what do you know about him?" Danae asked curiously.

"He never comes out except on very rare occasions." Ty Lee explained. "But," she lowered her voice and moved closer to Danae.

"What is it?" Danae asked curiously.

"I heard that he suffers from a mental illness." She whispered with seriousness in her voice. "But nobody dares to talk about it."

"Why? " Danae asked.

"We are forbidden to. And it's just a rumor though." Ty Lee laughed.

"Oh…" Danae replied with disappointment in her voice.

"Although rumors fly around that he goes out in disguise, nobody has ever seen him in it." Ty Lee said, piquing Danae's interest again. "I heard from the other guards that he's very quiet and his sense of humor is out of this world."

"Hmm… typical," Danae responded, her mind going back to the man who bumped into her earlier.

Danae smiled to herself as an idea struck her mind. If she was going to get to help the Prince, she had to find out about him first.

And the best place to start was with the servants. Her sweet charm and cajoling would work.

It had to.