Chapter 6 THE CLASSIC AND CALM PRINCE

• 6: The Classic and Calm Prince
• July 17, 2020
• 7:15AM Vancouver, Canada
• I haven't really been to a place which was incredibly lavish, well for starters I cannot afford. I mean, I am as poor as a rat so I don't know much about the expensive things that Vancouver can offer.
• I found myself sitting in a very expensive penthouse where Caleb has been staying for the past two days after meeting his brothers. I could say that it was sentimental, mostly for Caleb, because he is finally going back home. The other day, he invited me to come over for breakfast today to talk about the things I saw the other time since we haven’t talked about what I just found out in his apartment.
• I was still in a state of shock because I had no idea that he was telling me the truth the entire time we knew each other.
• The penthouse that he was staying in was really freaking elegant with all expensive things placed inside. The whole place was really wide that left me mesmerized with the vast space since it was twice bigger than the pub I work for.
• It was literally the entire floor of the building and I have never been in a room as massive as this one. It had an overlooking view of the city and I bet if it’s at night, he would see the scenic city lights of Vancouver. The lavish decorations flourish like displayed paintings on the walls, colorful blooms, costly chandeliers, all combined to convey such an illusionary feeling both homey comfort and pampered elegance. The suite smelled really pricy too, like it's a fragrance of floral and musk.
• How wonderful it would be to be this rich and have this kind of place.
• “Good morning Thia!”
• I almost flinched as soon as I heard a voice. I turned my head to Caleb and was surprised to see his face shaven clean. I was mentally gaping seeing him looking like this for the first time. Holy cow he has really freaking shaven his beard off and damn he looks even much more irresistibly gorgeous.
• No wonder women are always after him despite being rebellious to his own father who is the King because he most definitely looks like a man who is so hard to resist. Caleb looked really fresh and it seemed like he got his hair trimmed a little bit too which totally suited him.
• He looked dashing.
• Caleb was wearing a black dress shirt and silvery skintight dress trousers with his brown leather shoes. Shocking too because I never saw him wear something formal. Goodness gracious, he looked so formal yet a little bit of a bad boy which was really dangerously sexy. He smiles at me as he fixes the button of his sleeves before walking closer to the table where I was sitting.
• I stand on my feet with a confused face, “Should I bow?”
• Caleb laughs at me under his throat, “No Thia. It’s fine. Please sit.”
• I sat down when he told me to as I watch him sit on the chair next to me. It felt like I was with a different person because he looks really different. He smiles widely at me like he always does, “First of all, I want to apologize for not straightly saying anything to you about who I am. My father didn’t want me to use my title when he sent me here..." He trails off. "Because I shouldn’t. King’s orders.”
• “I hardly believed it anyways.” I tell him honestly. “You didn’t really say much about it when you were sober plus it wasn’t my business so I didn’t bother about it.”
• Caleb shifts to his side, “It slipped many times from my mouth when I was drunk but you never took it seriously. I am glad you didn't and you never took advantage of me and my manhood.”
• I scoff as he laughs, "Kidding." He says with a handsome smile.
• He pours himself a cup of tea then poured me some too. “I’m the only rebellious son of King Harold, Thia. My father hates me because of it. Well there is nothing I could do.”
• He chuckles lightly, “I never really took anything serious and that includes life, work, women, my responsibilities as a Prince. Hell, I never even took my father seriously. He never trusted me with anything because I never wanted any responsibilities to begin with because I know that I am not good at anything I will do. I just ruin things up.”
• With these words he just said, now I can clearly see how he just wants to do anything he wants whenever he wants even if it would make his own dad hate him. Caleb seemed like he wanted to be a free spirit which is good but at the same time a little bit bad too. He seemed like he acts cool about the aftermath of his actions but his eyes tells a different story. I know he wants to try but he’s always thought that he isn’t good enough for anyone or even to his dad and so he thinks he is definitely not good at all.
• He smiles tightlipped at me, “Compared to my other brothers, I’m the only one who isn’t nowhere near good in academics. They’re all way better than me at that and so I didn’t want to compete with them since I know I literally suck.”
• I shake my head, “Don’t say that Caleb. There's no competition. You just have to do you and who cares what others say.”
• Caleb chuckles under his throat, “But it’s true.” He glued eyes on his cup of tea, “Before coming to Vancouver, father was massively disappointed in me because I got involved again in a terribly huge scandal which spread fast in all of England. It put our name to shame and the entire royal family to total embarrassment. We were the feast of the media and he got so so mad. He has always thought of me as a black sheep. The failure.” He narrates.
• Caleb nods, "I know that I am.
• I wasn’t able to prepare myself for his straight forward confession but I could feel that he has regretted the mistakes that he made with the sound of his voice and he must have felt sad that he disappointed his own father by whatever he did. He looked sorry and regretful but then I know there is still so much more about him. Caleb’s eyes looked pitiful and sorrowful but he still tries to hide it with a smile.
• "You're not." I tell him.
• I think Caleb also felt bad for finding out that his own father didn’t want him back yet and it was evident from his own eyes. It must have hurt him too when his brothers told him about it knowing how happy he was when he found out that he was heading home but it wasn’t his father’s orders.
• I reach for his hand and held it as he looks at me with a weak smile. I tell him, “You’re not." I say again with a bigger smile on my face. "No one’s a failure Caleb and just because your brothers are way better in academics than you doesn’t mean you’re nothing.”
• “Thank you Thia. That means a lot to me. I have always doubted myself so I never really tried. Anyways, I told father that I was framed but he didn’t believe me.” Caleb speaks.
• “Why not? You’re his own son. He should believe you.” I answered.
• “Because I’m always involved in scandals so he’s always thinking it’s me.”
• There was silence between us.
• Caleb chuckles again but it was less humorous. “I’m used to it."
• That was the saddest words I heard from him. Hearing him say that he is used to the fact that his own father does not trust him.
• He continues, "Whenever scandals are arising, they would always say it’s about me or either it involves me because I’m the rebellious prince.”
• I stare at Caleb’s sad eyes and how immoral it is to have that kind of judgement just because he is known as the rebellious prince. I couldn’t help but ask, “Why don’t you prove to your dad that you were framed? You have to prove you’re innocent.”
• “It’s a waste of time, Thia.”
• My brows creasing, “Waste of time? What he gave you wasn’t even a fair judgement. He should know better about being fair since he is a king. He should have trusted you and listened to you.”
• “You shouldn’t tell that in front of the king, Lady Cynthia.”
• My head turns to Thibaut who just went out of a door while he fix his collar then his hair. I couldn’t help but look away since he looked really ravishing in his white dress shirt, light brown skintight khaki pants and brown leather shoes. Damn, these men are just too handsome to handle and they all look like cut-out hot supermodels from the magazines.
• “You will be in big trouble.” He adds.
• Caleb chuckles, “Good morning T.”
• “Lovely morning, isn’t it Caleb?” He greeted formally with a bright handsome smile on his face as he walks close to the table and sat across me.
• My eyes glued on Thibaut and he surely goddamn look like a dashing prince who reminded me of Prince Charming in those fairytales. He seemed totally elegant with the way he looks and how he acts and speaks. God, even his tone of voice sounds amazing. Well, duh, realistically he is a prince but being one really suits him so much.
• Thibaut definitely looks so dreamy.
• “Sure is a lovely day.” Caleb greeted which captures my attention back to reality. He glanced at me while tilting his head to his brother like he is telling me to do or say something.
• I figured instantly what he was trying to say and that was I needed to greet the Prince. I stand instantly and curtsied, “Good morning Your Highness.”
• God, I hope that was the right curtsy.
• Thibaut smiles at me so handsomely that makes the morning even better, “Good morning to you too Lady Cynthia. We don’t have to be all formal. Please sit down.”
• I sat down and answered, “I’m sorry for talking about your father like that. I just think it’s unfair since it’s his own son.”
• I watch as Thibaut pours himself a cup of tea and I was amazed at how he formally does it as he responds, “If George was here he wouldn’t allow you to talk that way to the Kind. He’s always by the book. I apologize for his actions.”
• “Sorry, who's George?” I parroted because I don’t remember any George from the other night.
• Thibaut responds, “My apologies. I was referring to Gregory.”
• I nod.
• “Where are they Thibaut?” Caleb asks as he slices himself a small piece from the pancake.
• Thibaut takes a quick sip from his cup, “Malcolm has to go back right away for his charity work. George is needed in the palace to give a speech for the newly renovated orphanage in Cheshire.” He grabs the newspaper and started reading through it.
• Caleb kept his eyes on his older brother, “What about you?”
• Thibaut glances at him, “I should escort you back to the palace with Lewis. Father’s orders. We’re leaving at 10AM today.”
• They are leaving already today and I wonder how Caleb will face his own father who sent him to Vancouver for disappointing him after a few months of being away from home. I wanted to ask him if he missed being there and what things he misses too. Deep inside me, I hope that they will make amends and his father will finally forgive him for what he has done.
• “I offered Thia a job in the palace.” Caleb blurts out, changing the topic.
• I sat in shock since Caleb’s offer has slipped out of my mind for the past days and I wasn’t able to remember it if he didn’t mention it now. I glance at Thibaut, who looks as calm as ever, while he was staring at Caleb before putting the newspaper down on the table and glanced at me.
• “Did you?” Thibaut asks him.
• Caleb chirps, “Yes. As Maggie’s tutor.”
• “Well father just hired someone a week ago.” Thibaut travelled his eyes at me. “But are you good in handling kids?”
• I gaped and clipped my mouth back, “I… Well, to royal kids? No. I mean I don’t know since I have never met any royalties before. But I do tutoring to… um, ordinary kids. High school too.”
• He nods and smiles at Caleb, “Wonderful. We will talk to father about this when we get back home. Maggie’s tutors don’t really last long since they don’t really get along with her.”
• “Who’s Maggie by the way?” I couldn’t help but ask.
• Caleb smiles, “Our youngest. She’s 8 years old.”
• Thibaut laughs softly, “The better question you should ask is why her tutors leave.”
• My eyes travelled at Caleb who was just sipping his tea before I moved my eyes back to Thibaut, “Why?”