I smile, remembering the sweet time I had with Basil today. He really did his best to cheer me up after what happened last night, and very few actually succeed in reaching me in rough water. My heart warms and I click away at the keyboard, gleefully typing up a revision for a report that Steffi just sent me. 

"You've brightened up, Zipporah." 

"I have had a very good work day despite my fatigue, Cirila." I answer as my mentor takes a seat at her desk and logs into her computer. 

"What does that mean?"

"I got a lot of work done." On cue, she clicks on my profile folder everything I've worked on with Basil's help show up.

"I see. Excellent work, Zipporah." 

"Danke, Cirila."

"Bitte." 

We go on to finish work and I find myself on the verge of skipping as I make my way to the courtesy bus, my hands swinging happily at my side, "Zipporah Roux." I stop and look over my shoulder to find a tall, muscular security guard. 

"Ja?" 

"Komm Sie [Come]." 

"Ja." I turn back around and follow the man, quiet as I think of what I might have done. The guard finally deposits me outside a large fire door and knocks before leaving. In a second, the door creaks open and I'm pulled inside to a dark, cold room, smelling of dust and age. 

"Miss Zipporah Roux, the American Expat?" A feminine voice asks. I nod. 

"Yes." The lights blink on and I'm shoved back into a hard metal chair. I look up to find none other than Fritzi Rask sitting opposite of me in a cushioned office chair. I gulp. 

"I will make this short, Miss Roux. Prince Basil has been ditching me for you or hasn't he?" I bite my lip. We're caught. 

"He has, Miss Rask." 

"Have you been encouraging him?" 

"No!" 

"Oh?" 

"No, I have not. I only went along, go along, with him since he's a royal and I'm practically nobody." 

"What do you want from him?" 

"Nothing!" 

"Of course there is! What is it, money? Fame for alluring the youngest Prince?"

"No, Miss Rask!"

"Then why are you two sneaking out for lunch and spending time in your office? I saw you both today in your office. He's found a rather pretty toy to play with, no doubt, but I will not let you distract him from me." 

"I know that you and Prince Basil are... expected to marry. At first I thought it was only a reward for how I did at the ball when he took me to lunch the first time,.. but..." 

"Pathetic. You know, yet you go on playing." 

"I trust Basil to take care of things,.. but..."

"But what, Miss Roux?" 

"I don't want any trouble. Really. I tried to stay away from him, or distance us, but Basil caught me unprepared." Her eyes grow to the size of saucers. 

"Then you are a toy, and an experiment. He is disgracing his title and name. Dishonoring everything." Fritzi hisses, slamming her fist on the table. I inhale and exhale.

"I am sorry to be causing a rift." 

"You should be. You caught his eye and did not draw the line before he decided to swoop down and catch you," She stands up and grabs my shoulders, "Listen very closely, Miss Roux, I will not accept this. I have worked for years to be Basil's match and I will not fail against a mere puppet! I will let you stay on if you break it off with him, but if not, I hear your family is going through some turbulence. I'd be happy to deport you and send you back home."

"Yes, Miss Rask." 

"Understood!?"

"Yes." 

"Good. Now go!" She orders. I jump up and head for the door, "A word of caution, Miss Roux. I will not be so forgiving if you don't back out." 

With that I race out of the door and hurry to catch the bus, tripping over my feet on the way. Tears sting the corners of my eyes. Could this really be happening? I should have refused Basil. 

Now things are worse.