March 6th 2017

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Funny how the world works. Her mom got taken away from her a few days back and now the Prince suddenly appeared in her life, well not technically her life, it was Courtney he came to see. His visit did little to affect her because she was already infatuated with Ben, his smiles, his eyes and the little things he did for her, but she couldn't deny the fact that his visit affected her in diverse ways.

When Ella entered the kitchen, Margaret was cooking up lunch just like Brian ordered. He was doing a lot of ordering lately since Prince Eric visited in the morning, leaving behind a promise to visit again in the evening. Ella knew he absolutely had no idea of what was coming to him and his family, that's why he was falling deep into the hole Brian dug for him. She wasn't sure about Courtney having a hand in the plan, but then they both were a pair of conniving and obnoxious devils.

"Ella, help me set the plates on the table." Margaret requested, knocking Ella back to the real world.

Ella sank to the bare floor, burying her feet under her blue gown. "I've already done that."

Margaret smiled and watched Ella closely. The girl looked really worried about something. The way her head was hanging low was a pure indication of her emotional state.

The older woman walked to Ella's side. "Is everything okay?"

Ella lifted her face and managed a smile. "Yes, everything is. I'm a bit tired, that's all."

Margaret nodded. "You know, Ella, you can tell me anything, I'll listen. I know you haven't been too stable since your mother disappeared, but I want you to know that I'll always be here for you. I promised her."

"You promised my mother?"

Ella didn't get Margaret's response as Brian stormed into the kitchen like a crowd of mad people were after him.

"Prince Eric is here, Margaret set the plates in place and make sure we're served immediately he's seated at the table." He ordered.

Margaret smiled and nodded like a meek lamb although her heart despised him.

Brain turned to Ella who had scrambled to her feet when he made his hurried entry. "Follow me Ella."

And she did. She followed him to the main entrance where Courtney was giving him a warm welcome.

"Your majesty, come this way." Brian spoke.

Eric's blue irises fell on Ella first and noticed how deplorable she was and how shabbily she was dressed without shoes on her feet. He wondered who she really was because she didn't have the eyes of a servant. There was definitely something more to her.

He shifted his eyes to Brian and nodded.

Ella waited for the trio to walk before her, then she proceeded slowly behind them, picking fragments of their discussion.

"Your Majesty, I'm very honored to have you in my home. Although it's not as fancy, I hope you enjoy your brief stay here."

"You needn't worry about my comfort. Everything is perfect."

Eric wasn't so sure of the accuracy of his speech but he shrugged every of his inhibitions aside when they entered the dining room.

"Let's eat!" Courtney clapped her hands and approached the appetizing dishes.

Eric pulled out a chair for Courtney and sat in the seat next to her while Brian sat at the head of the table.

Ella was the only one left standing. She watched them unfold their napkins and she was ashamed of the way her eyes widened when they started eating. The last time she ate this sort of food was the last day before Brian walked into her life with his daughter.

Midway through the dinner, Ella's belly churned in protest.

How embarrassing.

Brian formed a frown on his face while Prince Eric turned to look at the poor girl in total amusement. Courtney was angry at Ella for disrupting the attention Eric had been giving her but she pressed her lips in a thin line, tactically hiding her displeasure.

"Are you hungry?" Eric asked in his own cheerful manner.

Yes. She wanted saying.

"No."

"Get out of here." Brian mouthed. Ella was about leaving but Eric stopped her.

"She may stay." He glanced at Courtney who wore a fake smile on her face.

Left to Ella alone, she wouldn't sit with them,but since the Prince ordered her, she had to.

She cast her eyes on Brian and Courtney who glared at her like she was an ant.

Courtney was vexed that Ella would be sitting at the same table with her Prince. So she did the next thing she could think of. As Ella walked past her, she spilled some of the red wine in her cup onto Ella's green dress and gasped.

"I'm so sorry Ella, it was an accident." Courtney said in a fake voice.

Prince Eric knew that something was wrong and he had to intervene. But he didn't. He just watched Ella scurry away with her head lowered in shame.

He did nothing.

Ella ran outside the house and to the stables. Ben saw her running towards him and he opened his arms to hold her in.

"Stop crying." He kissed the side of her head as she sobbed violently into his shirt.

"I can't stop crying Ben, when will this humiliation end? It's frustrating!" Ella yelled but her voice was stiffled in Ben's shirt.

She felt no more than a servant again. This was the second time Courtney was humiliating her before Prince Eric. She embarrassed her on the first day he spoke to her. Today.

After a few minutes of crying, Ella pulled away from Benjamin a little ashamed of her outburst.

"I'm sorry." She apologized.

Ben stared at her in confusion. What is she apologizing for? For crying? There were times he felt Ella kept some things to herself, she carried a lot of burdens alone. The burden of her dad's death and her mother's sudden disappearance.

Ben had always wished she would pour all her burdens out. Today, even though her unhappiness made him unhappy too, he was glad that she learnt to share her burdens with him.

Benjamin held her hands and looked deeply into Ella's eyes. All he could see was fragility in them but Ella tried to conceal them without success.

"Ella, I want you to listen to me. There comes a time in everyone's life when they get to their breaking point. It's unavoidable, Ellie. At such stage there are people called friends who'll always be there to help you out. Never apologize for being weak. In your weakness, you find your greatest strength."

Ben watched the way Ella's brows twitched here and there, he knew she was busy with her thoughts. But her facial expressions made her more alluring and he was tempted with the desire to kiss her.

"What if those friends aren't there for me, who will I lean on?" Ella asked.

She asked that question because at the moment she needed her mom, Marie, she disappeared.

Ben dropped her hands and transferred his hands to her shoulders.

"Ella, don't worry too much about everything. All things will soon fall in place."

She smiled. "How are you so sure?"

"Your eyes tell me that." Ben pulled her gently to himself and laid a peaceful kiss on her lips.

Ella felt her heart thump wildly against her chest as their lips melted together. It was the same reaction she got the first day he kissed her. It was the same reaction she got anytime he kisses her. She knew she loved him and he did too but what baffled her was why the reaction never changed.

"Are you nervous?" Ben asked as he felt her heart thumping against his own chest.

Ella nodded innocently.

"You don't have to be nervous around me." Ben caressed her back with steady movements of his hand.

"I can't help it, my body reacts that way whenever you kiss me. Do you know why?"

Ben couldn't help but smile at her naivety. Ella was too innocent for her own good. He hoped she wouldn't meet anyone who might utilize her innocence to their advantage.

Ben knew it was too early to think about marrying but he wished he would be the one Ella ends up with so that he could take good care of her like she deserves.

"Ella, there's nothing wrong with what you feel. It's natural for your body to react that way when someone you like touches you or even looks at you."

"You mean..." Ella trailed off as Ben's lips tickled the lobes of her ear.

"Do you like it when I do this to you?" He whispered into her ear and noticed the way she shivered in response.

"Y...yes, I feel this strange sensation in between my legs."

It isn't strange at all. Ben thought.

"Or this." He placed his lips on her neck and trailed kisses on that area.

"Ben." Ella moaned.

He groaned. After placing one last kiss on her neck, he pulled away from her subtly.

Ben knew he had to control himself before he does something they both might regret.

"Let's see how we can get you into the palace." Ben kissed Ella's forehead.

Her eyes never left him as she wondered why he stopped.

She was beginning to like the reaction more.

It felt so good.

~~~~~~~~•••~~~~~~~

Hey beautiful people!

Thank you for reading this chapter.

I might not be updating frequently as I should because of the other book I'm also working on. With my Project Defence coming up in school, I strongly doubt the possibility of updating once a week. I might just shift updates to one in two weeks.

Don't forget to comment your thoughts. I'd appreciate that,

Your Crazy Writer 😋