The Selfish Prince part 5

Vanz woke up early in the morning today. It was so unlike her, because Phelps knew that Vanz would do everything not to wake up early.

“Are you sure you’re ready to work?” Phelps asked her anxiously.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” she smiled.

“Sebastian did not come, huh?” he asked.

Vanz wrinkled her eyebrows as she smiled again, now with a lifeless expression even though she tried her best not to cry at yesterday’s event. “No. He didn’t.” She lied.

Phelps could see the pain in her eyes, wondering what had happened between her and his little brother in such a short time. “Okay.”

And she really worked. She tried to keep herself busy with every job in the castle—she help Ian with the laundry from 4 am until 6 am, she cooked and prepared the breakfast until 9 am, she washed the dishes until 12, and continued helping the chef.

She felt that she was happy as long as Sebastian was not in the way, so she tried her best to be out of his sight.

When the time goes to 2 pm, the chef smiled and said, "You're a great help to us today. You may take a rest."

The girl bowed, and then she sat on the chair that headed to the garden, as she always did. She looked at the sky and smiled. It was a soft blue sky, and white clouds covered almost half of its surface. She was happy that she could help and participate in everything, until suddenly she saw something that made her smile faded away.

Sebastian Keen and Sharon, walking around the garden with a happy face on top of the horse.

Her mind suddenly travelled. She knew it was not her problem, but she could not help it. Where were they heading? What did they do? Hundreds of question ran out on her mind, demanding for answer. However, all she could do was watching through the window, observing every single move they make. She saw Sebastian smiling toward Sharon as he excused himself for a while. She even wondered where he went.

The last question was answered quickly though, when she heard a loud noise of the door slamming behind her. She looked at Sebastian, full of disbelief. He looked like a ghost for a moment there. Her eyes filled with terror.

Sebastian Keen.

Vanz retracted herself from the window ledge and stood up, shaking.

Sebastian advanced forward, scrutinizing Vanz's face. He noticed the tears. He grabbed Vanz's hair and forced her to look at him.

Vanz whimpered in fear.

"What are you staring at just now? Sharon and I were having fun and you did not need to observe every move we did, alright? What do you think?" He asked. He was pissed, and she didn’t even know whether or not she would rephrase it again.

“I was...” Her voice was shaking as tears really came down from her eyes, “I was looking... At the sky... And so...”

Slap.

The girl could feel that the slap on her cheek this time had caused a scratch that bleeds, and it was right. However, she did not care. All she cared about that time was the reason he had to slap her that hard.

“Don’t lie to me!”

“I was wondering... What you two were doing...”

Slap.

“I know it is not my business, but I just...”

Slap.

Why was Sebastian being so mean to her? What did she do wrong? Oh yeah. She remembers, she was a toy. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that he could everything according to his will now... Can he?

Sebastian released his grip on Vanz's hair, causing her to fall limply onto the floor. Vanz wiped her tears with her shirtsleeve as she sniffled softly, inserting occasional whimpers in between.

“Listen carefully. I do NOT like you or anything. You are merely my personal servant, and you do everything according to my will. Whether I want to use you or dump you, it’s all my own decision. Get that?”

Vanz nodded.

Sebastian smiled with satisfaction. He didn’t even know what lays inside his heart anymore. The pain he felt for her seemed to be a small matter now. He get out of the kitchen and suddenly met his older brother.

He smirked. "Your Vanz is waiting for you." His voice dripping with sacarsm, and he walked off rapidly.

"Sebastian, do you know how much that fool loves you?" Phelps shook his head sadly.

As if by magic, Sebastian turned around. “What did you say?”

Phelps took a deep breath before continuing. "Vanz, seems to be in love with you."

Sebastian's face showed shock which he masked professionally with an expressionless look. "I don't give a damn." Then he continued walking back to his room.

Phelps shrugged his shoulders. He walked to the kitchen as he mumbled softly, "But you like her too, little brother."

He opened the door and to his shock, Vanz was shaking on the floor.

“Vanz, are you okay?!” He cried as he kneel down to get her on his arm. But all he got from his question was a sweet smile.

“What are you talking about? I’m totally fine. I just fell,” she laughed.

Phelps did not believe her, he pretty much believe that she was only pretending to be strong so no one would feel sorry for her, moreover after he saw a stain of tears on her shirtsleeve. He carried her right way to her room.

“Why did you take me here? I say I am okay,” Vanz said in annoyance.

The 23 years old prince smiled as he replied, “You need a rest. NOW. Leonard told me what happened to you when he went back to your room. You vomit and keep coughing. You really need a rest.”

“He came?” Vanz asked in confusion.

“And how could he know if he didn’t?” Rhetorical question. “Well, that doesn’t matter anyway. You need to rest.”

“I told you I...” She didn’t able to finish that sentence. She coughed pretty hard that she could feel her heart stopped.

Phelps laid her on her bed gently and covered her with a blanket. “Stop talking. Stay here, I’m gonna get some porridge for you. I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”

Vanz nodded powerlessly. He was right. She needs a rest. But even though she had put all her strength to put all thoughts of Sebastian and Sharon out of her mind, she could not. She quickly spaced out, didn’t even realized that Phelps was already on his way back to the kitchen.



Cooking was rather an interesting event for Phelps. Chopped vegetables went flying across the kitchen, along with rice and other ingredients. Especially when Leonard came and decided to help both Phelps and the chef. Tragic events took place in the kitchen, and the chef himself wasn’t sure if he could finish the clean up by tomorrow morning.

Phelps was busy looking for ingredients of porridge with the Leonard and sometimes being mischievous, tossing the rice and vegetables at the others. They were so busy that they did not notice Sebastian took a peek from the hole of key on the kitchen door, seriously annoyed.

He took his way to Vanz’s room by following the footpath beside the castle. He could not help himself to open the door roughly and directly go to where Vanz laid. He walked towards Vanz with anger burning in his brown eyes. Vanz tried to go back. She continued doing so until her back hit the end of his bed, the cold hard wall. Sebastian hit Vanz on back of her the head. Hard.

“Are you stupid or what?! Didn’t I tell you not to make others worried about you?!” he cried aloud.

The girl was taken aback in fears. She was so scared, but it did not hide the fact that she was extremely sick. She coughed badly, panting for breath in front of Sebastian.

She coughed in front of Sebastian. Ugh. She was going to be hit, she was sure as hell he would. She lowered her head, tried to hide the pain as she waited for the impact to come. It never did.

Instead of a hard punch, what she received was a glass of warm water. “Drink this.”

Vanz drank it slowly, put the glass on the table as she continued to stare at him. She did not understand. Why was he so different?

Both of them caught up in the moment. Somehow, the action Sebastian took just now had made both of them taken aback.

“For god sake’s, stop being so weak!” She suddenly heard him say again. Sebastian is back, she thought. “Now everyone knew why you were sold here! You just couldn’t take care of yourself! Get real, you’re 18 already!”

Her eyes widened in terror once again. A lone tear rolled down her cheek.

Slap.

“Stop crying and do something to cure it. I bet your darling Phelps will come with his special porridge later,” He said coldly. He glared at her before saying his last words, “This is the last time I ever do this again.”

Vanz was crying back in sob as she saw him out of the door. Don’t go, she muttered. Nevertheless, none of her voice can be hear. She coughed again and panting for breath.

A weak smile popped out. She was so stupid, wasn't she?

She looked outside through the window. The sun started to set. The pale blue sky soon turned to sparkling gold, and finally turned dark.

If only her strange feelings could change so quickly like the sky, she would be the happiest person on earth. But that isn't possible, is it?

Now that she could not even determine her own feelings, how could she be happy anymore?

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness overcame her entire being. The world was spinning. She fainted once more.



“Vanz?” Phelps said softly, waking her up.

“Hmm?”

“The porridge is ready, you should eat it a little. You haven’t eaten at all, right?” Phelps smiled at her. “I’m sorry that it’s so late, but we couldn’t find the last ingredient that we have to ask for help to Ian since he was responsible for the placing.”

She nodded, took the bowl of porridge that he passed over and started eating. Glanced at the clock beside her, it write: 11:12. It was so late already.

It was her second spoonful when she decided to stop as she shook her head and handed over the porridge to Phelps again.

“Is it not good?” He asked.

The girl was silent for a long moment as she took in those words, all-over confusion until all of a sudden her eyes widened and she shook her head again, this time emphatically. “No! It is good, really...!” She hesitated. “But I’m scared that I would vomit again.”

“Oh,” Phelps breathed, nodding then, his confused and worried look immediately disappearing. “Take a rest, will you?”

Vanz nodded and lay back on her bed. She wrinkled her eyebrows and stared at the boy questioningly as he took a sit beside her bed.

“Just to make sure you’re alright.”

The girl nodded and buried herself inside her blanket.

Phelps smiled and stirred to a dreamless sleep of his. It was exactly three hour of his deep sleep before he was awakening by the sound of sobbing. He quickly opened his eyes and saw Vanz curling like a ball on the bed, shaking violently, weeping.

The prince was shocked. He tightened his grip around her hand, making it look as if he had let go, Vanz would slip away for eternity.

On the other hand, Vanz cried herself piteously to sleep in Phelps' arms. She clutched on tightly to his sleeve, not wanting to let go. Phelps gently traced his arm up and down before laying her down again. He turned around and headed for the door, aiming another set of meal—or even medicine—that could settle little princess of his. She made some muffled noises inaudible to Phelps' ears.

“Don’t... Go...”

Phelps turned around hastily. What did she say?

“Don’t go... Sebastian...”

He knew it. His eyes were suddenly dark, full of hatred and anger for the other prince. He had predicted before, that it was his own little brother, Sebastian, and only him, that could make his little princess grew this weak.

Phelps always consider Sebastian as lucky. Unlike him, Sebastian could spend all day long with Vanz, having meals together and so on, even though he was sure that his little brother wouldn’t treat her well as he did to others. He tried to stay in his position all this time, trying to smile and laugh whenever Sebastian did something bad or teasing her.

But this was the limit.

He walked to his little brother’s room and opened the door without even asking. “I need to talk to you.” And as Sebastian turned around to say ‘later’, he strike him again by saying “NOW.”

The other prince stared at him blankly. “We have nothing to talk about.”

“What did you do to Vanz?”

The answer came after some seconds of pause. “Nothing.”

“If it was nothing, do you think Vanz would cry herself to sleep?”

Sebastian’s eyes widened before he stoned. “She what?”

“Cried herself to sleep,” Phelps repeat his words angrily. “What did you do to her?! Answer me, moron!” His fist came into hard contact with Sebastian’s face, so much force had been put into it, and it sent Sebastian flying halfway across the room.

Sebastian touched the side of his lips. Blood. He threw a death-glare at his older brother. “It”s not my fault, okay?!”

"I know you're getting marry, but..."

"Stop reminding me of that bitch I am going to marry!" Sebastian cried.

Phelps sighed, gave in. "Fine, I won't say a word about it. But really, you should do something about our princess. She was extremely shock, and I don't think she'll get it quiet right. You need to make up things with her."

"You're the one that in love with her. Go figure out things yourself." Came the reply.

Sebastian got a hard kick on his stomach for answering Phelps that way. "You did something to her, Sebas, and it's going to make her crazy! Why couldn’t you just parted well with her?! What do you think I could do if she only love you?!"

"She hate me!"

A long pause after the reply. Both parties did not know what to say. The older one, with the pitiful expression toward his little brother, and the younger one, with the strong will not to let any tear fall out.

Phelps shook his head lightly, throwing his look away from Sebastian angrily. "If that's what you want... We'll see."

And with that words, he left.



The sound of the door opened roughly surprised Vanz out of her dream. She looked at the door and found Phelps standing there. Cold sweat running down his body and he seemed exhausted.

"Phelps? Why do..."

Vanz could not finish her line. Phelps had already stepped forward, pinning Vanz to the counter with his body, kissing her firmly in a way that made the girl gasp and tremble in shock. The girl quickly pushed him back and broke the kiss.

There was collective silence, and then Vanz said, "What did you do that for?!"

"I don't know," Phelps smiled innocently, "I just feel that I like it." He hesitated for a while and added, "I like you."

She blushed instantly in a short time.

"Say then," Phelps suddenly got down on one knee and took her hand. "Would you marry me?"

Vanz covered her mouth to stop any words that threatened to flow out of her mouth. She didn't know if the word was 'yes' or 'no', she had no idea. All she knew was that her face was getting redder when the prince looked deeply into her eyes.

"Sorry if it is too sudden," Phelps broke the silence with a laugh.

"No, it's fine," she replied shyly as she took her hand back from him. "It's just... I... You know... Well..." In all of sudden, she lost her ability to speak.

Sebastian Keen.

Stop thinking of him! Vanz looked down, bitting her lips. Why did she need to imahine Sebastian proposing to her?!

The older prince shook his head slightly before placing another small peck on the other's forehead, making Vanz blush and smile shyly, tugging out from her thoughts. "You don't need to answer now. I'm not even ready with the ring yet," he laughed again, "But I'll tell dad soon that I propose you."

Vanz suddenly got back to her sense, quickly stop him. "Don't! Alexander Keen did not even recognize me as human being. Besides, you're a prince, you should not marry a dirty servant like me."

He put his hand on her head and smiled. "Nothing about you is dirty. You're beautiful."

The words made her blush even more.

"What you need to do now is consider my proposal and tell me when you're ready," he said again. "I'll go get some dress and tell dad."

"Wait!" Vanz cried. "You'll tell everyone I'm a girl?"

Phelps grin. "You think I'll marry a guy?"

She blushed. "Of course not!"

"Then you got the answer. Don't worry, I'm sure he won't bite," he opened the door and took his way to the castle.