Abby's POV
(Now)
My first kiss was with Markle. My second kiss was with Abbott. My second kiss obliterated my world.
My eyelids fluttered several times before I yawned and sat upright. I heard a sound and I realized quickly it was from my stomach. I was famished.
Apart from the soup Lucile gave me the night before, I don't think I ate anything else yesterday.
I watched the Empty bed. It seemed that when I moved in, Abbott moved out.
He never came home last night. I sat till midnight waiting...never saw him.
I stood up and I went to the window to gaze out, catch a glimpse of the place that was going to be home for the forever.
That thought caused my heart to squeeze just a litlle.
I miss home.
I miss my life. I miss Nanny Josie, and Mary and the rest of my house servants.
I miss Kane's annoying whistling sound that he made in the morning, i miss the awful bonnet Mary wears to get Kane's attention.
I miss Nanny Josie's hug but most importantly, i miss my mother's strength and the sense of security she offered me, the unspoken promise that as long as she breathed air that i could be whomever i wanted to be.
I miss my father's love and the game of chess we played and the outrageous, maybe slightly non-lady- like story he told me all the time.
I miss the smell of the lavender scent he always seems to have on him, I miss the challenge and I miss the man not the myth as a mad scientist.
I felt myself beginning to tear up just a little bit. I blinked back tears and I left the window and opened the door that led to the balcony.
Maybe Charlie needed fresh air as much as I did.
I let him out on the balcony, the croaking sound he made was comforting actually. It was one thing that hadn't change.
I caught a glimpse of a lot of things while gazing out but one held my attention for a long time.
It was the sight of Prince Abbott sparring with a few knights in the little arena behind me.
Unlike yesterday, he wasn't officially dressed. He was wearing a red shirt and black pants held together by a belt which was wholly unnecessary since I have a feeling his body was quite capable of holding his pants up.
He looked…human, almost approachable.
Almost mundane.
His black hair was damp and slicked to the back which outlined his impeccable facial qualities well.
I watched as he gave instructions to the knights and taught one how to hold a sword properly.
He was patient and gentle in his dealings.
He didn't look like a monster, not the type that stabbed a guard for doing his job or expressed interest in seeing his nephew in unbearable pain.
He was a teacher and a very good one until he turned around and slammed his fist into one of the knights behind him, the knight staggered and fell down.
I gasped out loud. Watching him do that took me by surprise and the yelp was so loud I had to cover my mouth with my palm but it was too late, he looked in my direction and our eyes locked.
My eyes widened in surprise and I hid behind the flower vase.
I counted to ten before I looked outside again but he was gone, only his knights and Sir Bastian remained.
I retreated into the bedroom and tried to get my pounding heart to slow down.
A soft knock came at my door afterwards. When I opened it, one of the young maids stood there, her eyes cast down.
"The First Prince is here to see you, Your Highness. He waits in the solar."
My heart did a little jump, but it wasn't the happy, fluttering feeling it used to be. It was this heaviness that settled on my chest and made breathing almost impossible.
I walked to the solar, the room where Abbott receives his more formal guests.
Markle was there, standing by the fireplace. A bright smile lit up his face when he saw me.
"Abby," he said, his voice warm. He stepped forward, his arms opening to hug me.
I took a step back.
His smile faded. "What's wrong?"
I couldn't look at him. My eyes stayed fixed on the patterns in the stone floor. "I can't see you anymore, Markle."
"But you love me, Abby," he said, his voice soft and confused. He tried to reach for my hand.
I took another step back, putting more distance between us. "You are Abbott's enemy. So you are my enemy now, too."
He let out a short, disbelieving laugh and moved closer. I retreated again, my back nearly touching the wall.
"Abby..."
"I didn't forget," I whispered, finally looking up at him. "You were going to let him die. He was your uncle, lying injured, and you and the king left him for dead."
His handsome face twisted with anger. "You think I'm a monster? He has done far worse! He's the devil, Abigail!"
"He's my husband!" I yelled back.
He closed the distance between us in a flash, his hands grabbing my arms. His grip was tight.
"You think he's going to fall in love with you, don't you? You think he's ever going to let you close enough to him and you will have this great love story like your parents had. Devils don't fall in love, Abigail!. A bastard uncle certainly won't. You are just an inconvenience to him. He will never want you, Abby not like I do"
The words cut deeper than any knife. He let me go, turned on his heel, and strode out of the room, leaving me standing there alone, my arms stinging where he'd held me.
I took a shaky breath and turned around. Abbott's housekeeper, Reisa, was standing in the doorway, her eyes watching me. Judging me.
"If you have something to say to me, say it," I told her, my voice trembling.
She simply bowed her head. "I am a servant, Your Highness. Servants do not have opinions."
Frustration bubbled up inside me. "Where I come from," I said, walking towards her, "servants are family. And family doesn't silently judge each other. They speak out."
She looked at me then, her gaze steady and unafraid. "You are hurting him."
"Who?" I asked, truly confused.
"Who do you think, milady?" she replied, her voice low.
"Abbott?" A disbelieving laugh escaped me. "That can't be. He hates me."
Reisa let out a soft, knowing laugh. "Sure," she said, but her eyes didn't agree. "But a word of advice, milady. If you want friends here in his household, keep your affair out of it."
She bowed again and began to walk away.
"I'm not having an affair!" I called after her, my voice echoing in the quiet hall. "Reisa, please."
She paused but didn't turn back.
"I just…" My voice dropped to a whisper, the confession meant for no one but myself and the cold, silent stones around me. "I just want Abbott to like me."