The High Tide Chapter9 (Calum Hood Fanfic)
“Nicolette,” I stopped her in her tracks with a handful of folded towels in her hands, “Have you seen Calum? I asked one of the butlers to check in his room, but they said his bed looked untouched.”
“Haven’t seen him, Princess,” she shook her head, “I’m sure he’s just exploring the castle. It’s in his nature remember?”
I gave her a grin, “Of course. Thank you.”
She nodded and continued walking down the hall towards Prince Stefan’s room to put his freshly pressed towels away.
I walked to the throne room and outside to the balcony. I leaned on the edge, looking over at the bright blue waves twinkling in the morning sunlight. I turned my head to the left and noticed a walking figure along the shore. Calum. He was smiling, even I could see his glistening teeth, as he kicked the sand with his feet.
He finally noticed me and waved.
I bit my lip in glee and waved back at him, before turning back into the throne room to meet him outside the doors.
“Good morning, Princess,” Prince Stefan stopped me just outside of the throne room.
“Good morning,” I tipped my head in acknowledgement.
“Are we still on for tea?” He asked.
“About that,” I began, “I thought that we should all treat our new guest to a visit of the town’s garden festival. My brother suggested it yesterday, and I think it’d be a great idea to impress our explorer.”
“Oh,” he jolted his head back in surprise, “But I thought our plans were-”
We turned our heads down the hallway to see Calum standing there barefoot and his trousers pulled up just below his knees. He had his big, always ready smile on his face.
I stepped pass Stefan, “Good morning, Calum. Did you have a good rest?”
He nodded, “The best I’ve had in years.”
Stefan scoffed, “Beats sleeping on the sea, am I right?”
Calum agreed, “You have no idea.”
“I saw you walking on the beach this morning,” I began, “I take it it must be a regular habit of your’s?”
“Yes,” he nodded, “Old habits, die hard.”
I smiled, “Well, you’re still wearing the same clothes from yesterday. I guess Mary Ann didn’t put out a fresh set for you. I’ll make sure it’s done. We have a big day ahead of us.”
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“You might want to bring your head back in,” Y/N suggested getting my attention, “Some of those branches swing low.”
I laughed and brought my head back in from the window, “I’m sorry. It’s just, I don’t get to see plants like this that close...and rushing by so quickly.”
“It’s all right,” Prince Stefan chimed in, “Most of these plants are indegenious to Dova and can only inhabit this island.”
“Once it knows where it belongs, it doesn’t really want to leave, right?” I shrugged.
Y/N, who was sitting across from me and next to Prince Stefan gave me a small grin, “It’s crazy how two people can look at the same thing and see something completely different.”
“Maybe,” I began, “We’re not that different at all.”
Y/N opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted as the machine came to a halt and the sounds of music and laughter began to emerge, just like the sounds on the ship.
The small door swung open and I quickly jumped out. Y/N and Prince Stefan stepped out after me.
“Wow,” I said trying to look at everything at once, but obviously couldn’t, “Everything is so colorful!”
Prince Stefan leaned into Y/N, “I’m going to find something for my mum. She would love a gift, but has a very distinct taste, so it might be awhile. You’ll be alright with him?”
“Of course,” she nodded, “I think I can keep up.”
“Very well, darling,” he kissed her hand before walking away.
We started walking through the cobblestone walkways. Her hands were placed neatly in front of her. Her long hair pinned back to show her face. She wasn’t wearing a big dress like the first time I had seen her in. It was nice to see her, so simple.
“Oh! You have to try these,” she pulled my hand over to a cart, “They are the absolute best!”
A round man, with little grey hair on the sides and a fluffy mustache smiled as the princess giddily approached him.
“My mum use to request them all the time,” she beamed, “But to be honest, whenever a maid sent for them, they just didn’t quite taste right unless they were piping hot.”
“Hello, Princess,” the round man laughed, “Lovely to see you again!”
She smiled back, “Hello, Baker John! This is my royal guest, Calum. He’s an explorer and is visiting the kingdom for the first time. I was just telling him all about your pastries.”
He blushed, “Oh. Your highness, if you keep bragging about my pastries, I’m going to sell out and not have enough for myself!”
She laughed, “They are the best! We’ll have two please!”
He handed me two of them wrapped in parchment and Y/N reached inside her coin purse and to hand him some money.
“I cannot accept these, your highness,” he shook his head, “That is far too much for two simple pastries, also it is an honor to serve such a lovely couple.”
“Please, I insist,” she urged, “If not for the pastries, then a gift for your newborn granddaughter.”
He nodded, “Thank you, your highness. Your grace is much appreciated.”
We thanked him one last time before walking away. Y/N took a bite out of her’s before wiping away the powdery mustached it had given her, “Always happens, but it’s a good sign of a delicious and greatly made pastry.”
I brought it up to my lips, the parchment crackling as I squeezed it. I bit down into it. First, I tasted the sticky, sweet bottom of the pastry and the sugary, powdery top. Then, as I bit down on it, my teeth sank in on the fluffy, cloud-like dough. And finally, the red oozing from the middle, sweet then tart, then sweet again.
“Isn’t it wonderful?” Y/N chuckled at my reaction.
Before it vanished from my tongue, I mumbled a quick, “Yes.”
Y/N reached up slowly and wiped the corners of my mouth, then patted just above my upper lip, “I would say it’s a good look for you, but then I’d being lying.”
I laughed, “You’re funnier than I thought you’d be.”
“What’s that suppose to mean?” She turned and led us to continue down the cobblestone path.
“Most princesses are...” I searched for the right word while swallowing another bite, “Oblivious, to say the least.”
She raised an eyebrow at me, “You know a lot of princesses?”
I shrugged, “I wouldn’t say know...maybe encounter?”
“And have you stayed this long with a princess before, Calum?” She turned back to face straight ahead, “Alone?”
“I couldn’t get myself to want to be with any of the other ones,” I took one last bite of the pastry before tossing the parchment in a bin that we walked pass, “But, I do enjoy my time with you.”
“You are rather smooth with your words,” she whispered, “It’s nice to have a good talker around sometimes. And I’m starting to think that I enjoy my time with you, too.”
