Felipe's Curiosity

                                    

                                          

The absence of Princess Charlotte at breakfast lingered like a shadow over the day. Prince Felipe of Spain sat in the drawing room adjacent to the breakfast hall, his fingers drumming against the polished armrest of a velvet chair.
His usual confidence felt oddly unsettled. It wasn't like Charlotte to be absent without explanation. She wasn't the kind to seek attention through mystery—not intentionally, at least.
Felipe glanced toward the doorway, half-expecting her to appear with one of her dazzling smiles that could disarm even the most stoic courtier. But the doorway remained empty.
"Where could she have gone?" he murmured to himself.
Catrina, his cousin, strolled into the room, her fan snapping open with a flourish. She raised a brow at him. "Still brooding, hermano? It's unbecoming of you."
Felipe scoffed, though his lips curled into a faint smile. "I'm not brooding. I'm simply...curious."
"Curious?" Catrina teased, her tone laced with mockery. "You look like a lovesick poet."
"Don't be absurd," Felipe shot back, though his tone lacked its usual sharpness.
Catrina tilted her head, studying him. "Perhaps she needed a reprieve. You and the others are enough to make anyone want to flee."
Felipe leaned forward, narrowing his eyes at her. "Do you know something, Bella?"
She shrugged, her fan moving lazily. "Only that Charlotte values her independence. If she's disappeared, it's because she wanted to."
Felipe leaned back with a sigh, running a hand through his dark curls. Isabella might be infuriating, but she was rarely wrong. Still, the unanswered question gnawed at him.

By midday, Felipe had grown tired of speculation. He paced the halls of the palace, peering into salons, glancing down corridors, and even stepping into the gardens, where a light breeze rustled the perfectly trimmed hedges.
When his search yielded no results, he found himself lingering near her chambers once again. He knocked softly, as he had that morning, but there was still no answer.
Felipe rested his forehead against the cool wood of the door for a moment, a rare vulnerability slipping through his confident façade. He had spent the past few days vying for Charlotte's favor, pouring every ounce of charm into his efforts. But now, with her absence, he realized how much her presence had begun to mean to him.
With a resigned sigh, he stepped away from the door. "Where are you, Princesa?" he muttered under his breath.
Charlotte's Escape
While Felipe wandered the palace in search of her, Charlotte had slipped far away from the prying eyes of royalty and courtiers.
That morning, after dismissing Clara, she had donned a simpler gown—a pale lavender creation devoid of the elaborate embroidery and jewels that marked her station. She pulled a hooded cloak over her golden locks and slipped out through a side corridor that led to the palace stables.
Charlotte had always found solace in riding, and today was no exception. She mounted her dappled gray mare and urged it into the sprawling woods surrounding the palace.
The air was crisp, carrying the earthy scent of pine and damp leaves. For the first time in days, Charlotte felt truly free. There were no titles, no expectations, no adoring glances or whispered speculations.
She rode until the towering trees gave way to a small clearing, where a crystal-clear brook wound its way through mossy stones. Sliding off her horse, Charlotte let the reins fall loose and approached the water's edge.
Sitting on a smooth rock, she removed her gloves and dipped her hands into the cool stream. The gentle current tickled her skin, a small comfort against the whirlwind of emotions she had been suppressing.
She thought of the four princes—each of them compelling in their own way, each vying for her heart. She had feelings for all of them, but the idea of choosing just one felt impossible.
As she leaned back, gazing up at the canopy of leaves overhead, a soft smile curved her lips. For now, she would let the world spin without her.

Charlotte returned to the palace just as the sun began to dip below the horizon, her cloak wrapped tightly around her. She slipped back into her chambers, her steps light and careful to avoid detection.
When she finally emerged for the evening's soiree, she was met with the astonished and relieved gazes of the four princes. Felipe, in particular, stepped forward, his expression a mixture of frustration and amusement.
"You certainly know how to keep us on edge, Princesa," he said with a low chuckle.
Charlotte's green eyes sparkled with mischief as she replied, "I didn't realize I was so missed."
The princes exchanged glances, each silently resolving to never let her disappear again.