Chapter 4 Marcus POV

                                    

                                          
"Where have you been?" Stephan began, "you missed dinner." He didn't look up at Marcus and flipped a page of his book.
Marcus made his way across the prince's room and sat in a chair besides the Prince."Just touring the village, I met this girl there, and  I got to know a little bit of the staff." Marcus laughed. "You should have seen this one guy. He thought he could cut his own hair." 
"Hmm," Stephan replied deeply, absorbed in his book. 
Marcus studied him. "You and your books, Stephan." He whined and reached for a book on one of Stephan's many bookshelves."what's so great about them?"
Stephan sighed and closed his book. "What's so great is that these hunks of paper are filled with so many great things." He thumbed through the pages. "some are true and full of facts a-and wisdom, those that aren't are filled with amazing adventures and morals." Stephan spoke with such love for the books that it seemed like he should be marrying them instead.
"Try being passionate like that around the ladies today." Marcus joked.
"Today?"
"And you forgot." Marcus exhaled.
"Oh god, that's today!?" Stephan slammed his book on the table. "What time is it?"
"About noon." Marcus placed his book besides Stephan's.
"Ok, so I have time. Party starts at 8pm, right?" 
"Yup."
Stephan sighed in relief, "Ok, I got a lot of time."
There was a long silence. Stephan stared out the window of his library. Out at the garden. The flowers bathed in the sun and the leaves of the oak trees danced with the breeze. So calm.
"You don't want to do this...do you." Marcus sighed, sinking into the chair, he could see it in Stephan's face, "you don't want to get married." He out stretching his legs to the window. 
Stephan looked shocked when Marcus said it, but they knew it was true. "It's fine. I'm fine with it."  
                          
They listened to the silence for a while. Before Marcus started chuckling. 
"What? What is it?" 
"I was just thinking about that girl I met at the town. I never asked her name, but she was telling me about how she, her stepsisters, and stepmother had been invited to go to the ball today. She was so excited to meet you that she tripped over her own feet. " 
Stephan smiled. "I hope I get to see her today." He picked up his book and tucked it under his arm,and walked to the window and leaned against the frame. "How did you meet her anyway?" 
"Oh, you're not gunna believe it." 
"Try me."
Marcus grinned. "So I'm walking threw the town, just people watching."
Stephan nodded. 
"And out of no where this girl comes running, trips, and bumps into me. Full force. She starts yelling at me, telling me that I should stay out of people's way, and I tell her that she should stop running around like a fool." 
"Haha, really?" Stephan chuckled. 
"I know, she's so rude, right?!" Marcus cleared his throat, " then all the sudden she calms down and apologizes. And I'm thinking, ok kinda weird." Marcus rests his head on his hand.  "Then she goes on about why she's been so hyper and tells me about the invite."
"She seems nice." Stephan commented.
"Ya, I guess."Marcus started." I told her I was actually from the castle, and our conversation went on from there." 
"Hmm," Stephan smirked, "what an interesting person. 
"Wait till you see her in person." Marcus pointed at the prince. "She's actually sort of pretty if you can look through all that cinder and dirt on her face." 
"Dirt?" Stephan asked, "why'd she have dirt on her face?"
"Oh god, I don't know." Marcus exhaled ,"she must have been a maid or something." 
                          
Stephan nodded and peered out the window and smiled.
He'd obviously lost interest..., Marcus thought. 
"What are you looking at?" He stood up and joined his friend at the window and there before them," oh HEY, that's the servant I told you about!"
Stephan jumped and started picking at the cover of his book. "W-what? Huh?"
"Yah! That's him!" Marcus exclaimed. 
"Really?" Stephan asked curiously."Whats his name?"
Marcus laughed nervously."I didn't ask his name either." 
"God damn it, Marcus." Stephan sighed. "It's only polite to ask."
Marcus giggled. "If you want to know, go ask him." 
Stephan thought about it and said "Nah,it's ok."
"Okay," Marcus put his hands on the window sill. "It's up to you. He's actually a pretty nice guy." 
"Hm." Stephan answered. 
"What is it?" 
"Huh? What do you mean?" 
"What are you thinking about this time?" 
"Well... this is out of the blue but.." he pause, "About the ball."
Marcus positioned himself to face the prince. Arms crossed knowingly. "You don't want to go?"
Stephan nodded gently 
"Surprise. Surprise." Marcus said sarcastically.
"I mean I don't want to go...as me."Stephan fidgeted with his book once again."I want you to pretend to be me." 
Marcus's hand slipped of the window sill and he almost fell to the floor. "You want me to WHAT?" 
He signaled Marcus to quiet down "Be me." Stephan answered almost at a whisper." For a night." 
"What will your dad think?"
"I'll be dead if he found out..." Stephan thought for a while."I can...pretend to be a lord or something and meet them in disguise." 
Marcus questioned him."You want to meet a potential spouse in disguise? Lie to them?" He straightens himself out." That just seems wrong." 
"Just do it, Marcus" Stephan begged."Please." 
Marcus studied the prince. Stephan's eyes were serious. Stephan did not break eye contact with him, and waited for a reply. "Fine." He surrendered. "What now." 
The prince walked over to his closet and threw some of his cloths at him. "Get changed."