Trapped In Hisstory

Clifford Lockhart leaned on the walls in the corner of the room where the celebration was held. He took a little time to rest, as no one is calling for him. He was now wearing the uniform of a server, as the Royal Head Butler took a few of the men that were working in the palace to be a server in the birthday celebration of the palace.

He has been going around the room serving the nobles their drinks, but luckily no one noticed about his real identity. For an heir of a duchy to be serving in a celebration as a servant, it would cause quite a stir, especially to those who love to spread rumors. 

The only thing that was helping him not to be exposed was the mask that was given to every server. The servers do not really have to wear a mask since the nobles would not care about them, how they looked like, and who they are because servants do not have any status or as well known for they are only commoners.

But that was not the case for Clifford. He is from the House of Lockhart so it is a must for him to hide his face when there is a social gathering or a celebration. Nicholas Wright made him wear a mask that covers the surrounding of his eyes, which was enough to hide who he is. It would be suspicious if he is the only one wearing it, so the masks were distributed to all those who will serve and help in the celebration.

One of the elder men who work in the palace who is also helping out in the celebration saw him and approached him, he grabbed the round serving tray beside Clifford and shoved it in front of him, "Why are you daydreaming in the middle of work? There are a lot of people of high status. Go around and serve!" the man scolded.

Clifford immediately grabbed the tray and bowed apologetically to the man. The elder just clicked his tongue and turned around to leave and check on the other servants.

He sighed and approached the long table where food and drinks are served to place them onto the tray. He carried the tray in his palm and turned. When he was about to walk and serve the noble guests, his eyes suddenly met with a middle-aged woman who emits grace even by standing still. The woman was with her husband who was chatting with the Count of Antares from the Millington House.

The two of them stared at each other and the woman raised her fan near her lips, covering part of it and Clifford noticed the woman stifling a laugh. Clifford suddenly felt shy, and he wanted to complain to the woman, but he cannot just approach her because of many people.

The woman tapped his husband, and the man turned to her; she pointed at Clifford, making the man look at him and he did the same, holding back a laugh. Clifford turned his back on them and ignored them, a bit annoyed and embarrassed at the same time. "Am I adopted? How could my own mother and father make fun of me like this?" he said and frowned.

It was the Duke and Duchess who were looking at him; they are the reason why he is staying at the palace as a servant. "My parents are such a bully, who will save me now?"

"A drink, please." One of the nobles called, and he hurried over to place the drink on their table. Many of them requested until the tray was empty again. He went to get drinks again, and the cycle continued as he kept serving drinks to the tables.

"Give us a drink,"

"Certainly, here it i- ah." he was going around the ballroom that he had not noticed that he stopped near the Duke's table. Frances Lockhart looked at his son with a smile, "You can put it here." The Duchess ordered.

Clifford looked away awkwardly and put the glasses on their table. "My son, how does it feel to live the life of a servant?" she asked, looking amused as she looked at him from head to feet.

Clifford rubbed his neck and sighed. "Mother, Father, your bullying has gotten too far, do you not think so? For a mere dare game, you would want me to serve the palace?"

"You are the one who set your own punishment, do not blame us." Duchess Frances said and Duke Matthias laughed. They were right, he thought. But he never thought that he would lose their little game and really become a servant. Even the king was amused when he heard about it.

Clifford ignored their words, "I need to go, I still have things to do." he excused, "Farewell, Mother, Father." he said and turned to go to the table of drinks. The Duke and Duchess glanced at each other and smiled.

When Clifford has gotten to the table, he was about to grab drinks but stopped and looked at one of the exits. 'I should...escape for a while.' he thought while smiling.

He looked around, and no one was looking at him, so he headed out of the ballroom. 'Finally.' he thought.

He removed his eye mask and wandered around the palace. The door he took does not directly take him to the outer part of the palace, he just went outside the ballroom but was still inside the palace. 

Just as he walked out of the room, he noticed a figure that was a few meters away from him. He does not know why he felt like he should follow him, but his feet just started moving without him even thinking first. For him to wander about the palace so easily, he must not be a servant, he thought.

He watched as the man that was walking in front of him have difficulty in keeping his path straight as he kept stumbling around the halls. 'He must be so drunk...' he thought. 'But do I know him? He seems familiar.'

Nothing stopped him from following the drunk man. He was curious to see him face to face and not only on his back. His body seemed frail as he was smaller, and it was obvious that he never had an exercise before. It makes him look like a woman from the back because of his build and also his hair that was a bit longer than the Crown Prince, almost reaching his shoulders. 

Clifford saw the man open a door, and he went inside. Clifford was too focused on the man that he does not even know where part of the palace they were in anymore. He slowly approached the door and took a peek inside then he closed his eyes, 'Wh-what am I even doing?' he thought, knowing that he should not be peeking inside someone's room.

Even so, he got too curious and continued to peek through the door. All of a sudden, at the moment where he looked inside, he saw the man staring directly in his eyes, 'Ah! E-exposed!' his mind yelled.

But the man did not even look surprised, even when he caught Clifford peeking at him. "Ah..erm..I apologize! It is not what you think." he said, but the man did not even pay attention to his words and got no reaction.

"You there!" the man called, startling Clifford.

"Yes, sir?"

"Come in!" the man ordered, while gesturing to him with his hands to come inside the chamber. Clifford did as he was told and stepped inside the room.

Clifford's eyes slightly widened when he finally had a clear look at his face. He was the man that he saw in the library, the man with a caramel blonde hair, with his long eyelashes fluttering as he gazed down at his book, reading as if he was so immersed in the book.

The moment he saw the beautiful man, he could not take his eyes off of him. If the Crown Prince did not notice him, he would probably just stood there staring at him for as long as he could.

'It is him...' he thought, stunned, when he was in front of him. Much closer than the distance he had when he just secretly glance at him.

~~~~~~~~~~

"That person...in the library. What is his name?" he asked, looking directly into the eyes of the Crown Prince, eagerly waiting for a response.

"You mean Clayton?"

"Was he the one reading a book?"

"Yes, indeed, that is him."

Chance smiled to see how glad he was to know his brother's name. "I guess that explains why you were peeking behind the door." he said with a teasing smile. The man stopped smiling when he realized he was smiling widely in front of the Crown Prince.

"Just so you know, Clayton is my brother."

"Clayton is the Second Prince of Antares. The son of His Majesty, King Cadell, with his concubine, Her Highness, Melanie."

~~~~~~~~~~

The man that he was attracted to so easily was a prince. The son of the Concubine. Although he was the heir apparent of the Lockhart Duchy, at the moment, he is only a servant for now.

And in one room, the Lockhart Servant and a Prince are alone together.