Love For Hire

Chapter 13: 13

She tugged on his arm as they walked through the door of the trainers. It had days to wear Nicholas down enough to convince him to leave the confines of his palace. When Dr. Horton made a house call to see how the Prince was recovering, it had been a week since the incident, and Nicholas had finally left his room and was moving around the palace with one hand out in front of him, feeling the walls as he walked while learning how to use his support cane. Every time someone tried to help him, he would reject their help telling them he had to learn how to get around on his own. Kinsley spent much time at his side resisting the urge to lend aid, but she respected his wish for independence.

During his visit, Dr. Horton had suggested a service dog. They discussed the benefits of getting one, and then he told them where they could go to get one. It took a few more days to convince Nicholas just to go and check out the dogs.

“All of our service dogs are extensively trained from very young,” the manager said as he led them into the kennel. Kinsley knew that Nicholas was out of sorts. He was away from the comfort of his home, and his vision was greatly impaired. Wandering through a public building, he could not see clearly, had to be both frustrating and stressful. She would have offered him her arm to hold while she guided him, but he was a proud man, and independence was important to him, so instead, she did the girlfriend thing and held his hand, walking at his side while he used his support cane to feel out the world around him.

“I am not entirely sold on the idea of a dog,” Nicholas said as they stood in the kennel surrounded by service dogs in their cages.

“Oh, but Your Majesty, service dogs are a wonderful investment. They are loyal and well trained. They are your eyes. They help you navigate the world, and they are wonderful companions,” the manager said.

“Just look at the dogs, Nicholas….” Kinsley said and then paused mid-sentence realizing her mistake when he frowned at her. “Poor choice of words. Just keep an open mind. You might actually like one of them.”

“Our most popular breed is the Golden Labs.”

He turned up his nose. “Not exactly my style,” Nicholas sighed. “This is ridiculous.” He said, leaning on his cane.

“We also have a few German Shepherds and one Doberman.”

Kinsley noticed Nicholas perk up with interest. “Doberman? Now that one may be interesting.”

“You like Dobermans?” Kinsley asked him.

“I had one when I was a boy. It went everywhere with me,” the smile on his face made Kinsley smile. His past pet seemed like a good memory for him.

“Can you show us the Doberman?” Kinsley asked.

The manager led them to the cage at the end of the kennel and unlocked the door letting out an excited black pup. Holding it by the vest, it wore he ordered the pup to sit down, and it obeyed. It was very well trained. Awkwardly Nicholas got down on his knees and lay the cane on the floor next to him. Then he reached out and felt the dog, stroking its fur and smiling when it licked his hands.

“He is barely more than a pup, but he is well trained and good with people and other animals,” the manager said as Nicholas pet the animal.

“What is his name?” Nicholas asked.

“Brutus.”

“That is a good strong name.”

“It looks like you two like each other,” Kinsley commented.

“I think we do,” Nicholas agreed. “I will take him.”

“Very good. Now, if you will just come with men to my office, we will get the paperwork out of the way.”

***

With Brutus' harness in one hand, Nicholas walked around his palace, feeling his way around. He could only see what was directly in front of him. It was strange, like looking down a long dark tunnel. He did not know if he would ever get used to this.

Earlier that day, Kinsley had asked for a ride into the city. She said she wanted to see her parents so she could tell them where she was and that she was fine since she heard from a friend that her parents had been looking for her and worried. When asked why she did not tell them she would be occupied for the next three months, she told him she had no phone. It was a problem he intended to rectify. So, Stephen tool Kinsley into the city and Nicholas was on his own for the night and had decided not to spend his time alone in his room.

He explored the palace with Brutus at his side. It was so strange. This place that had been his refuge for nearly a year now felt strange, like a whole new place. He felt like Alice through the looking glass. Everything felt bigger than it used to. He was walking into furniture and doorjambs. He’d banged his knee four times just today and nearly tripped over an ottoman but had caught himself on the arm of a couch.

Nicholas dragged his hand along the wall next to him, and when she reached the end, he knew he was at an entryway. He turned and entered a room. It was difficult to deduce what room he was in. His limited vision showed dark colours and large shapes. Nicholas braved the room and walked away from

the wall. As he walked into the middle of the room, he slammed his knee on a wooden bench, and he jerked forward, catching himself on the piano. He knew it was the piano because when his hand hit the keys, it made a god-awful noise. He was in the music room.

The sound had brought staff running. He heard heavy footsteps rush into the room behind him. “Your Majesty,” Octavius’ voice rang in his ears. “Are you alright?”

“I am fine,” Nicholas assured him. “I just bumped into the piano.”

“Would you like me to help you to a couch?”

“No,” he said, feeling for the bench. He sat down at the piano and released Brutus, who sat down on the floor next to the bench. Nicholas' hands moved over the keys. He could not see the keys. All he saw was a blur of white and black.

He used to love to play, but he could not make out the keys. Nicholas played a few keys trying to reacquaint himself with the instrument. Octavius came to the piano. Nicholas looked up, and he could make out Octavius' large frame as he stood next to the piano. “Nicholas,” He said, speaking as a friend and not a servant, “Do not do this to yourself. I am excited you came out of your room, but you must accept your limitations, or you will only drive yourself mad.”

Nicholas played a few more keys this time. They sounded better. Placing both hands on the keys, he played a simple verse. A grade school tune any five-year-old kid could play only in the wrong key. He started to feel the hopelessness set in again. He was never going to be able to do the things he loved again. He could not play music, could not ride a horse, or fence. He’d never enjoy the theatre again. He hung his head feeling sorry for himself when a fragrant scent wafting on the air caught his nose and made him smile.

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“You have returned,” he said, lifting his head.

He heard Kinsley giggle and her heels click against the hardwood floor as she walked his way. “You are getting better at this. How did you know I was here?”

He smiled. “Peaches. I smelled peaches.”

“I guess it is true what they say about the blind; their other senses are better,” she was standing next to him; he could smell her perfume stronger now. “Do you play?”

“I used to,” he said. “I cannot anymore.”

“Why not?”

“I cannot see the keys,” he said, wondering why that was not obvious.

“That is an excuse,” she said, tapping his hip for him to slide over on the bench so she could sit next to him. Nicholas moved over and felt Kinsley sit down next to him so close her leg touched his. He could feel her as her arm brushed against his, and her hand took his and led it to the keys. “Music is not visual; it is a feeling. You do not have to see the keys. Just listen to your body. It is all muscle memory,” she said, placing his hands on the keys. Her hands were over his, and when her finger moved, it pushed his down on the key, then she would move his hand.

Nicholas smiled, it was slow and choppy, but together they were playing a song he knew well. As they played, her hand slowly moved from his, and before he knew it, he was playing solo and well. Well, if that did not beat all, she was right about muscle memory. As soon as he stopped worrying about seeing the keys and just felt the music, it all came back to him.

“See, you can play just fine. Better than most, I’d say,” he could hear the smile in her voice.

“I will leave you two alone,” Octavius said, and Nicholas heard his footsteps fade as he left the room.

Nicholas stopped playing and turned in his seat, trying to her in his line of sight. When he could make her out, he smiled. She always looked so beautiful. She was wearing a yellow sundress, and her dark hair was pulled back in a fishtail braid. “How was your afternoon?”

“Alright. My parents are more relaxed now that they know I am ok. I told them I was staying with a friend for a while. I did not tell them about you or our arraignment. I do not think they would approve. Actually, I think it would break my mother’s heart,” she was probably right. “I am surprised to find you here.”

“I decided to venture out of my room,” he had gotten pretty good at getting around his room so long as the maid did not move anything. “I cannot stay in my room forever. At some point, I have to learn to get around this house.”

“Wow,” She sounded impressed. “The man I met ten days ago would have never left his room. I dare say your outlook on life has improved. Not too long ago, you wanted to die, and now you are planning for the future.”

He chuckled at the playful tone. “I am just trying not to walking into things.”

“Well, you know what they say, baby steps. You will get there. Like any skill, it will take practice.”

Nickolas smiled at her. If not for Kinsley’s constant encouragement, he would likely still be sitting in his room good and drunk and plotting how to take his life. But since she had come to stay with him, his hopeless life did not seem as dismal. He actually looked forward to things. They were small things like hearing her voice or feeling her take his hand. They might have been stupid and trivial to other men, but for Nicholas, they were the highlight of his day. He had not anything to look forward to in longer than he could remember, so to finally enjoy something… anything was like a reprieve from the personal

hell his life had become. In a short time, Kinsley had become like a breath of fresh air in a life that had been suffocating him.

He knew that she was only here with him because of their contract, but he also knew he was falling for her… and he was falling hard.

The sound of rushed footsteps filled the room, and then Nicholas felt a large body lean over and heard Octavius whisper in his ear. “The royal family has arrived.”

“What?”