Pulling Her HEARTSTRINGS Episode 19

A story written by HAPPY

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⭐ ⭐
⭐Oscar⭐
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I smiled when Umbria’s reply came in.
And then the smile left.
Did she always have to bring up Jessica? OK, I understand that she hates her because Jessica’s been picking on her. But it kinda made me angry that she referred to her as my ‘girlfriend’.
I twirled the phone in between my fingers and thought for a while……
“Your highness!”
My eyes rolled over to my governess, Pearl Gareth as she stood hands on waist.
“Are you listening at all?” she asked.
I sank down in my seat and crossed on feet on my knee.
“No Pearl, I’m not. This shit’s boring me out frankly.”
She gasped. “A Prince doesn’t use bad language! They speak in formal tones.”
“Yeah, whatever. It’s not like I’m —”
“A Prince doesn’t sit down all slumped in a chair,” she hurried over and made to lift me up properly.
”Hey…!” I protested annoyed.
She huffed. “And a Prince most definitely doesn’t reply his messages!” Queen Fiona arranged for a personal assistant for you that would handle all your affairs.”
“What!? That’s crazy!” I argued getting up. “Besides it’s not like I’m new to all this right, I grew up here in the palace until some years ago. Gimme a break Pearl.”
She smiled and bowed her head a little.
“Okay ‘your highness’. So when can we continue after the break?”
“Damn!”
I got up and strode out of the drawing room where the lessons was going on.
I met Queen Fiona as I was walking out of the building with my car key.
“Uhm, what’s this about a personal assistant Pearl told me about?”
She smiled. “It’s normal dear. Edward has one. When you become Prince you’ll be stressed out of your wits. A PA is just what you’ll need, she’ll take care of things you’ll forget slash don’t want to do,” she caressed my cheek. “Trust me?”
I nodded. “Don’t want it to be batshit crazy people though.”
She laughed. “Don’t worry Oscar. This one’s a professional.”
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🏰 🏰
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⭐Umbria⭐
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“Hi, your highness,” I greeted queen Fiona that morning as I was led to her courts when I arrived.
She held out her hand to me.
“Umbria. You’re here early, you aren’t going to school?”
“I uh, had a lot of things I wanna do today.”
“Alright then. Come with me. Diana’s excited to see you again, and later we can discuss exactly what your workload is.”
Smiling, I followed her, all the while admiring everything I saw.
.
The queen knocked on a big wooden door, and turned the knob open.
She stepped in. “Diana, someone for you to meet.”
“Hey little princess,” I said when I stepped in.
Her eyes widened when she saw me and her mouth broke into a wide smile.
“Umbria!! I’m so happy to see you again, I missed you,” she said.
I bent over her wheelchair to hug her. “Me too princess. How’ve you been?”
“I’ve been bored! Guess what? I’ve added something new to a list of my hobbies. Come.”
The queen and her companion left us.
Dropping my little bag on the floor of her room which was filled with toys, I took the handle of the chair and pushed her to a small table.
“I love what you do so much Umbria, and so I took up drawing my ideas of cake designs for my birthday…. see!”
With her good hand she turned the pages while I oohed and aahed at her drawing.
“They’re beautiful princess. What flavour is this one?” I asked, pointing at a blue double decker.
“It’s…… black currants?” she said unsure. “I just draw em and colour, I don’t think about the flavors,” she admitted shyly.
I laughed. “Okay princess, how bout I look over every single one of them and then we get to flavor them? I always say, flavour’s the essence of every pastry,” I said my baking motto with my hand on my chest while standing at attention.
Diana laughed.
“That would be fun!”
As I folded up the sleeves of my long sleeved tee-shirt, I looked around and caught sight of how filled her room was with toys of every kinds; in a big shelf by the corner, in a toy box at the foot of her bed, some on the floor and bed.
“You have a lot of toys,” I commented picking up a pen and sitting down.
“Yeah. My brother stages puppet shows every night for me,” she replied happily as she showed me a kiddies fruit book.
“Prince Edward?? Wow, I never knew he —”
“Not Edward, my other brother.”
“You have another brother? But I only know about Prince Edward,” I racked my brain to remember if King Oswald had a son I didn’t know about.
Nil.
She giggled as I wrote black currant as the flavor for the blue double decker cake. “Everyone knows about only Edward. Edward’s the eldest though. And yeah, I heard mom Fiona saying that you’ll be his personal assistant too. Did you know about that?”
“I didn’t. Gosh…..she did say something about added or change in work type along the line. What’s his name, this other Prince?” I asked curiously.
“Mmm Mmm. Can’t tell. He’s about your age though. How bought we make this one a peach and pineapple?”
“Sure,” I replied absently while thinking……
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🏫 🏫
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⭐Oscar⭐
.
Umbria was actually serious when she said she wasn’t coming to school today.
Knowing her as a fighter and a hardheaded girl who doesn’t give a damn to what people do to, think or say about her, I knew that the reason she didn’t attend was not Jessica.
What then?

The guys and I are in the basketball team’s locker room, changing up and refreshing after a brief dunk ball session with the coach.
They’re….. revitalizing the team as he said. And being a guy, well, I loved basketball.
Besides, I was gonna use the two and a half month of leniency to exhaust life, before going back to being boring royalty where the whole world knows you and you can’t do a thing about it.

I was taking off my boots when Victor came to my bench passing a basketball between his hands. He was still wearing the Tigers jersey. That’s the team name.

“Umbria isn’t in school today.”
“Obviously.”
“It’s because of Tiffany’s little drama yesterday right?”
“How am I supposed to know? Anyway, I don’t think so. Maybe something’s up.”
I got up, put the shoes in my locker and jammed the door shut.
I pulled my sweaty jersey vest over my head, tumbled it, then straightened it on second thoughts, grabbed a hanger and hung it.

“Yeah. Os, Umbria’s a really nice girl,” he began.
Yeah, a really nice girl with a boyfriend.
I don’t know, ever since yesterday that single fact had been bothering me.
That….. what’s his name….. Carl guy.
Maybe that’s why she acts all ‘invincible’. Because she’s got a boyfriend.
Yeah whatever, that’s just dumb.
I’m still interested in her, boyfriend or no.

“So?” I said to Victor as I didn’t a little arm muscles stretch.
He chuckled softly.
“So if you’re….. forget it. Just don’t hurt her okay?”
He patted my shoulder and bounced the ball away.
” Wait Vic. What’d you mean? ” I went closer to him. “Do you have…. feelings whatsoever for this girl? Cause that would be dumb. You and the guys know that you’re not supposed to have feelings for any of my….targets! Come on man, don’t tell me.”
He shook his head. “I won’t tell you then.” 🚶 🚶
Victor……damn. He’s joking.
Gotta be.
.
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🏰 🏰
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⭐Umbria⭐
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“OK princess, it’s siesta time now,” the companion said to Diana that afternoon.
“But I’m hanging in with Umbria,” she whined
“Go on princess, you have to sleep so you’ll get energy for our next fun activity!”
“Alright….” she sighed. “Let Umbria tuck me,” she said.
“That would be too much trouble for—”
“It’s OK, I can do it,” I said and smiled at the woman.
Being used to this, I helped Diana onto the bed , and had her change clothing before covering her up.
“How’s your dad?” she asked when I was about leaving.
“He’s fine.”
I smiled and told her about the operation.
“Now I’m working hard to earn money for his therapist, soon he’ll get to walk.”
“That’s nice. You’re a brave girl Umbria.”
I squeezed her hand. “We’re both brave girls.”
.
I didn’t meet with the queen anymore after that. Or again. I didn’t even get to see any of the royal people.
All my duties were being laid out for me by Mrs Pearl Gareth, the coordinator from the competition.
Since the princess and I clicks, I’ll be like a buddy for her.
Then I’m gonna work with the royal chef to make a copy of my primrose cake for the princess’s birthday which was drawing nearer.
And most importantly, PAing.
Gosh, why me?
I haven’t even met this other Prince yet. I hope he isn’t rude, I hope he’s nice and kind like his siblings. I hope he…..
Who’s even he?
Some secre-freaking-tive guy that the press has no detail about him?
Maybe I’ll Google it tonight.
I’ll be moving in the palace soon.
Isn’t that exciting?
.
.
🏥 🏥
.
The week was up.
Dad still couldn’t walk.
The doctor says I’ll have to get the therapist sooner before the splint joints get stiff.
Sighing, I pushed him in his wheelchair outside the hospital and waited for a cab.
“You’re not happy Um,” dad said.
“I’m fine, what makes u say that?”
“Umbria I’m really sor—-”
“Dad pls, remember what I said? Don’t apologize about anything. I want to do this for you. Let me.”
I gripped his hand, looking in his eyes.
He nodded.
I got a cab and we went home.
.
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🌞 🌝 🌞 🌝 🌞 🌝 🌞 🌝
.
Days flew by.
I’ve been avoiding school like a plague, and that gives me more time to work harder and earn more money. At least dad’s feeding well. Soon I’ll be able to hire the therapist and soon he’ll get to walk again.
I can’t wait.
.
Each day I visited the palace grew more fun with Diana… talking about stuff, making recipes, watching movies.
I met Edward once, and when I did I thought of how Maggie’s reaction will be if she sees him. He’s quite handsome though, and every bit the gentleman.
.
I’m still nervous about beginning my PA job. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know who he is….damn!
That afternoon, I went to Primrose again, praying as usual that that was going to be the day I met who my new ‘boss’ was, and feeling nervous about it altogether
I already know what to do; I’ve been briefed about it by Iris who was Prince Edward PA.
Go with him wherever he goes, handle files, schedule meeting….just assist.
And the funniest thing about it all was that everyone in the palace may/may not know who the other Prince is, but won’t tell me.
How crazy is that!?
.
At Diana’s request I’d baked some cookies from home for her.
I went to her room and opened the door.
I met the companion tidying up the room.
“Oh, the princess is with her brother. Let me direct you to his quarters,” she told me

“Prince Edward?”
“No, the Other One.”

Wow, I’m meeting him finally!
Am I dressed smart enough?
I’ll have to make a good and competent impression, it matters.
I knocked the door and waited.
The door knob turned, and the door opened.
“Hey Dia——WHAT!?!!?!?”

After my shocked outburst I cleared my throat and comported myself.
“What are you doing here?”
“What are you doing here?”
We chorused simultaneously, only that his was a calm tone, and mine was teetering on the edge of hysteria.
So much for comporting myself.
He nodded to me, signifying that I should go first.
Still wondering what exactly he was doing here, in the princess room.
Wait, I I recall correctly, Diana told me that Osos was her favorite singer, so that makes sense.
But didn’t the companion say something about ‘her brother’s room’?

Snapping out of my thought, I returned my eyes to him, whose gaze was levelled on me. He crossed his arms across his chest and leaned casually against the doorframe. He wore a grey sweatshirt and cotton pants.
In other words, he looked at home.
“I’m uh….here to see princess Diana. I uh….kinda work here now?”
His eyes still fixed on me, he called, “Diana, someone to see you.”
“Who’s it Oscar?”
“It’s Umbria.”
Using her good hand, Diana rolled the wheels and stood beside him. And smiled.
“Hey Umbria, you’re just in time,” she said smiling up at Oscar and me.
“Uhm, in time for what?” I asked confused because I still couldn’t figure out what exactly he was doing here.
“To meet my brother, your boss. Oscar, meet Umbria your new PA, Umbria, meet Prince Oscar Oswald blah blah blah, he’s the other brother I’ve been telling you about. Oh silly me, you two have already met, ha ha. Umbria, those are for me right?”
“Ye–ye–yeah...f–f–for you,” I stuttered still not believing.
“Cool.”
Diana kept the parcel on her laps and rolled herself back inside humming some childish tune and feeling proud of her self for the ‘grand’ introduction she’d just made.

Okay….. what?
I scratched the back of my head nervously, shifted my weight from one foot to another while he still fixed me with that stare and an added smirk.
“What’s wrong Umbria, cat gotcha tongue?”
“Please tell me this is a sick joke…please....” I whispered to myself.
It’s gotta be.
I mean ….I cannot have skipped school for days just to avoid him, and come to realize that he’s the guy I’m gonna be stuck with for a really long time.
And worse of all, he’s the fucking Prince!
A Prince?
I’m at lost at what to do or what to say as I just stood there staring at him and him me, neither of us making a move.
“I’m sorry!” I blurted out finally.
“What for?”
“For everything you know…. I mean you’re a fuc—prince, and I might have been kinda rude to you more often than not and I really don’t wanna be in your bad books right now but I swear that if I’d known you were the prince I’d have refused the job offer in a second royalty or.not —”
“Stop blabbing,” he cut me off softly.
I nodded hurriedly and swallowed.
“So…..you’re my PA huh?”
I nodded again.
“That’s interesting,” he said and closed the door in my face.
Phew, what the hell have I gotten my self into.
.
.
😏Oscar😏
.
I slammed the door in her face and walked back to land on my bed while staring at the ceiling, a smile on my face.
Who should I thank…..is it fate?
Or providence?
Or, as she tried to imply, karma?
Whatever it is, I’ve gotten an opportunity, a golden one at that.
“Oscar, why are you smiling?”
“You’re a genius Diana.”
🕔 🕔 🕔 🕔
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😪Umbria😪
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Gosh….I now understand why Oscar had been acting different recently.
It’s exactly the way he’s acting now, all serious, and bored. And uninterested.
We’re drawing up a schedule which he’ll follow.
We’re in the drawing room I guess.
I’m sitting at the desk, and he’s reclining on a sofa, leg crossed on top the other.
“So uh….we’re cutting off regular partying from the timeta— Oscar!!!” I yelled frustratedly as he turned up the volume of the head blaster and placed it over his ear.
Damn!
We’ve been at this for almost 3 hrs and I feel he’s purposely making this difficult for me.
Each time I bring up something worth discussing he finds a way to amuse himself.
I’m really tired, I never knew he could be over bearing.
He lowered the volume and scowled at me

“Did I hear you say my name?”
“No your highness,” I breathed out while trying my best not to blow.
”Good.”
“So I was saying that —”
“This shits boring me out. I’m gonna take five, and you can handle whatever it is you’re doing. You’re the PA after all.”
He grabbed his head phone and his jacket and walked out.
Whatever it is I’m doing!!?
He wasn’t even listening.
Sigh, I’m gonna regret this.
So help me I’ll need a lot of patience else I’ll end up just…..
ARRGGHH!
—-
TBC

—-
TBC