Prince Toya

Toya watched as his maid opened the door slightly, checking to see if he was still asleep. It was these little gestures of concern that warmed Toya's heart.

Since childhood, Toya had lived with maids and butlers much older than him. He never harbored any feelings for them. While he remained polite, he never considered them anything more than just people who worked for him.

That was until he met his new butler. They were about his age, so kind and beautiful. Every time they approached, his heart fluttered. Every conversation they had made him so happy, so connected. He wanted someone he couldn't have.

But Toya knew full well he was a prince, and they were merely his butlers. Marrying a commoner would strip him of his royal title and lead to his being shunned. Oh, how he longed to confess his love to them, run away with them to the countryside, and live happily ever after.

"You may come in. I'm just reading," he called softly, inserting a cloth bookmark between the pages of his detective novel. The prince's chair shifted as he adjusted his position to look at the door.