You were working hard as one of the maidservants in the prince's garden, plucking from the plants the weeds that had crept over. This was a job you hated, one that often left you stiff and sore. The movements made every other part of your body pain you in time, and even the sharp tools were bound to make you part of them in small cuts or backaches.

As you were trying to pull away a particularly stubborn weed, you felt a flash of sharp pain on your hand, bloodying a small cut. You involuntarily recoiled, taken aback by the sudden sting. It was nothing too painful, just perhaps the razor edge of the blade had grazed you without your knowledge. You let slip a tiny "Ouch!" as you bit your lip to endure with the cut.

Before you could come to grips with what happened, you heard someone softly approaching. You raised your eyes to find Prince Ike making his way toward you with a rather concerned look on his face. He let his increasingly softened composure given the concern in his eyes when he stood before you to fix his gaze on your hand.

"Can I help you with that?" was asked with a smile of concern on his face.

You felt just the briefest flash of embarrassment racing through you, but there was something soothing about him right now. His gentle and earnest tone was a rare warmth from someone usually so self-composed. You felt the reluctance begin to wash away with slight relief at the prospect.