*A long time ago*

Fiddling with the sleeves of her dress, Ainsley stared out shyly over the sea of noblemen and their sons. The banquet hall was cast in a bright glow from the springtime sunshine, and everyone appeared to be in grand spirits as the men discussed the upcoming royal hunt, and subsequential feasts that were going to be had for the next few months as the King tried to decide upon a husband for his daughter.

So far, Ainsley had curtsied and exchanged greetings with over a hundred and thirty-three nobles. All of whom wore painfully polite smiles, or could barely look her in the eyes. Not that she could blame them. She was easily ten times as awkward and shy as any of them. Being uncharacteristically tall for her age didn’t help matters, and while she knew she was passable in her looks, her feet were bigger than some of the boys that were her peers.

“Ainsley, won’t you answer Viscount Jenoure’s question?” the King’s low rumble of a voice almost made her cringe as she was snapped back to the present.

“I’m so sorry, my Lord, what did you ask of me?” She turned shyly to the Viscount who smiled warmly down at her, making her immediately feel a little more at ease.

“I asked if you’ve read any good books lately. Last we spoke you were quite taken with the tales of the Pirate Noone.”

Immediately Ainsley’s face lit up. “Oh yes! She is by far my favorite heroine thus far. The way she battled her enemies a day after giving birth with her babe in one arm, and a sword in the other is one of the most exciting chapters I’ve ever read! Though recently I started a new book about a Zinferan Empress who was secretly a witch and-”

“You must forgive my daughter, Hank. She should be spending more of her energies reading foreign policies and refining her stitchwork. It is kind of you to indulge her,” the King interrupted while reaching for a bunch of purple grapes out of a golden fruit bowl.

Ainsley’s face turned crimson as she refocused her attention on the glittering jewels in her forest green shoes.

“Nonsense! I still enjoy fantastical tales that inspire the mind. Why do you think I study the lore of the stars so avidly?” The Viscount winked at Ainsley who was still too embarrassed to lift her gaze.

“Of course, it is good for a woman to read all sorts of stories, sire! It means she isn’t a complete bore outside of council rooms and political dinners.” Viscountess Mael Jenoure insisted while leaning down to block the Princess from the King’s view.

The monarch didn’t bother responding as he was once again approached by a nobleman who held a boy no more than ten years old by the shoulders.

“Ah, King Matthias Devark. Thank you for making the journey, this is your son I presume? Matthias the Sixth?” The Troivackian monarch nodded, and released the child.

Stepping forward and lifting his dark eyes, the boy bowed perfectly. He straightened himself, then turned to the Princess and executed the same bow.

“I am here as the future King of Troivack, to offer for the hand of Princess Ainsley Cowan.”

The room fell quiet, as Ainsley stared mortified at the boy. She wanted to laugh, or to pound her head against the sturdy table in front of her, but knew neither reaction would've been well received.

For once, her father intervened on her behalf.

“I will consider your offer seriously young man, in the meantime, please enjoy the festivities.”

The young Prince stepped backwards into his father’s waiting hands. If he was self conscious about his bold announcement, he didn’t show it. No, his cool dark eyes didn’t convey a whisper of his true thoughts…

Ainsley fidgeted as the nobility in the room gradually became engrossed with their previous conversations, leaving her to shrink back into her chair undisturbed.

After another hour, the King was engrossed in a conversation with a Baron from Xava, and so the Princess took it upon herself to quietly excuse herself, and silently drift through the banquet hall towards the doors. She stuck to the walls of the room and kept her eyes downcast, avoiding any unwanted attention or greetings entirely. Despite her height, she was quite adept at disappearing.

Once free of the crowd, she continued sidling down the corridors, until she reached the East wing exit. Finally free of the castle walls, she began to pick up the pace of her steps, until at long last her skirts were hitched in both hands, and she was flat out running towards the King’s Forest.

Ainsley didn’t stop until she had broken through the first ring of trees, and once she had skidded to an undignified halt, let out a long loud sigh while placing her hands on her hips.

“Is he serious?! He wants me to consider marrying a ten year old?! I’m sixteen! This is insane! Even if we wait until I’m eighteen, he’ll only be twelve. Oh Gods, it isn’t like the others were much better anyway…” Ainsley chattered to herself energetically while walking deeper into the woods. It was the only space she could freely say what she wanted to.

As she walked through the fresh greenery, and marvelled at the wildflowers that dotted the lush underbrush, the Princess spread out her arms and enjoyed the feeling of the warm sunshine on her skin.

With her eyes closed, she took in the sounds of the forest, allowing them to soothe her. The chittering squirrels, the singing birds, and the faint echo of a woodpecker somewhere deeper in the woods drifted into her awareness. She tripped a couple of times over an errant root or two, but she didn’t let that dampen her spirits. She had to enjoy every moment of the tranquility before stealing back to her chamber to get ready for the banquet.

Taking another deep breath in, the sharp snap of twigs behind her nearly made Ainsley jump out of her skin.

Whirling around with a shriek on the tip of her tongue, she found the new Captain of the Knights standing behind her with his hands respectfully clasped behind himself. Bowing deeply before her, he waited for her to regain her composure before speaking.

“My apologies for startling you, Princess. It is not safe for you to be out in the woods by yourself.”

The pained looked the young woman gave him immediately made the man take an unconscious step back.

“With so many suitors at the castle for you it-” Antonio began to explain quietly.

“I… I… get…” Ainsley tried to explain. Tried to tell him to go away. Tried to tell him that if she didn’t get some time away from the castle, she was going to scream until everyone’s ears bled.

But she couldn’t.

She didn’t want to bother anyone.

Didn’t want the King to have another reason to disapprove of her.

It was bad enough that her mother died giving birth to her…

“If I follow from back there, will that be alright?” the Captain asked worriedly, pointing further back in the brush.

Ainsley’s blank stare turned to him, and that was when he saw something he didn’t expect to in the Princess of Daxaria.

He saw sorrowful defeat.

“Never mind. I will go back to prepare for the feast.” She turned, and assuming a dignified posture, began walking back in the direction of the castle.

Captain Antonio didn’t fully understand the guilt he felt, but he could tell that he had accidentally trodden on something that was important to the young Royal.

‘To think I was just trying to be more mindful of the lass. Everyone seems to forget about her all the time…’

*

Cracking her neck wearily, Ainsley sat on her bed waiting for her maids to leave her be for the night. Recently she’d been forced to wait until everyone was asleep, then steal away to the library to try and smuggle more books into her chamber.

When her tutors had reported her obsession with reading to the King, at first he had thought nothing of it, until he found her with her nose in a book at every social gathering. She would abandon any duty or task the second someone took their eyes off her, and immediately procured a novella she had hidden in the room, or on her person.

After that, the King had banned her reading non-educational books outside of an hour a day in the morning, and only one book per week. Even if she finished it sooner.

The truth of it was that the books were all she had to distract from the painful loneliness she felt. The other noble girls only gossiped about what others were doing, or fawned over potential husbands…

After the moon had inched a little higher in the sky, Ainsley deemed it safe enough to escape. Slipping out of her chamber while wrapped in an ugly brown robe that she refused to throw away, she scurried up to the third floor, and stole into the third door on the left along the North wall.

There was a slight chill in the air that the Princess felt in her bare feet, but ignored as she snatched up a candle stick and hastily lit it in the darkness.

Wrapping her hand around the silver base, she readied herself to find the next story for her to fall in love with, when she lifted her gaze, and froze. There, with two books clutched to his chest, was a boy. A boy who was exactly Ainsley’s height, with the same color of hair, but whereas her wide eyes were a dull brown, his were a captivating hazel.

“What are you doing here?!” Ainsley whispered while placing a hand on her chest. Her heart racing from the scare.

“I’m just… I’m just borrowing a couple of books to help me sleep. I promise I’ll put them back in the morning, or… sorry that was rude of me! I’ll put them back now. I never asked if this was appropriate or if-”

“No, no it’s… it’s fine.” Ainsley let out a slow breath, once again feeling a calm settle over herself. “As long as you don’t tell anyone I was in here.” She insisted as her left hand clutched the lapels on her robe tightly closed.

“Aren’t you the Princess though?” he asked, tilting his head curiously. “Can’t you read or wander the castle however you want? It’s your home after all. Though perhaps not in your guest’s bed chambers. I could see that being an issue. Not that I’m saying you go sneaking into anyone’s chamber, I’m sure you are perfectly respectable and… and… sorry. I tend to talk too much sometimes.” The boy blushed, and for some reason, Ainsley found herself smiling.

“I don’t mind… if anything I like that I know what you’re really thinking.”

It was the boy’s turn to look bashful as he averted his gaze and fought off a smile of his own.

“You’re… You’re too kind.”

“What’s your name?” Ainsley asked quietly while moving closer to him.

“I’m Norman. Norman Reyes. A pretty boring name really… Norman. Change one letter and my name is ‘Normal’. I’m the son of Baron Eric Reyes, we live just outside of Sorlia,” he explained awkwardly, his eyes alternating between looking at her and the table in front of them.

“Oh, so you’re here to marry me too?”

As soon as the words were out of Ainsley’s mouth she felt her face grow pale in mortification. She just sounded like the most presumptuous hussy in the world, and surely he would look at her like she was insane and-

“Well, I don’t remember you being already married… but, yes, my father brought me here for… that reason.” Norman blushed even more deeply.

“I don’t remember meeting you,” Ainsley admitted apologetically.

“Oh, you haven’t yet. My father greeted your father earlier today while I hid.”

Ainsley blinked in surprise.

“You… You said you liked it when I was honest, and I was honestly scared to meet you. I sound ridiculous, and I heard a ten year old even proposed to you properly already, but I didn’t know if you’d think little of me because we aren’t the highest ranking nobility. Nor are we the richest family, but I like our home. It’s not as large as a castle but we have a nice apple orchard and-”

Ainsley was smiling so broadly she felt as if her cheeks would burst.

*

“What about this one?” Norman lifted a tart from the small kerchief he had stuffed full of snacks for them.

“Is that raspberry? Of course I want it!” Ainsley snatched up the baked good and relished in its sweetness as Norman picked up the blueberry tart and bit in. A dribble of filling stained his chin making Ainsley snort in laughter.

“It isn’t that funny you know!” he exclaimed with a smile despite wiping the mess up quickly. “I see you drop stuff all the time during the banquets!” he added when she continued laughing.

Somehow this observation only made her laugh harder.

“I know!” she gasped. “But no one sees it when I do it!”

“Well I did,” Norman teased before finishing off his tart. A snort suddenly escaped Ainsley’s nose that was followed by an astonished expression as though she couldn't believe she could make such a sound, which had her rolling on the ground laughing again.

This time Norman wasn’t immune to the humor, and he too burst out laughing as Ainsley managed to explain between snorts and gasps that the tart was coming out of her nose.

When they had settled down into a contented silence, the couple stared up at the blue sky together, and watched the clouds drift peacefully by. Their bellies full of baked goods, and their faces glowing in happiness, they enjoyed the undisturbed quiet of the day. Ever since the night in the library, they had stolen every chance to meet and talk, or sometimes just to read together.

“You know that Captain Antonio man follows us every time we meet,” Norman announced quietly.

“I know. He hasn’t told my father anything though, so don’t worry,” Ainsley replied, not wanting to break the good mood of the day.

“My father will put in an official request for your hand, but I’m worried,” he began slowly.

Ainsley felt the unwanted fingers of reality reaching for her heart as she realized what he was about to say.

“You want me to talk with my father and tell him I want to marry you?” she asked, her expression growing taut.

“If he thinks we care about each other it might help… I mean your father wants you to be happy, right?”

Ainsley sat up, her former levity a distant memory as the notion of talking to her father began clawing its way into her mind.

“He wants what is best for the Kingdom. I don’t know what he was like when my mother was alive, but since I’ve been born he doesn’t look at me if he can help it. You know how this works, Norman. Princesses are pawns. Not that it’s my father’s fault, he has to think about everyone in Daxaria. Not just about me…”

“He’s still your father. You should try talking to him. King or not, he should look at you and hear what you have to say.”

Ainsley clutched her skirts tightly. Norman meant well, but he didn’t understand. He hadn’t grown up feeling as though love was to be earned, and only if there weren’t more important matters at hand. She could feel her throat closing, and the fear settling over her like a cloud.

“Ainsley?”

Reluctantly, she turned to face Norman’s calm yet determined hazel eyes.

“I want you to be with me more than anything, and if you want me there when speaking to your father, I will be. I’m never going to let you be alone again. I promise. I will do absolutely everything in my power to make sure we stay together.”

Despite the kindness of his words, Ainsley felt tears spill over the edge of her eyes. She ached for the warm solace of Norman’s love, and yet struggled to see past the cold obstacle of the King. Her father would never approve of her marrying someone who offered so little.

The young Lord suddenly reached out, and interlaced her fingers in his own, giving them a gentle squeeze of reassurance.

“I will make myself worthy to be your husband, and worthy enough to be the next ruler. I know I can do it. Then I’ll show you that a King can be a good father and husband, because I don’t agree with you a whit that a man can’t do all of it. It’s going to be hard, but we can do it. I know we can.”

Ainsley couldn’t say anything more, couldn’t do anything more as a surge of powerful emotions overtook her. So she simply allowed the boy she’d fallen in love with to embrace her as she cried, while wishing with all her might that everything he said was going to be true.