“What did you do to the Crown Prince?” Duke Florentine asked a few weeks later.

Camilla was eating lunch when her father, who should have been working, barged in to question her.

“Pardon?”

“He’s been rejecting any suggestion of visiting again after coming over three weeks ago.”

She raised her eyebrows, “Did he say why?”

“He says he’s busy.”

“There you go then, why blame me for him being busy?”

“Isn’t it obvious he’s just making up an excuse to avoid coming here?!”

Camilla put her fork down and turned her body to fully face Duke Florentine.

“I barely know him, even if he’s making an excuse how would I know the reason behind it? And he’s the Crown Prince, he can come or not come as he likes. That he was nice enough to give an excuse when you asked is already something.”

Duke Florentine's face flushed with anger. Even though she was technically correct, it was clear she was using ‘the truth’ as a way to cover up her own bad behavior.

“I know you did something.”

She looked at him innocently, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Whatever it is you did, apologize!”

“I’m not going to apologize for no good reason!”

“You—” His hand raised instinctively, causing her to give a high pitched laugh.

“Go ahead, hit me! Then it’ll be YOU giving excuses for why I can’t see the Crown Prince!”

Duke Florentine’s hand dropped immediately, so angry he felt like he’d explode. Hands clenched and veins popping, he turned around and left without any further word.

From behind he heard a mocking, “Farewell, Duke Florentine.”

His pace quickened, though this time as if he were fleeing.

***

“I’ve thought about what you said.” Albert looked across the small table, covered in tea and sweets, at his fiance. “After watching the people around me, it does seem they don’t really see me, just my title as Crown Prince.”

It was currently just the two of them, sitting outside with a big umbrella over head to keep the sun off. The servants were at a distance and had been told not to come close.

She gave him a rather nasty “I told you so” smile.

“But there is one thing I don’t understand.”

“Oh?”

“In the example you gave, of two boys being forced together by their parents, wouldn’t the boy who didn’t want to be there be better off trying to get along? I mean, since the parents are insisting, why not make the best of it? Why be miserable when he can play along and get… if not a friend… at least an ally?”

She popped a tiny cookie in her mouth and looked thoughtful, “Would I get an ally if I played along with our parents?”

“O-of course!”

“Then, when the time comes, would you publicly denounce me and call off the engagement?”

“Eh? What? How did you come to that conclusion?”

“The way I see it, we’re too young and can’t do anything about our parents decisions. But when we’re older, if we set things up just so, we can force their hand.”

“How would you force them though…?”

“Like I said, break the engagement.”

“But how exactly?”

“Hmmm.” She leaned back in a rather unladylike manner, gulping down her tea. She then leaned back forward and slammed the tea cup down and laughed heartily, “I got it! We’ll both be going to the royal academy when we’re 12, right?”

He nodded.

“In our last year they hold a big ball, don’t they?”

He nodded, slower this time.

“If we can find a good enough excuse, during that ball, you can publicly break off our engagement before the entire student body and all the teachers. I heard that sometimes parents attend too, as chaperones. So that’s even more witnesses! They won’t be able to repair the damage if we both agree to break up.”

“But— but what kind of excuse could we give?”

“Let’s see…. You can find a girl you truly love at school and say I bullied her.”

Albert furrowed his brow, “Would that even work…?”

“Sure, sure, as long as the girl is really good quality and I’m particularly malicious. Bullying a citizen really isn’t befitting a future queen, you can use my lack of moral character as a good reason to break things off. Then you can show your father the other girl, who should be a good enough replacement, and walla! We’re done!”

He thought over what she suggested and a deep frown appeared on his face.

“But won’t people think you’re a really bad person if we do it that way?”

She shrugged, “Eh, who cares what anyone here thinks? I plan on moving after I graduated anyway.”

“Moving? To where?”

“Republic of Rynar.”

“Don’t they hate nobles?!”

“Sure do, so I won’t be one.”

“..won’t..won’t be one..?”

“That’s right, I’m gonna work like a commoner and live how I like!”

His mouth fell open.

“Are you crazy?!”

“With my education at the royal academy, finding a job over there won’t be too hard.”

“But you’ll be leaving your whole family behind!”

She laughed bitterly, “I won’t. There’s only Duke Florentine and he’s not often home. He won’t miss me.”

Albert felt anxious at her tone for some reason. “That’s not true… I’m sure your father will miss you.”

“He won’t. In fact, I’m sure he’s looking to adopt a son even now.”

“Huh? Why?”

“What do you mean, why? I’m marrying into your family and I’m an only child. If he doesn’t find someone to take over the fief, when he dies it will go to whoever is our nearest relative that’s of-age. You think he’ll let that happen?” She snorted. “Never. So he’s going to find someone to pass the title to, a boy from who-knows-where. He won’t need me once he’s found that person.”

“He could name one of his gran-gran-grandchildren as his heir.” Albert blushed at the mention of grandchildren and glanced at her shyly.

Camilla was completely unaffected.

“Not if I don’t have any or I’m so far away that even if I have some, he’ll never find out.”

Albert’s shoulders slumped by her cold-hearted reaction. He wasn’t interested in the sweets or tea now.

“You really don’t want to marry me that much?” His eyes watered slightly despite himself, “To the point you’d rather flee to a country that beheads nobles?”

“Don’t try and make me feel guilty for something that’s not my fault.” She glared at him in annoyance. “I never agreed to this engagement from the beginning. It was Duke Florentine who assumed I’d be fine with it. You want to make someone feel guilty? Go find the Duke and make him drown in guilt!”

“I wasn’t tr-trying to make you feel guilty…”

“Then stop crying!”

“I’m not crying!” He sniffled loudly and then, glancing at her nervously, he tried suggesting, “Even if you don’t agree to the engagement now, maybe you will later—?”

She slammed her fist on the table, causing the dishware to jangle and Albert to jump.

“I will not marry you. I will not become queen.” Her fierce eyes pierced through him, “If you try and push for that, I’ll make you so miserable you’ll wish you’d never seen my face. So. Don’t. Do. It. Understand?”

His whole body shook under her intimidating glare. Her ability to press someone with a look was very similar to his father’s, the king, ability to scare a person at a glance. Because it was so similar to his father’s stare, he felt his spirit quake in fear and immediately submitted.

“Okay, okay, we’ll do it your way.”

Her fisted hand loosened at his words and she smiled happily, picking up a cookie and throwing it into her mouth.

As she was munching away, she said amicably, “As long as you agree to break the engagement later, we can be allies… nay, comrades with a common goal!”

Her earlier aura of fury had disappeared and Albert felt like he could breathe again.

“What about… er… what about friends?”

She paused her munching, eyes squinting thoughtfully. He trembled slightly, wondering if he’d asked for too much just then.

“Oh alright, I guess friends are fine too.” She giggled, this time like the innocent 10 year old she supposedly was, “Friends then!”

She raised her tea cup, as if toasting. He quickly followed suit.

“To friendship!” He hurriedly confirmed.