Fruitcake

if i get too close and i'm not how you hopedForgive my northern attitude, i was raised on little light

The castle halls became more familiar with every passing day. Not because he had studied all the available plans of the building for hours on end, but because he was allowed to roam the halls almost as much as he pleased. He had been looking over the renovations for weeks now. But the profit he earned from it wasn't even the best part. The best was seeing the princess in passing almost every single day. He must say, he had grown quite fond of the girl.

The admiration wasn't only from afar. He had come far from a stolen dance at a festival. And it wasn't like they were friends exactly. Too much had happened between them to call it that. But as she was a princess, it was still too far out of his reach.

Lloyd passed a room as he was making his way to check up on the masons working on part of the entry hallway. They were working hard and many hours these days, making sure everything would be finished before the coming annual festival. With the plans in his arms, he peeked into the open door, finding the princess talking to a lot of dusty-looking advisors. He slowed his steps as he thought about it for a second before... Well, it didn't seem much fun, did it?

‘‘Excuse me, princess,’’ he said with his head bowed down, but his piercing blue eyes focused on Arianna, as he stepped into the room. ‘‘If I could just have a short moment. A small problem has occurred and it needs your immediate attention.’’ He straightened his back and shot an apologetic glance at the other people in the room. ‘‘It won't take long.’’

NC

I've lived my life
both good and bad. Definitely not light as a feather

"Your Highness, it would be advisable to look into the matter before they arrive." One of the councilmen said. Arianna furrowed her brows in response. "The prince is of age, your grace, it will be expected him to marry." The elder man continued. Inside her head, a thousand thoughts screamed, but one was most prominent: was this what would be expected of her, once the crown passed onto her?

"Arianna, either option would provide us with an invaluable alliance. But make no mistake, both parties will send the very best of them to Ravaryn to make it happen. We have to make sure we are one step ahead." As the words travelled through the room, every head turned to the head of the table where the King now addressed his daughter. She realised he did not like this any more than she did, but it was their duty. To royals, love was a thing they could not afford.

The princess leaned on the table with both hands as she looked at the parchments again. Just as her mouth opened to speak, the door did too. Her heart skipped a beat as she found the blue eyes she had gotten so used to seeing these past moons. "Of course, my lord." She spoke a little coldly. "Make sure my brother meets both prospects and do not let him go unaccompanied." She told the council. A nod to her father was all that followed and she walked out of the room.

"Lloyd," she spoke as her cool exterior thawed like snow before the sun. "You might have just saved me." She continued as she showed him a grateful smile. Carefully, her gaze travelled to his, and she minded herself not to get lost in it.

HETE JURK