The Princess and Her Wayward Knight

The kingdom of Eldoria raves with support, People chat across streets as the vast kingdom is filled with banners. "King Reginald's 10th Anniversary!" They all read. Inside of the Castle, resting atop the Kingdom, someone walks through the halls of the expansive castle. A girl with chestnut brown hair and emerald eyes wearing a regal lavender dress on steps up towards a door, guarded by a Knight of younger age.

"Ah, Miss Sera. What brings you?" Sera sneers, looking at him condescendingly with a slight smile. "I go where I please! I wonder why you're over here though, aren't you bit too.. weak-looking? Are you sure you're a knight and not a peasant? The dungeon is on the left!" She laughs to herself, a regal haughty laugh. The boy rolls his eyes. "If they didn't cut back our budget, things'd be different." He whispers to himself. Sera steps forward. "Oh? Did you say something? You wanna spend a night in the dungeon, for real?" The boy sighs. "With all due respect, miss, you've said that for as long as I've known you. I'm not your personal caretaker." She steps back with a face full of shock.

"Where do you get off talking like that?! You know who I am, right? You didn't hit your head and lose your memory, did you?" The boy gets face-to-face with her, as deadpan as possible. His hazel eyes peered into her soul. "Yeah, I know. I just can't care anymore. Besides, if I had half a mind, I'd say you might like me. Considering this is our hundredth interaction within a year." She pushes past him, not making eye contact. "You wish, Loserian. Now then, I have business to attend to. Have fun standing here, being utterly useless." The boy scoffs, a sly smirk forming on his face. "It's Adrian, miss. You've been using that nickname for months. At least you remember my name in some form though." She grunts loudly in frustration, opening and slamming the door behind Adrian.

He stands there for a bit, processing the interaction before falling to his knees in a cold sweat. "Why the absolute HELL did I talk to the princess like that?! She's gonna tell King Reginald and I think being executed is the LEAST harmful thing he'll do to me...! I'm never taking advice from shady books again..! If I survive.." He yells internally. On the other side of the door, the princess walks up to the throne, finding an old man sitting atop of it. "I'm here, father. What did you want to ask of me?" She inquires.

"Ah, just who I wanted to see! I'll get right to the point, my anniversary party is tonight and I'll be leaving it up to you to prepare for it!" the man reveals. Sera looks at him with a blank stare, dumbfounded. "Father, that's what we have the help for! Why does it have to be me?!" She yells. The King chuckles a bit. "It's merely tradition! You'll do a good job!" He exclaims. "B-But! Father!!!" She whines. The King grows a bit more stern, his face clearly tired. "Ey. Sera. you will do this task I set out for you. That is final. Now.. Where did I leave that book..?" Sera exits the room, clearly distraught.

Hours later, the princess finds herself struggling to set up a banner. Adrian enters the room, staring at her with a smug look. "Need some help?" She immediately turns over to him, angered. "As if! You don't know your right from left, much less how to set up a party from scratch! I'm... figuring it out on my own." She retorts, a tinge of sadness in her voice. Adrian lifts her up, helping her set up the large banner. "Unhand m-!" She stops, looking at Adrian's face intently. For the first time since she's known him, he looks worried.

That sight worries her as well. "You've... had it rough. Since the Queen.. You know. Being a Knight, taking lives.. It's never easy. That's kind of why.. when I get back after a long day and see you like how you usually are... My day gets a bit brighter." This sudden confession catches her blatantly off-guard as she refuses to make eye contact, having him set her down. "A-a love confession THIS early? We're on two different levels, sorry to turn you down!". Adrian shakes his head violently. "C'mon, it isn't like that! I can't just appreciate a friend?!" He yells. She looks visibly disappointed. "...Just friends, are we..?" Adrian hears this, immediately delving into his head. "Okay, okay! The book said to be confident, be cocky, be... kingly! Then she'll have to respect me!" He clears his throat.

"Hm? You were expecting more? Princess of a vast nation wanting to date a lowly Knight?" He taunts. "A-and?! So what?!" She snaps back. His face and mind go blank. "What." he manages to squeak out. Meanwhile, his mind combusts. "WHAAAAATTTTTTTTTT?????!!!!!" His inner voice screams. "A princess always has a knight at the ready so..! Urgh, nevermind! Forget it!" She shouts. Adrian scratches his head. "To be honest, didn't think I'd get this far... I thought you hated me because you met me when your mom died!" He admits. She turns to him, basically beet-red. "You idiot... You were the only person who made me feel better. Especially because... Today's the 10th anniversary of when we met. That's why...! You might stand some kind of a chance with me maybe!"

Adrian starts setting up the other side of the room. "Pfft- You love me." He whispers, giddy like a schoolgirl. "Ey, I'll take it back!" She shouts, immediately covering her mouth after realizing what she just said. "Is that.. an accent? You sounded just like the Queen, hehe.." Adrian replies. She hides behind her hair. "Sh-shut up."

The duo chatted for hours, slowly managing to set up the party perfectly. Chairs, catering, everything perfectly set up. A traditional, extraordinary party. The two of them end up outside, sitting on the grass as the party begins inside of the castle. "...I love you, too. By the way." Adrian says. Sera holds back her laughter a bit. "Alright, Prince Charming." Adrian pokes her cheek. "Hey, cmon. I love you!" He continues. "Yeah, Prince Charming alright.." She grabs his hand, the both of them staring off into the starry night sky, a pattern of twinkles illuminating the world. "...You don't leave my side, okay?" She says, extremely embarrassed. Adrian holds her hand a bit tighter.

"I'll protect you till eternity's end! I swear on that." She smiles, a true genuine look of happiness on her face. "Good. That's all I needed to hear."

The End.