The Accidental Princess (Part 8)

The Accidental Princess (Part 8)

Prince Kit x Reader

Synopsis: A contract has been found, after twenty years, bearing your name and the Prince Kit's... bound in matrimony.

Chapter Summary: You tell of truths you had been meaning to tell

Word Count: 10.6k words

Warnings: not sure if there is period-typical misogyny on here but might as well add it to the warning, bit of fluff, smidgen of angst, once that is not as nicely written as others?

A/N: Hi everyone! How's everyone doing? Advance Happy Valentine's Day y'all! I only have 2 more chapters after this, plus an epilogue, so stay tuned! There is no promise the next few chapters would be as long as this one (maybe longer, maybe shorter, who knows?) TAGLIST IS CLOSED! (apparently you can only add 50 mentions? i wasn't aware of this before???) As per uzhe, thoughts, reviews, comments, suggestions, requests (and reblogs) are very much welcome! Not beta'd, we own up to our mistakes. Please enjoy Part 8!

Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 |

You poured hot wax on your folded missive, taking a sprig of lavender from the bouquet Kit had given you weeks past and placed it atop. You watched as it dried, sealing your letter written in lemon juice ink from all the world to read.

Your talk with the gardener had proved fruitful as he confirmed your suspicions of which plants and bulbs the Grand Duke had gifted the late queen. They had been of the poisonous variety, with their insidious properties masked by their beauty. The gardener had been surprised that the queen insisted they be planted alongside her harmless flowers. He had no choice but to follow through her wish and had planted the pernicious blooms in the open garden, despite his fear of people being poisoned for accidentally picking at them.

You had wanted to tell the man that his fears had come true, that the blooms he had planted claimed the life of the very queen who had asked them to be there. You refrained from doing so, not wanting the poor man to blame himself on a death that was not his fault.

It had been the Grand Duke’s design; you were sure of it now. Why the nobleman did it, you had not one idea. Even if you were adamant in knowing of it, the only way to learn of it was to directly ask the man.

You shivered. The very thought of nearing the man, so much as addressing him, sent a wave of coldness about you. He was sinister and vile, and he had threatened to get rid of you for crossing him. If you asked him why he did what he had done, he very well could have killed you for even asking such a question.

Your thoughts moved to the vials of antidotes you kept on your person. Since discovering his penchant to use harmful herbs, you were careful of the food you ate. You only drank tea that you had brewed yourself and ate food only after he had taken a few bites of his. You were highly suspicious of everything that involved the Grand Duke that you kept a close watch of his every action.

Once the wax seal has dried, you replaced your writing implements in their case and kept the letter in your bureau away from prying eyes. You were yet to address the letter but you knew the person you ought to have the missive read be someone you trusted the most.

As you were clearing your desk, hurried raps sounded from your door. Your heart leapt to your throat, making you squeak when they knocked hard again.

“Y/N!” Louis’s voice sounded from the opposite side of the door.

You breathed out a sigh of relief, swallowing the bile that had come up. You had thought it was the Grand Duke, who had come to make good of his threats to you. Surely, it was not beyond the man to do so, especially since he wanted you gone from the palace.

You opened the door, looking up at your dearest friend’s scowl.

“Louis?” You called.

He barreled his way to your chambers, standing in the middle of it. There was a set look about his face, something that was not seen often on the jolly duke. The only time Louis had been serious—and far less than the one you were currently faced with—was when he had been embarrassed by a guest in his own home.

“What’s wrong?” You asked gently. “Is it Granville? Has something happened to your home?”

He ignored your questions. “Why are you here? Why did the king invite you to the palace?” He inquired instead, surprising you.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Come now, Y/N. It is a simple question. Need I repeat myself or are you deliberately not answering it?”

“What brought this on?” There was something amiss about the duke. He looked angry at you but also there was a hint of betrayal on his face. Your heart clenched at the emotions on his face. It was unusual to see both on him at the same time.

“Answer my question. Why are you here?”

You straightened, hearing the authority in his voice for the first time and not wanting to argue with it. “The king asked me for my help with some matters.” You told him flatly.

He scoffed and shook his head at you. “Really now. Lying? I never thought you would stoop so low.”

You frowned. Ire overshadowed your concern for the man. Lying? You? When had you lied to your dearest friend?

“I’ve never lied to you, Louis. Tell me when I had.”

“You never told me why you were here, Y/N. You never told me the full truth of it.” He paced the room, shaking his head. “You must know that accounts for lying by omission!”

You did not know what had happened for him to question your presence in the palace. He had never been curious in all the time you and he had been here. Why now? you wondered.

“Were you even planning on telling me you’re married to my cousin?”

You felt as though you were drenched in cold water at the surprise of his question. You trembled from within and you hoped it did not show. How did he know? Who told him?

You swallowed and schooled your features.

“From which rumormonger did you get this nonsense?” you asked, affecting your voice with a light tone. You felt a cold knot settle in the pits of your stomach.

Betrayal flared in his eyes. “Stupidity does not become you.”

Your mouth slackened, stunned at his insult. “I beg your pardon—”

“Are you going to deny you’re married to Kit? Are you going to lie to me again?”

“Louis—”

“Did you have your fun, Y/N? Did you enjoy making an imbecile of me for not knowing the truth?” he spat.

You frowned once again, confused that he would think of himself as such. “‘Have fun?’ ‘Imbecile?’” You echoed. “Louis, I would never have fun at your expense.”

“And I had! I had fun at your expense, and you did not even have the decency to tell me you’re Kit’s wife! That you are the princess of his kingdom!” His eyes had gone back to being accusatory.

You swallowed. You did not say anything at all to him.

“You are married to my cousin, who is betrothed to Chelina. You knew what I felt for her. You even tease me for it! What am I, then? A stupid spectator to this farce? Was I only invited so all of you would laugh at me for being oblivious of what is happening around me?”

You shook your head wildly, nearing him. Even if Louis was angry, you knew he would never lift a hand to hurt you. “No, of course not. You’re not stupid. You’re my dearest friend. My best friend.”

“Best friend?” he asked. There was disbelief in his voice. “Even just friends trust each other with secrets,” he ground out.

You felt your eyes water and you shut them tightly, not willing the tears to fall. You were exhausted and troubled. The last thing you wanted was to argue with Louis, or even placate him for your fault.

“The risk was too great for me to tell you, Louis,” you said helplessly, watching the anger in his face dissipate at the quiver in your voice. “You do not know how much I had wanted to tell you the moment you arrived in the palace.”

“But why didn’t you?” He asked.

You ached at the confusion and betrayal in his voice.

“Why didn’t you just tell me that you were married to my cousin?” he asked you gently.

“Because—Because I will not stay married to him.” You breathed out and wiped the tears that sat on the corner of your eyes. “The very reason I am here is so Kit and I could get a divorce. The king wants him to marry Princess Chelina. How would he if my name is still signed in that marriage contract?”

You watched the duke, at the emotions that flitted across his face. He is angry because he felt betrayed that you did not tell him of your secret, you told yourself. His anger was not misplaced.

“I did not wish to keep you in the dark, Louis. I had no choice but to do so. It is the king’s wish that I keep my marriage to Kit a secret. It is a big scandal that the princess of the kingdom is a nobody, a commoner who did not even have a proper basic education.”

You heard Louis sigh. He walked over to your bed and sat on the edge of it. You did the same, sitting beside the duke.

“Since when have you been married?” he asked, his voice tired.

“Since I was six,” you said in a hushed tone.

“You were six when you married Kit.” He repeated in disbelief.

You nodded.

“How did it happen?”

You took a deep breath. “It was my fault.” You told him everything there was to tell; from your mistake of taking a marriage contract to the moment the king had asked of you to come to the palace. And because you felt the guilt of not telling him everything the moment he arrived, you recounted Kit’s confession of love in his mother’s garden as well.

Louis remained still beside you, only listening to your words. His reaction as you went on ranged from confusion at how it had happened, to anger at the way you were addressed and treated when you arrived at the palace, and finally of pity when you told him that you loved his cousin as well but you would not allow yourself to. He only spoke when you had finished.

“Why don’t you tell him you love him, pet?” he asked you, voice soft.

You shook your head. You wrung your hands together before you. “I don’t want to cause another scandal, Louis. He is to marry a princess. The king and the Grand Duke made that very obvious to me.”

“But you’re a princess. Surely, Kit would not have to marry Chelina because he is already bound to you in matrimony.”

“I am a princess only by marriage. It is no good to them.”

“Because?”

“I have nothing to offer to the kingdom. I am no tool for the prosperity of it.” You shrugged casually but on the inside, you hurt at the unfairness of your situation. “They want him to marry for advantage and who is the better candidate than a princess of a thriving, bountiful country.”

“Does Kit have a say in this?”

You looked at your dearest friend. “Even if he does, he must weigh it against his father’s wishes. I would not want to place him in another predicament when it is my fault that we are in such a problem already.”

“Kit loves you.”

You swallowed painfully, mind replaying that night. “It does not matter.”

“Come now, Y/N.” He scoffed. “‘Does not matter.’ My aunt and uncle were in love.”

“Your aunt was a princess.” You pointed out. “If she were a commoner, they would not have met.”

“And you believe that?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Why?”

You frowned. Surely, he knew what these political marriages stood for. “If all monarchs had chosen love over their duty, I don’t think the kingdom would thrive or be as how it is now. Marriages had always been for alliances. There are the lucky few who love their intended and the unlucky ones who do not but always, always marriages are for advancement.”

“How did you become a pessimist?” He mimicked your frown, not in mockery but in confusion. Like he, you were a jolly person, albeit a tad serious and far less vexatious.

“Only pragmatic, Louis. If I remained married to Kit and be queen, I would not have anything for the kingdom. The last thing you would need is an incapable monarch.”

You knew you spoke the truth. You had nothing for the kingdom, no riches to give, nor a hefty dowry that would be of use. Instead, you only had yourself and your abundance of knowledge from all the traveling you had done. It was nothing that would ensure the prosperous future of the kingdom. You were nothing but a speck of insignificance to the whole of the kingdom.

“What are your plans after your divorce? Where will you be?” Louis asked after some time.

He stood by your fireplace now, watching the cackling embers that warmed your room.

“I shall be traveling with my father again, of course.” You remained on your bed, watching your dearest friend. He seemed to accept the truth fairly quick and found no fault in what you had done.

He raised a brow at you. “You rather you remain in that ship of yours than in the kingdom?”

You shrugged. “There is nothing for me here. I have no reason to stay.”

“Then may I suggest a marriage pact with me, pet?”

You raised a brow at the duke, lips quirking at the absurdity of his idea. “I hope you see the irony in your words, Louis. The very reason I am in this predicament was because I intended a friendship pact that ended in my marriage instead.”

He made a face, scrunching his nose when he realized. You gave a small giggle, your first since telling him of everything. Trust the duke to lighten your spirits, you thought gratefully.

“I may have worded it wrongly but that is what I mean.”

“Is that so?” you teased.

He ignored you. “It is no secret that we share none of that amorous love with one another. At best, we tolerate each other.”

You quirked a brow, amused. He went on with a roguish smirk on his face.

“This pact is more for your protection, pet. I would not want you to be married off to the last ineligible bachelor all because you had been divorced. I do not care for your status.”

“No, I don’t think you would,” you piped in, crossing your ankles under your skirt.

“As the Duke of Granville, I am expected to produce heirs to ensure that the duchy remains in the family.” When he saw your frown, he quickly followed through his statement. “I assure you my intentions are not barbaric."

You hummed, waiting for him to go on.

He cleared his throat and stood straighter, hands behind his back. “I am quite sure there had been hordes of men who had asked for your hand in marriage during your travels. I am sure as well that they sung praises and told you of promises. I shall forego telling you all of those because mine and theirs are all truly one and the same.”

Your lips turned up in amusement. “If you are trying to be romantic, you are failing at it, Louis.”

He frowned at you and you chuckled at the funny expression of his face. “It is not every day I go off proposing to ladies, pet.”

“No, perhaps not. You only go off wooing them,” you said with an affectionate roll of your eyes.

He sighed. You chuckled.

“But carry on,” you urged. You made a show of listening intently to him by turning your face up at him. “It is my only chance to be romanced by the great Duke of Granville.”

He harrumphed, lifting his chin up in a show of pomp. You snickered.

“If you wish to know my promises then, pet, here they are. I am titled. Everything that comes with my title shall be yours when we marry.”

“Of course.” You nodded.

“I shall give you the freedom you crave as well. We can travel far and wide to the places you have not been to. All I wish in return is for your companionship and perhaps, we might be able to produce an heir for Granville.”

You bit on the inside of your cheek. Louis did not ask for much in his suit. He only wanted your companionship and an heir. You would have the freedom you so wish, as well as protection and status. But with marrying Louis, you would be cousins with Kit.

Your heart beat violently in your chest at the thought of your husband. As soon as the divorce was final, you were sure the king would not wait a second more to marry him and the princess. To Kit, you would be nothing more but a distant memory to him, even if he had claimed that he would never forget about you.

But you could not take it. To be cousins with him was much more painful than leaving the kingdom. As Duchess of Granville, you would be oft invited to royal balls and feasts. It was inevitable to not see him.

You swallowed thickly, feeling the burn in your eyes as you started to tear from all the thoughts that came to mind. “Louis…”

Louis must have heard the waver in your voice because his features softened. He returned beside you on the bed. “I knew you would not accept, pet.” He took your hand. “I am cousins with the man who loves you and you love in return. It must be painful for you, even now.”

“Perhaps not as painful as to see the Princess Chelina be married to your cousin.” You turned to your dearest friend, blinking away the tears. “What a farce our lives had become. Me, married and in love with your cousin, and you in love with his betrothed.”

“It is like we are Shakespeare’s characters in his play.” His smile was sad on his face. It looked very unnatural in him and your heart ached at the sight of it. “In spite of all that you had said, you must know, pet, that I am loyal to you. Even when you shall be divorced from my cousin. Whatever it is you wish for me to do, I will do so.”

You smiled at him gratefully. “Thank you, Louis. Then you should know I will do the same for you, even if I had declined to be the future Duchess of Granville.”

He squeezed your hand in thanks and stood. “I shall go now. Thank you for explaining to me what had happened.”

“Before you leave,” you said. It was a good time as any, to give to Louis the letter you had written. You trusted the duke. You knew he would understand.

You stood from your bed and walked over to your bureau, pulling out the secret letter. Louis was a duke and he would have the safety of his title to spare him from the Grand Duke’s wrath should your letter be made public.

“I need you to have this for safekeeping,” you said as you neared him. You held out your letter to him. “You can only open it when I have gone from the palace. And when you do so, promise me you are in a safe place, that you have your men ready to protect you.”

He took the letter gingerly from you. “This sounds rather grave, pet.”

You nodded. “I hope you trust me enough not to ask questions, Louis.”

He nodded and kept the letter in his breast pocket. “I only have but one.”

You looked at him.

“May I know something about its contents?”

You bit on your lower lip, contemplating on just ignoring his request. “It is about what had happened the year before.” You told him instead. You refused to say anything more, hoping your cryptic answer would be enough to quell the obviously growing curiosity in the man.

He only nodded and opened the door. “I promise, pet. I’ll do as you ask.”

You gave a wan smile. “Thank you, Louis.”

He went, leaving you wondering if you had indeed made the right decision.

In the days that followed Louis’s confrontation of you, you kept mostly to yourself. You had finally picked up on the books that you had asked your father for and had finished them all quite quickly. When you had exhausted your selection of novels, it was only then when you would venture to the gardens. You always chose the time Kit would be training with Captain Thibault or when he would be busy in his office so you would not cross paths. It was your way of distancing yourself from the impending heartbreak of the divorce. The lesser you saw of him, the lesser the intensity of the heartbreak would be.

Louis was an amiable companion since he learned you were the princess. He still had his happy mood about him but he took more care of his jests around you. You had assured him that he would not be sent to the dungeons if he joked around you—not that you had any power to do so but it eased the duke’s mind—but he was still cautious of his words.

You did have noticed the longing glances he casted on the Princess Chelina one night at dinner. While the subject of their conversation was a happy one, their tones were not. It added to your heartbreak that your closest friend pined for someone he could not have as well. How unfair the world is, you thought miserably. You understand your misfortune; you brought it upon yourself. Louis was an innocent bystander to all of this. He was not meant to have his heart broken.

“Pet, I seemed to have forgotten something I was meaning to show you.” Louis said as he broke free from escorting you to the kitchen for your nightly tradition of tea. “Would you mind it if I let you go ahead while I retrieve it?”

You smiled gently at your friend. “Not at all. Shall I have the usual biscuits prepared?”

“Please. Perhaps you can ask Cook to prepare for chocolate biscuits as well?”

“Of course.” You smiled. “Go along. I shall have it all prepared once you return.”

You headed towards the kitchen, greeting the servants and the Cook before asking her to prepare the biscuits Louis had asked for. You had also asked for Abigail to bring you some writing implements to pass your time while the tea steeped. When all had been prepared and Louis still away, you took to writing an overdue missive to your father.

Dearest Father,

I have been missing you! Forgive me for not writing so often. It is difficult I fear I had been occupied with matters in the palace; matters not unlike the one I had told you in my last missive. A solution had been found now and we await word from the magistrate. I wish to tell you of everything that has hap I had been doing whilst I was kept here but I fear I will run out of paper to account for all of the happenings. I shall tell you of the important parts of it:

Louis Toussaint arrived in the palace at the same time as I and he has kept me company for my stay. I confess he is still as tedious and as charming as he had been when I first met him. He is not anymore the Marquess of Reading, however. He has taken his father’s title as the Duke of Granville after the former duke passed quite some time ago. He is still unmarried, which comes as a surprise to me. He had proposed to me much to my consternation, which I promptly turned down. I only view him a friend and I had told him of that, to which he agreed. There are no ill feelings towards us with my rejection. I shall hope, though, that when he finds his future Duchess of Granville that she would be tolerant of his rather flamboyant behaviour. Louis is not hard to love but I feel he is quite too much sometimes.

I had met the prince’s betrothed. Chel She is a princess of Zaragoza. She is very soft-spoken and well-mannered, like the Prince Giacomo’s sister. The king had tasked me to accompany her on a trip to the square a few days past. She was very polite with the citizens. I think she shall be a great fit for the prince.

Kit The prince is very intelligent. I had the pleasure of knowing him quite very well during my stay here. His ambitions for the kingdom are wonderful and I know he shall be a great king some day. How I wish I could stay and see the improvements I would love to stay I wish I could remain mar He cares for his father, the king, so much. I had no idea his mother had passed the year before. He still laments her loss and he does everything in her memory. I wish to see him happy before I leave the palace. It is not for his peace of mind but for mine. I love him

You hummed lowly as you wrote your letter, hearing the commotion from the kitchen staff at Louis’s entrance. You dipped your quill in your inkpot and was about to start on another paragraph when you heard a voice.

His voice.

“Louis told me I would find you here.” Kit said with a low voice, as though if he had been any louder, he would have disrupted your peace.

Your hand stopped before the quill could touch the paper. A drop of ink blotted on it and you watched as it spread on the page, mimicking the rising panic in you. You had been successful in your avoidance of him, so successful that you pined for him whenever you had gotten out of his way. Your feared—in your refusal to tell him that you loved him—that him not coming to you was indicative that you were nothing more to him than a fleeting fancy.

But he was here, in the small space you and Louis had claimed to take your tea, because his cousin had told him you would be found here. Oh, Louis. I do not know if I am cross with you or if I am joyed that you had sent your cousin to me, you thought to yourself.

Your chair scraped against the floor as you stood, your hands clasped together before you as you regarded him nervously.

“Kit,” you whispered, voice trembling, nervous to finally be facing him after quite some time evading him.

“Y/N,” he breathed. He looked as nervous as you felt, with his cravat loose and askew on his neck. His hair looked like hands had run over them. Had he, perhaps, kissed the Princess Chelina? He looked rather mussed. He even looked flushed.

You swallowed the jealousy that came up to your throat. “Is he coming?”

Kit’s face fell at your question. You watched in regret as his shoulder slumped forward, his demeanor changing. He swallowed before answering.

“No.” His voice cracked. He cleared his throat. “I will call him if you wish—”

You shook your head. You were exhausted from running from him. And clearly, Louis had planned this meet between you and Kit.

You both watched each other. For the first time since that night, there had been scarcely any words between you. The air felt thick with unsaid confessions and intense emotions yet none of you were brave enough to voice them. You knew you could not do it, even if you had longed to scream it the moment you ran from him.

You licked your lips and gestured for the chair before you. “Would you like to—”

“Yes,” he replied, quite eager in his response.

Kit wasted no time walking towards the chair opposite yours. He sat after you had but he did not engage you in any conversation because you were silent as well. You quietly folded your missive and kept it away.

You pushed the tea to him when you found him just staying still. “It is a special blend,” was all you said.

He took the cup and drank at it, emitting a satisfied sound when he replaced it on the saucer. “This does not taste the same as the one Father had been drinking.”

You looked at him and tilted your head to the side. “I’m sorry?”

“Father mentioned that he had been drinking your blend of tea.” He told you. “He rather enjoys it than the tea he had from before. He has fared far better than he had since he began taking it.”

You nodded mutely. “That’s good to know,” you said. You thought of what he had said, of the improvement of the king’s health and remembered that. It was another suspicious thing to note, especially since his health had improved over a simple blend of tea.

“Kit—”

“Yes?” He said immediately. He looked at you with eager eyes, watching you closely.

You took your teacup so your hands were occupied. “Since when had your father been sick?” you asked gently.

“Quite a while, I’m afraid.” He replied.

“Since your mother’s funeral?” you asked.

You saw as he watched you with a bit of surprise in his face. “Yes. His health had declined since she had been buried. He had not been better ever since, until he started drinking your tea, that is.”

You nodded, sipping at your drink. “And your engagement to the Princess Chelina?”

His hand hovered above a chocolate biscuit. “What of my engagement?” His voice was quiet and strained.

You bit the inside of your cheek at his tone. “When did you become engaged to her?”

“Y/N, I don’t want to talk about her—”

“Please,” you urged. “I just want to know.”

He took the chocolate biscuit and ate it before answering. “Months after mother’s passing. Father was not getting any better and he decided that I should marry the Grand Duke’s niece so the land may have an heir.”

You nodded. You sipped your tea once more, quiet and deep in thought. It was a sound reason, especially coming from the king who was worried for the future of the kingdom. It was a possibility, then, that the Grand Duke had orchestrated the Queen’s passing so he many instate his niece on the throne. If he had, then it would mean he would have control of the kingdom through his niece. But why would he need to do that if he was already the royal advisor to the king?

“That is an interesting piece of jewelry. I haven’t seen it before on your wrist.” Kit commented, his eyes locked on the bracelet the Princess Chelina had purchased for you. It had become your favorite accessory, wearing it almost every day because the blue stone reminded you of Kit’s eyes.

You touched the stone, small smile on your lips. “Yes, it is new. Princess Chelina bought it for me in the square.”

“In the square?”

You nodded. “It is a product of our kingdom, mined from the very mountains that border us on the east.” You pulled it away from your wrist and held it out to him. “I confess I haven’t seen anything as beautiful as that.”

Kit took it from you, running his finger down the intricate metalwork. “What do you know of those mines?”

You raised a brow at his question, at his tone that seemed unusually suspicious. “The shopkeeper told me of its discovery and the history of the mines. That there had been people who were interested in buying them but never had the chance to do so because your mother had died and your father had not decreed anything about it.”

He nodded absently, eyes still on the gem. Blue on beautiful blue. “The mines were part of my mother’s plan for international trade. No one was allowed to export them without her permission. She believed it is our most precious product.”

“I was told that it is only in our kingdom that these stones could be found. I could see why your mother thinks it precious.” You muttered, eyes turning on to the biscuit plate. “Knowing the nobles’ and the royals’ penchant for shiny, beautiful stones, they would covet the mountains and would likely buy whatever it is you sell them from those mines. I could say so for a fact because I had seen how they had coveted gold when I was in Florence.”

Kit nodded again. “Father wishes to sell the mines, not just the stones. I told him no,” he confided.

“I do not think it a smart idea to sell the mines either.” You murmured as you poured another cup of tea. You refilled Kit’s cup too.

“Why do you think so?”

You sipped your tea, tasting the lemon and peppermint on your tongue. You looked at Kit once more, finding him looking at you instead of the intricate piece of jewelry in his hands. Still in his eyes were the same love and wonder in them. Your heart cried at your refusal to acknowledge how it felt.

“Let us say, if you were to be asked of what to do with the mines, what would you do?” Kit asked when you remained quiet.

You put your tea down, eyes turning to the liquid in it. “I would create more jobs with it.” You replied. You ran your finger on the rim of the cup, watching the small waves that were created on the drink.

“Oh?”

You nodded, looking at him. “Yes.”

“For profit?”

You took a chocolate biscuit, halving it and leaving the other on the plate. “That would only be a consequence of my plan. I would do it for the people.” You ate a piece of the biscuit. “I had the opportunity to talk to some more of the citizens in the square, not just the merchants and shopkeepers but also the peasants. Don’t you think it ironic that the people who take care of our agriculture are the very ones who starve because the wars had left them unemployed after depleting their yield? I thought, perhaps, that if I were to put half of those peasants to work in the mines and the other half to continue working in the fields, then there would be jobs for them without fighting for who gets to sell more of their yield to the merchants.”

Kit watched you quietly, listening to you as you went on about your rant. He kept silent but nodded as you made your points. He then took the other half of your biscuit, smiling softly at you. “You seem to have given your answer some thought, maybe had even readied one long before I could ask you the question.” He teased.

You chuckled at his jest. “It is the truth. There is nothing I want more than to see a kingdom flourish with all of its people. No one should be left behind. Everyone, even the smallest of us, has a purpose.”

There was a sparkle of admiration in Kit’s eye. You preened at the unspoken compliment.

“You are brilliant,” he said with a genuine smile.

You flushed at his words, looking at him shyly through your lashes. “Thank you.”

He placed the bracelet back on your wrist and you shivered as his fingers lingered on your pulse. You were positive he felt the increase in their speed. He did not draw his hand back immediately. Instead, he traced idle figures on your skin and you let him. Because even if you could not have him in your life, you at least had this moment to remember him for the rest of it. You resigned yourself to the comfort of his nearness.

“I see you have your writing materials about,” Kit said after a while.

You looked at the folded paper and the inkpot beside you. You were yet to finish your letter to your father.

“Yes. I was writing to my father. It had been a while since I had last sent a letter. He must be worried about me.” You told him.

“What have you told him?”

“Just… events. Louis’s arrival. The princess’s. I was going to write of my trips to the square.”

“Me too, I hope?”

You looked at him, feeling impish and a teasing smile graced your lips. “Is there something worth mentioning about you? I tried but I could not find any,” you joked lightly.

Kit’s chuckle was explosive; it erupted from the deep of his chest and when it did, it brought with them wrinkles around his eyes. It was a wonderfully joyous expression on his face. You loved watching how his face changed. You loved him, that was that.

“You wound me, Y/N,” he teased back.

“I have not gotten to wounding yet, Kit.” You grinned.

He laughed once again. You felt your stomach turn at his every chortle.

“I jest. Forgive me.” You took your cup and drank.

“All is forgiven.” He smiled at you and tilted his head to the side as he studied you. “Do you miss him, your father?”

You nodded seriously, sobering. “Very much so.”

“Would you like to visit him tomorrow?”

You bit your lip, considering his words. It would be quite an excursion. You lived far from the palace, nearer to the borders of the next kingdom. The journey would take quite a while just to get there.

“As much as I would like to, it would take up most of the day just to go to and from there. I would not be allowed to spend that much time outside of the palace walls. The King had been angry at me for being alone in the square.” You gave a small smile, shrugging your shoulders.

“You will be with me.” He told you. “We shall make a day of it. There is nothing for me to do tomorrow and I am sure you are free as well.”

“Kit…” It was on the tip of your tongue to refuse. You knew it was the proper thing to do, to keep away from him. You had been too comfortable in his presence. If you allowed yourself to fall any deeper, you knew it would be impossible for you to leave.

Kit sighed. It hurt you to see him so despondent. Just one day. Let him be yours for a day, you tried to convince yourself. Just one day for a lifetime of memories.

“All right.” You agreed with a smile. “ Tomorrow it is. I am sure my Father would be happy to see me after being away from him for a while.”

You spent the rest of the night talking with each other, conversation flowing easily between you. Although there was no mention of that night in the garden, it still hung above your heads. Neither of you acknowledged it. You were fine with talking of other matters, mainly of the welfare of the kingdom since you saw how it plagued him.

When the tea and biscuits—it was Kit who loved the chocolate biscuit since he had eaten mostly those and rarely of the cream ones—were finished, Kit offered to escort you back to your room. He held on to your writing implements as you held on to his arm. The air around the both you was charged with emotion, maybe because you were somehow back with him again as he held your arm, but neither of you moved to make space between yourselves. Instead, you even pressed closer to his side, feeling the heat off of his body as you walked up the palace stairs. The silence was companionable and even as it stretched on, none of you found the need to fill it with unnecessary conversation.

You opened the door to your chambers, hesitating to enter lest the intensity of the moment between you and Kit would dissipate if you did. He returned your writing materials to you, gently caressing your hand when you took it from him. He got a hold of your free hand and laid a soft kiss on your knuckles, lingering, breathing on them as he took his time.

You shivered as you watched. Here was Kit, your husband, refusing to leave because you both knew that these small moments held far more importance than how it truly looked to the spectators.

“Good night, Y/N,” Kit whispered against your knuckles. He rose and watched you with his beautiful cerulean eyes, just looking at you as though you hung the moon that night.

Without another thought, your hand cupped his face and your thumb grazed his cheekbone. You felt him lean to your touch, sighing ever so slightly as you held his face. You went up to your toes and with the gentlest of all actions, you kissed his cheek.

“Good night, Kit.” You breathed against his skin.

You said no more words after that, only pulling away to enter your room. You peeked at him through your closing door, smiling softly and lovingly as you closed it shut.

To say that Kit was excited was an understatement. He was eager to spend the day with you after longing for you for quite some time. He had slept soundly last night, much better than hew had in all the last few months, and when he awoke, he was sure the sun shone just for you and him.

Kit waited by the stables, having had breakfast earlier than the usual and changed into his riding attire. The carriage was ready, as well as the guards Captain Thibault had assigned, and the only person missing was you.

“You seem to be in jollier spirits today, Your Royal Highness,” Captain Thibault commented as he stood beside the prince.

The prince could not stop the smile that was on his face. “Captain, of course I had been this jolly. You are perhaps too occupied with your Abigail to see it.”

Thibault chuckled heartily. “Of course, Your Royal Highness, must be Abigail’s fault,” he relented wryly.

Just then, you emerged from the palace. You seemed refreshed and excited, as eager as he was feeling to get on with the day. When your eyes held his, he saw the brightest smile come to your lips. His hearted gave a start as he remembered the feel of them on his cheek the night before.

“Good morning, Captain Thibault,” you told the man beside him, smiling and giving the man a small smile.

“Good morning, Your Royal Highness,” Thibault greeted as he bowed.

Kit saw you stop at your title. He quickly remedied the situation lest you start panicking. “Good morning, Y/N.”

You turned to him, a relieved smile appearing on your lips. “Good morning, Kit. I hope you had a good sleep?”

“I had,” he nodded. All of my dreams were of you, he wanted to say. You, waving to the citizens of the kingdom as he declared you his queen. You, ruling beside him in the kingdom. You, just being what you were. His wife. His love.

He watched as the sun’s rays kissed your skin, illuminating your lively face and highlighting the apples of your cheeks. Every time, every single time, your beauty took his breath away.

He had not realized he had been looking at you for quite some time until the Captain cleared his throat. “Your Royal Highnesses, let us get going.”

Once boarded, Kit insisted that you sit beside him again in case that you were thrown from your seat like you had been before. You did not seem to mind sitting beside him and he tamped down the little happy jig his heart danced in his chest. You brought along Abigail, which was of no issue to him but he had hoped to spend the time going to your father’s alone with you in conversation. Instead, you kept silent on the way but gave him sideways glances every now and then. He smiled at you every time his eyes caught yours.

“What is your father like?” Kit asked when Abigail had begun to doze off.

You turned to him, lips puckered when you hummed in query. Kit could have sworn he would have kissed you if not for the unwanted company present in the carriage.

“I’m sorry. I did not hear your question.” You said.

“I asked how your father is like. You only spoke of his work as a diplomat. You did not mention much of him outside his work.”

You smiled softly and there was a loving look in your eyes. “My father is the best of all fathers. I am, of course, speaking in bias because he is my family but I also speak in truth. It did not matter to him that he did not have a son. He loves me just as I am.”

“And of your mother?” he inquired. “I don’t remember you mentioning her at all.”

Your voice turned solemn and sad. “My mother died when I was young. I had not much memory of her, but every little thing I remembered of her, it was that she was the kindest, bravest, most beautiful person I had ever known. It is a pity she did not see me grow.”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured.

You only shrugged. “It’s not your doing. In my father’s stories, she was the best there is. He often told me of the things they had done together before they were married. My father was a scholar before he became a diplomat. It was how he met my mother. She was his mentor’s niece.”

You leaned back on your seat, a happy dreamy smile on your lips. “Whenever he talks of her, it’s like she has never left us. I think, for him, she is still alive and just waiting for us every time we come from our travels. He buys her trinkets from every kingdom and when we return, he puts them in a special place in our library.”

Kit saw the change in your emotions, at the way your eyes watered and your lips into a moue of regret. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

You wiped at the tears on your cheeks. You heaved a deep breath, shaking your head as you do so. “I know my father misses my mother very much even though he does not show me. I want him to be happy, to remarry, but he told me he had no need to. That he had had the best love had to offer. Why would he try once more if it wouldn’t be with the same great love as before?”

He watched you intently. He understood what your father meant, knowing that there would never be another kind of love as the one he felt around and with you. He knew that you were the only one made for him. He had fought for you and even if it had been a sort of a losing battle, he knew he had to keep on fighting. You were perfectly made for him as he was for you. It was frustrating that the world did not see it that way.

The carriage rolled to a stop before a beautiful country home. Full trees dotted the sides of the tiny estate. A modest but full garden and a fountain adorned the space between the gates and the main house. Your home was charming; it was not grandiose like Granville or the palace but it had its own character. If anything, it looked very homey and it reminded Kit of you.

Kit descended the carriage first and held out his hand to receive you. There was a giddy look on your face when you stepped out of the coach. He watched you go ahead of your small party and to the door, pulling at the rope excitedly. Kit heard the bell ring somewhere inside the house.

The door opened seconds later, revealing a man advanced in age. Kit saw semblances of you in the man and figured he must be your father.

“Father!” You exclaimed and flung yourself at the man.

The man readily wrapped his arms around you and spun you around, laughing along. Kit felt himself smile at the affectionate display.

“Oh, my little one! I’ve missed you! You did not send word, mon petit! I would have readied the house for your arrival!” The man had put you down and smiled at you.

“I am only here to visit, Father.” You turned to Kit and still smiling, beckoned him closer. “Kit—The prince thought of an excursion because I had missed you terribly.”

Your father had pulled away from you and bowed at your husband. “Your Royal Highness,” he said.

Kit smiled and bowed at your father in respect. “Sir. Thank you for receiving us on short notice. I would have sent word of our arrival but that would defeat the purpose of a surprise.”

“And a surprise indeed,” your father said when Kit stood. “Thank you, Your Royal Highness, for bringing my daughter. Please, come in our humble abode. I shall have the stable hand take care of your horses.”

“I shall ask Cook to prepare our tea and biscuits, Father.” You kissed his cheek and went away, leaving Kit with your father.

“Please, come in, Your Royal Highness.” Your Father stepped aside for the prince to enter.

Kit entered your home and looked around in awe. He did not know what he had expected of your home but one thing he was sure of was that it was not as stuffy or as formal as the palace. You reflected the vivacity and spontaneity of your home.

Your father led him to the sitting room and left the door ajar. Kit saw Thibault stay behind.

“Please, have a seat,” your father said as he moved some items about.

Kit planted himself at the sofa and waited.

“I hope my daughter was no trouble in the palace, Your Royal Highness,” the man said with a jesting smile as he sat on the opposite seat.

Kit smiled. Like you, it was easy to talk to your father. “On the contrary, Sir, it was I who had been causing trouble.”

The man laughed heartily. “Forgive me for speaking freely, but I remembered you running about the palace when you were younger. Quite spirited you were. Now too, I believe.”

“I had since stopped running,” he said with a grin.

The man chuckled. He sobered after a while and regarded Kit with an apologetic look. “Let me apologize for my daughter’s fault. She has told me of the problem she has caused. I hope you are not angry with her.”

Kit shook his head vehemently. “I would never be angry at her. While our circumstances are… difficult, I find myself completely unable to hate her for what had happened. After all, Sir, I am in love with your daughter.”

The man stopped in surprise, perhaps. It worried Kit when it took him a moment to recover. “Your Royal Highness—”

“Please, Sir, call me Kit. I am, after all, your son by your daughter’s marriage to me.”

“Oh. I had not been asked of that before. But then again, my daughter had never been accidentally married to a prince, other than you. And even so, it is improper that I call you as such because you are still the prince.” He mumbled and cleared his throat. “Perhaps I shall refrain from addressing you so I would not call you by your name.”

The prince smiled, amused. “Now, I understand where Y/N gets her stubbornness from.”

“She took after her mother, not I.” The man was back in his good humor once again. “Please, let me thank you once again for bringing my daughter. I had been worried about her. I know she is safe in the palace but a father cannot help but worry especially when his daughter is away from him.”

He nodded.

“How is your father? I trust the King is in good health?”

“His health has been improving. He had become sickly when my mother had passed but recently, he is returning to his usual self.”

“I am sorry to hear of your mother’s passing.”

Kit gave a sad smile, nodding at the man. “As am I but it is the way of all flesh.”

He saw movement from the door and turned. He saw you talk to Thibault amiably, handing him a cup of tea and plate of biscuits and ushering him to one side of the sitting room. You helped your maid bring over the tea set to them and once it was all done, you shooed her to sit beside the captain.

“I took the liberty of having Cook feed the guards, the coachmen, and the footmen.” You announced as you poured the tea. “Father, I hope you behaved yourself while I was away.”

“I am always behaved, mon petit. When had I not been?” The man asked, faking affront.

You tutted, passing him a cup. “I shall not answer that because we will have a long discussion of it and the day would be too short before we reach a conclusion.” You poured another cup and passed it on to Kit.

Kit took it gladly and sipped.

“Tell me of what you had been doing in the palace, mon petit,” your father urged with a soft smile.

Taking your seat beside your husband, you went on to tell your father of your days spent in the palace. Kit listened at your animated retelling, smiling and laughing at some of your anecdotes. He watched as you came to life in your home. While you were lively in the palace—he often regarded you as his personal sunshine—you were extra joyful in the comforts of your home. You were uninhibited in the way you moved about the place.

When you had taken him to meet the staff who had cared for you when you were growing up, he found them looking at you with love and familiarity and not that of fear and politeness. They all had good words and stories about you. It was evident you saw them as family and not hired help.

You then went to the library and showed him of the novelties you had brought home from your travels. There were memories attached to each one of them and he learned of it as he walked around your favorite place in your home.

“And this,” you said as you stood before a portrait of a woman. “This is the little shrine my father made in my mother’s memory.”

He saw the little trinkets that were placed below the portrait. “I take it you talk to her whenever you’re here?”

You nodded. “Not just here. Even at the palace, I talk with her every night. She knows of you and of us. I tell her everything.”

He turned to the painting, seeing how there were resemblances between you and your mother, and bowed. “Madam. Good day.”

“What are you doing?” you asked beside him.

He smiled at you. “I’m talking to your mother.”

“Kit—”

“You talked to mine. I think it fair that I talk with yours.” He took your hand and squeezed it. He began again when he returned to the painting. “Your daughter might have incessantly talked about me with you, madam—”

You chuckled lightly at his statement but did not deny it. He grinned wider as he went on.

“—but allow me to introduce myself to you. My name is Kit. I am your daughter’s husband, as perhaps, you may have already known. I hope you are doing well, wherever you are now.

“Y/N is wonderful, madam. She is good and courageous and kind. If we had not been married, I believe I would still seek her because I know she is my perfect half. There is no one else for me than her. I shall take good care of her, madam. There is no need for you to worry about her.

“Have I mentioned how brilliant she is? She cares for the people. While she is a princess, she does not think herself one and she treats everyone with fairness and respect. I confess I had never seen someone be like her. She is special and I am lucky to have been the one she was accidentally married to. Quite coincidentally, I am in deeply in love with her as well.”

He heard a small gasp come out of you. He smiled and squeezed your hand.

“Oh, Kit,” you whispered his name but it was loud for him to hear clearly. “I am deeply in love with you too.”

He did not know how long he stood there, just staring at your mother’s portrait. He heard the words, dreamt about them countless of times, and now, now that you had said them out loud, he was surprised. Stunned into silence. He could not move his body. He couldn’t even form thoughts in his head. He just stood there stupidly, completely amazed to finally hear those words he so longed to hear.

Then he felt the violent beating of his heart. Heard it thundering in his ears. His body suddenly felt warm, his hand more so and it was only then when he registered what had happened, and that he was still holding your hand firmly in his.

You were deeply in love with him.

As deep as he was with you.

You loved him.

You loved him!

He turned to you, to your love-struck face, and brought your hand to his mouth. Eyes still on you, he turned it over and placed a reverent, adoring kiss on your palm.

“My heart is in your hands, Y/N. Do with it what you will,” he whispered achingly.

Your gaze softened as he put your hand against his cheek and kept it there. You gave him a loving smile as your eyes shone with unshed tears. He felt the pad of your thumb across his cheek.

“I want your heart,” you told him. “I want you.”

He groaned at your admission. He pulled you closer and placed his forehead against yours. “You must know, my princess, that I fought you. I fought for us.”

“Oh, Kit…”

“I did it because I love you.” he said. He pulled away ever so slightly and tipped your chin up to look into your eyes. “I love you, Y/N.”

He caught the tear that ran down your cheek. You gave him a teary smile.

“I love you, Kit. I truly do.” you whispered softly to him.

“I’ll talk to Father when we return to the palace,” he told you, his voice steely with renewed determination. “I will tell him I will have no one else but you. It is only you I want.”

“But—”

“And if he disagrees, then I am left with no choice. We will run away together.”

You caressed his cheek once more, shaking your head slightly. “Oh, Kit. You mustn’t do that to your father. I’m only me.”

“You are the other half of my soul, Y/N. Without you, I am incomplete. I cannot be without you.”

“Kit…”

“If I have to give up the throne, I will.”

“You mustn’t.”

“I will.”

You shook your head. “I cannot ask you to do that because of me. You will always have me, my prince. Come what may,” you vowed.

Your lips were warm and soft against his when he bent down to kiss you. You tasted of honey and lemon, of love and longing. He groaned when you pressed closer to him, closing any distance there was between the two of you. Your arms wrapped around his neck and his around your waist to draw you flat against him. His tongue darted to meet yours when you opened your silken lips and you mewled at the contact. The sound sent a different buzz of excitement down his body.

He kissed you feverishly, ardently, with a fervor he did not know he possessed. Your hand came up his hair and ran it through, mussing it. His hand went up to your braid and pulled at it, giving him access to kiss you more. A deep sound emitted from him throat when you whimpered. You brought out everything in him that he was unaware he had. You were magical and perfect and wonderful. You were his.

He was yours.

He was yours to undo.

Someone cleared their throat.

You broke contact first, pulling away and turning from the sound. Kit cleared his own throat and ran a hand down his hair, taming it. He looked at who had intruded on your heated moment and found Thibault standing by the door.

“Yes, Captain?” Kit called and cleared his throat again. “Is there something you need?”

There was a subtle smile on the Captain’s face. Kit felt himself returning it.

“Your Royal Highnesses, we must leave if we wish to arrive by dinner.” he said.

“Yes,” you said beside him. “Of course.”

“Shall we go say goodbye to your father?” Kit asked.

He saw you compose yourself before heading out of the library. He followed closely behind you, giving Thibault a discreet smile of success when he passed by the man, and went on to say his farewells to your father.

“Father, we must return to the palace,” Kit heard you announce when you entered the sitting room.

Your father stood from his seat and walked over to you, enveloping you in another embrace. “I shall miss you, mon petit. Take good care of yourself.”

“You too, Father. I shall miss you. Do not misbehave or I will ask the housekeeper to write to me whenever you do.” You kissed his cheek and broke away from him, returning to Kit’s side.

Your father chuckled. “I am always behaved, Y/N.”

Kit bowed at the man. “It was an honor to meet you, Sir.”

The prince felt himself being helped up and into a hug. He was surprised by it but he let himself be embraced by the old man, even returning the action.

“Take care of my daughter,” he whispered in the young man’s ear.

“I will,” Kit promised and stepped away.

The return trip was spent in silence again but this time, the air was charged with a different emotion. With Abigail present, he could only do so much. So he took your hand in his and kept them both out of your maid’s eyes and under the folds of your skirt. You looked at him when he did and smiled that beautiful, loving smile. Every so often, he would caress his thumb against your skin and he would feel you do the same.

“Let us go to Father’s,” Kit said as he helped you down the carriage once you arrived. “We must tell him.”

“Now?” you asked. You were yet to retrieve your hand from his.

“I don’t see why not,” he grinned.

He led you to the Great Study, steps hurried as he could not wait any longer to make his plea known. His father may be stubborn but once he saw how madly in love he was with you as you were with him, he knew he wouldn’t deny him anymore of his happiness. His parents were happy. It would be unfair of his father to not wish for the same for him.

The doors to the Great Study flung open at his command and he strode towards his father at the other end of it. The king and the Grand Duke looked up from their parchment in surprise.

“Kit! We have received word.” The king said, rising from his seat.

Kit was single-minded in what he wanted and wasted no time in making it known to them. “Father, there is something I must tell you—"

“The Magistrate has granted your divorce.”

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Taking a brief pause to just say my heart is with the people of Ukraine right now, and I wish all of you well.

SEASON 1 EPISODE 3 → THE MAKING AT THE HEART OF THE WORLD

The Accidental Princess (Part 4)

Prince Kit x Reader

Synopsis: A contract has been found, after twenty years, bearing your name and Prince Kit's... bound in matrimony.

Chapter Summary: You make a startling discovery

Word Count: 6.7k words

Warnings: period typical misogyny, not period accurate, that's it??

A/N: HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE! I know not everyone celebrates Christmas so I hope you guys enjoy your day! Here is an advance gift for you guys who are reading The Accidental Princess!

Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 |

You had known little about Zaragoza. You were more knowledgeable of its neighbor, Castile, since you had lived in the beautiful place for quite some time. Zaragoza belonged in Aragon and it was to be your next itinerary, had you not been detained in the palace for your own childish fault. You would have loved to see the country and its people and learn of its culture and language.

“May I present, the Princess Chelina of Zaragoza.” The Grand Duke announced with a flourish. “My niece.”

You kept your curiosity to yourself as to how the Grand Duke was related to such a princess. Princess Chelina bore no resemblances to the awful man. In fact, you would not have even guessed they were kin if she had not referred to the Grand Duke as “uncle,” despite the many times it has been said that they were. Where Princess Chelina’s features were exotic, the Grand Duke’s was ordinary. Perhaps he has married an aunt of the princess, you thought silently.

You watched as the Prince Kit walked towards his betrothed, taking her hand in his and bowing over it. He dropped a kiss on her knuckles. “Princess Chelina,” he said in that princely voice of his.

The princess of Zaragoza smiled graciously, an action that very much told you that she was a true-blooded princess. “You are as handsome as your picture, Your Royal Highness.”

“May I present our guest, Miss Y/N Y/L/N,” the king said.

You dropped into an elegant curtsy. “Your Royal Highness,” you revered.

“She is the daughter of one of the kingdom’s most capable diplomats,” the king said. “Have a seat, girl, next to the Duke of Granville.”

There was little conversation from you during dinner. Louis regaled everyone with his tales of his latest travels to the Moorish cities and he often included you and the princess in the conversation. Your replies were reserved and you let the princess tell more of her single-country travel. You did not want to seem overeager to share your trips because the Grand Duke had been eyeing you disdainfully since you had set foot in the dining hall. Whatever it was you did, it did not remove the anger and disgust in the eyes of the noble.

When dinner had come to an end, Louis had offered to escort you to your chambers. You had agreed and bid everyone a good night before leaving the dining hall with your hand on your friend’s arm.

“You look down, my dear Y/N. I thought time away from me would refresh you,” he jested.

You gave him a demure smile. “I fear I was wrong, Louis.” You said.

“Wrong?” Louis asked incredulously. “Has the world turned on its axis? Have you bumped your head on the carriage on your way to the square? What has happened for you to say such words that I did not realize were in your vocabulary?”

You chuckled, squeezing his arm affectionately. “I was wrong in telling you that I will not miss you when I left. I confess I did miss your… stimulating company, however vexing you are.”

Louis chuckled at your jape. He ambled on but walked in the direction opposite the hallway that led to your chambers. Instead, he went down the stairs.

“Where are we going?” you asked as you passed a narrow hallway.

“I saw you did not finish your food and I figured that perhaps the quail was not to your liking.” he said as he led you down further.

Scents of savory meats and freshly baked bread wafted to your nose and you smiled. The quail was fantastically done, much more delicious than that of other countries’ cuisine but it was not your appetite that was the problem.

You had only started being comfortable around Kit and you knew it would not do well to keep company with him, what with the princess’s arrival. The Grand Duke will surely keep an eye out for you intently now, in case you tried something that would cause a broken engagement between the prince and the princess. While you had told Kit that you were quite all right with being the subject of other dignitaries’ and emissaries’ ire and scandalous conversations, the way the Grand Duke eyed you was different and it brought a cold shiver up your spine. You always trusted your gut and the moment you met the adviser to the king, you knew there was something sinister about him.

“You are lost in your thoughts once more, Y/N.” Louis commented as he entered the kitchen. You only gave the man a casual shrug of your shoulders.

The staff all stopped in their work when you both had entered and bowed at the man beside you. “Your Grace,” they collectively called. “Miss,” they said to you.

“We do not wish to disturb you,” Louis said. “If perhaps someone can lead us to where we can take a spot of tea?”

The head housekeeper stood. “Of course, Your Grace. Come this way, please. I shall have one of the maids bring you tea.”

“We shall be making our own, if you don’t mind.” Louis said.

Once upon a time in Granville, Louis had spotted you making your own pot of tea when all of their servants had gone to bed. You had offered to make him a cup and some biscuits to go along with the refreshing drink. Since then, it had become a bit of a nightly tradition during your brief stay that you both share a teapot of your blend of tea and conversation of just about anything that came up to your minds.

“It took me quite a while to convince the housekeeper and cook to let me use the kitchen after dinner,” Louis said.

“Are you losing your touch, Louis?” You teased, smiling, breaking away from him. "I thought your charms worked on everyone? Or has the great Louis Toussaint fallen from his absurdly high pedestal that he placed himself upon?”

The duke looked put off. You grinned.

“Apologize at once,” he commanded but there was no real authority in his voice.

You raised a brow, amused at him. “Tit for tat, my dear duke. You laugh at my expense. I shall do the same to yours.”

He only hummed at your devilish smile. “Would you like biscuits with your tea, pet?”

“Please,” you said with a smile.

You took a pot and walked over to the shelves that housed the canisters of herbal teas and remedies. There were no names on the fronts of the tin and you had to open each one to find out its contents. In one of your travels, your father had brought you along with him to Portugal and you had been able to try an array of tea leaves that were not available anywhere else. They had been the best blend of tea you had ever tasted and you always hoped to find them in the other countries you had traveled to. It was a surprise to find them here in the kitchen of your unassuming kingdom.

Another shock was finding a blend of herbs that you had seen from your herbology book. You had been reading the book the past few days and took it yourself to study every single one that had medicinal properties and also ones that were deemed poisonous. Digitalis purpurea had belonged in the latter group. It was a shock to see it mixed with tea leaves in one of the canisters.

“What has you looking offended, Y/N?” Louis asked as he looked at you. “Don’t tell me they have run out of black tea leaves?”

You looked up from the jar. “No, Louis. They have the tea leaves of your choice. I would need to speak to the cook or to the housekeeper.”

“Whatever for?”

You poured the leaves in your hands and held out a beautiful purple petal that was nestled on top of the tea leaves. “I am sure this flower is poisonous.”

“Poisonous?” Louis asked. He was about to take the petal when you closed your hand on it.

“Don’t touch it.” You scolded.

“But you’re touching it.”

“Louis, I am serious. You might kill yourself if you accidentally put your infected hand in your mouth,” you said. “I shall return to make your tea. Let me take care of this matter first.”

You walked over to the kitchen, finding the housekeeper preparing the biscuits Louis had asked for.

“Madam, may I ask a question?” you asked as you neared the woman.

“Of course, miss. How may I be of help?” The woman straightened.

You held out your open palm, showing to her the tea leaves. “Might I ask where your have bought such beautiful blend of tea leaves?” you asked instead.

You knew better than to alarm the woman that what she was serving was harmful. It would not do well to induce panic among everyone.

She looked at your palm for a while. “I believe that is the concoction of Queen Amalie’s, miss,” the housekeeper replied. “Shall I prepare it for you?”

You smiled politely and closed your palm again. “I thank you but I must decline your offer, madam. Has anyone drank this blend before?”

“Yes, miss. The Queen had only drunk it once.”

You nodded. “I see. Have you served this to any of the members of the household?”

“No, miss, not since one of the maids got sickly from it.”

“May I inquire what happened then?” You poured the leaves back in the jar and closed it tightly.

The housekeeper looked unsure of telling you, hesitating like Abigail did before she answered your question as to what had happened in the palace during your absence in the kingdom.

“Did she seem different at all? Perhaps confused?” you prodded.

It took a while before the housekeeper answered your question. “Yes. She also cried out that everything she looked at was yellow.”

You nodded thoughtfully, remembering that it had been one of the symptoms of Digitalis poisoning. “Now, madam, I do not wish to alarm you but you must know that you cannot serve this specific blend anymore.”

“Might I ask why?”

“I fear this will not benefit anyone.” You told her gently, carefully choosing your words.

“I see.” The housekeeper nodded as if in understanding. “I had been meaning to throw it away but the last maid had removed them from their old tins and transferred them to the current ones without labelling them. I could only remember what it had been named, not what it looked like.”

“I shall be happy to label the tea leaves for you, madam.” You suggested. “But for now, may I keep this? I shall not want you to mistake it for the other tea leaves you have in your shelves.”

The housekeeper nodded.

“Thank you, madam. I would be happy to make you a cup of tea as well, for your service.”

You caught her off-guard with your offer, seeing as she looked at you with utmost surprise. “Oh, miss. I would not want to impose—”

“I am already making tea for me and the duke. What is one more to add to our little pair?” You smiled. “I shall reserve for you a cup. It is my thanks for your answers to my questions and for the biscuits.”

“Oh! I am honored. Thank you, miss.”

You returned to your little table and placed the tin beside Louis.

“Make no comment about the flower, Louis. I do not wish to alarm everyone.” You said as you walked towards the water basin.

“They have served it before?” Louis asked.

You rolled your sleeves up and walked over to the wash basin, dunking your hands in the water. “They have, although it was only for the kitchen staff as the poor victim had been one of the maids.”

You scrubbed your hands thoroughly until they were pink from the water and the soap.

“Now, I am weary of the tea you shall be serving me, pet,” Louis jested.

You chuckled as you wiped your hands. “Shall I leave you to brew your own tea, Your Grace?”

“I’m afraid I am more in danger of poisoning myself if I try and concoct your blend.”

You smiled as you walked back to the shelves. “Would you like a different blend of tea tonight? I was given a recipe for a sleep-time cocktail I wish to try.”

“So long as you would not poison me with your pernicious petals and leaves.”

You chuckled once more. “Now, be kind, Louis.” You took five tins from the shelves and brought them to the table.

“I shall endeavor to be more like you, pet. The kindest of all ladies I have the pleasure of meeting.”

You looked at him with a raised brow. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”

“We are already friends, my dear Y/N. It has gotten me somewhere. Now, tell me of your trip to the square.” Louis requested.

You opened the warmed pot. “We walked around the square and that is all that happened.”

“I don’t believe you.” Louis scoffed. “You had been gone for the better part of the day. I am sure there is more than walking that had happened.”

You hummed, smiling to yourself. You took precise measurements of each of lemon balm, passionfruit, skullcap, chamomile, and spearmint and added them to the pot.

“Your silence is answer enough.” The duke remarked.

“And pray tell, what that is.” You took the kettle of boiling water and poured it over the blend. “Because I did not give an answer to any question you have asked.”

You walked back to the shelves, letting the tea steep.

“This is a refreshing side of you, Y/N, playing coy. I confess I am considering returning your infatuation with me.”

You chuckled. “Oh, Louis. I am afraid I shall have to turn you down.”

“I know, pet. I am not my cousin, after all.”

Your hand stilled in its action of putting back the jars of tea leaves and herbs. “ I don’t know what you mean,” you told the duke with a forced tone of lightness.

The duke chuckled. “I shall stop. I do not wish to vex the person knowledgeable on poisonous plants and tea herbs. I would like to see another day.”

“And see the Princess Chelina too, perhaps?” You tried, turning to your friend.

“I don’t understand what you mean,” he said to you with an insincere tone and you chuckled.

“Now, now, playing coy does not become you,” you teased. “I saw how often you addressed the princess during dinner. You always asked her opinion even in the most banal of things. The Louis I know would have monopolized the entire conversation.”

“You are making me to be the villain. I included you in the conversation as well, even though you had nary an input.”

“There was nothing for me to say,” you said simply. You resumed putting back the jars.

“Tell me, Y/N. Why was the Grand Duke looking at you so disdainfully? What fault have you done to receive such ire from the man?” he asked after some time.

You remained quiet, finishing your task before you turned back to the teapot. You wanted to tell Louis about the dilemma you had put yourself in. You had trusted him with some innocent secrets before but you would not risk having him know about this one. The fate of the kingdom relied on your marriage being a secret, especially now that the princess has arrived.

“You are kind which is why I do not understand the malice in his words whenever he is forced to address you.”

You sighed. “I am afraid I cannot tell you, Louis.” You looked at him with a helpless shrug. “I am sworn to secrecy.”

“Even to your dearest friend?”

You nodded. “Should I let it out, I fear I am in danger of being sent to the dungeons for the rest of my life.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

“I’m afraid not.”

Louis searched your face before nodding. “Okay. I shall take your word for it.”

You smiled gratefully. You brought the pot over to him and poured the tea in three cups. The housekeeper entered with a tray of fresh biscuits and you made the tea to her liking, surprising the woman. She took it appreciatively, insisting that she leave you and Louis even if you had offered for her to stay. There was no fighting the woman so you relented but not before telling her that you wished to have your breakfast here as you would be doing the labelling of the tea leaves.

“May I ask a question, Louis,” you asked as you poured the last of the contents of the teapot to both of your cups. You both had exhausted yourselves with conversation about the princess, which the duke had monopolized this time.

“Yes, pet?”

“Do you have any idea how your aunt died?”

“What a somber question after such lovely tea, Y/N.”

You looked at him. “I am curious. All I heard is it had been rather so sudden.”

“Kit would not give me details as to how it had happened. All he had said was she had taken ill after tending to her gardens that morning and then passed on the day after.” Louis slurped a bit at his tea. “I would hazard a guess and say it was the heat of the sun.”

You nodded thoughtfully, considering his words. “The sun can be unforgiving to those who are not used to its rays.”

“Perhaps that is the reason why we are in need of hats?”

You chuckled lightly. “Other than they are fashionable, I should think so.”

Louis broke off a biscuit and offered the other half to you. “What shall we do tomorrow?”

“I would be kept to the kitchen. I would need to label the teas and find out if there are more of those flowers mixed in the tea leaves.” You replied as you took the halved biscuit.

“It is odd, isn’t it? Finding such dangerous plant amongst these harmless leaves.”

You nodded. “It truly is. It shall be quite an undertaking to find them all. You must suffer your sisters’ company again, duke, during my absence.” You nibbled on the pastry. “Or you can come along with your cousin and his fiancé. I am sure you would want to be in the presence of the Princess Chelina after what has transpired during dinner.”

“You are too astute for your own good, pet.” Louis said good-naturedly. “I shall do that, as per your suggestion. Although, I confess, I shall miss you again.”

You chuckled as you drank your remaining tea. When you both had finished your conversation and tea, Louis escorted you back to your room. Abigail had started the fire in the fireplace and warmed your bed for you, even placing the bouquet of lavenders in the middle of your bed. She had helped you unlace your dress and your corset and slip into your nightgown. You had thanked her once again for her help and had let her leave your room before you went over to your desk. You kept the tin of the dangerous tea blend out of reach, in a place you knew Abigail would not reach for. Taking your notebook, you sat on your seat and wrote with the lemon juice ink.

Come morning, you slipped into a less formal dress, opting for a simple skirt and shirt, before going down to the kitchen. You brought with you the book on herbology and some writing implements.

“Good morning, miss!” The housekeeper greeted with a smile. “I would like to thank you once again for the cup of tea. I confess I had never had such good rest than I had last night after drinking your blend of tea.”

You smiled at her. “You are most welcome, madam. I would be happy to share with you the recipe.”

“I will be delighted.” She led you back to the table where you and Louis had sat the night before. “I shall bring your breakfast shortly, miss. Shall I make you a pot of tea?”

“I shall be doing my blend once again, madam, if you do not mind.”

“Of course, miss,” the housekeeper said. “Do you require anything else for when you are to label the jars?”

“A roll of twine and a pair of scissors, if you please.” You put your book down on the table. “I shall try not to be in the way of your duties, madam.”

The housekeeper bobbed a curtsy and left you to your devices. You took down all the jars from the shelves and splayed them across your little worktable, peeking at the contents. You examined each leaf carefully, comparing buds and flowers to the book you had brought along, and when you had deemed them safe, you returned them in their jars. It was a surprise to not only find Digitalis purpurea in the tins but also Aconitum napellus in some of them. You needed to have a talk with the Cook with regards to your findings.

The housekeeper brought along your breakfast and the materials you asked for, as well as a warmed pot for your tea. You thanked her and when she left, you started on making another blend of tea. As it was steeping, you took to writing down the contents on the piece of parchment you had brought along. With the twine, you tied it to the body of the jar and repeated the process for the rest.

“His Majesty, the King, requires his morning tea, miss,” the cook said as she had entered your little alcove.

You looked up from tying the last label into the jar. “I confess I do not know how he takes his tea, madam. Although I do have a pot ready. Where does he take it? Let me bring it up to him.”

“Oh. I shall let the butler bring it to him.”

“It is fine, Cook. I am sure the butler is busy as well.”

The cook looked uneasily at you. “It is improper, miss.”

“I am merely being helpful. I saw that you needed all the help available for tomorrow’s feast. Should he question me, I shall tell him that I insisted upon it.” You smiled softly.

She nodded but still looked at you very unsurely. “Very well, miss. I shall prepare the biscuits for you.”

“Thank you, Cook.”

She returned with a tray and had told you that he took his tea in the gardens. You brought it with you, following the directions she had given and found the monarch sitting alone under the refreshing canopy of the tree. You walked over to him, curtsying carefully so as to not topple the warm teapot.

“Where is the butler, child?” The king asked as you placed down the tray beside him.

“He is busy, Your Majesty. I took it upon myself to bring you your tea. I believe they are hard at work for the feast tomorrow night.” You poured the tea in his cup carefully. “Would you like milk and honey for your tea, Your Majesty?”

“A bit of lemon and honey, child. Thank you.”

You did as you were told, putting in a squeeze of lemon and a spoon of honey, before passing the cup and saucer to the king.

“I shall leave you to your tea, Your Majesty.” You said as you curtsied once more.

“Stay, Y/N.”

You nodded and stood before him.

“Have a seat. I don’t stand for ceremony during breakfast. I fear it makes it hard to digest the meal when one hovers above me.”

You gave a small smile and sat on the other available seat. You watched as the monarch sipped at his tea before frowning at the cup.

“Is the tea not to your liking, Your Majesty?” you asked carefully.

“Is this a different blend? I find it tastes quite differently from the one my butler often brings me.”

“I could bring you another pot of tea, Sir. Your usual and to your liking.”

“No, child, no need for that. On the contrary, I find this rather invigorating. It has a lively taste to it, if you understand my meaning.”

You smiled. “I thank you for the compliment, Sir.”

He raised a whitened brow at you. “This is your doing?”

You nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

“You are knowledgeable on tea leaves, I gather?”

“Not quite, Sir. I only remember the tastes of those I love to drink and try to recreate them as much as I can.”

“You have quite a talent for making tea, Y/N.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

You both sat in silence, the king drinking his tea while you watched over in case he needed help in any matter.

“What shall be your plan after your divorce, child?”

You straightened and cleared your throat. “I shall travel with my family once more, Sir. Perhaps remarry if I find someone who shall have me.”

“Your heart is not spoken for?”

You looked down on your hands, playing with your fingers carefully. How was one to tell that your heart belonged to the prince? Especially to his father who, like the Grand Duke, wanted to be rid of you?

“My heart belongs to someone I cannot have, Sir.” You looked up to the king and found him watching you. He beheld you the same way his son did and your heart ached at the comparison.

“It shall be a feat to find someone who can make my heart sing like it does whenever I look at the one I love.” You gave a small smile and looked away.

“Is it Kit?”

You looked down on your lap once more.

“He is to marry a princess, child. I hope you see that this will be an advantage for the whole kingdom.”

You nodded. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Zaragoza is a big territory. It would do well for our kingdom to be in alliance with them.”

You nodded quietly. You understood his plan.

“You must leave him be. If he wishes for your presence, decline it. It will not do well for you to spend more time around him since you and he shall be divorced.”

“If this is what you wish for, Your Majesty, I shall.”

“I wish for nothing more but to see the kingdom in capable hands. I trust my son, Y/N, and I trust that his marriage to the Princess Chelina shall herald the kingdom to greatness it is promised.”

“Of course, Your Majesty. I wish the same for the kingdom.” You did, truly.

“And with you out of the way, it shall be easier. Zaragoza is a bountiful country. The princess has brought with her what our little kingdom needs.”

Your heart broke at the thinly-veiled insult. “I confess I had not been to Zaragoza before, Sir,” you said instead.

“Yes. It was your father’s next travel. Do not worry, child. You and my son shall be divorced before your father’s trip. You may have the chance to come with him and see the country. In time, you shall forget about my son and he shall forget about you.”

You swallowed. “Of course, Your Majesty.” When the silence had become unbearable, you stood. “Forgive me for being too forward, Sir, but I must go.”

You gave a curtsy and left the monarch on his own.

Kit did not know how the Princess Chelina was related to the Grand Duke. He had expected that her attitude would be the same as the nobleman’s but it was not. She was soft-spoken and intelligent and she conducted herself to be a capable princess. A worthy queen, if he was honest. She had all qualities that a future queen should possess and he should have counted himself lucky that he was paired off with the likes of her. She was all that the kingdom needed but for him, she lacked something.

She was not you.

You had been jolly during the trip to the square, talking to him so freely like he had found you doing with his cousin. You had spoken with no inhibitions and he delighted in every single thing that came from your beautiful mouth. There was no mistaking that you were intelligent as well with your splendid ideas and eloquent praises. Your compliments also flowed freely as you regarded the denizens of the kingdom. You were vivacious in the square and he was right into thinking that you needed the time away from the cold palace.

When you both had returned, he had planned to take his dinner with you away from the dining hall. He wanted to get to know you more, even though he had spent most of the travel to the square asking about you. There were always more to learn about you and he knew he would have devoted the entirety of the dinner just listening to everything you wished to say. He did not have the opportunity to do so because the Princess Chelina had arrived.

“Y/N, there you are,” he called as he saw you in the kitchen.

He had asked his cousin where you were since you weren’t present on their little excursion. Louis had told him that you took it to yourself to help label the jars of tea leaves while the rest of the kitchen staff were busy for tomorrow night’s feast.

“I was hoping we could resume our conversation from where we had stopped yesterday,” he told you. He leaned his hip on the edge of the table as he looked at your face.

You gave a sad but polite smile. “I’m afraid I cannot, Your Royal Highness.”

He raised a brow at his title. “I thought we had made progress? That you were to call me Kit?”

You shook your head at him. “We had but it’s highly improper for me to address you as such when your future queen is here.”

“She’s with my cousin.”

You gave him a wry look and he chuckled. He was feeling quite naughty, after all. “You know what I meant,” you said in a scolding tone.

“Well, my parents were never formal when they were addressing each other.”

Your delicate brow raised at his words. “I fail to see how that’s relevant with me calling you by your name.”

“They were married. We are married—”

“Kit!” you exclaimed in surprise.

He grinned. “There. We are back to calling each other by name.”

You chuckled lightly. “Uncompromising as ever.”

“Merely determined, Y/N,” he said.

You hummed. “Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“It would please me if you came with us on a ride around the kingdom. The Princess Chelina wishes to see the extent of it.”

“I cannot ride a horse. I had said as much yesterday,” you told him.

“And I had said I will teach you.” He bent his head to look into your eyes. “Although, I might not be the best instructor to teach you how to ride side saddle but I can teach you how to ride one as though you are going on a hunt.”

“Kit…”

“As much as I delight in hearing my name from your lips, I would rather you accept my offer,” he insisted. “I promise I shall not put you in harm’s way.”

“That is not what worries me.”

“The mare is also quite harmless.”

“Not that, either.”

“Have you nothing to wear? I won’t mind seeing you in breeches once more.”

You raised a brow at him then shook your head. “Kit, I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

Kit looked at you, sighing as he stood straight. “Did the Grand Duke forbid you from talking to me?”

“No.”

“Did my father?”

You kept silent and he knew of the answer. He took a deep breath before regarding you once more.

“What did he tell you?” Kit asked.

“Kit, I’m sorry.”

“Tell me what he told you, Y/N. I know he is king but that is rather rude of him to disallow you from talking to me.” When you did not give him an answer, he called your name again.

“He said that should you wish for my presence, I will have to decline it.” You looked into his eyes and he longed to remove the pain that he saw there. “I have already caused enough trouble. I do not wish to put the kingdom in harm’s way should I disobey your father.”

“I don’t see how spending time with me shall do that.”

You sighed. “You have to favor spending more time with your intended. We are to be divorced. I do not see the need for us to spend more time together when, in a matter of a month or even less, I shall be separated from you.”

His fist clenched as he perched on the edge of the table. His upcoming nuptials to the Princess Chelina was only abstract in his mind. Now that you had put a time to it, he had only realized how soon it was… and how soon you would be gone from him as well.

“Believe me, I would not want anything more than to spend time with you, but I would not want the kingdom to lose a powerful alliance in Zaragoza.”

He nodded singularly. You were right. Of course, you were right. Spoken like a true diplomat, he thought proudly but also dismally.

“I am sorry, Kit. Truly, I am.” you told him in a sad tone. He was, too, but that would not deter him from wanting to be near you.

“Let our meetings be clandestine, then,” he suggested. “I want to spend time with you and you had told me as much that you do too. We can meet each other secretly, perhaps when the palace is asleep.”

You looked at him and he saw in your eyes how you wanted to say yes to his words. “It is not a wise idea, Kit.” you said instead.

“We shall meet in my mother’s garden.” He insisted. “No one else sets foot in the garden other than the gardener and he only does so in mornings.”

“Kit…”

“Y/N.”

“You’re betrothed to the princess.”

“You are a princess.”

You blew out a sigh. “A mistake, surely. A childish one.”

“Still a princess.”

You shook your head. “I’m sorry, Kit. Your father’s right. I shouldn’t be dallying with you because I may make more mistakes.”

“You were not aware that you took a marriage contract when we were younger.”

“And look at where it had brought us now.”

“It brought you to me.” Kit said with a small hopeful tone in his voice. “Please, Y/N. Consider my suggestion. We shall rendezvous in my mother’s garden tonight when everyone has gone to bed.”

You were silent for a while. Dread sat on the bottom of Kit’s stomach as he waited for you. When you nodded, however, his moods had buoyed and he felt himself beam at you.

“Now, I must go, Kit.” You said with a sigh.

“What? Go? So soon?” Kit scrambled to his feet. “Where are you going?”

You looked around the place, perhaps finding an exit for you to slip past. He saw your eyes land on the book in your hands.

“The library?” It ended up sounding like a question and Kit knew it was a flimsy excuse just to get away from him, as per his father’s orders.

He gave a determined nod. “Then I shall escort you.”

“Kit—”

“I shall take whatever time we have with each other. If it means we walk towards the library, so be it. My father would not find fault in that.” He gestured for you to go ahead of him.

You gave a small sigh as you walked. “Do not villainize your father.”

“I am finding it hard not to.”

You looked at him with a raised brow. He raised a brow back at you as well. You smiled that soft, beautiful smile at his naughtiness.

“I see you’re still reading your book on herbology.” he commented as he nodded on the book in your hands.

“It is quite fascinating. I have learned a lot from it.”

“My mother has more books on that subject. She loved her gardens and tended to it whenever she can, much to the gardener’s dismay.” He smiled at the memory of the gardener panicking when he saw how the queen had thrust her hands in the soil to pull the weeds off her precious roses.

“Your mother loves the garden?” you asked. There was an unusual curiosity in your tone.

“Yes. It is a passion of hers. She loved receiving bulbs and seeds because she would be able to plant them.” He nodded at the footmen and entered the library.

“I get it she knows which ones are poisonous and which ones are not?” you asked.

He raised a brow. “Poisonous?”

You nodded.

“I do not understand what you mean, Y/N.”

You opened the book that was in your hands and showed him an illustration. Digitalis purpurea, he recalled. You had been scribbling the same plant in your scrap of paper a few days back.

“This is a rather poisonous plant, Kit. Although beautiful, it can truly harm people. Imagine my surprise when I found it in the gardens. Some people can be infected with its poison just by simple touch.”

He looked at the plant once more. “I confess I have no knowledge if my mother knows which plants are harmful and which are not.”

You shut the book and looked at him. “It’s no matter. Perhaps an honest mistake that it was planted there.”

Kit nodded. “Of course.” He saw you reach over to the shelves and pull out another leather-bound book.

“What book shall you be reading this time?” he asked as he looked over at the new title of the book you now held.

“Herbs and flowers still, I’m afraid.” You commented. “Are all of these books your mother’s?”

He looked at the volume in your hand and nodded. “Yes. All the French ones are hers. I believe some of the German ones, as well, but I had not seen her read the specific book you were reading. The others, I think, they are from my ancestors. Queen Mariam had a particular fondness for the tree in mother’s garden.”

“Will you point me to the books that are your mother’s?” You put down the book on top of the table.

“Of course,” Kit said as he pulled out a familiar title to him. He passed it to you. “That is one of her favorites.”

You took the book from him and sifted through the pages, seeming like you were looking for something. “Do you know if she has ones about medicinal herbs?”

“She has one on herbs. I believe the Grand Duke gave it to her when he had also given her bulbs and seeds to plant.” He took a book from the shelf and passed it to you. “I am unsure if they are of the medicinal sort.”

You hummed at him absently, flipping the pages before landing on a spread of Digitalis purpurea.

“You are rather curious about this plant, Y/N.” he said.

You only looked at him and closed the book. “I shall bid you a good day, Kit. Thank you for escorting me to the library and showing me your mother’s books.”

He sighed as he straightened. He knew there was no arguing when you had made up your mind. “My offer on teaching you how to ride a horse still stands Y/N. I hope, in addition to our clandestine meetings, that you may take me up on that as well.”

You hesitated for a while before you nodded. You curtsied before him. “Good day, Your Royal Highness.”

He could only watch as you left. Somehow, he did not like seeing your retreating figure, feeling it like an omen to your future.

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AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (2015)

A girl and her cat. Can’t get any better than this.

The Princess Diaries (2001) dir. Garry Marshall