“Princess! If you would please!” You blinked and returned your attention to your advisor who was also your friend and tutor. You hadn’t meant to let your mind wander off again, but it was a habit you had yet to break. And honestly, listening to your advisor go over the schedule for the upcoming tournament and festival your father was holding was not the most engaging topic of conversation. “Now, as I was saying, your father has invited all of the best allies and knights for the tournament. Do your best not to disgrace your family and this kingdom.”

You sighed at the same comments that you had long since grown accustomed to. “Yes, Hakyeon.” You stifled your laugh with your hand at the look he gave you before he turned back to the folder he had in his hand with your itinerary and whatever else he carried with him.

“Also your father has said he needs to speak with you after lunch. So you should probably dress appropriately. And your riding time had to be canceled for today. You have another meeting after speaking with your father.” You looked at him, raising an eyebrow, but he simply shook his head.

“Hakyeon, what are you not telling me? And why can I not go riding today? I go every day.” You frowned slightly. You hated using the royal position as a way to get whatever you wanted, but knowing that he was hiding something, and that something was the cause of why you couldn’t go riding, that was more than tempting to exploit your status. “Hakyeon, I-”

Before you could say anything else, the door to your private study opened and your mother walked in. You had always been a little in awe at your mother, who could easily sway an entire kingdom with just the slightest comment or gesture, but you could tell from her expression that whatever she had come to say would not be pleasant to handle. She waved her hand at Hakyeon, barely sparing him a glance. “Leave us, Hakyeon. See to it that my daughter’s blue gown is prepared for tonight’s dinner.” You watched as he bowed to your mother before walking out of the room. As soon as the door was closed behind him again, your mother released the breath she had been holding with a small laugh. “One day I’ll ask him something so ridiculous, just to see his expression.” She moved to sit at the chair opposite your desk, giving you a look before sighing. “We’ll have to do something with your hair. Ask my maid to help you after lunch, and you should change into the gold brocade, the green one. We can’t have you looking like a frazzled clerk or governess.”

You frowned slightly, confused at what your mother was so concerned with your appearance for. “Why does it matter? I thought we weren’t receiving any of the visitors until dinner tonight?” You carefully watched your mother’s reactions to see if she would give any hints about what exactly was going on. Instead, she remained the impassive figure you knew and admired in diplomatic situations. It was a weakness of yours, you couldn’t manage to keep from showing what you thought or felt on your face, despite years of berating from both of your parents.

“We have a guest who is coming to stay with us a little longer than the others. So please be on your best behavior. It wouldn’t do to embarrass yourself in front of the entire seven kingdoms. Especially not with everything that is riding on this festival. Now, go practice your dancing. I’ve summoned your dance master and he should be in the grand hall.” She stood before giving your head an absentminded pat. “We’ll make a proper match for you yet.”

Before you could say anything about her matchmaking ideas, your mother had swept out of the room, leaving you to mutter your curses to yourself. Ever since your coming of age festival your mother had been determined to marry you off to some prince or another. Luckily for you, your father had agreed with your request to have some say in the candidates. However your mother had also build a failsafe into her negotiations. If you had stayed unwed three years after your coming of age, she would pick a husband for you of her own choosing. While you still had a year, you knew it was getting close. That’s why you were taking this festival and tournament somewhat more seriously than you had the ones in the past. Although you still weren’t convinced there would be anyone of note attending.

~*~

Your dance lessons lasted until lunch and as always, you left in a foul mood. It wasn’t that your dance master was harsh or a bad tutor, you just hated having to spend your time on dancing when you could be doing other things that you felt more important. You were an only child, and so when your father died, your kingdom would be added to whoever your husband was. It was a silly practice, and you wished you could take control of the kingdom for yourself. But rather than being given lessons on how to properly manage the kingdom, you were having to focus on more trivial matters, like dancing and such.

The only reprieve from your day so far was that lunchtime was always a small affair when there was a political dinner that night. And so rather than the entire household, you found yourself at a table with only Hakyeon for company. He smiled brightly at you as you sat across from him with your food. “Princess.” He nodded in the standard greeting, even though you hated the formalities between the two of you. “Now, I hope you’ll have a better afternoon than whatever your morning was like, if your expression is anything to judge by.” His teasing grin made you want to throw your bread at him, but after years of being punished for acting unladylike, you were wary of causing any ruckus in Cook’s area of the house.

Cook was an older woman who had been with your family for longer than anyone else could remember, and no one even truly knew her name either, simply calling her Cook. The biggest deterrent to causing any chaos in her area of the household though was the fact that she didn’t care who anyone was when it came to her domain, and she was merciless with her wooden spoon. Of course, once you earned her loyalty, she would also follow you to the ends of the earth.

“I’m sure you know better than I do how my afternoon will be, Hakyeon.” You frowned at him before turning your attention back fully to your meal, quickly working to finish it. Your mother had insisted her maid help you with your hair and dressing after you finished eating. And you simply wanted to be done with them as quickly as possible. You sighed, resting your chin on your hand. “I’m meeting with Father after I dress and then-”

“Then you have another meeting. And after that you’ll need to change and prepare for the dinner tonight.” Hakyeon wasn’t seeming to fall for the bait of answering what the other meeting was and you wanted to shake his shoulders until he told you. But instead he simply smiled at you, the familiar teasing glint in his eyes letting you know there would be no information from him on the matter.

You huffed and turned back to your food, eating in silence for a moment while Hakyeon attempted to go over more details about the tournament that your father was hosting. Although he seemed to be merely mentioning the various other members of royalty that would be attending. “Hakyeon, do you know who our champion is to be for this tournament? We do have someone prepared, don’t we?”

Hakyeon laughed with a bright nod. “Of course we do! And he’s a fierce one. Young, but unrelenting. He’s one of the knight trainees. Sanghyuk is his name, I believe. I watched him practice for a bit while you were riding yesterday. I believe he will win the tournament.”

You unconsciously leaned closer to Hakyeon as he spoke of the knight who would be your kingdom’s champion for the tournament, his enthusiasm fueling your own excitement. “And the other kingdoms? Do you know who they are sending as well? Hakyeon, you’re always the best at learning these things for me.” You playfully gave him your best pout but he just scowled at you.

“Am I just to be a gossip with you? I shouldn’t tell you who the others will be.” He took a sip of his ale, pretending to ignore you, but you could see the excitement in his feigned nonchalance. So rather than continue to question him (and possibly actually upset him), you sat and waited for him to grow impatient with the news. And that only took a few moments before he turned back to you with his familiar wide smile. “Okay, I can’t keep it to myself. But remember the two knights who nearly won the tournament that Lord Choi hosted for his nephew’s coming of age? And how they had nearly killed each other in some dispute afterwards? They’re both being sent as combatants. Taekwoon and Wonshik, I believe. So even if our fierce young knight loses, we’ll have those two fighting to keep us entertained.”

You smiled to yourself as you thought about the excitement to come with the tournament. While it might not be the most ladylike pastime, you loved to watch the tournaments. And if playing the fanciful princess was what it took to allow you to watch, then you would pretend to grant whatever knight your favor. It was mostly for show anyways, but the excitement of the tournament was something you couldn’t do without.

“Princess?” You blinked and glanced up to the voice from beside you. A small woman stood beside your chair before bowing in greeting. “I was asked to help you dress before your meeting with the king. If you are finished-?”

You sighed and nodded before standing. “Yes, let’s go. I’ll dress in what mother suggested and you can fix my hair.” You smiled to Hakyeon before leaving for your chambers.

~*~

When you were led into your father’s private study, you took a breath before crossing the threshold. While you knew there was no reason to be worried, you couldn’t stop the small bead of anxiousness from creeping up your spine at the way your father turned to look at you when you walked in. You bowed with a small smile, observing the formalities before rushing over to throw your arms around him in a hug. Although he seemed to stiffen and you pulled back with a confused frown on your face before he motioned behind you. “_____, you remember Prince Jaehwan, right?”

You turned to the person in question, barely keeping from frowning at your parents’ favorite in the matchmaking scheme. He held his head aloof, nodding in acknowledgment. You dropped into a small curtsey out of habit before turning back to your father in confusion. “Yes, father. His cousin is Prince Hongbin who’s kingdom borders ours on the east. We met at Prince Hongbin’s ball for his last birthday.”

Your father nodded before motioning to Jaehwan again. “Yes, his father is one of my closest friends. And we settled matters when I rode out to visit them last fortnight. You two will be married this spring after the prince’s birthday.”

You blinked in shock and confusion at your father before he nodded with a small chuckle and walked to the door. “I’ll leave you to chat and get familiar with each other. My advisor will step in to chaperone. And do try to get along, we’re announcing the betrothal at dinner tonight.”

Before you could say anything else, he walked out of the room and his advisor stepped into the room, standing at the doorway and promptly looking both bored and mildly offended at the task of chaperoning the two of you. You turned back to the prince who your parents had settled on you. He seemed to be almost amused by things and you stood straighter, stepping closer to him with a frown. “And just what are you smirking about? Are you laughing at me?”

The prince’s laughter burst out at your questions and you stiffened with a glare. How dare he laugh at you? You took a breath before turning to storm out of the room, only to be stopped by a hand on your wrist. As you spun around, you were faced with a very close Prince Jaehwan. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to laugh at you. I just-”

You pulled your hand free, giving him another glare. “I believe I know enough. It’s obvious you are amused by my shock about the entire situation and think it suitable to laugh at me. Well, I would not do anything to ruin the tournament we are hosting. But just remember, this is my kingdom and I did not approve of this .. arrangement. I will play along for the sake of this tournament and my parents, but I do not like you, Prince Jaehwan.”

As you turned to storm out of the study, you heard his laughter again and his voice calling after you. “You will, princess. I’ll make you love me!”