Chapter Text
Once Upon a time in a land far away in France, there lived a princess who was known for her intelligence and beauty. The only problem this princess had was that she was to be married to a man who was only interested in power and war. And while she had no problem with marrying a stranger, this concerned her people. And she would do anything for her people. Her father, the King, demanded united kingdoms and marriage. And the best way to defeat an enemy was to keep them in your pocket, and in your bedsheets.
One week away from your wedding date you had an Idea. Adam. Your childhood friend, he had fallen off the face of the earth ten years ago. Being a little girl then you had no idea what happened, after his mother's passing and her funeral Adam had changed, you no longer were invited over to the Castle you spent so many summers playing in. And once the news of his father’s death no one spoke a word of it since. Your father had never spoken of it, and his advisor’s books had no record of the Prince’s kingdom. It was like no one had ever heard of the place you had once called a second home.
Surely, Adam had an army to spare to save your people from Prince Louis’ wrath. You remembered the multitude of men the palace held. They were skilled soldiers, you reassured yourself. You would be damned to hell before you let him take hold of your people, and you for that matter.
Your home was easy to navigate, most of the servants were asleep, and the ones you saw in the passages never gave you any mind. You silently praised yourself for procuring a maid’s outfit before executing your plan.
It rained hard when you left the sounds of thunder, and the crashes of lightning started your heart tenfold; you pulled the tattered cloak around yourself once again trying to retain a fraction of warmth. To make matters worse passage through the hills was bumpy and the full cart you hitchhiked on sat four delightful but rowdy boys. But you were determined, the excitement flowed through your bones. You hadn’t seen him in ten years, and you wondered what he would look like, would he have his father’s strong jawline and brow, his mother’s kind eyes? Those blue eyes never left your memory, and you thought about them every day. You missed him dearly. The journey was long and strenuous, caring for little children for more than three weeks took its toll on you. But the small village you vaguely remembered stopping in before arriving at the castle came into view. It took all your willpower to not jump out of the cart and scream in joy.
Everything in the village was exactly how you remembered it; even the people didn’t change. Though some were balding and fine lines and wrinkles creased their faces you smiled. The cobblestones and shutters, the bell. It all was the same.
The cart stopped, and you waved to the kind family that took you in for three weeks. The children yelled their goodbyes repeatedly. When they were out of sight, you smiled and took to the nearest tavern hoping to get some news of the castle or the man who resided there.
The door creaked open, and a few men decorated the inn, one stood out the most though. He sat proudly in his chair, and his glass of amber liquid swirled slowly. At the creak of the door the man looked over to you and his eyebrows instantly raised in curiosity. You decided to not indulge in his stare. Instead, you went over to the tavern maiden and asked for a place to stay the night, and handed her the fair.
She smiled instantly at you and told you to follow her; you could feel the eyes on you. You knew they weren't the kind sort either. Once you reached your room, you turned and locked the door. The bed looked so plush and welcoming compared to the uncomfortable wooden bench you sat on for weeks. You never knew being on a cart for so long could be so taxing on the body.
You dreamed that night, and it was of those deep cerulean eyes.