... I shouldn't have come

"HELIANA~"

I jump as the prince barges into my sleeping quarters.

"Your highness it's highly inappropriate to barge into a lady's headquarters first thing in the morning."

"The princesses from the foreign embassies are coming today."

I stare at him.

"Ok and?"

"YOU'RE GONNA HELP ME PICK A WIFE-"

tWAck

Zach holds his head in pain as I glare at him. "Your highness as the sun of the kingdom, you're expected to marry someone you love-"

"Then marry me."

I stare at him. "ok so which countries sent princesses again-?"

"HELIANA!"

"Shut up your highness," I glare.

OH right. Did I tell you that Zach has a degradation kink-

EHEM ANYWAYS.

I stare at the man-child, and I sigh. "Let's go."

"You're not even dressed up-"

"The empress serves the people. Whoever treats the average servant kindly but isn't a pushover is the best choice." I continue strolling. "Now your highness, I need you to change into a servant's clothes."

"H-HUH?!"

"Or a knight's clothes." I shrug. "Ah how about this, we can do that instead!"

"H-huh?"

I drag him into the servants' headquarters and I beam at the head maid. "We're going empress hunting, get him into the ugliest servant's clothing you can find."

The head maid grins, and I walk off. "I'll start without you~"

"WAIT HELIANA-"

I prepare my hand as I grab a plate of juice.

As I walk into the crystal palace, there's plenty of women there. Ah... I'd like some of them to step on me-

"A-ah I'm so sorry!" I cry as I spill some juice onto the ladies nearby.

"You! How dare you!" One of them speaks up. "Do you know HOW MUCH THIS DRESS COST ME?"

Another one speaks up. "Never mind that! What if this is a test from His highness?!"

"Actually," The third one smiles. "Is your hand ok? I think I saw blood."

"BLOOD?"

"EW GET AWAY FROM ME!"

"A-ah are you ok? I have a handkerchief,"

"Please tend to the servant,"

"MY LITTLE ONE!" it's Zach. Did he just break the door? Oh god. "ARE YOU OK? WHAT HAPPENED?"

"A-ah I was... trying to serve the girls some juice since it seemed like you wouldn't be coming for a while..." IMPROVISE. ADAPT. OVERCOME. LET'S GET IT BESTIEEEE

"I- get the little one some disinfectant."

"Yes your highness!"

"Next time. Have a servant do it."

"No way... that's the youngest princess?"

"She looks the same age as him though..."

"Perhaps a lover?"

"A sibling he took in after the war?"

I grin from where they can't see me. "Zach. Punish those who yelled, and keep the others."

Sure enough, half of the women are rooted out.

"Ok yeah I think I can ditch you now."

"WOW THANKS YOUR HIGHNESS-" I gasp offendedly.

"She wasn't his lover?"

"Then a sibling...?"

"But the youngest princess..."

Then the door barges open again.

"BROTHER?"

"PRINCE ALBERT?"

"Alright so first of all, you keep your filthy little hands off of your servant. Second of all, I was told my lover is amongst them"

a m o n g u s

He scans the area and glares at Zach.

"Where is she."

"I DON'T KNOW????"

He stares at me, meets my eyes, and walks up to me.

"Regardless, I'm holding your servant hostage until you tell me where she is." He yanks me from Zach's arms, and I'm stuck dangling again. I... hate it here. I promise I'm not that short he was just dragging me.

"A-ah Duke Albert-"

"Shut." He glares at me. "You're lucky I didn't just straight-up call you my ex."

"I'm sorry?" HE KNOWS??? HE KNEW??? WHY IS HE HERE???

"Crysta," He stares at me. "I hate chasing after people-"

"But you've done that your whole life-"

"So please," He holds my knuckles up to his mouth, and he places a delicate kiss on them. "Please... I'll give you all the freedom you want."

I stare at him, my heart ramming against my chest.

I... I think I'm more concerned that I'm falling for my own character. Who knows, I might not even be able to make it out of the story.

"... can... we start slow?"

What does the universe offer you when you're tired?

What do you get when you're running away from fate, and never having a bright ending?

You get what you deserve.

"Yes." He smiles. "For I shall wait for eternity even if it costs me a life."

And I smile.

Because I know, whether it's in this life or the next, we'll always be stuck together.

Even if I didn't want it.