Tiffany wanted to say something. ‘Let’s elope’, ‘never leave me again’, ‘I love you’, anything. But nothing came out.

“It was fun while it lasted, wasn’t it?” Noah asked. There was a sad smile on her face and tears started flowing from her eyes.

Feigning disbelief, Tiffany asked, “So we’re giving up, just like that?” But deep down, she knew this was the only option when the knocking at her door turned into pounding.

“I have to go,” Noah said and she pressed a last kiss to Tiffany’s forehead. “Thanks for these last few weeks. I’ll never forget them. Nor will I forget you.” She pulled back when the guard outside the bedroom door began to shout. In one swift movement, Noah climbed over the edge of the balcony, down the rosebush that grew underneath it, down to a boat in the moat.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming!” Tiffany shouted at the door, in hopes of buying Noah some time as she rowed away. “What, can’t I be miserable in my room all on my own now?!”

Tiffany shoved away the chair under the doorknob and yanked her door open. She couldn’t have been more disappointed when she came face to face with Eugene.

“What do you want?” she demanded impatiently. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not having the best of nights, no thanks to you.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Eugene clarified. “I’m sorry.”

“Sorry about what? That nothing ever grew between us? That I’m the only one of us that’s ever had to take their responsibilities seriously? Or was it perhaps that we promised to be solidary with each other and that I had to catch you making out with your servant while the ball honouring our engagement was in full swing?”

“Tiffany, please, this is my only chance of becoming king!”

“If this is a serious attempt to make things better with me, I suggest you try again.” The princess folded her arms over each other. She was just about done with the prince.

“Sure, that didn’t come out too good, but… we both know there can be nothing between us. You like girls, I like boys. Why can’t we, you know, get married and keep someone on the side? James for me, Noah for you?”

“Because that’s not what marriage is about, is it?” Tiffany was fuming. Even though the thought of running away with Noah had crossed her mind before, she wouldn’t think about leaving her people behind. “I thought we owed this to our subjects. That this was a matter of principle.”

“Yes, exactly! ‘Was’!” Eugene proudly threw his arms into the air. “But now that we’re both in love with other people, we can make it another matter of principle.” He raked a hand through his long, blond hair. “It wouldn’t be more than fair.”

“‘Fair’? In what kind of world is that fair? How is that fair for your people and mine? And for Noah and James? How would they feel about the knowledge that they would never marry the one they love just because you wanted to be king?”

Eugene opened his mouth like a fish on dry land to say something, but Tiffany cut in before he could get anything out.

“Eugene, I need time,” Tiffany said and she slammed the door in his face.