The day went as the day before. Killing the little ant between my nails in my mind, while being on the best of terms with him otherwise. Oh, so much fun this is. Haha. Ha. Ha.

Today was also the last day of Sir Windsor’s punishment and as such I would once again be picked up by him the next day.

We exchanged words as usual, I apologized, he joked about how he was finally able to catch a break, and we went about as we do.

A few days later Prince Horus started coming to my room every evening and we had talks getting to know each other.

One evening, I finally dared to ask a question that had been burning at the back of my mind for a while.

“Why did you ask me to be your fiancé?” I asked, continuing

“You told me that it was because of how much I had learned in a short amount of time, but that can’t be all, right?”

It had been a while since I completely dropped speaking politely to him when it was just the two of us. Somehow it didn’t seem like he minded anymore either. Kinda like I could just be good-ol’ Amy when we were together.

“Are you fishing for praise, Lady Amy?” He asked, in halfway an annoyed, halfway pondering tone.

“Awe, of course not, dear. I was just wondering about your reasons and expectations, so I could fully live up to them”

“That smooth mouth of yours is one reason” He said, now fully annoyed at me having fun on his behalf.

I kept at asking until he finally gave out the usual loud sigh which meant defeat for him and victory for me.

“Lady Amy, you are an exceptional liar. A hard worker. Intelligent. Thinks outside the box. Not judgmental. Can keep a secret. But most of all, you have a discerning eye for people. There is this otherworldly air around you, like you are different from others”

Wow, did not expect any of that. AND WOW, ‘otherworldly’, haha. If only you knew.

“You are also able to adapt quickly and effectively. Not just that, your social skills are better than most. You managed to befriend Sir Windsor quite quickly, but normally he is unsocial and only thinks about his job”

Huuuh? Sir Windsor? Nooooo, that can’t be right.

“I first fully noticed it when coming to hand over your necklace with Sir Windsor, and saw the guests you had at your tea party. All four ladies are highly esteemed despite hiding their true talents quite well. So when I found out your father was looking for a husband for you, I thought it was a good match, having both the right breeding and the right qualities for an empress”

Now now now, there are multiple things here I want to say something to.

Slooow down.

First, BREEDING? REALLY? I’m not a horse!

Second, what’s up with all of those ‘talents’ he says I have, when I’m running around feeling like a headless hen on its last verse doing everything I can to stay alive?

Also ‘your necklace’? Did he know I lied when I said it wasn’t mine? Is that why he sent me that weird look? I was caught already back then?

“Prince Horus, I’m sorry to disappoint, but it seems like your eyes has gone bad” I say in a teasing way, trying to hide a feeling of fear slowly building up inside.

I can’t live up to any of that. I can’t fulfill his expectations.

But most of all. I can’t be an empress.

“It seems like I forgot to mention your modesty” He threw back at me.

It’s not modesty, though. It’s just being incapable…

Also, wasn’t this supposed to be a comedy? Why is it getting this heavy?

As usual Prince Horus at some point cuts off the conversation and courtly leaves.

The next day, I enjoy a tea break with Sir Windsor. Oh how I missed this. Because of his isolation he had a lot of things to catch up on and didn’t have much spare time for quite a while.

“Sir Windsor, I heard from Prince Horus you are quite unsociable. However can that be, when the two of us are having this much fun?” I ask, mostly to see his reaction, but also because it bothered me a bit for some reason.

“Prince Horus said that? Well I suppose I do not often partake in social arrangements if I can help it. Do you… eh…” his voice breaks into an awkward stutter at the last part, but then picks up again.

“Do you and Prince Horus talk about… Me… Often?” He asks carefully.

Huuuuuh? What’s this what’s this?

Is my little dense Sir Windsor realizing some hidden feelings, there? Oh, wait, he is a person. A real person. Yup.

I still ship it, though.

“Oh, why, yes, all the time! Prince Horus talk about you more than he talks about himself” I say. It technically isn’t even a lie either. Prince Horus usually only talk about others.

Sir Windsor goes silent as if he is in deep thought. Is this how I usually look like as well? Wow, how did I survive this long in this manners-is-life world with a rude habit like that?

“Speaking of Prince Horus” I say, calling him back to reality.

“He said he thought I would make a great empress…” My voice is quiet as I never know who listens. Saying something like this would most likely be seen as some sort of betrayal. I don’t exactly know why, but a gut feeling and the expression Sir Windsor makes tells me so.

As the friend Sir Windsor has become, I feel like I need to hear his thoughts on the subject.

“Lady Amy, as I can see you are well aware, saying something like that out loud when the crown prince hasn’t been declared is preposterous” His voice is hushed and urgent. I slowly nod with a serious expression in my face.

After a bit of staring, he gives up.

“I, too, think you would bring modesty and beauty to the empire, if, hypothetically, you were to become The Flower” His tone is polite, serious and harsh. The words he chose are carefully selected.

“Well if it isn’t Sir Windsor and my dear soon-to-be sister-in-law. Whatever are we talking about today in such hushed voices?”

An all too familiar voice from behind startle both of us, sending an alert through my body.

Fuck, did he hear?