When Rowan had left the castle that morning, he’d been extremely upset with himself. How could he have been bullied into this? He had resolved years ago that relationships were not for him. How was he supposed to find someone to marry by the summer? Could you even get to know someone over the course of three months? How was he supposed to live a fun and carefree life if he was married to a complete stranger? The idea had his body buzzing with anxiety. He knew what he needed to do. After leaving the palace, he went to the nearest pub and drank like a fish.

After a small tussle and losing several gold coins in an ill-advised, drunken game of darts, Rowan decided it was probably time to start sobering up. He was sure the king would send a guard for him soon, probably Liam- the poor bastard. With his rigid demeanor and scarred complexion, Liam sometimes felt more like a parole officer than a friend.

When Rowan’s legs had stopped wobbling and his vision became clear, he left the tavern to wander the courtyard, unsure of where to go next. His decision was made when he heard shouting at a nearby building.

“I will not, you horrid man!”

Rowan had expected to find some sort of fist fight when he turned the corner. What he found was an argument between a squat man that resembled an old lemon, and the most sublime creature on the entire planet. He was sure he’d seen the aged citron before, but the other man was completely foreign to him and he was positively stunning.

Rowan wasn’t just referring to the stranger’s wavy raven hair or his tall, lithe frame. Rowan was transfixed by the ferocity in his cobalt eyes, his full lipped mouth that spoke with such passion and fervor, and his long fingered hands that waved with righteous indignation as he spoke.

Rowan felt like his chest had been pricked. Like a moth to the flame, he was completely and totally captivated. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so enraptured by something. As a painter, he was able to appreciate beauty and this man was the definition of beautiful.

Unable to do anything else, Rowan followed him into the auction house. He decided it was harmless to admire the man and his friend from afar for the rest of the evening. When the auction had concluded, Rowan took a moment to talk to the auctioneer and assorted staff before leaving for the courtyard again, making a point to change certain rules that had been put in place.

His breath caught when he noticed the man standing alone in the open space. His mind seemed to freeze, but unfortunately his body appeared to work on its own. He decided that he must be possessed because why else would he not only approach the handsome, mysterious stranger, but also tap him on the shoulder. Additionally, his mouth seemed bewitched because he could not stop babbling. Honestly, ‘you’re very gallant’? What type of disaster was he?

It didn’t help that the man was even more beautiful up close. To Rowan's delight (and slight panic) he could now fully appreciate how his moonlight complexion clashed wonderfully with his long, inky hair. The man’s lips were so pink, they reminded him of the gloxinia in bloom. The soft petals of his mouth juxtaposed with the steel, cutting intelligence in his eyes.

Rowan quickly learned that his new friend was not a fan of some of the family policies- or him in general. He originally had planned on impressing him with his royal lineage, but maybe it would be best to hold onto his identity for a bit longer. He had the feeling his title would do him no favors here.

Rowan became increasingly shocked during the course of their conversation. Not only did this man, a foreigner to this town, know more about his kingdom than he did, he also appeared to be bordering on the line of Sainthood. Defending the rights of women, giving books to the poor, and having the patience to put up with Rowan’s bullshit introduction? He assumed the stunning man’s bluntness was the only thing preventing him from ascending to heaven on the spot.

But of course, the man had to be embellishing some things, right? The village couldn’t possibly be as bad as he said it was. Rowan rarely ventured outside the royal courtyard or palace. He never felt the need to. The royal advisors had always assured him and his father that things were perfectly tip-top inside the kingdom- so what was the point of traveling? Especially when his art studio was in the castle.

Rowan’s heart was practically singing when the gorgeous stranger laughed at one of his awful jokes. For having such a tall frame, his laugh was surprisingly high pitched and musical. They had just finished shaking hands when he heard Liam’s booming voice yell, “Prince Rowan!” he turned to see Liam’s scarred face.

Rowan ran to him immediately, stomach fluttering. “Liam,” he hissed, “I need more time. Come back and find me in ten minutes.”

Liam stood before him, entirely unimpressed. He rolled his eyes. “You’ve spent the entire day outside the castle. What do you possibly need to finish in the next ten minutes?”

Rowan sighed and nodded in the direction from which he had come. “Do you see the tall man with the dark hair?”

Liam leaned over and nodded.

“I… I’m in the middle of talking to him. It would be rude to leave now.”

Liam’s eyebrows rose to the top of his forehead. “You’re joking.”

“About what?”

Liam laughed. “You, the eternal bachelor, want more time to flirt?”

Rowan could feel his pale skin flush scarlet. “Not flirt, just talk! You’re always saying I should make more friends, and I’m doing that now!”

“I didn’t know you blushed when talking about your friends. Should I be jealous?” he questioned.

“No, you should just be merciful,” Rowan begged. “Please, we’ve been friends for ages. I hardly ask for anything. Give me five more minutes. I’ll do anything you want.”

“Really? Anything?”

“Yes!” Rowan replied quickly. “Just let me finish what I was doing!”

“Fine,” Liam acquiesced. “But your dad expected me to find you ages ago, so be quick!”

“Thank you,” Rowan sighed. “I could kiss you.”

“Save it for your boyfriend,” Liam scoffed.

Rowan was about to argue that he had not had a boyfriend for a very long time, but his mouth went dry as he spun around. 

The stranger was gone.

He didn't even catch his name.