When the Delegate said that this young Maverick was "a lot" the Princess had no idea what she truly meant. He arrived in a vehicle she'd never seen before, wore mirrored sunglasses, had his hair in blond spikes, wore a leather jacket with a fur collar and a shirt that bared his midriff. She was unsure of how to react when he approached her. He didn’t give her a chance to think about it, he held out his hand and shook hers so heartily she couldn’t help but laugh while everyone around her seemed appalled.

“Nice to meet you, Your Highness,” he said. She curtseyed.

“Likewise,” she said. He was actively bucking protocol and she found it rather refreshing.

“So are we getting straight to business, or…?” he asked.

“I want you to see my greenhouse. We’ll have lunch there,” she said.

He grinned widely and she couldn’t help but match his energy. He held out his arm and she took it.

“Lead the way,” he said. She didn’t know how, but she already felt relaxed with him. As she led the way to her garden, she saw them. The noble ladies from her party. She unconsciously tightened her grip on the Maverick’s arm. Most of the palace gardens were open to the public, so seeing them was not out of the ordinary. However, they usually only arrived when they were looking to “accidentally” run into her and her Knight. They paused up on seeing the Maverick.

“Is this your new knight, Princess?” one asked.

She wanted to die.

“No. He and I have business,” she said.

“What type of business, Your Highness?” another noble woman asked.

“Why do you care about the affairs of royalty?” the Maverick asked.

“Shouldn’t all citizens care what the royals are up to?'' she replied.

“Yeah, we don’t have time for this. Let’s start our meeting,” he said.

The Princess was utterly humiliated. She was trying to request a business deal with this man, and these women had to pry. Thankfully he said nothing. They sat down in her greenhouse. She served coffee because the Delegate said that the Maverick preferred it. It didn’t seem like he wanted to say much at first. He simply surveyed the greenhouse in silence. She wasn’t expecting him to be so quiet. The Delegate said that he often talked so much she couldn’t get a word in edgewise. He leaned back in his chair.

“So what do you want? Make a list and I’ll review it with the groundskeeper and we’ll get started,” he said.

“Oh…um…I have a list already, but the groundskeeper has no jurisdiction over my personal gardens,” she said.

He raised an eyebrow. “All right, tell me what you’d like.”

“So I’ve tried to replicate the conditions that are used in growing the flower the Delegate used in this broach,” she said. She placed the broach on the table. “It gives off a higher concentration of mana and I’ve tried using all the methods in this particular case study.”

She placed a thick peer reviewed study, all marked and highlighted with the specs she thought might affect her research. He picked it up and flipped through it.

“This study was conducted in one of my greenhouses. I oversaw that construction personally,” he said.

“Excellent! So I need one similar to this but I need mana reading and infusion instruments like this.”

She set another stack of papers, this one all the specs for the instruments she needed. He nodded slowly as he flipped through them.

“All right, did you have a place in mind for this? Placement could affect your outcome,” he said.

“Yes! I wanted something that didn’t disrupt the flow of my garden, but also will have the optimal sunlight I think I need.”

She showed him outside and showed him the area she’d started to clear out.

“What do you think?” she asked. Their interactions were making her nervous. He was supposed to be this exuberant person, he looked the part, so why was he so subdued with her?

He folded his arms.

“It’s a good spot,” he said. He turned to her and lowered his glasses to look at her. “Question: did you design the greenhouse we were sitting in?”

She wanted the shrink. “Yes. I saw some of your work long before I even knew who you were and borrowed a lot of elements. I know it doesn’t compare. That was designed to be a place for me to relax, so it’s not very—”

“It’s a master work,” he said. “I can’t say I would do anything different based on the purpose. So…let me guess, since this garden is restricted, not many people are allowed into the greenhouse, right?”

“Yes, I don’t often invite too many people here. I hope you don’t take this the wrong way, but the only reason you’re here is because I want you to see what my garden is like and what my preferences are.”

“No, I get it. I barely get the royal treatment back home. I didn’t expect it here but wow what a privilege to see such a lovely work of art.”

“Art?” she said. 

“Yes,” he said. He opened up his arms and grinned. “This whole place is amazing! I am actually a little intimidated to build here.”

“Don’t be!” she said. “The whole point is for me to be able to conduct my research so we can possibly create an industry between our two countries. So I need your help.”

“You’re a very competent ruler,” he said. “You’ve done all this research, you have data and a proposal. You designed your own garden and I assume you do a lot of the cultivation personally.”

“How could you tell?” she asked.

“I wasn’t sure, I just said it to see if you would confirm. But I noticed you have a very small closet in your greenhouse, and a very small pair of clogs just outside the closet door. You also kept sliding your shoes off while we spoke. This place is comfortable to you. You were performing for a stranger in your safe space so some things slipped.”

She was amazed. She couldn’t sense any mana from him, well, a tiny amount, it probably made him stronger than most, but definitely not enough to allow him to be a subconscious empath like her Knight. So to be read so clearly simply through small physical clues was a little shocking to her.

“That’s why I’m confused why you let those girls talk to you like you were a servant,” he said.

“I beg your pardon?” she said. What was he talking about? He stared at her blankly before sighing.

“Listen, I like your vision. We can have this on track in a day or two. I’ll take this up with my team. We'll send you the plans and move the materials in by the end of the week.”

“So fast,” she murmured.

“Yeah well…truth be told, this job is really for a friend,” he said.

“The Delegate? Did you say hello to her? She’s here using the Royal Library,” the Princess said.

“No! She’s busy, I’m sure I’ll see her at some point since I’ll be here for a few weeks,” he said. The Princess noted his flushed face.

“I could call her for you, it’s no trouble.”

“Nah, no. Nope. I’m leaving now,” he said. The Princess followed him.

“What was that you were riding on?” she asked.

“The hoverbike?” he said.

“Yes, may I see it?”

“See it? You should ride on it!” he said with a mischievous grin. She smiled and clapped her hands.

“You’ll take me for a ride?” she cried.

“Oh…that’s not what you’re supposed to say. You’re supposed to be all terrified and run away.”

“Why?”

The Maverick lowered his glasses. “You are so confusing! Just come on.”

She followed him to his vehicle. It was shiny gold and she reached to touch it but stopped.

“I’m sorry, may I please—”

He threw up his hands in frustration. “Why are you even asking, you don’t make any sense! Just touch it!”

She was thoroughly confused. Why was he upset that she asked permission to touch his belongings? She ignored her feelings and ran her hands over the smooth metal.

“It’s beautiful,” she said. She sensed a mana core in the engine. Had these people really never heard of mana before? He opened up a compartment under his seat and handed her a helmet.

“Put it on, we're going for a joy ride,” he said. Finally, one of the knights with her stepped forward.

“Sir, we can’t authorize this without knowing where you’re going,” she said. The Princess looked at the helmet as they squabbled. It hadn’t even been a full day without her Knight and she was in agony. Yet, when she was with the Maverick, she felt confusion and uncertainty, a small degree of fear, all kinds of odd and mildly unpleasant feelings. But she didn’t think about how deeply her heart ached for the man she loved. The perfect distraction. She put on the helmet and got on. Without missing a single beat, the Maverick sat down and started the engine.

“Drive!” she shouted.

“Now this is more like it!” he shouted. They took off. The force of their momentum made her grab his waist. She cackled as they banked a turn. She thought she’d be scared but instead she felt excited. He bobbed and weaved through the palace grounds, using any slightly inclined surface as a ramp, sending them flying into the air. She felt safe, not the same sort of safe she felt with her Knight, but the safety of being with someone who was clearly competent and knew what they were doing. She giggled and enjoyed the feel of the wind around her. They pulled into the main courtyard. The Princess didn’t stop laughing even as she took the helmet off.

“I wish I could ride this every day!” she said.

“I’ll come by every morning before construction starts for the day and we’ll take a ride wherever you want!” he said.

“Oh can we? And can you pop open the hood? I want to see the engine!” she said.

The Maverick stiffened. Oh, she’d made a mistake. He took off his glasses. He had amber eyes, almost tiger-like. He was quite handsome (though she could think of one person who was even more so). He held her hands.

“You just said the magic words that will make you my friend forever!” he said. “Allow me to explain my fusion battery!”

The Princess grinned and they settled together on the ground. She still missed her Knight with every fiber of her being, but the thrill of new knowledge eased the pain. She looked up at her new friend, whose eyes had lit up and smile was as bright as the sun. She’d be forever grateful to him.