Theodore

Speechless, I watch the commoner girl who collided with me flee from the scene. This is the first time I have encountered such a peculiar situation, and I must admit that I am uncertain how to proceed.

To begin with, the girl rejected my offer of assistance to rise from the ground. Then, she scarcely uttered a word to me before running off, leaving me standing alone. Third—and most remarkably—she neither ogled me nor attempted to flirt with me.

Mikaela Jinks. Judging by her unkempt attire—she was wearing men’s breeches, no less—and her behavior, there is no mistaking that she is a commoner, a most unusual and intriguing one at that.

“Your Highness?” Grant’s voice makes me glance at him.

“Yes?” I respond, expressionless.

“What an insufferable commoner. I shall have her thrown into the castle’s dungeons, as no one dares to treat Your Highness in such a manner,” he huffs, glaring in the direction the girl fled.

“Leave the girl alone, Grant.” I scowl, feeling somewhat annoyed by his overreaction.

“Your Highness, what should we do with the commoner’s books?” one of the knights asks, holding four of them in his arms.

“Whose are those?” I frown, staring at the old books.

“The commoner left them on the ground, Your Highness,” Grant replies, his expression sour. “Allow me to take them, for I shall see to their disposal upon my return to the palace.” He extends his hand to take the books.

“No. One of the knights shall keep them, and I shall address the matter later.” I glare at him, who seems even more displeased by my decision.

Why does my father consider this man his most trustworthy aide?

Grant is my father’s advisor, offering counsel, strategies, and a multitude of other services. However, I find him particularly irritating and deceitful, for there is something about him that repulses me, and were it up to me, I would keep him at a distance. Nevertheless, my father is insistent and requires that Grant accompany me wherever I go, much like the loyal servant he is.

“Why does Your Highness wish to keep those books from that insolent commoner?” Grant dares to question my order.

“Are you questioning my authority, Grant?”

“No, Your Highness. I would not dare.” He lowers his voice and bows his head in a sign of respect.

“Obey my command and have one of the knights carry the books,” I instruct, to which he and the knights bow in response, making way for me to pass through the academy’s golden gates. I then turn to Grant. “You are dismissed. Return to the palace and do not return here today.”

“But His Majesty insisted that I accompany you. I am required to be here when you depart the academy at the end of the day,” Grant retorts, his voice tinged with exasperation.

“That will not be necessary today.” I dismiss him with a hand gesture while walking through the academy’s gates.

As is customary, I pay no heed to those around me—and by “those around me,” I refer to every individual nearby, whether they are gazing in awe, admiring me, or attempting to capture my attention.

Being the crown prince of the Kingdom of Wreigh comes with its advantages and disadvantages. I take great pride in my status, my renown, and the immense power and wealth of my family. I am well aware of my handsome appearance, which attracts the attention of ladies wherever I go. Every person, both within and beyond my father’s kingdom, shows me respect and admiration, treating me as though I were a deity. I take considerable pride in this, and I am most certainly prepared to ascend to the throne when the time arrives.

On the other hand, as the crown prince of the Kingdom of Wreigh, I am subjected to constant scrutiny from every individual. Ladies practically throw themselves at me, eager to become my princess or one of my concubines, as if I would consider the latter once I settle down for good. Naturally, I take pleasure in their eagerness and admiration, and I certainly make the most of it. I am accustomed to courting the most beautiful women from within our kingdom and beyond. I indulge in these relationships, but they are nothing more than mere amusement, and I have never regarded anyone seriously enough to contemplate marriage or love.

“Hi, Theo.” Yasmin approaches me, kissing me on the cheek.

“Hi, Yas.” I offer her a smile in return, my gaze briefly assessing her flawless beauty. Her long blonde hair, slender figure, and striking blue eyes would make any man envious, wishing they were in my position—her lover and one of her closest friends.

“Theo, what happened to your face?” My sister, Sophie, touches my forehead, grimacing at the sight of the small bruise caused by that commoner girl who knocked me to the ground.

“I was knocked down by a commoner girl,” I explain, wincing as her finger lightly brushes against my bruise.

“Goodness, Theo. I know many women would eagerly vie for your hand in marriage, but I never imagined they might go so far as to harm you out of affection.” My closest friend and cousin, Joshua, drapes an arm around my neck, laughing.

“Actually, the commoner did not knock into me intentionally.” I pause, a small smile forming on my lips. “She was rushing to her test, as she mentioned that she studies at the Wreigh Academy.”

“How revolting. You had contact with a poor commoner?” Yasmin says, visibly repulsed. “Do not come near me today. In fact, keep your distance entirely, for I cannot bear the thought of catching whatever illnesses she might have.” She steps away from me.

“You are quite dramatic, Yas,” my sister teases, laughing.

“I am allergic to inferior individuals. I can feel my skin reacting. How revolting.” Yasmin hurriedly walks away.

“Did you have the commoner imprisoned?” Joshua inquires, still chuckling.

“No,” I respond, making my way toward my first class.

“What? Are you serious? Why did you not have that commoner imprisoned? She knocked you to the ground and injured you. She deserves to face consequences,” Sophie exclaims, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Why would I have her imprisoned? She did not bump into me intentionally; I already explained that. She apologized, and her eyes appeared sincere. Moreover, I felt sympathy for her, for she seemed desperate, as though her test was of the utmost importance to her.” I shrug, the image of the red-haired girl with inquisitive brown eyes momentarily flashing in my mind.

“Are you jesting? You ordered the girl to be thrown to the crocodiles, and now you claim you did nothing of the sort? Come now, Theo, Sophie, and I know you far better than that!” Josh playfully punches me on the shoulder, a knowing smile forming across his face.

“I truly did nothing. I simply allowed her to go free.”

His grin fades, replaced by a look of disbelief as he realizes I am not jesting. “Are you honestly telling us the truth? You let her go without consequence?”

I nod in response. “Why is that so surprising?”

“Because you are notorious for sending commoners to prison and even ordering death sentences more frequently than our parents do. Remember that one time you had a poor man thrown to the crocodiles simply because he did not bow his head when you passed by?” Sophie replies, equally shocked.

“Well, what can I say? I can show mercy on occasion and spare a few insignificant lives.” I snort, rolling my eyes at the sight of the girls waving at me and giggling flirtatiously.

“Was the commoner girl beautiful?” Josh teases, grinning.

“What does her appearance have to do with our conversation?” I narrow my eyes at my best friend.

“Theo would never regard a commoner with anything but disdain, Josh. He is just like Yasmin—averse to the impoverished, regardless of their appearance or character,” my sister smirks.

“There is a first time for everything, Sophie. Perhaps your brother is growing weary of the ladies from our social circle and is seeking new experiences, if you understand what I mean.” He punches me again on the shoulder, laughing heartily.

“I did not look at the girl in that way, Josh. I recognized her as a commoner from her worn books and the unkempt clothes she wore. The fact that she attends Wreigh Academy only further confirms it,” I answer flatly.

“You are right. My apologies, Your Highness,” Josh says as we enter our first class.

* * *

Something unusual and intriguing happens to me for the rest of the day—the commoner girl’s face keeps resurfacing in my thoughts, making it hard to focus on my classes and the conversations with my friends.

“What is the matter with you, Theo? You seem rather off today.” Sophie’s voice is filled with amusement.

“Nothing is amiss.” I try to brush off thoughts of the commoner girl. “I am merely pondering what to do with her books.”

“Her books?” Josh gives me a skeptical look before realization sets in. “You mean the commoner girl from this morning that you let go?”

“She dropped her books when she knocked into me and forgot all about them when she ran off,” I explain, pausing for a moment as I furrow my eyebrows. “She stood up and hurried away before I had the opportunity to inform her about them.”

Joshua exchanges an amused glance with my sister, a hint of confusion in his eyes. “What you mean to say is that the girl ran away after attempting to flirt with you and asking for coins, correct?” he teases, laughing.

“Not at all,” I respond flatly. “She did not even spare me a glance. For the first time in my life, a girl did not fawn over me. She simply apologized and hurried off, leaving me standing there.” My lips curl into a small smile as I find myself astonished by the experience.

“Are you perhaps smitten with the commoner girl?” Sophie gasps, her eyes growing wide in surprise.

“No, of course not, Sophie,” I groan, my eyebrows furrowing. “I am simply perplexed, for it is the first time a girl has ignored me. I always assumed they were all interested in me, but it seems I was mistaken.”

“Ah, I see. Your pride has been wounded by her indifference, and now you cannot help but wonder why she did not treat you as the prince you are.” Josh laughs again, clearly entertained.

“Where are the books? Did Grant take them?” Sophie grimaces at the mention of Grant, her dislike for him evident.

“One of the knights has them,” I murmur, feeling uncomfortable under their scrutiny.

Why did I keep the commoner’s books? She is likely to buy new ones later today.

Silence descends between my best friend and my sister, causing me to glance at them, only to find them both staring at me in shock, their mouths agape.

“What? Why are you staring at me like that?” I ask, annoyed.

“You had one of the knights hold the commoner’s books? You did not dispose of them?” Josh murmurs, still stunned.

“And what of it?” I respond, trying to dismiss their wide-eyed expressions that feel almost accusatory.

“Theo, the usual you would have disposed of them by now,” Sophie points out, her voice filled with incredulity.

Her words strike true, and for a fleeting moment, I feel the weight of truth settle upon me. I ought to have disposed of those old books the instant Grant brought them to my attention. So why did I not? Why did I instruct one of the knights to keep them?

“I do not know. Grant wished to burn them, yet I instructed the knights to keep them. I did not give it a second thought.” I scowl at myself, unsettled. “Why in the world did I do that?”

“That is a good question, Your Highness. Perhaps we will find out later today.” Josh wraps an arm around my neck, ruffling my hair with his other hand. “I am curious to see this commoner girl who dared to ignore you.” He laughs.

“What? What are you talking about?” I feel uneasy, knowing how absurd my best friend can be at times.

“We are bound for Wreigh Academy today, my friend, to return the commoner girl’s books. Be courteous, and I am certain she will be quite taken with you.” He gives me a playful wink, tapping my chest. “The opportunity is yours, Theo. She will undoubtedly be charmed once you speak to her again.”

“And why, pray tell, would I wish to make the girl take an interest in me?”

“Because your ego could use a little boost.” He laughs.

“I wish I could join you two, but Yas, Vivi, Mon, and I are going to the shopping district because my wardrobe is in desperate need of new dresses and shoes. My wardrobe is outdated and quite unfashionable,” my dear sister remarks.

“That sounds like a lot more fun than chasing after some poor commoner girl,” Joshua sneers, clapping his hands in mock enthusiasm.

“It will be far more entertaining than pursuing some poor commoner girl, I assure you,” my sister retorts with a smirk, walking away.

“Let us get to our last class, Josh, for I cannot afford to be late again.” I pull my best friend toward our final class, ignoring his loud groan of protest.