Just another proposal.

I guess Dumping a pail of mucky water on a prospective suitor, wasn't the right move to make, As I am told by Ketsel. For one, He only wanted to see me, as Ketsel says, proposing the idea of courtship between us.

In my defense, he reached for my hand suddenly, I got nervous. Well, " nervous," isn't the right word— My musing is once again interrupted by ketsel's incessant beckoning.

" My lady?" He calls.

"Yes, Kel," I answer.

" Are we going to apologize to the king, your father?" He asks again, imploringly. I sigh.

So like Ketsel, using "We," even when we Very know well, what he means...Me.

" Fine," I finally blurt out.

Even though I was far from fine with it, I had to agree with him on this, because it was the " right," thing to do— Not that I could care any less, GODS! I just want to strangle someone right now. Kel looks at me, the look one would give a child, whom he knows is not genuinely repentant. I smirk back at him.

" Shall we? " I ask curtly. He shakes his head, for the hundredth time today, I'm sure he's probably cursing his awful luck in being selected to be a squire to the most rebellious, strong-willed princess in all of Tera's history.

He leads the way, away from the royal stables.

"One thing, my lady?" He asks.

" Go on," I say, knowing what he was about to ask me. " Why were you in the stables?" He inquires.

" Because —" I start to reply, then I look up from my boots, and at him before speaking, " Because I figured it was the only place you won't think to look for me." I finish. " I guess I thought wrong," I quickly add.

" Now, where was that food wagon I saw earlier?" I ask.

" Do you always think about food?" He asks.

He is not wrong, I do take food, very seriously, whenever I'm not fleeing from a flock of suitors, or practicing ' lady crafts,' as my instructor refers to them as, I am either enjoying fine meals, or— I strayed again, didn't I?

Now, back to the issue at hand. I march up the stairs leading to the palace doors. The guards upon seeing me, quickly salute, and push open the doors to the Antechamber, just open enough to accommodate me. I stride in.

Jester, my father's scribe walked up to address me. " The kind is holding court," he says, But I know better, I say, Coolly.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, my lady." He replies.

" I wish to see my father," I repeat, narrowing my eyes, before adding, " The king," As if, to remind him that I am the daughter of the king. I don't wait for his rebuttal this time, as I brush past him.

" The king would not be too happy about this," he calls from behind me.

" Then I guess I'm about to make him a little more unhappy," I say over my shoulder. I notice Ketsel doesn't proceed with me, Instead, preferring to hang back at the doors. Oh Ketsel, ever the coward, I scoff.

Approaching the courtroom, I see my father in the process of finalizing a contract of some sorts—from the beaming and almost impish grins I see plastered on the faces of these roundish looking men, I can tell that the contract is in their favor— and although there is still much ire in me, I wait patiently, and I do not start speaking until all the merchants are had made their way down the halls and out of earshot.

" Father—" I begin.

" Aroura, what did you do this time?" He asks almost immediately, and I find myself staring down at my boots. He is quite familiar with these scenarios.

"Oh, nothing much," I reply.

" That's the same thing you said to me, the last time you shot a suitor in the rear, with an arrow,"

" An arrow," he laments " The lad couldn't sit up for days, and had to be attended to on his bed," He finishes. I hide a chuckle under a cough, hoping he doesn't catch on.

" Now then," he says, " what did you do, This is time?" He asks again.

" I figured he was long overdue for a bath," I answer, still staring at my feet.

" Oh Aroura!" My father laments. I did not need to look up, and at him to know that he was willing his brows with his signature embroidered napkin. He always did that when he was uneasy, or flustered. He always when I'm with him, or when the topic of suitors comes up.

" Aroura," he finally says, after a moment's thought. This time, I take my eyes off my boots, and look up at him, I meet his gaze, his fierce eyes staring at me—nay, boring through me, not unlike the way a ray of sunlight melts ice.

" Yes father," I reply.

" We will speak of this, at dinner, the Argon boy would be invited, and you are to be on your best behavior, and apologize, for your— I must say, 'outlandish' behavior earlier today. Claim a malaise or whatnot, just get it over with," he says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

" Yes your Highness," I reply.

I only call him that when I am really upset with him, and this was one of those moments. I curtsy, and proceed to stomp out, in a rather undignified manner. I guess it helped that I chose to wear riding boots, as my preferred footwear.

I brush past the guards, and I think I may have heard them thank the gods that I was out for trouble today. I collect Ketsel on my way out, and he wanted to know how it went.

" He said he wants to invite him over for dinner," I tell him.

" That's great news, my lady," Ketsel says, somewhat relieved. He hadn't expected it to turn out this way, Neither did I. I humph indignantly.