Five years to the day later, a rooster landed on the north tower and announced the sunrise. Kya was up and out of bed before it finished its first crow. Head up, shoulders back, big smile, she rehearsed, but her mind kept wandering from the princess perfection. A full twelve hours of fun awaited, and she was ready to enjoy every minute of it!

  By the time the knock sounded at the door to signal it was time to get up, Princess Kya had already combed her hair, washed herself, and gotten dressed. The maid who entered with breakfast was surprised to see the princess so ready. She didn’t have much time to contemplate it, though, because a moment later, the breakfast was gone and Kya was out the door.

  She smacked face-first into a wall of silk. “Why, someone seems excited, my little princess,” her mother chuckled, gathering herself from the crash. “And you’re all ready, too! Here, let me get your bow!”

  “Come on, Mom, do you really have to?” Kya whined, bouncing up and down in anticipation.

  “It will go faster if you don’t fidget so much,” the queen reminded her. “There, done. My!” Kya had ducked out of her grasp and darted down the hallway. She dodged two maids and a manservant, and then the rectangle of green was in full view. Only then did she pause.

  Her father, the king, was waiting on the grass. People stood around him, chatting merrily, and a small crowd of children ran past. Kya had seen the full palace staff before—indeed, she saw it every year on Picnic Day—but the sheer size of it never ceased to amaze her. Inside of the crowd, she caught a brief glimpse of two sister duchesses with whom she had played the previous year. The next moment, they became hidden behind a new curtain of people. She took a step forward in the hope of pursuing them, and a large hand landed on her head.

  “Good morning, Kya!” her father boomed cheerfully. With one quick sweep, he picked her up and spun her around. “Someone certainly seems excited for picnic day,” he grinned as the princess squealed with joy.

  “Almost too excited to remember her shoes,” Queen Harmony grimaced, finally catching up to her daughter.

  “I didn’t forget them. I just didn’t want them, Mom,” Kya whined.

  “Well, I don’t want you to ruin your feet,” Harmony countered. “A lady does not go barefoot in muddy puddles. A lady does not go in muddy puddles. And Kya, you are ten years old and a princess, so you must start acting more mature.”

  “Ah, well, how are you today, my flower of loveliness?” King Tir interjected, realizing that it might be wiser to change the subject than attempt to argue with his wife’s strict ways.

  “I feel wonderful.” Her back straightened and she folded her hands, looking every inch the queen that she was. “I look forward to mingling with the other royals who will be joining us. I would like our relations with them to be as favorable as they can when it comes time to choose a partner for our daughter.”

  “Mom!” cried Kya.

  The king glanced at her. “My dear, don’t you think it’s a little early to be discussing her, ahem, marriage?”

  “It is never too early to start looking, and besides, Kya needs to practice behavior for the court,” the queen retorted, as confident as ever. “And since this kingdom is to go to your son, Saro, I would like to see Kya be made queen of something.”

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  “Of course,” King Tir replied, and Kya crossed her arms in boredom. The picnic had started and all she’d done was waste time hearing about kingdoms and marriage.

  A shadow fell across Kya, darkening her view. “Hey, Kya. What’s the frown for?”

  “Ah, Saro! What a fine morning for a picnic, wouldn’t you say?”

  “Definitely, Dad,” Saro grinned, his dark eyes flashing. “Good morning, Queen Harmony.”

  “Good morning, Saro.” She smiled, but there was no joy in her eyes.

  “Hey, Dad, do you mind if I take Kya for a little while? Two of the earls are starting a jousting match, and I thought she might want to see it.”

  The king glanced at his daughter, who was nodding furiously. “Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if the two of you left for a few hours.” Queen Harmony pursed her lips but offered no disagreement. “Do come back when you’re finished, though. You both need to get a taste of proper court behavior, and besides, I can only fend off all these pompous royals for so long!”

  “Of course, Dad. We’ll be back as soon as it’s over.” He took his sister’s hand.

  “Good,” chuckled the king. “I can always count on you.”

  The siblings skipped off. Once they were a good distance away and fairly out of breath, Kya slowed down. “Thanks for saving me back there, Saro! I thought I was gonna have to spend the whole picnic listening to a bunch of stuck-up kings and queens!”

  “Hey, what are princes for, if not to save little princesses,” Saro grinned. “Find your friends. From my experience with jousts, you have about an hour of free time before Dad starts getting suspicious.”

  “Thanks Saro!” Kya turned around, but she paused. “What are you going to do while you’re waiting?”

  He shrugged. “I’ll find something.”

  It didn’t take long for Kya to find her friends by the lake. The two young duchesses, Kari and Amie, halted their play when they saw her approach. “Well, if it isn’t the Princess Kya,” Kari smirked. “Come to walk the plank?”

  “We’re playing pirates,” Amie, the younger of the two sisters and closer to Kya in age, explained. “Wanna join?”

  “Sure!” Kya exclaimed.

  “Then prepare for your ship to be plundered!” Kari roared and took off towards Kya, who sprinted away, laughing. “I’ll get you, too, Duchess Amie! I’ll get you with my hook!”

  “Oh no!” Amie squealed. She began to fall behind. “Kya, help me!”

  Kya veered off to the side in an attempt to distract the wicked pirate, running up and in the direction of the forbidden cliffs. Kari was catching up to her. Out of breath and full of adrenaline, Kya sprinted faster. Kari roared, continuing the pursuit.

  Then Amie screamed.

  Both Kya and Kari halted, Kari stumbling forward to almost crash into the princess. Amie screamed again, and she pointed to a spot in the distance. Kya’s heart skipped a beat and fluttered even faster, ready to carry her legs away from the danger. But one glance told her that it was not she who was in trouble. “Saro!”

  The prince was a dot at the top of the cliffs. He gazed down at the lake, but did not seem to hear the three girls. Kya screamed and ran towards her brother. Kari screamed and ran towards the picnickers. “Saro! Get away from there!”

  “Saro!” The king’s deep voice came as a command. Saro started, broken from his trance, and almost stepped backwards. He flailed to find his footing and scampered away from the edge, looking truly afraid. A cluster of picnickers, royal and common, was gathering to view the spectacle. Queen Harmony gathered her skirts and followed closely behind her husband.

  A breeze fluttered along the rocky edge, teasing with its arial play, Saro’s dark hair waved lightly, and he shivered. “Dad, I…” A swan’s feather landed at his feet. In the afternoon light, it seemed to shimmer with the faintest trace of gold. “Dad, I didn’t mean…”

  “Just as crazy as his mother,” an older cousin of Amie and Kari muttered. The rest of the crowd rustled uneasily, realizing the audacity of such an insult. But the king only watched his son and the cliffs behind him. The doubt on his face betrayed his fears.

  Breaking the trance, one of the duchesses tugged her children back and left the cliffside. The rest of the crowd seemed to realize that the spectacle was over and quietly dispersed. The royal family was left alone. “Saro, what were you thinking?” the queen reprimanded.

  He gave no response, only a look of fear. He didn’t seem certain whom it was directed towards, but it made him shudder. “Just leave me alone!” he finally yelled, and then he pushed past them and ran.