Disclaimer:

I don't own RA or the characters. Disclaimer for whole story.

Warning:

Spoilers up to Book 9.

|| Harmony ||

xxx

Author's Note:

I was reading Book 2 again last night, (whole series again) and I found this quote (in reference to Cassie too ^ ^), which prompted my little fic.

I actual want this to be my prequel to Majesty. As in, they clearly have chemistry, but how did it happen?

By the way, this first chapter is more of a summary following the books than anything.

Hope you like!

"But his time in Battleschool had given him a strong sense of duty, and personal feelings came second."

- The Burning Bridge: page 116.

Prologue:

|| Realisation ||

xxx

Princess Cassandra saw herself as a reasonably talented person.

She was good at diplomacy, had learnt the ways of battle tactics, could hold a sword and use it, host a dinner party and survive in the harshest forest.

All in all, she had never quite understood why her affections for one boy had gone unnoticed.

Usually, she would have accepted this indifference to her with a great joy, but for once, she truly and utterly wanted that attention.

Cassie believed she was in love with Will Treaty.

But it was clear he didn't feel the same way.

So gradually, what she previously thought was ignorance, was in fact his feelings for another girl.

As much as she could seethe and huff like a child, consumed by jealously; a smart part of her began to realise it was a lost cause.

And if she really loved him, couldn't she let him go and be happy?

Her invitations and attempts to get him to stay at Castle Araluen subsided, and she became content with an easy friendship.

And while she wasn't bored to death with Court hearings, entertaining other nobles or ploughed down with lessons, Cassie spent more and more time with the young knight Horace, who soon became her chosen Champion to defend her honour and act as her highest guard.

Cassie wasn't so lonely that the moment she realised the uselessness of her feelings for Will, she replaced him with Horace. Besides, despite being the Crown Princess, she was good at taking people's feelings into consideration.

But at some point, even before she gave up on Will Treaty, that small, logical part of her mind was beginning to see that her feelings were changing without her consciously knowing.

Other's noticed it.

Her friend Jenny noted that when they discussed her days in the Ward, Cassie began to listen more intently when Horace was mentioned. Her father noticed when she demanded he was made her Champion. Even Crowley noticed when he idly asked who she was taking to Duncan's birthday celebration, and she immediately answered with Horace, before she had even asked him.

And gradually, Cassie began to notice it too.

When she thought of her time in Celtica, she no longer envisioned Will, but the respect and concern Horace treated her with. She thought less of Will's chivalry in Skandia and instead Horace's emotions when he saved her from the Tem'uj.

And when she began to realise and tried to deny her transforming affection, she would think of Will and convince herself that she still loved him with all her heart. But then his image would change, and suddenly, he would be holding a sword, and a shield, riding a great battle horse.

With much confusion and denial, Cassie finally reached the conclusion that as well as her distant affection for Will, she was also falling for her Champion.

Which caused a problem.

Because like Will, Horace had also rarely shown signs of wanting anything but friendship with her.

And Cassie wasn't set to committing herself like she had with the Ranger, just to end up broken again.

So, with all her skills under her belt and ready to be used, the Princess decided that she would find a way to discover if Horace had feelings for her.

Unlike Will, she understood that she held a great balance with Horace.

He was capable, strong, brave and noble, but for the most part, let her lead him around because she naturally was a commanding person.

To achieve her goal, Cassie would have to change that balance.

And in doing so she might ruin what she already had with him.

The thought terrified her.

But, she was still determined to try.

A/N:

So when I wrote this, at the end I realised it was totally like how Horace reacted in first chapter of Majesty, awesome. I guess that's pretty cool, huh? :)

It'll be more from Cassie's point of view, since Majesty is more of Horace's point of view.

- Love Mae.