It had been about a month since Beatrix started seeing Hort on a weekly basis. She was becoming fond of the merchant, and she knew she probably shouldn't be hanging out with him, but he felt so…real.

Maybe he was a little….obtuse sometimes, like when he asked if all royal families were secretly related, but he was fun and he always respected her wishes to not butt in. He always talked about the must mundane stuff, and even his problems seemed from a completely different world compared to hers.

Too bad she couldn't tell anyone about him.

People were starting to get suspicious there was something going on with her. Beatrix would just wave it off and say she was happy because it was spring, and she loved spring, which wasn't even a lie. Some people bought into it, but some would always give her a suspicious glance. Especially Reena, her best friend.

Even though Reena was the princess of Pasha Dunes, she was staying over at Jaunt Jolie for the first six months of the year. Beatrix had known Reena since before she could even speak. To say they knew everything about each other would be an understatement. Beatrix was starting to sweat; Reena was catching on, and Beatrix couldn't and didn't want to keep this from her.

One evening, as Beatrix was brushing her golden waves, Reena was sitting by her balcony. They had been talking a few minutes, but a silence had settled over them.

"Bea, what is going on with you? I know there's something….and it sounds like it's not a bad thing, either." Reena said softly. Beatrix glanced at her through the mirror, then shook her head.

She could trust Reena, but she would have so many questions, and Beatrix didn't know if she could answer all of them.

"It's nothing, really." Beatrix replied calmly, keeping her gaze on her reflection . Reena frowned at her. Beatrix turned to face her.

"Oh come on Beatrix! I'm starting to get concerned for you. Is it related to your possible engagement?" Reena asked. Beatrix's stomach dropped.

For a few months, there had been talks between her parents and the King and Queen of Foxwood, about a possible marriage alliance between her and their oldest son, Chaddick. Beatrix knew him, loved him even….but not enough to marry him any time soon. Or ever.

"No, and I'd really appreciate it if we dropped that topic." Beatrix said icily, but noticing Rena's expression, she softly added "It's just that…I've been mingling with some people I shouldn't be even seeing."

Reena quirked her eyebrow.

"What do you mean? How do you even leave the castle without being seen? You're always watched. We are always watched." Reena questioned.

"Catacombs are never watched. There's a secret exit through it. Once I've gotten caught, and once have the guards been bribed." Beatrix replied. Reena gasped.

"Beatrix! That's so dangerous and bad! Who even are you anymore?" Reena teased. Beatrix rolled her eyes.

"See? This is why I didn't bring it up…" Beatrix instinctively looked around before whispering, "It gets worse."

"I'm sure it does! Who is this mystery someone? Are they a her or a him?" Reena asked, quirking up her eyebrows.

"A he. He's a merchant. Apparently he works by the ports. We meet by a little bar in that area. He's fun." Beatrix told. Reena gasped.

"Are you canoodling with a peasant? Your parents would flip! But how did this even start?" Reena asked. Beatrix told her, and Reena grinned at her.

"Is this Lover Boy who has everyone wondering why you're in a good mood?" Reena teased.

"He is not…don't call him that, it's weird." Beatrix said, frowning.

"You make it sound like you have Weekly night rendezvous, do you just talk to him?" Reena asked. Beatrix nodded.

"Yes, but we also go on walks. He told me one day he'll take me to the beach, but I told him it needed to be really late at night." Beatrix said nonchalantly, or at least trying to sound like it.

"The beach? That sounds like the perfect romantic spot if you ask me….and you love the beach, so that's a double sweet gesture!" Reena pointed out. Beatrix grinned.

"Well, he offered to show me where he's stationed, and I never get to go to the beach anymore…I hope we get to see the stars too; they always look the best by the sea." Beatrix sighed happily.

"Are you sighing because of the stars or because of mystery boy?" Reena teased. Beatrix threw a cushion at her.

"The stars, obviously." Beatrix replied curtly, softly blushing.

"So Bea," Reena started, "do you like this boy?"

"Well yes, otherwise I wouldn't be spending all this time with him." Beatrix replied, obviously playing. Reena sighed.

"Beatrix."

"Fine. You got me….this is the worst thing that I have done. You know, maybe this is why we shouldn't mix with commoners: we catch feelings and then we cannot get rid of them." Beatrix sighed. Reena stood up, walked up to Beatrix, and put her arms around her.

"I'm sorry, Bea. I didn't know you felt so deeply." Reena said.

"I…I don't know. I think about him a lot, and when I have a bad day, he makes me feel better. He is so different from every noble that I have met, Reena. It makes me kind of angry that I have to keep a bloodline…" Beatrix thought out loud.

"If it was a different situation, I would be all about his feelings reciprocating yours, but I don't know if it would be a good thing….although I do love the idea of starcrossed lovers…." Reena mused. Beatrix looked at her, as if to say "really?"

"It's definitely more fun reading about them than being one. Even though it's just me liking him. Actually no, he's definitely into me too. He compliments me way too much, and he just acts strangely towards me…" Beatrix analyzed, and Reena laughed.

"Perhaps it could work out. I mean, for a little while." Reena thought. Beatrix frowned.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"Look, just because you frolic around the beach and have some drinks, it does not mean is serious…besides, if nobody catches you, it never happened…" Reena suggested. Beatrix smirked.

"Who's being dangerous and bad now?" Beatrix teased. Reena giggled.

"Bea, I want you To at least taste some romance! Is it forbidden? Yes! It is! But so what? You also are a human being with needs. Emotional needs. If this merchant or whatever makes you happy once a week." Reena advised. Beatrix smiled.

"You do have a point…."

A cool breeze blew, as Beatrix stood amidst trees by The Tattered Sail. She had her purple hood around her, but today she had decided to wear her summer white dress instead of the trousers she usually wore when she snuck out.

Hort had said he wanted to go somewhere else tonight, but since they didn't know many of the same places, they decided to come here as a starting point.

There was no sight of clocks around her, and she was hoping Hort would show up soon; it was getting darker and the breeze felt cold on her legs. She was starting to regret the dress.

As she pulled her hood tighter around her head, she felt someone tap her on the back. She whirled around, hoping it'd be Hort, and thankfully, it was him.

"Hey, uh, I hope I didn't scare you." Hort said. Beatrix waved him off.

"I'm always a bit jumpy when I go out on my own; don't take it to personally." Beatrix explained.

"Understandable. I'm jumpy too and I'm not a princess. I can't imagine what it must be like." Hort thought out loud.

"So, where are you taking me? You said you wanted to show me a different place." Beatrix asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Just follow me; I think you'll like it." Hort said, grinning. Beatrix frowned. She wasn't too fond of trusting people's likes.

They walked through many trees to avoid the crowds. The city had an interestingly high number of trees, but they also caught glimpses of houses and some parlors. Beatrix wasn't too familiar with this part of town, and she really wished Hort was right and she'd like it.

The tree branches kept getting in the way, so much that one smacked Beatrix in her face. Hort snorted, to which she smacked him in the arm, but fearing she'd lose sight of him, she gingerly took a hold of his wrist. He turned around, surprised.

"What? I don't want to get split up…" Beatrix huffed, cursing the heat upon her cheeks.

"Um, I don't think we would, but…alright." Hort said sheepishly.

Eventually, the moonlight lit the way, and the trees quickly became palm trees, and the air filled with the sound of waves crashing onto the shore.

That fool.

Beatrix was irritated at the mystery he had given to a beach visit, but she was also relieved to be here, and also excited.

"You wanted to come to the beach? That was it? You made it sound like you were going to take me somewhere more…" Beatrix started.

"Strange?" Hort suggested. Beatrix shook her head.

"I don't know. But I do know you were an idiot for not telling me sooner." Beatrix scolded.

"I did say I'd take you to the beach one day…" Hort muttered, "but, do you like the idea? I thought you said you liked the beach…" He fiddled with his hands. Beatrix's gaze on him softened, touched by the fact he thought of this.

"Yes, of course I do. I just wished you hadn't been so weird about it." Beatrix laughed. Hort met her gaze and grinned lazily.

"Would you like to take a walk?" Hort asked stupidly.

"Well, yes. We're kind of here already." Beatrix said.

They made their way through the sand, talking about their week so far. Beatrix got annoyed of the sand on her sandals, so she took them off. She liked the feel of sand against her feet, and she liked hearing the waves.

"So, I have a question for you." Beatrix announced. She saw Hort momentarily flinch, but ignored it.

"Yeah?"

"I know you move around a lot because of sailing, and that you technically "met" me before; have there been other people that, like, left you an impact?" Beatrix asked.

"Yeah, a few. Mostly negative impact but yeah." Hort admitted.

"Like who?" Beatrix pressed, feeling curious.

"Well, when I was about twelve or thirteen, there was this one girl. Her name was Sophie. I really liked her. Like a lot. But she kept rejecting me, even though I was like, really nice to her and stuff. It really hurt at the time." Hort said, looking at the horizon, but Beatrix frowned.

"Yeah, I mean I get it, but it kinda sounds like you thought she'd like you just because you were nice. It doesn't work like that, Hort. If you get rejected, odds are that they mean it and don't care how 'nice' you are." Beatrix observed, judging Hort in the slightest.

"Well yeah, but is being nice like not, appealing or something?" Hort asked.

"Yeah, when a girl is actually into you. If not, and you're just being nice so they like you back, it kind of makes you an entitled jerk." Beatrix snapped. Hort looked at her, unsuspecting of what was coming.

This was probably the worst thing she'd heard Hort say. She had the right to say it, even if he didn't want to hear it.

A few minutes of silence passed by. Beatrix was starting to wonder if she had been too harsh. She stood by what she had said, but she also didn't want to ruin the evening.

"Hey, are you alright?" Beatrix sheepishly checked. Hort looked at her for the first time in a few minutes.

"Yeah, kinda. I mean, you were right, but it did sting; I was an entitled idiot." Hort admitted.

"I said jerk, but yeah. I didn't mean to, make stuff awkward, but you needed that." Beatrix said, looking ahead. Hort nodded.

"I'm not like that anymore, you know?" Hort said. Beatrix looked at him, but he didn't.

"What do you mean?" Beatrix asked.

"Like, that. I don't know, I guess that if I were to take rejection, I wouldn't react like that." Hort explained. Beatrix nodded. She was glad he hadn't been insulted by his words. It didn't erase the fact he believed that stuff, but at least the merchant was willing to listen.

"Yeah, I figured. I still wanted to smack some sense into you."

"Wait, Bea…why did you ask me that?" Hort questioned her. Beatrix raised her eyebrows.

"Only my parents and my best friend call me 'Bea'…I guess we're that close now, huh?" Beatrix teased him. She was amused at the sight of him sputtering and blushing.

"Do you mind? It was just a slip up and I didn't mean for it to happen, I can totally stop it though." Hort rambled. Beatrix giggled.

"You're okay. I like it when people do it, but only if I say it's alright." Beatrix declared.

"You still didn't answer my question, though." Hort pointed out. Beatrix shrugged.

"I like hearing about your life. I don't know, I guess I just like hearing about your merchant trips and adventures." Beatrix confessed. She felt Hort's gaze on her.

"Really? They're not that interesting, but it sure feels nice to be heard. You know Bea, I really like how honest you are. I feel like you'd always tell me the truth about everything." Hort said. She let out a soft laugh.

"I try, but I feel people don't like that too much. You're the first one to say that. It's kind of sweet." Beatrix said absentmindedly. Hort chuckled. But Beatrix saw him focus his eyes ahead, and she noticed it too: a lonely pier laid on the horizon.

"We should go there." Beatrix suggested, a teasing glint shone in her eyes.

"We should." Hort grinned.

They stood at the pier, looking at the sea as the moon shone over them. Beatrix would still some glances from Hort, and she'd hope he didn't catch her. They didn't really talk as much, but she appreciated his company.

"Hey Beatrix, could I ask you something?" Hort said, breaking the silence. She nodded. "Did you like, ever actually dreamed about marrying a prince? I mean, just curious." Hort said. Beatrix snorted.

"Yeah. I was an idiot when I was in my tween years; I wanted my parents to set me up with Tedros of Camelot just because I thought he was cute. I'm glad they didn't: he was not a bad guy, but he was kind of an idiot." Beatrix said. Hort laughed.

"Do, do you still want to marry a prince? You make it sound like they're all the same jerks." Hort said.

"Not really…" she whispered. "I wish I had more of a choice…so that I could be with someone I really want to be." She absentmindedly found his hand, and she felt him lace his fingers with hers. She gazed at him, and he returned it, looking a bit breathless. As if he understood something.

As if he knew too much.

He took down her hood, revealing her long, blonde flowing waves, and he brushed her hair away from her face. She felt too comfortable with him caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. He looked surprised that she was letting him this close, but she did nothing to discourage him.

"I didn't know you had these many freckles…they're really cute." Hort observed, chuckling. Beatrix smiled coyly.

She gazed at his lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss him, but she brushed away the thought. It would be wrong. It would be a terrible idea for her to do it. It would ruin everything.

"I…I really should go now." Beatrix announced, looking down at the floor. She realized Hort felt as crestfallen as her.

"Oh…of course. Could I walk you to the Tattered Sail?" Hort asked. Beatrix nodded.

They walked in silence, but Beatrix, once again, took hold of Hort's hand.

He didn't question it this time.

When they had made their way back, and they were ready to exchange goodbyes, Beatrix, forgetting all manners and etiquette, planted a quick peck on his cheek. She felt him tense up, and she immediately regretted it.

"Oh I'm sorry; I didn't mean for you to be uncomforta— but she didn't finish her thought, because he too gave her a quick peck.

"I think we should be even now. Next Saturday, same time?." He whispered, shyly avoiding her crystal blue gaze. She nodded, confirming his question.

As she left, Beatrix realized she had gotten herself in a royal mess. But she just wanted to make it worse by seeing him again.

Bad News: I hadn't updated in 6 months

Good News: I didn't give up on it!

Also, seems like even though our princess is falling hard, she's not afraid to call out Hort, which is how I picture her.