Erika's POV:

This is like a fairy tale.

That was the only thing in my mind as I made my way to the main hall, butterflies buzzing in my stomach as I thought of him. His gentle but confident smile.

The doors open and for the first time since getting here, I felt like I was at home. My eyes met his. Belonging.

"…are you ready, darling?"

I forced my eyes away and felt the heat rising to my cheeks upon realizing that I had been staring at him all this time. He still gave me the usual gentle smile. But his lips was tugged slightly towards one side. A knowing smirk.

"Darling?"

Oh right. What was she saying? Something about being ready…Ready for the wedding?

Ready to be married to him? I was.

"Rea—" As Princess Anneliese? "—dy."

Not.

I wasn't prepared for the insurmountable pang in my heart. He belonged with her. Princess Anneliese. Not me, not Erika.

"For my bride-to-be." Dominick walked towards me, holding out a box.

Despite my inner turmoil, I took the box. My fingers traced the embodiment. It was beautiful. White and gold, well suited for a royalty. But I wasn't.

If only I could stay a Princess. No. What was I saying?! Princess Anneliese could be in danger and here I was wishing I could take her place? But I didn't want to agree to this wedding. I couldn't bear to be the one to bring them together with my own hands. Yet, if I refused, what would happen to the kingdom? Aunt Mary the florist, Uncle Jack the baker, even Bertie. They'd lose their jobs and houses! I couldn't let that happen.

I opened the box and gasped. Inside the beautiful box, laid an even more beautiful ring. I looked up and saw him smiling at him. The same smile that would always send my heart into a strange wild dance. It was from that smile, I knew.

I couldn't refuse. Not as Princess Anneliese. But even more not as Erika. I was in love with him.

It was as if time stood still as we looked into each other's eyes, conveying what we felt. But what happened next was a blur.

"Grab her! She's an imposter!"

I turned my head to see Preminger marching in with his dog and two soldiers following closely behind. They grabbed from the arms and twisted them behind. I yelped in pain.

"Release the Princess!" Dominick commanded.

"She's a fake. A common pauper!" Preminger retorted. And my heart sank. They've found out.

Before I could react to anything, I was accused of conspiring with Julian to take over the kingdom, capturing the Princess, and…killing her?!

I was yanked towards the Queen. I glanced away in guilt as she hesitantly pulled down my right sleeve. I didn't need to see to her expression. She was hurt.

But I couldn't just be taken to prison like that. I had to tell her that her kingdom—our kingdom—was in danger!

"I can explain—" I couldn't get past those three words before I was cut.

"Throw her in the dungeon!"

The Queen was lost in her anguish by now.

"No, wait!" But I still have him. "I'm not the Princess."

He looked like he was about to hold me. Keep me safe.

"But I never hurt her," I was wretched away from him. He didn't pull me back. He didn't keep me safe. "Or anybody else!" Trust me!

I watched as the doors slammed behind me. Our eyes met, but he looked away. He couldn't hear the clues in my eyes.

...

Fairy tales don't exist.

Dominick's POV:

"I'm not the Princess." Don't say anything more. I don't want to hear. I wanted to pull her to me. She looked so afraid. How did it end up like this? "But I never hurt her, or anybody else!"

Hurt her? The Princess? Who is she? Who are you?

I stared into her beautiful blue eyes. The doors were closing. My heart was wrenching. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I didn't want to see anymore.

I heard the slam of the door.

Those eyes. Those pure, sincere eyes. They were telling me something. Begging me to hear.

I felt my legs striding towards the doors.

"Dominick." I felt a hand on my shoulder, refraining me from chasing after her.

I looked behind to see Rider. I had brought him with me tonight. He had wanted to see my proposal, teasing me about it throughout the ride to Rosenville. But my friend was no longer wearing a cheeky expression but a serious one. Not surprising. He called me by name. She called me by name as well. It sounded smooth and sweet. And warm.

"Let's go back. Forget all of this."

Forget this? How can I?! I couldn't forget. Her eyes. Her smile. The way she laughed. The way she sang. Her song. Her words. Everything.

I couldn't forget. But I couldn't let my emotions take control over me. I wasn't just Dominick. I was King Dominick. Again.

As I sat in the carriage, my mind unwillingly drifted back to the scene. It was perfect until that Preminger came. Thinking about her hurt so much. So I focused on him instead. Thinking about him…His story didn't quite match up.

It was uncanny but they really looked alike. So much that even the Queen couldn't tell the difference. So how could Preminger? He was so convinced that he appointed a search party for a no longer missing Princess? It didn't make sense.

But then again, nothing tonight did. The Princess and her…

Her.

I didn't even know her name.