In the early sixteenth century, Helga struggles to keep her family's estate from being repossessed while she waits for her sister to secure a wealthy husband. Arnold is a lovelorn prince trying to convince a pious foreign princess to marry him. When their paths cross, grudging respect turns to friendship turns into something else entirely.

What If: Mr. Simmons had never done the play in Elementary school? What if he directed it when they were all in High School instead? This is an expanded take on Helga's schemes to kiss Arnold. AxH, slight AU.

He was sick, he had to be. How else could he explain the fire inside him every time she smirked at him or teased him, this constant need to defeat her? Ever since that kiss on the rofftop it was like something inside him snapped, she occupied his every thought, consumed him even in his dreams. He didn't know who he was anymore and it was all her fault.

The petty fights, the nights spent alone, she always thought she made his life miserable by being in it. But what she doesn't know is, she's the only one that made his life feel worthwhile. She was the only one that made him truly happy...until she took herself, and someone else, out of his life. Now he knew what misery truly was.