The days passed slowly for Cassandra. She was still not allowed to leave her room. A knight named Dylano was stationed at her door and was only allowed to let her go when it was dinnertime or if the king had given permission.

It was pretty boring in her room. She read about all the books she could find (if she hadn't read them once before) and sometimes asked if she could go to the big library that was also in the castle. Of course Dylano would go with her. She drew or wrote stories and occasionally slept at noon to pass the time.

The only place Cassandra saw Horace now was while dining or looking out her window and he happened to be on duty in the courtyard. She had fallen head over heels in love with him and eagerly accepted any chance to speak to him.

They wrote notes to each other, which they shoved as inconspicuously into the other's hands as they 'accidentally' walked past each other in the large hall.

Quite romantic actually. It felt like a forbidden love.

Even though they both knew better ... it was exciting to think about it that way.

Each evening they both tried to eat around the same time. Of course, the king and princess sat at the royal table together with a somewhat higher rank and Horace at the knight's table. They both had a view of the other and occasionally shared a look. Which ended with a wide grin they quickly tried to hide in a napkin or a new bite of food.

Sometimes one of them was caught staring at the other by someone from their table. Both had come up with excuses to get out of it. The situations were laughable.

When they met in the hall they were very formal, but when the other was out of sight they had to laugh at themselves. They had to behave normally as possible, of course, and they've kept it up to now.

Cassandra hoped her punishment would be over soon, but when she remembered how angry her father had been ... it seemed hopeless. As she thought about that, she suddenly came up with a good idea!

Duncan was sitting at his large oak desk answering a report when he knocked on his office door.

"Come in!" He called

"Hi dad." Cassandra said as she opened the door. "I hope I don't disturb you."

Duncan looked up from his report. "Cassie. Of course not! I'm actually glad you bothered me ... I really need a break. "" He gestured to his daughter to sit down.

"Well ... that's what I wanted to talk about." She started cautiously. "I can actually use a break as well."

Duncan's eyebrow raised. ''How do you mean?''

"It's just kind of boring to be in my room all day. I've already read about every book that can be found here in a 6-mile radius. "" She carefully chose her words to make sure the conversation went the way she wanted.

"Yes ... you should have thought of that before disobeying me." He looked at her tightly.

"I know, I know. I just thought ... maybe I can go outside for an hour or two. "" Before her father could answer, she continued. "Outdoor air is good for a person. I can't stay in all day! "" She saw her father wrinkle between his eyebrows. He was contemplating. She just had to win him over.

"Cassie ... I can't do that. How do I know you won't run off like some hunter again? "

"Well ... then someone will come with me. Someone who can protect me and keep me from swinging my sling. "" She pretended to think deeply about a suitable candidate. "Horace, for example." She said as innocently as possible so as not to make it seem as if she had thought of it long ago.

She saw her father think for a moment.

"Please Dad?" She looked straight into his eyes.

''Okay then. For two hours! ''

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Cassandra got up from the chair she had been sitting on all the time and ran around the large desk.

She put her arms around her father's neck.

''You're welcome. And really take Horace with you!" He warned.

"Of course!" She said with a grin. Then she ran out of his office.

Duncan sat still for a moment in his chair. He sat back in thought. He was on to her. He was not crazy. Of course he had seen her look at him while eating. How big her grin was when she met him in the hallway. And the other way around he also saw Horace take a look at his daughter as inconspicuously as possible.

Horace and his daughter Cassandra ... he could get used to that.