Hello, dead fandom. Don't mind me; I'm just writing for a game I used to play, and rediscovered in my spare time.

It's mostly exploring Sabrina and Kiefer's interactions over the course of the game; what happens between the major events. You know like the Flower Expo, date at the forest concert and amusement park and of course the ball.

Sorry if some parts of this story move too fast, but it's because I was going for a certain word count. I wanted to be under 7,000 words. Whoops.

Also, I apologize for the god awful title. I'm terrible with those...

DISCLAIMER TIME – "Disclaimers were never charming."


( A Princess Debut fanfiction typed entirely by The Chosen Storyteller... )

Handle With Care


Sabrina didn't think the bar could be raised after coming home from school, discovering worlds existed within closets and she had a royal counterpart. That alone sounded like something she could only dream of. Actually, she'd probably written stories like that... A little less refined because it was back when she was a little kid, mind you. Still, for a normal girl like her craving excitement this was very weird. Still fun, though.

The bar reached its peak when she found out the runaway princess was supposed to dance, like... The fancy stuff. Professional. She could barely keep up with music in school, so this would be easy. Or shockingly difficult. More so the latter. She didn't mind learning, however; Tony was a nice instructor. That is... The magical talking rabbit who could also transform into a six foot humanoid. And yes, that was the same day Sabrina learned to stop asking questions. For a while, she spent her dancing lessons with Tony and though she could barely get through a waltz without stumbling he was very gentle when he corrected her. Dancing was difficult, but not impossible. She was actually learning something.

The setback to all of this, Sabrina thought, were constant encounters with some of the princes who'd yet to find a partner for the Ball. She could see why Vince and Cesar weren't so lucky in that regard; the former acted too childish, and the latter came on too strong. She didn't dislike either boy, rather she would be friends with them... If they just toned it down by a hundred.

There were also occasional encounters with Liam and Luciano. Neither boy interested her whether as a dance partner. Both boys actually contradicted each other: Liam was super nice, almost to the point of being boring. Luciano was cold, but had one of those mysterious and brooding auras.

Klaus was completely out of the question. Sabrina could admit to a small crush on him, most likely coming from the one she had on his counterpart back home. He and Cynthia looked cute together too, though. Yeah, he was taken already... A nail in the coffin.

"You must find a partner, Princess!" Kip would insist after a long day of dance practice. More like whine, if you asked Sabrina.

Apparently the princes were her only options. Sabrina once asked Kip why King Crown was seemingly pushing the idea of her getting close to royalty, but didn't wait for his answer. Realization set in a bit too late, but holy crap the Princess' own father was trying to set her up. She wanted to think leaving the choice of prince up to her was at least slightly generous, but no.

A dance contest came and went, and yet Sabrina had to partner. At the end of yet another day, she left for the castle but couldn't help but feel restless. She wasn't as tired as normal, despite the fact she'd just gone through both the waltz and rumba. Tony said she would pull or tear something if she put herself through too much physical activity, and a frantic Kip had to actually pull her out of practice hall when she looked her teacher right in the eye and told him she'd risk it.

Something about the realization of what this ball really was got under her skin. Sabrina left the practice hall at a hasty pace, not even going in the direction of the castle. Kip definitely took notice, suddenly appearing and floating around her as she traveled.

"Princess! I have an entire collection of concerns from King Crown!" Kip cried, not zapping a fat book of complaints out of nowhere, though Sabrina expected it.

"The king is my problem-"

"You can't talk about your father like that in public!"

Sabrina stopped suddenly, rolling her eyes as Kip gave her a scolding look. See, she could live in this magical world forever... But then she would always pull herself back when remembering authority figures still existed. She'd often seen "bad girls" at her school paint lewd pictures on windows and flood the toilets with school textbooks or something. She wasn't nearly bold enough to join those ranks, but ever since becoming a teenager her tolerance for it was barely hanging in there.

Kip pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat. "'Sabrina has been worrying me lately with unusually large requests for meals – could this be a health condition –, dressing casually in public, raising her voice around the castle, not looking for a dance partner and-"

"Wait, so 'Father' thinks not looking for a dance partner is in the same league as a health condition causing uncontrollable eating?" Sabrina cut in, genuinely shocked.

Kip's nod didn't help.

Sabrina continued walking again, being followed closely by Kip of course, brain overloaded. "Hey, I only talked to the real Princess for a moment or so and she didn't seem picture perfect poise herself." She groaned. "And if she's my age, aren't there laws about underage marriage?"

"As for marriage, most kingdoms in this area do enforce eighteen as the earliest age to marry."

"That's more a relief than you'll ever know!"

"However... When it comes to royalty, couples can be promised as early as childhood if both sets of parents agree. I can't be certain if that's still practiced here; King Crown obviously chose not to."

Sabrina suddenly felt both relief and sympathy at the real Princess. If she were standing in front of her, she'd probably just hug her to be honest.

Suddenly, Sabrina halted as she noticed what was really in front of her: the contest hall. Kip scolded her for getting ideas about snooping around, but Sabrina brushed it off as she entered anyhow. There weren't exactly patrolling guards, or anything like that. She remembered there was quite an impressive dance floor in there; perhaps she could get her steps right if she were able to concentrate only on placement of her feet.

Kip tried to tell her it was difficult to dance without music, but Sabrina was trying to prove him wrong by finding the song in her head. The Saints Go Marching In was the first to flow through her ears; she hadn't done much to learn the slow foxtrot but she didn't always need Tony to tell her where to step.

Eventually Kip disappeared to let her be at peace with the music in her mind, and she moved about the empty dance floor watching the bright colors of the decor flash by on the occasion she opened her eyes. She probably should have kept her eyes on her feet, but she feared losing the music.

Sabrina was aware of the teenage boy seated in the back, his nose in a book. She hadn't thought to call him out when she first walked in, because honestly Prince Kiefer tended to block out reality most of the time. He hadn't acknowledged her when she first walked in, either. He probably didn't care to know what she was doing. But even when Sabrina stumbled and had to catch herself from falling on her knees in his field of vision, she didn't feel foolish if he wasn't really paying attention.

After all, Kiefer's presence in the dance hall was just a one-time thing. It wouldn't trigger any new development, obviously.


The first time Sabrina encountered Kiefer he was doing his best to press himself into a corner, avoiding socialization with potential dance partners at all cost. He did a great job by wearing a disinterested expression and refusing to look up from his book. The two of them only spoke briefly, absolutely nothing worth remembering.

The second time Sabrina encountered Kiefer he seemed to be taking a stroll in Jive Park. Sabrina probably looked terrible, face flushed with panic at the thought of losing her magical tiara. Kiefer had no way of knowing why this was such a stressful experience... She thought he might roll his eyes, call her childish. He gave her what information he could about Isabel instead, and as they parted let the smallest smile grace his lips as he wished her good luck. She couldn't help being stunned for a moment, smiling herself as she realized he was capable of being nice.

The third time Sabrina encountered Kiefer, the flower expo was going strong and he was the only person who seemed totally at a loss among this beautiful garden. He didn't seem to know why she was spellbound, why anyone should care if what helped them breathe looked pleasing to the eye or not. She just told him that flowers have the ability to open one's heart. Idealistic? Yes. Did it give Kiefer something to think about? Yes. It was getting late, and Sabrina had no idea if people were allowed to stay this long but she let Kiefer wander a little more. After all, when she saw him observe a certain flower like it was from another world she couldn't help but think he was genuinely trying to understand.

The fourth time Sabrina encountered Kiefer would be the same day she finally found a dance partner. They would both come to the contest hall, one to dance and the other to find peace to read a book. At least... Kiefer would insist that's what he came for, even though Sabrina knew the truth. Sabrina didn't mind if he watched her dance; she thought he might let an opinion slip eventually.

Something must have triggered in Kiefer's logic-favoring brain. He finally came up to her and asked if dancing was fun. Admittedly, Sabrina was stunned again. He looked so curious. She finally beamed, telling him it was fun. This shook Kiefer's world, at least that's what it looked like as he just stood there in silence drumming his finger against his book and staring at her in contemplation.

Finally Sabrina had her dance partner, and she could enjoy dinner in peace. Seriously, the pressure was making it difficult to enjoy the meals at the castle; the cooks went all out despite the fact it was only her and the king eating. Oh, it was great to be able to devour their roasted chicken with the mouth-watering herb flavor- Ahem.

Sabrina decided to arrive for practice as early as possible now, thinking a person like Kiefer might complain if she wasn't punctual. Eight in the morning wasn't bad for her, right? She could do worse. Just in case he decided to roll his eyes about it, she brought along one of the accessories she really liked. The silk ribbons. The dress they transformed her uniform into had a more exotic design, and was surprisingly comfortable. Then again, she just liked not having to trip over a longer dress. She didn't know how she was expected to graduate to faster dances in a floor-length dress. Horrifying.

Today, Sabrina stepped into the dance hall quietly. She lingered behind the door for a moment, catching Kiefer across the room looking around as if trapped on an alien planet. She realized he'd only ever see her wear her uniform or the replica of the princess' dress. She tried to keep a grin off her face, just curious if he could truly be a regular teenage boy and gawk like all her male classmates ever.

Transformation sequence over, Sabrina looked down at her orange and red dress. It still had some layers to it, so of course nothing was going to show when she moved too fast.

"Good morning, Kiefer!" Sabrina called out, walking fast and waving cheerfully.

"Hm, you're surprisingly early-" Kiefer's reply ended in noticeable surprise as he turned to face her.

Sabrina, for the most part, wasn't trying to move in a way to draw attention to her different dress. Kiefer's eyes were just moving up and down as she held out her arms. She'd always been able to reach her arms out, and Tony caught on to the fact she was intending to waltz. It hadn't occurred to her a new partner might not know that.

There was a moment of awkwardness when Kiefer managed to just look at her face. If she didn't know better, she'd think question marks were forming in his eyes. She sighed, a bit discouraged by the confusion though it was her fault. She knew. Didn't want to admit it, though. But just as she prepared to explain her gestures-

"Princess Sabrina!" A new male voice cried, following the sound of a closing door. "What a coincidence to find you here-" He was cut off as he excitedly approached.

Cesar himself stopped short, expression going from lively to baffled as he obviously took notice of Kiefer.

Sabrina looked between the two boys, trying not to be nervous. She totally failed, though. She didn't know if she or they should say something first, but ultimately it was Cesar who broke the silence first.

Cesar managed to slap a smile back on his face, looking solely at Sabrina. "Here I thought I might have the chance to perform with you, Princess. Oh, but you haven't started yet... Have you?"

"We were just about to." Sabrina replied just a little too hurried. She stole a look at Kiefer, but he shrank into a nearby support column.

Cesar was not to be caught in an awkward moment; it wasn't his style. He flipped his hair back, confidently striding to Kiefer. Sabrina worried the lump in her throat might kill her. She could almost hear Kip in the back of her mind scolding her for not pulling Cesar aside and telling him to leave, but she knew it was like pulling teeth.

"We were about to start." Kiefer finally spoke up, looking at Cesar obviously annoyed. "If you want to watch, feel free. But we require some space."

"Oh, you'll have to excuse the intrusion then." Cesar let out an obviously forced laugh. "Princess Sabrina's partner hasn't been formally announced, so I thought she was still looking."

"She's not."

"Alright, alright... There's no need to be so territorial, Prince Kiefer."

Kiefer opened his mouth, shut it quickly and pressed himself further against the column. That was the end of his attempts at socialization; he refused to look up from his feet at that point.

That was Sabrina's chance, she realized. She caught Cesar's arm, looking up at him with as much of a heated glare as she could.

"Cesar, you're taking up the time we could be using to practice." Sabrina hissed, trying not to raise her voice as this high ceiling would certainly echo. "If you want to stay, go ahead. But please give us some room."

It was like flipping a switch. Cesar withdrew his arm, as if it had been just as attacked as his confidence. If Sabrina was exasperated with his presence, he must have really messed up. He was barely coherent with apologies at that point, rushing out of the building. Sabrina was willing to believe he hadn't just come here expecting to dance with her, but no girl seemed to be coming alone looking for him so... That answered that question.

There was still the matter of Kiefer. Sabrina approached him, arms behind her back as cute and innocent as she could. She even managed to smile, letting him know if he did steal a look at her face she was ready to dance.

"I apologize if I-"

"Don't."

Kiefer looked over her head at the door, sighing. "There are plenty of other potential dance partners."

Sabrina huffed, hands resting on her hips. "Okay, but I accepted your offer. I don't know what gave the impression I would rather be with Cesar, but he's just not the type of partner I've been looking for."

Kiefer was still very awkward, going from brushing at imaginary lint on his clothes to adjusting his apparently loose glasses. Sabrina cooled down, stepping around him to his side.

"Cesar knows how to sweet talk girls, and I'm sure he's a decent person. But I accepted your offer because I think you and I could teach other new things, Kiefer."

Kiefer gave her a contemplative look, but frankly Sabrina was tired of all this tension. She just reached out, took his hand and pulled him close enough for a waltz. The shock put his body in a ragdoll form for a moment, and she desperately stifled a laugh. Partly at his reaction, partly because she was aware how silly it must have looked for her to be dragging around this boy who towered over her.

Somehow their first waltz together had its moments of grace. Sabrina considered it a win.


Even alternate fantasy worlds had some variation of paparazzi, it seemed. The first person who discovered Sabrina's new partner was definitely Cesar, but she didn't believe him the type to gossip. Someone must have seen her and Kiefer regularly go to the practice hall with barely much delay considering the bookish prince was very punctual. Maybe more so than Sabrina could handle.

Sabrina tried her best to ignore the way groups of people would go quiet when she walked by, especially if Kiefer was with her. She and Kiefer didn't usually meet each other outside practice unless it was by accident. Samba Square was the worst in that regard.

One time they happened to run into each other in front of the accessory store. Sabrina hadn't thought of purchasing anything new lately, and as for Kiefer he told her he was on his way to pick up an order at the bakery nearby. This sparked a rumor they were on a date, which somehow mutated into wanting to run away together and Kiefer just finished ring shopping.

Sabrina wanted to scream, but Kiefer maintained a stoic expression.

They needed a break, so one day after dance Sabrina grabbed Kiefer's sleeve before he could do his well-practiced speed walk away. Every time they touched outside dance, well, Kiefer flinched as if some terrible static electricity zapped him. It was different from the kind described in the romance books Catherine used to force Sabrina to read; he looked unsure and a little spooked. Nevertheless, Sabrina took a risk by inviting him to Viennese Waltz Lake. She didn't think he would accept, but...

Viennese Waltz Lake's most exciting adventures were when Luciano was aimlessly wandering, believing he was at a beach. That was only one percent of the time. This was probably one of the most beautiful parts of the kingdom Sabrina had seen so far, and she wanted Kiefer to experience the beauty as well. He didn't say much as they arrived and climbed into a boat. Then again, he hadn't spoken much all day.

The boat cruised along crystal clear water and the scenery all around them was emerald green grass. Nevertheless, Sabrina was focused on Kiefer. When they were this close – which was rare unless performing certain dance moves – she could see how his eyes sparkled. He wasn't an emotional person, but there was light in there to let slip he wasn't dead inside.

"Do the rumors bother you?"

Ah. That wasn't a topic Sabrina wanted to linger on in this beautiful scenery... Screw it. She leaned backwards, stretching. There was more tension in her spine than she could admit.

"We can't be the only ones they gossip about!" Sabrina said more so to convince herself than him. "Look at Klaus and Cynthia – they're so cute together, but everyone has to harass them just because they're conventionally attractive! You can be conventionally attractive and not have secrets-"

"You're raising your voice."

"Is that a problem?"

"You only raise your voice to that extent when you're stressed."

Well, he wasn't wrong. Sabrina let her arms stretch out behind her, before she leaned over and dangled one into the water. Really, she was just trying to put together a reply that didn't sound too immature. She couldn't think of one. If she didn't keep the conversation going, Kiefer tended to leave it as is.

Today, however, Kiefer audibly sighed. The boat came to a stop in the center of the lake when he let go of the paddles. "I know I'm not an ideal dance partner. I didn't want this; I rebelled against my parents for the first time when they arranged for my travel to your kingdom. I locked myself in my room, wouldn't leave... Would sneak leftovers from the castle kitchen just to survive... It didn't work. Despite my objections, I don't want to make this stressful for you, Sabrina."

Sabrina couldn't help if a tiny smile forced its way onto her lips. She couldn't actually visualize Kiefer, of all people, rebelling. She imagined he wasn't actually that dramatic about it, though. He probably gave his parents a thorough recap of the dictionary before leaving the throne room in a huff.

When Sabrina looked back over at Kiefer, he was nowhere near as relaxed as she was. He was sitting up with perfect posture, hands folded in his lap. Nevertheless, as he realized their gazes met his expression softened just a bit. Just enough.

"When I stepped off the boat, I could not have imagined the kingdom's princess would become my partner. I didn't even think much of our very first encounter. Now I regret the image I've placed on myself so far; I hope I haven't convinced you I'm..." He trailed off, adjusting his glasses as if to cast a shadow over his reddening face. A for effort.

Sabrina couldn't be offended considering this wasn't truly her kingdom. She did wonder if the real princess would respond understandingly to his behavior, though hers were clear as the water they floated on.

"Kiefer, I don't regret asking you." She beamed as she stated it. "The other princes don't interest me the way you do, and I can't see me changing my mind before the Ball."

Kiefer officially met his quota of words for the day, it seemed. From then his answers were barely audible, and he couldn't look at her without his face flaring red again. He really wasn't the best with people, but Sabrina was pleased with what she believed to be progress today. If he could talk about his feelings so easily under certain conditions to more people, it wouldn't be so hard to understand why she'd chosen him for her partner.

She hoped he understood above all else. There was no way someone with smarts like that could be so oblivious.


The day of the ball was getting closer and closer, but Sabrina stopped glancing over her calendar unless an important social event requiring her attendance came up. The rumors between her and Kiefer faded away surprisingly quickly in favor of a new one which turned out to be true: Klaus and Cynthia broke up. Lauren and Brenda revealed restraint by not pestering Klaus when he was visibly down. Cynthia paired up with Liam. Cesar was still having trouble maintaining a partner, but no one could fault him for his optimism. Luciano left entirely to compete in a super exclusive dance competition.

Sabrina felt like her relationship with Kiefer was good, but she wanted to see him open up. She had several hints he wasn't the cold-hearted, logical type before. She was truly convinced on the day of the horse race when he let slip empathy for animals. Or at least horse abuse disgusted him.

Kiefer must have realized how much he gave away. In the next couple of days, he couldn't look her in the eye without cringing. She had complimented his concern for the horses, so it was possible that was still fresh in his mind. She didn't bring it up again, but would beam on the rare occasion she caught his gaze. Dance practice was less awkward; they could lose themselves in the song and had to keep track of where their body and feet positions. Dancing was becoming a lot more fluid, though. They were able to sync with each other once Kiefer stopped thinking and just listened.

Normally Kiefer's idea of after-practice relaxation was retiring to his inn room to return to his book. Which book? Sabrina couldn't keep up, but would guess a number and he let her know whether she was right or wrong. Today, however, Sabrina felt bold enough to latch on to his arm and bat her eyelashes while she asked if he'd like to take a walk on the beach. She didn't think she was very good at making it look flirty, nevertheless Kiefer's voice was nearly inaudible with a shy yes.

Sabrina realized she'd been acting differently around him, but couldn't lie to herself. If she was developing feelings for him, in Kiefer's words that was a "logical" turn of events. She still wasn't a hundred percent certain, but every little thing piled up until spending more time with him made her heart flutter. She would imagine him feeling similarly, but would be too stubborn to say it out of the blue.

Speaking of blue, Sabrina knew there were plenty of people who took books to the beach. She didn't understand those people, but she couldn't bash their choices. Still, if she had some kind of alternate universe swimsuit, she would be making a canonball into the waves. When they arrived, she made enthusiastic gestures to those waves as if to sell the idea to Kiefer. He let her ramble on, and she did because it made the corner of his lips curl just a bit. Nothing crazy, mind you.

Sabrina frolicked, and Kiefer stayed away from the water for the most part. She invited him to at least feel the waves around his ankles, but he stubbornly declined. Until she gave him the saddest puppy dog eyes she could muster, to which he called her out on blatant emotional manipulation... But he did give in and remove his shoes.

"At least try something before you write it off!" Sabrina shouted above the sound of the waves.

"You're going to be the death of me." Kiefer told her with a much less consistent monotone, approaching the sandy edge.

Sabrina was tempted to take his wrists and pull him over. But just in case he didn't know how to swim, she didn't. She watched as he made deliberate steps into the water, but once his eyes lifted from his feet and to her eyes his expression quickly went adorably confused.

And yes, she thought he had some adorable moments. She smiled full force, spinning on one foot like she was prepared to dance right there. He was too smart to follow her lead, but he did experimentally drag his toes through the gentler waves.

"Do you feel anything?" Sabrina asked hopefully.

"Obviously the water feels as it should. Um... It's warmer than I would have anticipated, however." Kiefer cast a look to the beach, almost as if an invisible crowd were gawking as he spoke. "Is there more to it?"

"Mmm, I've seen couples splash and chase each other. Frolicking, I guess."

"Frolicking..." Kiefer had to pronounce the word slowly, clearly never having used it before.

"It's not that bad, is it?"

Kiefer looked back to her, and if Sabrina didn't know better she'd swear his expression was a pout. "It is mildly enjoyable. However, unless the water is a certain temperature it won't have the relaxing properties such as a foot soak or bath-"

"Kiefer."

"Sabrina..."

She rested her hands on her hips, looking up at him with a pout. If he could do it, so could she. All she wanted was a simple answer, but they never came easy.

Kiefer adjusted his glasses sheepishly, though his face went back to neutral. "I didn't claim to hate it."

Sabrina couldn't help but smile at him after this, finding it uncontrollable as she noticed his eyes softening. She decided to come closer, take a risk by grabbing his sleeve.

Kiefer didn't pull back or otherwise give a hint he was uncomfortable. Actually, he followed her as she walked down the edge of the beach. He even picked up the pace when she started running, his fascinated musings mostly incoherent to Sabrina as the cool breeze was loud in her ears.

Sabrina would show him how to frolic even if it took... At least until sunset.


Foxtrot Forest was absolutely beautiful. There. Sabrina knew it the day she and Kiefer attended that one concert. Apparently the animals who put together the concert were so swayed by Kiefer's inner kindness that they didn't mind if they chose their home to be their new practice spot. The fact that Kiefer could entrance like that didn't make Sabrina bat an eye; she'd already gotten enough hints of his heart of gold covered up by thorns.

The forest must have left an impression on Kiefer, too. When they finished dancing for the day, he turned the tables and invited her to take a stroll and view the wild plants. The memories of that flower expo weren't that distant, but Sabrina was happy to note studying one of the flowers on show did a world of good for him. When he would talk about the Nezzie Empire, nature never came up. It was possible development had been made over the greenery. Then she had another theory, this one she thought more likely, that Kiefer simply hadn't spent much free time outdoors.

They experimented with which dances they were most in sync, and though Sabrina enjoyed the faster movements she quickly found that she wouldn't be able to master the dance she wanted before the ball. She would have liked to slam that tiara on her head and become a pink blur in a Viennese waltz... Kiefer would insist that, logically, she couldn't possibly learn to do so in a week. They could try regardless, but he didn't want anyone to get critically injured... Whether it be her, other dancers or the crowd of spectators.

As they walked and talked, Sabrina would occasionally be distracted by how close they were. Sometimes she used breaks in conversation to silently enjoy being able to slip her arm around his. He'd initially tensed when she'd done this, but they never discussed if it was okay. Eventually Kiefer would leave his arm in a position she could take, so she did. That tension eased. Sabrina didn't know if his thoughts drifted to the dreamy side like hers, but she knew that she was very content to feel his warmth.

She wanted to do more romantic things with him: hold hands, maybe even kiss for just a moment. If she was falling for him, she wasn't going to waste time denying it. But she would wait for the day Kiefer gave her a sign the time was right.


The amusement park date hadn't gone entirely as Sabrina would have thought. Kiefer turned out to have problems with the rides, and she was frustrated with him for waiting so long to tell her... But seeing him sick and shaking, she couldn't be frustrated or even a little mad. She just held his hand and told him gently he didn't have to do things that made him uncomfortable for her. When she invited him to try some new activity, she kept urging him because she thought he would benefit from it.

Everyone was sort of to blame, then. Sabrina realized she could give him the wrong idea by being so insistent, and Kiefer realized he didn't have to pursue activities that made him nearly lose his lunch like today.

While there was still some light out they stood in the castle garden. Typically there was a guard in that area, but he must have taken his break for dinner. In that case, Sabrina gladly kept her fingers interlocked with Kiefer's even as they found a bench surrounded by the collection of plants. Sabrina tried to make small talk about the food at the amusement park, having gone too far to correct her mistake after Kiefer's previous sickness. What wasn't sickening? Vegetables? She liked them smothered in BBQ sauce and grilled, personally.

Suddenly Kiefer spoke her name in a wistful tone, cutting right through her one-sided conversation. He used his other hand to lie on top of her knuckles and squeeze them as if about to be a messenger for someone's death. It wasn't that bad, though. Nevertheless...

"What do you think will happen after the ball?" Kiefer asked with that same tone.

The fact he didn't try to cover up his emotional state made Sabrina realize this was a serious topic. She'd never made any assumptions about what would happen to their relationship when this was over. Because the most likely one was that he would return to his kingdom, and she to her home world. He'd believe a lie, never finding out which girl he actually opened up to. When Sabrina thought of it like that, the fact this was all based on a lie made her chest tighten with a mix of sadness and shame.

Mostly shame. She could have trusted him to keep her secret about not being the princess. She didn't have to continue letting that narrative fly. If Kiefer and Princess Sabrina ever met, the damage would make for the most unnecessarily awkward conversation.

When Sabrina stole a look at Kiefer, she wasn't surprised to see him forcing his eyes to the floor. He was going to try something new, and this time Sabrina didn't know if she wanted to hear it.

She wanted to hear him say he knew she was faking her identity all along, rather. It would sting to have him call out her lying, but also relieve her. She braced herself and listened.

"I've read many novel summaries ever since I gained the ability." Kiefer said, struggling to keep his voice normal and clear. "Sometimes these summaries call out romantic interaction. Even as a child I was embarrassed by nonsensical fairytales with references to romance. So it's not easy for me to tell if I can feel what those characters have."

Their hands were still interlocked; that couldn't be stressed enough. If Sabrina didn't drown his in her own sweat before the end of this garden talk-

"Now I'm much more aware of my own feelings." Kiefer punctuated that by lifting his head, letting a very small but downright adorable smile show itself.

Sabrina was staring. She knew she looked ridiculous, but his smile...

"So you... Want to confess a crush?" Sabrina asked, throat uncomfortably dry and face blazing.

"I don't want you to wake up tomorrow and assume you haven't left an impact on me." Kiefer replied. He took his hand off hers to rest lay it on her cheek.

Sabrina could see this conversation taking two routes: one with her admitting to have a crush on him, the other her confessing her real identity. Logic would dictate the latter was best, but her stupid heart was racing at the idea his fancier words meant he shared her feelings. Perhaps she would be immature for taking the former option, especially considering they were never going to see each other again and she'd probably get over it within a week... Two weeks tops. Ugh, she didn't know what to do.

"Am I doing this right?" Kiefer asked sheepishly, still cupping her cheek.

Ah yes, physical contact and proximity were classic princely actions. Kiefer, on the other hand, looked much nervous than her in the mere seconds he didn't receive feedback.

Sabrina's words were stalled as she was in an inner war over which way to steer this. She needed some kind of distraction, otherwise her heart was going to burst and take her out of trouble completely.

"YOU TWO ARE SO HOPLEESS!" A female voice shrieked nearby. "KISS ALREADY!"

It was such a dumb cliché that Sabrina wasn't even annoyed by the interruption. Actually, it was probably a miracle. She did her best to fake a pout, hurriedly separating from Kiefer as he did this same with genuine awkwardness.

A girl's head popped up above what were probably finicky bushes to grow. She jumped out from behind the plants, pink pigtails and purple dress sporting leaves. But her furious eyes drew the most attention.

"Isabel, what are you doing here?" Sabrina asked, half curious and half grateful.

Isabel sighed as if she had the most exhausting day. "Look, I was already at the amusement park when I saw you two. I thought you'd be able to have a romantic idea, kiss and the like. Instead, you didn't look like you were on a date at all! And I know I probably sound forceful, but I don't care because I want you guys to do everything you need to before the partnership ends!"

If Kiefer weren't so caught off guard by Isabel's appearance, he definitely would have lectured her. Instead he kept his eyes averted, the courage he managed to work up earlier depleted. This gave Isabel a chance to go on, though unintentionally making it tense.

"You obviously really care about each other, so make it happen!" Isabel said enthusiastically, clapping once. "Who knows if you'll get another chance-"

"Actually, it's getting late." Kiefer said in a rush, standing and trying his best not to look anyone in the eye. "The sun has almost completely set, and I know my guards will form a search party should I not return."

"Hey, you don't have to-" Sabrina cut herself off in surprise as Kiefer reached for hand and squeezed it. He was trying to communicate something, so she returned in only slight understanding.

Sabrina wondered for the rest of the night what he was trying to say. It could have been goodbye for the night, or good luck for the ball. She preferred to think it was him expressing sweeter feelings for her. The idea of a kiss must have been too much for him, and once he made his hasty retreat Isabel gained enough awareness to apologize for "ruining the moment". But Sabrina wasn't mad or even annoyed.

Isabel was harsh, and she always would be even after gaining friends. She just wanted to see Sabrina live the ancient love story of a prince and princess. Especially considering they shared the secret she was but a normal student back home. Best live while you're young.

"Are you sure there's going to be enough time to confess after the ball?" Isabel asked, squeezing Sabrina's shoulder.

"I don't care if I have to board the boat myself." Sabrina replied with determination, feeling herself smile. "I'll use what princess influence I have left to make it stay in 'my' kingdom's water."

"That could make a good scene." Isabel said, the gears in her brain clearly turning. "It'll be, what, late in the night by then? Stars are gonna be out, you'll have the harbor all to yourselves and no one else will ever have to know about the princess swap."

"Isabel, I'll need you cheering from the sidelines tomorrow."

"As if I wouldn't force myself into a formal event, Sabrina."

The girls gave each other a fond look, shared a brief hug for the first time and backed away like the other was made of fire composing themselves as the guard walked by glaring at Isabel. He probably remembered the tiara theft and her trying to claim the princess as an imposter.

Sabrina didn't know what would go down tomorrow, but she was ready. She hadn't committed to learning how to dance for nothing.


"Sabrina!"

Sabrina, who had been walking out of the castle arms linked with Kiefer looked over her shoulder. She barely had a moment to open her mouth before a speedy Isabel ran up to them huffing and puffing. She had to spin around, reach out her arms to catch Isabel because she actually tripped before she could stop.

"Is it true?!" Isabel croaked, looking up at Sabrina eyes brimming with tears. "You're staying in this world, but you won't live here?!"

"The Nezzie Empire sounds interesting, Isabel. I might be moving, but that doesn't mean I can't come back to visit." Sabrina said soothingly, gripping her shoulders to keep her from collapsing.

Isabel looked up at her in contemplation for a moment, whipped her head to a speechless Kiefer and took a moment to breathe and try to dry her eyes before she could let weakling tears fall. Or so she would probably call them.

"If Kiefer promises to treat you right even if you guys actually marry someday, MAYBE I won't be sad." Isabel's eyes landed on Kiefer fiercely by the end. "Promise!"

"We're not old enough to marry." Kiefer reminded her calmly.

"You gave her the accessory that made this..." Isabel pulled back to look over the dark blue dress and pale blue ribbons the star pendant provided. "You also gave her a ring, didn't you? It might not be official, but you're a confirmed couple now and marriage is the only-"

"Sabrina can give the ring back anytime if the relationship deteriorates." Kiefer explained. "I do care about her, however, and I hope life is kind to us."

"And I care about Kiefer." Sabrina cut in, smiling and sounding a hundred percent certain. "We're still a team, and if that carries over into marriage someday that would be cool. Right now we're just going to take it slow. I will be back, though. I won't forget you."

They all probably looked ridiculous hovering around each other in the middle of the night, especially with the sea of spectators currently walking around them to go home. The ball was over. It was time for a new chapter for the half royal couple.

Isabel finally stopped sniffling and choking. She stood up straight, releasing the sides of Sabrina's dress and somehow not ripping them open in the process. In the end, her throat was probably too raw to go into a deep speech about friendship, so she just pat Sabrina on the back and gave a dramatic nod to Kiefer.

The boat to the Nezzie Empire was waiting, Kiefer eventually reminded everyone. He reached for Sabrina's hand and she happily took it. Isabel watched them until they were gone, and Sabrina looked behind her only once to see Princess Sabrina leaning out of her bedroom window waving.

In the end, both versions of Sabrina took turns visiting the less magical world so Mom and Dad and Catherine wouldn't assume their Sabrina had gone missing or died. It turns out there was another wardrobe in the castle that connected to that one, and Kip insisted Sabrina take it with her during an annual visit to the Flower Kingdom. There was probably a deeper story behind that, one that wasn't pursued to allow some mystery.

Sabrina and Kiefer did end up staying together, spending their days in surprising peace going through the famous libraries and taking care of the castle garden. Kiefer had become very invested in plants, taking his time tending to even the most finicky ones. Eventually the day came Kiefer and Sabrina were eighteen, still together and gossip flared up. Would they marry? Would this be the first time someone of royal blood married a commoner? It would be two years of division among the people.

It was a cool, winter day when Kiefer and Sabrina did marry with the impressive greenhouse in the castle garden they managed to build over the years. The wedding was more extravagant than either truly wanted, but Kiefer's parents insisted they had been resigned to never getting to do this they weren't going to let expense thwart them. So in the end, Sabrina did get to live that fairytale she probably should have been growing out of all those years ago.

It had been some time since Kiefer and Sabrina danced for an audience. But no wedding's complete without everyone gawking at the newlyweds, so once again they went with the classic waltz.

Of course, as all fairytales go...

To say they lived happily ever after would be idealistic

But it doesn't hurt to stop being logical at times

Fin.