Karalina looked up as Frederick walked into the study unexpectedly. He had left early this morning to attend his Mother, and she had stayed to finish a final bit of paperwork. Now, he walked to his favourite couch by the fireplace and slumped down without even seeing her at all.

"Your Highness," Karalina ventured, worried for the Prince. She stood from the desk and stepped forward.

Frederick looked up and met her eyes and his expression made her even more concerned than before, not just for the Prince, but also for what she felt inside.

When he didn't speak, she tried again, taking another step toward him as she did.

"Prince Frederick?"

There was another long pause, and Karalina thought he wouldn't reply at all.

"Lina," he stated suddenly, "my Mother has arranged a marriage for me."

Cold washed through Lina but she fought it and her training as a Princess took hold.

"Congratulations, your Highness," she replied quietly.

"I have no wish to take a bride," Frederick confessed. "But my mother assures me that the Princess of the neighbouring Kingdom is willing to wait."

Thoughts spun through Karalina's head. The Princess of the neighbouring Kingdom? Surely that would be her! Could she have misheard the Prince?

"Lina," Frederick interrupted her thoughts, "I have no wish to marry this Princess."

Why is he telling me this? Karalina thought to herself, but the Prince continued before she could say anything.

"No matter how large her kingdom is, or how long she wishes to wait, I can't marry her," Frederick had stood and turned to face Karalina. Suddenly he dropped to his knees before her. "I can't marry this Princess because I love you." He took her hands and continued as if in a trance. "I know this must be unexpected and completely improper, but I find myself incapable of anything else." He looked into her startled green eyes. "You are everything I could want in a wife,"

"Your Highness!" Karalina finally interrupted before he could continue. "Please, stop this nonsense. You are a Prince- "

"I know," Frederick cut her off, "I know, and you are but a maid, but I cannot help the way I feel. I will write an apology to Princess Karalina myself, but I simply cannot marry her while I love you, Lina."

Suddenly everything was confirmed in Karalina's mind. Somehow her parents must have arranged this marriage even though she had disappeared. They had told the Queen that she would wait before she would marry because she wasn't even there. Oh the cunning! Karalina thought of her parents.

And here she was, with Frederick in front of her swearing he wouldn't marry her, because he loved her. It was all too confusing and helpless at the same time. All Karalina could do was laugh.

"Lina?" Frederick asked cautiously, concerned by her unexpected reaction.

"Oh your Highness," Karalina gasped for breath in between laughs. "Please forgive me."

Karalina freed her hands from Fredericks grasp and motioned for him to sit on the couch. Then she took a deep breath and sat on the other.

"Prince Frederick," she began, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes as she composed herself. "Please forgive my behaviour. Your unexpected confession, I have to admit, has caught me off guard."

"Oh Lina," Frederick began, but Karalina held her hand out to him.

"Please let me finish," she asked. "You have said that you are betrothed to the Princess Karalina of the next kingdom,"

Frederick nodded and Karalina continued.

"This would be a powerful alliance for you to make," she stated, "I think you should at least meet this Princess, even just once, to see how you would like her."

"But Lina," Frederick protested, "have you not heard? My feelings for you are such that- "

"No Highness," Karalina interrupted the Prince, "think about your kingdom. What would people think if you were to marry a maid? A Prince should marry a Princess, it's as simple as that."

There was silence as Frederick considered this. Karalina hoped that Frederick didn't think she was offended at his proposal or that she wanted to reject it, but the situation was too absurd to even try to explain.

"Lina," Frederick finally began, looking out the windows that framed the fire place, "you have always given me the most trust worthy advice with regard to my kingdom. You are right that this would be a powerful alliance to make."

Karalina swallowed as Frederick turned to look at her, his coal black eyes filled with love.

"I will listen to your advice," he continued, "and meet this Princess. But I love you, and should I find the Princess unworthy to be my wife, I want you to promise me something."

Karalina nodded slowly. How could I refuse him anything? She wondered as she gazed deeply into his eyes.

"When I return," he stated, "if you should feel the same as I, will you consent to be my wife?"

"Of course," Karalina whispered, "how could I feel any other way?"

So it was, that Prince Frederick found himself preparing for his trip to the neighbouring kingdom and Karalina found herself making the same preparations.