Summary: Jamie makes a decision.

Ah yes, the fun fair. The Pastel Princesses, the Plaid Princes and Denim Princess had arrived, splitting up to go on their individual dates. That meant Jamie and Eugenia were alone together once again… which also meant more awkward silence.

Jamie sighed. Well, Gwen and Frederick had been pretty awkward at first, and they had turned things around. Perhaps the same could happen to him and Eugenia?

The two walked past a variety of carnival games. Eugenia had her eye on one about popping balloons to win prizes.

"That one looks fun, I guess," Jamie shrugged, as the two headed over.

The attendee grinned at Eugenia, handing her some darts. "Gonna win a prize for your girlfriend?"

"Well, I can try," Jamie said, picking up a dart. He threw it at the wall, narrowly missing a balloon.

"Close one, lil' lady," the attendee grinned. "How about your boyfriend havin' a go?"

"Huh?" Jamie asked. "But I just went…?"

Eugenia eyed the dart. She hit a big balloon.

"Not too shabby, man!" the attendee clapped. "Here!"

He handed her a plush llama. She shrugged, putting it over her shoulder.

The two then tried a basketball game. Eugenia, being the taller of the two, was easily able to score.

Jamie groaned, meekly tossing a ball. Eugenia whacked the airborne ball, getting into the hoop.

"Whoa, impressive," Jamie commented.

The attendee handed her a giant plush bear that was almost as big as Jamie. Eugenia carried it over her shoulders with the other toy.

After that was some apple bobbing. Jamie managed to get a bite out of every apple, whereas Eugenia only got a few. She gave Jamie an applause.

"Thanks," Jamie beamed, as the attendee handed him another giant plush.

The next game was searching for ducks. Jamie scanned over them, eyes narrowed.

"Try that one," he suggested, pointing at a green duck.

Eugenia lifted up the duck, winning the prize. She raised her brow at Jamie.

"Lucky guess," he shrugged.

Eugenia sighed, hauling another giant plush over her shoulder. She was covered in them, making it look like she herself was a plushie.

"Whoa, we won a lot of stuff," Jamie chuckled. "We make a good team!"

Eugenia nodded, blushing ever so slightly. She eyed the food stands; the two headed over, standing in line.

This isn't so bad, Jamie thought. It's been kinda fun, hanging out here.

Yet, the heaviness in his heart still remained. What was the true nature of the love he felt?

He sighed, biting into his churro. Eugenia sipped her milkshake, adjusting the pile of plushies. The two walked alongside each other, surrounded by silence once more. People eyed the two of them, watching Jamie's sparkles.

Eugenia was staring at Jamie's food, curiously.

"Oh," Jamie grinned. "Well, whoever made this is sick of fried foods, but can't stop eating them."

Eugenia stifled a laugh, before silence once again.

Jamie thought about what to say next, but his mind was empty. What else was there to say to someone who refused to speak?

The heaviness grew heavier. For a moment, Jamie wished he was just a giant plush toy; that way, he'd never have to worry about marriage or awkward conversation.

"… I can."

Jamie perked up. He stared at Eugenia.

"Huh?" he asked.

"I can talk," she said.

"Oh," Jamie frowned. "I… I'm sorry about asking before. I didn't mean to upset you. I just-"

"It's okay," Eugenia sighed. "I… I struggle. A lot."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Jamie patted her arm. "Take your time with it. I'm here to help."

Eugenia gasped, before she sighed, looking away.

"What you said to me," she said, "it's you too. Something is bothering you."

Jamie shrugged. "Well…"

"It's me," Eugenia clenched her fists.

"No, that's not true!" Jamie waved his hands. "It's just that…!"

His throat dried up. Eugenia sighed, turning away.

"You don't want this," she uttered.

Jamie shrugged. "Well, I…"

"It's okay," Eugenia looked off to the side.

"No, no, it's not you," Jamie told her. "It's…"

He grimaced. Why couldn't he say it? The truth stung.

"Hanging out with you is fun!" he got out.

"Fun," Eugenia agreed. "And?"

"And, um, it's been a great night," Jamie continued.

"But…?" Eugenia asked.

Jamie swallowed.

"Hello!"

Jamie breathed out in relief; he'd never been so thankful for his sister. Frederick was there as well, awkwardly beside Gwen.

Eugenia immediately returned to silence, turning the other cheek.

"Gwennie!" Jamie greeted. "Frederick! How's it going?"

"Wonderful," Gwen replied. "How about you two?"

"… that's a lot of plushies," Frederick observed.

Gwen stared up at Eugenia, who hid her face behind the giant plushies.

"It's been… great!" Jamie got out.

Sorry, Gwennie, I shouldn't lie like this, Jamie thought. But I don't want you to worry about me…

Gwen stared at her brother, tilting her head.

Jamie grimaced. I should've known she'd see through that.

"How about we do something fun?" he suggested, turning to Frederick. "Frederick, I could take you on the Tunnel of Love again!"

Frederick shuddered. "Uhh, no thanks…"

"Oh, how about some table tennis?" Jamie offered, leading the group over to a table tennis court.

And that was how the group got wrapped up in playing table tennis for several minutes.

"You're good at this, Eugenia!" Gwen gasped.

"I'm not," Frederick grumbled, gazing over his racket.

Jamie smiled up at Eugenia, who returned the beam. As he prepared to serve once again, Eugenia stopped him. She held the racket at a different angle.

"Oh…" Jamie's eyes widened. "I see…"

He adjusted his racket, narrowing his eyes. He got the ball; it went through Frederick's cowlick.

"Gee, thanks," Frederick grunted.

"Sorry," Jamie chuckled.

Eugenia herself stifled a laugh. Jamie was glad to see it; if only because it made him forget their previous conversation.

"I'm glad to see you two getting along!" Gwen clapped.

"Yeah," Jamie agreed, putting his hands in his pockets. Eugenia bit her lip.

And the dread came in once again. Jamie swallowed the pain. It was fine. It was fine.

No it wasn't.

"Hey, there's Lorena and Lance," Jamie spoke up, pointing elsewhere. "Eugenia and I are gonna say hi!"

He raced off, Eugenia trailing behind. Gwen and Frederick gazed at each other.

"Is your brother okay?" Frederick asked.

Gwen sighed. "I wish he would talk to me…"

"I came as soon as I saw your letter!"

Jamie gazed at Leopold running up the hill. He tilted his head, leaning against the palace walls.

"What's the emergency?" Leopold asked.

"Oh, it's not an emergency," Jamie waved his hands. "I just wanted to meet up for lunch."

Leopold made a face. "Your letter didn't make that fact very obvious."

"Where did you want to go?" Jamie dodged the remark.

"Preferably not somewhere far," Leopold snapped, "as I am exhausted from sprinting here out of concern for your so-called emergency."

"Little Miss Muffet's Buffet it is," Jamie decided.

And so, the two sat at a table at the buffet. Piles of food were in front of them; for Jamie, most of them were dessert, with a few hidden vegetables snuck in by Leopold.

"I heard you got engaged," Leopold remarked. "Interesting, since I recall that you said you didn't want to get married."

"I don't," Jamie replied.

"Then why are you going along with it?" Leopold asked.

"I dunno," Jamie shrugged. "Because I have to, I guess."

"Very enthusiastic," Leopold drawled. "I told you this before, but it especially applies to romance: doing something purely out of obligation never ends well."

"I know, but…" Jamie sighed. "I'm not sure, Leopold. I've never really been into dating and all that. I don't think anything's gonna work out for me when it comes to romance."

He laid his head on his hand, glumly eyeing his food.

"Don't say that, Jamie," Leopold spoke up. "You're only 16! There's plenty of time."

"I dunno…" Jamie pulled at his hair. "I'm already getting gray hairs…"

"Perhaps your diet is to blame," Leopold scowled. "Regardless, just because you haven't got into dating yet, that doesn't mean you never will. And you know what, even if you never get into it? That's also perfectly fine. Love is a twisted and complex beast, I don't think there is one 'right' way to go about it. As long as you feel happy and confident in yourself, that's all that matters."

Jamie stared at Leopold, brow raised.

"You sure know a lot about this stuff," he said.

"Well, I've had lots of time to think about it," Leopold admitted. "Painting is an intrusive process." He sipped some water. "It's just my take, after all. Perhaps I'm completely wrong… I'm young too."

"What do you think I should do?" Jamie asked.

"Talk to your fiancée," Leopold suggested.

"She seemed pretty upset last time I saw her," Jamie sighed. "If she's actually into me, I don't want to break her heart."

"Better one heartbreak than years of pain," Leopold pointed out.

"True, I guess," Jamie admitted. He grimaced. "But still, I…"

"If you need support, then talk to your sisters," Leopold said. "Perhaps they can help you deal with your father."

"I couldn't," Jamie shook his head. "My sisters have their own engagements to deal with! I don't want them to worry about me."

"You've done so much for them, Jamie," Leopold said. "You're their brother. They would do the same for you."

Jamie raised his brow, before smiling.

"I guess so…" He sighed. "Thanks, Leopold."

"Of course," Leopold replied. "Now that I've helped you with your love woes, how about I help you with your diet woes?"

"Look at the time," Jamie stood up. "I need to return to the palace."

"Jamie," Leopold stood up.

"Put the bill on my check!" Jamie waved, causing Leopold to holler curses.

Jamie sat on the bedroom floor, Gwen seated next to him. Lorena and Maria sat opposite, setting up a board game.

"Wasn't the carnival so fun?" Lorena gushed.

"Oh, yes," Maria giggled. "Blaine won so many carnival games… so romantic!"

"Lance ate like, 15, hot dogs," Lorena giggled. "So sexy!"

"It was a lot of fun," Gwen agreed.

"So true," Lorena nodded. "How'd you find it, Jamie?"

Jamie perked up. He stared at the board game in front of him.

"Um…" he coughed. "Yeah, it was great!"

He thought about what Leopold had told him. His throat dried up.

Gwen frowned. She offered Jamie some biscuits she'd made.

"Thanks," Jamie beamed, taking a few.

So lovely and warm… Jamie sighed, biting into the cookies. You always know how to make me feel better, Gwennie.

"I'm here if you need to talk about anything," Gwen reminded him.

"I know," Jamie put an arm around her shoulder. "I'm here for you too, Gwennie-pie."

"Let's go!" Lorena clapped, gesturing at the board game.

The siblings got their share of cards, ready to play.

"So, Jamie, how's it going with Eugenia?" Maria asked.

Jamie grimaced. "Well, it… it's, um…"

"Your sparkles!" Lorena whimpered.

Jamie gasped, noticing his lack of sparkles. He tried to force them to return, but they flickered and vanished.

"Jamie, what's wrong?" Maria asked, reaching out for her brother.

"I…" Jamie could feel his eyes burning. "Well, it's… it's not going how it should…"

He choked up, a tear slipping down his cheek. He covered his face.

"JAMIE!" His sisters surrounded him in a group hug, coddling him tightly.

"What did that Eugenia do to you?!" Maria demanded.

Lorena held up a fist. "Next time I see her, I'll-"

"It's not her!" Jamie cried out. "It's me! It's all me."

His sisters stared at him in surprise.

"I…" Jamie sighed. "The truth is, I don't want to get married… at least, not now."

"You don't?!" Lorena asked.

Jamie shook his head, turning his gaze away. "I know, I know, it's bad…"

Gwen squeezed his shoulder. "It's not bad, Jamie… you shouldn't have to be forced into it."

"Gwen's right," Maria sobbed. "Father insisted on it, didn't he?"

"He says I'm the crown prince or whatever, so…" Jamie respired, crossing his legs.

The sisters gazed at each other and nodded.

"We'll talk to Father," Maria stood up.

"Yeah!" Lorena agreed. "We'll tell him to lay off!"

"What if he doesn't listen?" Jamie asked. "I mean, I feel like I should go along with what he wants, but…"

"It's making you miserable, Jamie!" Maria cried. "I won't let this go on any longer."

"Don't worry," Gwen assured her brother. "I'm sure we can make him understand."

"We got this!" Lorena beamed from ear to ear.

Jamie blinked, before finally breaking into a smile of his own. It was nice, letting his sisters help him for a change. Just as he had their backs, they had his as well.

"Do you want me to talk to Eugenia for you as well?" Maria offered. "She needs to know the truth."

Jamie perked up. He grimaced. That's right, Eugenia…

He felt a bit at the bottom of his stomach. If Eugenia had actually fallen for him, he did not want to break her heart. But as Leopold had told him, one heartbreak was better than years of pain. And at the end of the day, it was his battle to end.

"Thanks but no thanks, Maria," he told his eldest sister. "I'll talk to her."

Princess Eugenia was waiting in the art gallery. She leaned against the marble walls, eyeing the portraits of her father and her brother.

She sighed. She wondered what Prince James wanted to talk to her about. She hoped it wasn't what she feared… it wouldn't be the first time.

Her brother had promised to take Jamie down if he broke her heart, but Eugenia wasn't a fan of needless violence. Not that Skinny himself was a particularly talented fighter anyway. Regardless, he could basically have almost any girl he wanted, and yet he couldn't make a choice. Well, at least he had the confidence to speak to people.

Eugenia was snapped out of her thoughts by a shimmer of sparkles. Jamie had arrived, his radiant aura catching the attention of everyone.

Jamie gave her a wave, walking over. Eugenia peered down at him, glitter getting on her denim jacket.

"Heya," Jamie said, his sparkles faltering.

"... your sparkles," Eugenia croaked. She'd always hated how croaky her voice was; her father said it was her own fault for being so quiet.

"Yeah," Jamie put his hands in his pockets. "Thanks for agreeing to meet up!"

He was smiling, but his eyes were pained.

Eugenia breathed out, slowly. Well, no point in beating around the bush.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Jamie swallowed. He and Eugenia walked together, passing some portraits.

"... I…" his voice was strained.

Eugenia kept staring at him. She hoped she wasn't being needlessly intimidating.

"I'm sorry," Jamie bowed, "but I don't want to get married."

Eugenia crossed her arms. "Of course."

"It's not because of you!" Jamie cried out. "It's… it's just in general, I don't want to get married. At least, not now, when I'm being forced into it."

Eugenia turned away.

"I'm sorry," Jamie repeated. "I really liked hanging out with you, honestly! But if we got married, it just wouldn't work out. I can't force myself to be happy."

Eugenia massaged her brow. "Yeah. I get it."

"I'm sure there's someone out there for you," Jamie assured her. "And we can keep on being friends, if you like!"

It might even make things less awkward, Jamie admitted.

"I get it," Eugenia uttered.

"Thanks for being understanding," Jamie told her. "I don't mean to upset you, but… I have to be honest. This isn't what I want."

There was pain, but… relief. Like the wound was finally being patched up.

"I get it," Eugenia choked out.

"I'm so sorry," Jamie insisted.

Eugenia sniffled. Jamie reached out, grabbing her arm.

"No one wants me," she uttered. "I get it."

"That's not true," Jamie assured her. "There's so many people out there."

"I'm not princess-y enough, am I," she deadpanned.

"You're fine," Jamie repeated. "You're only 18, right? There's still plenty of time." He smiled. "A friend told me that love is a twisted and complex beast. He said there isn't one 'right' way to go about it. As long as you feel happy and confident in yourself, that's all that matters."

Eugenia stared at him, before looking away, dejected.

"I'll keep an eye out," Jamie told her. "It'll be okay, Eugenia."

He still wants to help me, she thought. Is it pity, or because he really cares?

She sighed. Her heart was being torn apart.

"Okay," she decided, a tear rolling down her cheek. She felt just like the heartbroken sculpture, the dejected princess.

She let Jamie hug her, guilt still weighing down his features. But at last, his sparkles had returned.

"So, you did it?" Leopold asked.

"Yep," Jamie replied, gazing over the balcony. The guilt still weighed down his features.

The two watched the sunset; a mix of pink and orange.

"Good for you," Leopold chortled. "I'm glad you're taking at least some of my advice."

"Hey, well, the other day, I almost ate a carrot," Jamie replied.

"Almost," Leopold deadpanned.

"Getting there!" Jamie responded.

Leopold facepalmed. "What am I supposed to do with you, pink demon…"

Jamie smiled. "Looks like you'll be stuck with me for a long time."

Leopold groaned. "The nightmares never end."