PROLOGUE


"Princess Mercedes, I am in love with you. I can not just stand idly by, grin, and bear it while you marry Lord Tinsley." The man who had grown considerably in the past month was stressed. He stared deep into those honey-brown orbs and tried to understand what she was thinking. It could have been confusion and frustration, but he was sure that he saw that she loved him, too. More than she was willing to admit in her nightwear, free from any makeup. However, he had never seen her look more beautiful than right now.

"And you tell me this now. Sam, I am set to marry him tomorrow. I went through the entire courting season seeking out a marriage with him. You have fancied many women, including Lady Rose and Lady Berry."

"But they are not you. I was trying to rid myself of you, but I simply can not. I am in love with you, and I know you feel it too. I refuse to live without you. When I am not around you, I am suffocating constantly. Looking for you at the royal gatherings is the only thing that forces me to get ready. Being around you feels like I am richer than the monarchy. I refuse to let you do this. You can not marry him."


ONE MONTH EARLIER


"Mercedes dear, it is time to get ready. I need you to make haste." Queen Cecily announced as she walked into her daughter's room. Mercedes was sitting at her window seal reading deeply about a romance novel that her dearest friend, Duke Samuel Evans, had purchased her from his latest trip to Spain. She knew she should have put the book down, but she was far too invested to put it down, especially due to these asinine circumstances.

Princess Mercedes was now eighteen years old, and it was time for her to seek out a marriage. While her mother, Queen Cecily, was more than excited to see her daughter blossom into a lovely wife. Mercedes was very much content in staying locked away in the Jonesham Palace, where she had her books, not to mention the endless knowledge that she could afford, due to her father, King William, only giving her the best tutors.

"What do you think, sweetie? How about a pretty pink dress for tonight's ball?" Queen Cecily suggested.

"Mother, don't you think that I should choose the dress? Considering that this will be my first time being paraded amongst the elite."

Queen Cecily walked towards her daughter and slid the book from her hands. Mercedes looked up at her mother and softened at the smile her mother was giving her.

"Mercedes, you are my only daughter and my youngest child. You have three older brothers who are off running their half of the Kingdom and doing a remarkable job of it. Now it is time for you to do the same, my dearest." Cecily spoke gently. Mercedes stood and walked over to her large closet with her mother in tow.

"I know, Mother, and I know being a spinster is not in the question either, but I was hoping that becoming married would not ever ruin my chances of being my own person."

"Trust me, darling, they won't. Now I am sending Joanne up with your breakfast, the seamstress will be in tow so that you can prepare for tonight. Please, darling, if not for me, do it for the monarchy." With those words, Queen Cecily left the bedroom, leaving Mercedes alone in her bedroom.

"Everything we do is for the greater good of the monarchy. God save the Kingdom of Hearlmite." Mercedes sighed.


"And then I headed to France before stopping at Spain. Which is how I was able to acquire some gifts for the family." Sam proudly announced to his younger siblings, Stevie and Stacey, and his parents Margaret and Harry. Grand Duke Harry loved his son, and while he was proud of his son for conquering ventures in the summer, his mother, Grand Duchess Margaret, was not proud of her son spending all of his time on the sea. He needed to get married soon he was nearing the age of nineteen, and still, he refused to settle down and have a family. However, she did know that she could never tear him away from his adventures.

"Well, son, I must thank you for the gifts. Will we be seeing you at the Palace's Ball this evening?" Margaret asked.

"Now, mother, you know I never attend those things. Besides, I thought I might start unpacking from my travels." Sam explained.

Grand Duke Harry spoke, "Well, then more fun for me and the kiddos then. Did you know that Mercedes is being introduced to the courting season this year around?"

"She hadn't told me about that."

"Well, she is eighteen, after all, Sam. It is time for her to put herself on the marriage market. Perhaps she finds her true love, and then she will be the last one of the Jones family to be married. Once that is complete she will be ruling over whatever land that the King gives. Hopefully, though, she has someone at her side that she trusts, and moreso someone that she loves." Harry explained with a small grin attached to his lips.

"Stevie and Stacey, start getting ready for tonight. We need to be haste if we want to be there on time." Margaret spoke.

Without thinking, Sam says, "You know what? It would be nice to see everyone again. There are some lads I haven't seen since my travels."

"Then make some haste, son." Harry encouraged.


Princess Mercedes had decided on a dark blue dress. It was elegant and regal. It came down to her feet and had lace trimmings attached to it to give the tasteful illusion that there was more to be desired. She decided that her hair needed to be placed in a regal bun with tendrils of hair framing her face. Lastly, she decided on a pair of matching blue flats and diamond earrings with a matching necklace for shoes and jewelry. When she looked in the mirror, she felt beautiful. She felt like the beauty that she read in her romance novels. Now, it was just a matter of figuring out if she could find love like the characters in her romance novels.

She walked down the grand steps to meet her family in the grand living room, where she found her parents and her older brothers. Prince Henry, Prince William The Second, and Prince Simon. Each of her brothers was graced with the presence of their wives, Princesses Sydney, Lilly, and Henrietta. Each of the couples had matching outfits. While her brother Henry had decided on a muted green suit, his wife Sydney agreed on a dress with the same color. Then there was Will Two matching his wife Lilly with yellow. Lastly, to round out the bunch, Simon was matching with Henrietta with a muted pink. Then she saw her parents, her mother wearing a grand ball gown that was hand stitched in India with a very regal color of purple, and her father with a matching suit. All eyes stopped on Mercedes when she was fully inside the room.

"Baby sister, you look amazing," Simon announced first.

"You are going to be the very Belle of the Ball." Will Two insisted.

"And I will gladly fight off suitors that you may encounter." Henry insisted.

"Ah, don't be that way, Henry. Mercedes is going to be amazing." Sydney reprimanded.

"You are marvelous, darling. Alright, let's go. We can't be late to our very own ball." King William announced. With their security in tow, the Royal Jones made their way to the Grand Ballroom on the other side of the kingdom. When they finally arrived, The King and Queen entered first, and then their married sons and their wives. Finally, Mercedes went last. Every single eye was on her, she saw the murmors, but moreso the proud eyes. It was no secret that Mercedes preferred indoors to being around people. She only went to Royal engagements when it pertained to helping the lower class, but she never went to any of the Grand Balls willingly. She simply found them loud and unnecessary. On top of that, her friend Duke Sam never went either, so she would sometimes sneak to his mansion, or sometimes he would come to the palace. They'd talk about their dreams and experiences and what they would do in another country.

As she walked down the staircase, everyone bowed at her as she made her way across the room to her friend, Lady Santana Lopez. Santana had been her friend since they were in school together. In fact, she was Mercedes's only friend who was not trying to use Mercedes for her status and power.

"You look dazzling," Santana told her friend as everyone went back to their activities.

"As do you. I love red for you." Mercedes answered earnestly. It was no secret that the only Lady in the high society who could pull off red was, in fact, Santana. She always tiptoed on the boundaries of tasteful and slight indency. However, no one would ever tell her anything because they were simply afraid of her.

"I know. Lovely men here are looking for your hand tonight. However, are you going to manage?" Santana asked.

"I will simply always be close to her," Sam announced as he presented both of the women with glasses full of expensive Italian wine.

"Oh, look at this Duke Samuel Evans gracing us with his presence at one of these ball. I never thought that I would see the day." Santana joked as she hugged her friend and took the glass from him.

"Well, I have only been back since yesterday, but I thought I could make an appearance. Especially since Princess Mercedes is now the market for a hand in marriage." Sam smirked as he looked at his longtime best friend.

"Are you going to be there to push them away?" Mercedes joked as she took a sip of the sweet wine.

"I'm only going to be here to advise you. For instance, Viscount Finn Hudson is never a good option. He is known to be at the specialty clubs for more than just a few drinks. Marquis Michael James isn't a good fit because he has been rumored to have numerous ladies pregnant. Then Lord James Brickenson is known to be a very smelly individual." Sam explained, causing both of the ladies to laugh.

Santana looked around and nodded her head to another fellow, "What about him? Does he smell or have some secret illegitimate baby?"

Sam looked in the direction, "Ah, Lord Tinsley. A very prominent horse rider, his father left him a grand inheritance. I never see him at any of the bars or in the brothels. He has a squeaky clean record."

"And he is coming over to talk to Mercedes," Santana whispered. Santana grabbed Sam and squeezed Mercedes's shoulder before her, and Sam left her with Shane.


Shane bowed in front of Mercedes before taking her hand and placing a kiss on it, "Princess Mercedes. I am Lord Shane Tinsley. You look quite stunning tonight."

Mercedes blushed under the compliment, "Well, thank you, Lord Tinsely, you look equally as lovely. I do hope you are enjoying my parent's ball."

"I am. However, I think I might enjoy it more if you cared to offer me a dance before the night ends." Shane grinned as he held out his hand. Graciously, Mercedes accepted it.

"Why not? This is a Ball, after all." Mercedes smiled. Gracefully, they went to the dance floor and joined in the slow waltz that everyone else was participating in.


"Do you think Mercedes will only have one go at the Marriage Market?" Santana asked Sam as they both kept an eye on their friend.

"I don't see why not. She is the beautiful Princess Mercedes Jones. They'd be fools to not marry her." Sam answered.

"Just like you are." Santana whispered lowly, "Are you ever going to tell her that you are deeply in love with her?"

"Are you ever going to tell, Lady Fabray? This questioning goes both ways, you know." Sam replied.

"And risk being beheaded because someone found out that Lord Silas Lopez's only child and only daughter would be not only a spinster but also a spinster who loves women. Are you mad?" Santana questioned.

"It was just a question," Sam whispered back.

"Mhm, well, when you are somewhere crying in your home because you missed out on a good woman, don't come crying to me."


After her dance with Shane, Mercedes found herself swarmed with many new prospects trying to put their bid in for her hand in marriage. However, she was able to graciously let them know that she was willing to speak with them all at another entity. For tonight, she just wished to get through the rest of the ball and hopefully spend time with Sam before he left.

"Are you enjoying the ball?" Will Two asked her.

"It is quite something. I can't believe you all met your wives from just one party." Mercedes answered.

Will Two smiled at her, "Well, it was certainly a pleasant yet crazy experience. Hopefully, though, my dear sister, it only takes one season for you to find your other."

"And the event I don't?"

"Don't think like that. You will find love. When you least expect it, of course."


Sam had grown tired of the Ball, and once he was sure that Lady Santana and Lady Fabray were safely tucked away in hiding, he bided his friends a goodnight. As he walked outside so that his carriage was retrieved he found Mercedes staring out at the night sky. He took his coat and placed it on his friend.

"How did you manage to sneak out?" Sam jokingly asked.

Mercedes chuckled as she pulled the coat on tighter, "In the midst of one of the dances, and when Santana finally slipped away."

"Good minds do think alike. Did you like Shane?"

"He is interesting, I guess. I don't know. A bit too early to say for sure. Are you leaving already?"

"I am," Sam replied as his carriage pulled to the front, "I bid you goodnight, Princess Mercedes."

"A goodnight to you as well, Duke Samuel." Mercedes smiled as she watched her friend get in the carriage and drive off. Once his carriage was out of his sight, it was then that she realized she had kept his coat. Not wanting to give it back this late in the night, she figured she would give it to him tomorrow morning.


Sam had arrived back at his home and headed straight for his bed. He lay there looking up at the ceiling. He knew he loved Mercedes. However, he was afraid that all she saw him in was just a friend. A good male mate that she could come to for advice when she didn't want to disclose it with her brothers. He never confided in her his true feelings because he was willing to onlf have half of what he wanted from Mercedes. Even if that meant him never finding true love, because his true love was living in a palace, set to marry and fall in by the end of the month. Was that something he was ok with? Or was it something that he was settling for?