Chapter Three
Frederic
“What doyou mean youlosther?” I glare at Tommaso, my private secretary, my hands on my hips.
He shifts nervously in his polished shoes. “I…err…I mean, I left the princess in the Blue Drawing Room to inform your parents that she’d arrived, and when I went back, she was… well, she was simply gone.”
“Did you look for her?”
“I did, sir. I searched the Red Salon, the StateRoom, all the adjoining rooms, but nothing. She seems to have simply vanished.”
“Tommaso, people don’t simply vanish, particularly not visiting princesses from Elkevik.”
“I understand, sir, and I am deeply sorry that this has happened. I will mount a full search party?—”
I cut him off with a raised hand. “I’ll find her. She’s here to see me, after all.” I stride across the floor of my study, heading to the door.
“Please allow me to help, sir,” Tommaso says, rushing after me.
“All right. Why don’t you search the west wing, and I’ll search the east?”
He nods. “Of course, sir.”
I make my way from the room in the direction of the east wing. It’s a massive part of the palace with over forty rooms, including the ballroom. Perhaps she’s gone there. Perhaps she likes a good sprung floor to dance on, although there are no children here for her to cheer up.
My heels click against the floor with each irritated step. Why can’t she just benormal? Tommaso told her to stay in the Blue Drawing Room to meet with me and my parents, but she clearly fancied a wander, poking her nose in places where it doesn’t belong. And now she’s lost, doing who knows what on the most important day our two countries have had this decade.
And I’m meant tomarrythis woman?
Frankly, she surprised me by agreeing to the plan. But then, we do have one thing in common: we both want what’s best for our respective countries. And it is abundantly clear that an arranged marriage between us will be beneficial for both Elkevik and Ledonia.
As I move from room to room in the east wing, I mullover everything I know about Princess Astrid. I started a file on her once we received word that she’d agreed to this scheme, of course, and I’ve pored over it every evening since, adding pertinent facts as I’ve discovered them.
She’s twenty-three, the second-born daughter of King Theodore and Queen Nora of Elkevik.
She’s the patron of several charities, particularly charities associated with animals, children, and plants.
She’s known for her warmth, positivity, and a genuine connection with the Elkevikian citizens.
She went to university in Norway, graduating with a Bachelor’s in art history.
She hasn’t had a significant romantic relationship.
From what I can tell from poring over photos, she seems to derive happiness from everything she does, even looking utterly delighted when photographed with a prize-winning sheep called Baarbara. She’s either genuinely interested in sheep, or she’s a significantly better actor than anyone gives her credit for. Because really, who can bethatenthusiastic about a sheep? No offense to Baarbara.
Everything I’ve learned about her suggests she’s very much the opposite of me. She makes the silliest jokes and talks far too much. I’m not known for telling jokes at all, and people frequently accuse me of not talking enough, aka the Marble Statue.
Perhaps we’ll balance each other out. She could be the yin to my yang. They say opposites attract, and you couldn’t get much more opposite than the two of us.
Or, much more likely, perhaps this will be a complete and utter disaster and we’ll both end up miserable for the rest of our lives.
I grind my teeth in frustration as I continue to search for the missing princess, but to no avail. Eventually, I reach aroom with French doors leading out to the gardens. One door is ajar, and as I push it open and step outside, crossing my arms and pulling my lips into a line as I skim the gardens, I hear it. A light, tinkling sound.
Could it be Astrid laughing?
My footsteps crunch over the gravel as I make my way toward the sound. Warm chatter drifts through the air, peppered with occasional bursts of laughter.
It’s definitely Astrid.
