The Queen and the Quisling

Chapter Fourteen: The Preparation

"Princess? Oh there you are! It's time for us to prepare you for your day." A maid says the next morning as she enters my room and finds me sitting at my vanity brushing out my hair calmly. 

"Already? I thought I didn't have to be ready until nine." I ponder, turning towards the clock to double check that it is, in fact, only eight am. 

"Well, His Majesty informed us that you must start working early today if you are to plan your engagement ball in time" The maid replies politely. 

"I see... When exactly did he say the ball must be planned by?" I ask as I'm guided over to the other maids who begin to help me into my corset. 

"Why, tomorrow, of course, Princess" the maid replies. 

I inhale deeply at this discovery and the maids helping me into my corset suddenly stop, thinking they tied it too tightly. I recover quickly and laugh nervously. 

"Sorry, it's just... I thought I'd have a little more time to plan" I reply. 

"Well, of course we can alert the King of your requests" The maid replies, getting back to tying the corset. 

"No, no, that's alright. I should be just fine" I reply. 

"Very well" The maid finishes.

 They proceed to get me ready and when I'm finished, I leave my room, heading towards the library, where I assume I'll have a quiet space to plan. 

"Wherever are you going, Princess?" My maid asks as I start off towards the library. 

"The library to plan, of course" I reply. 

"No no. I was told to escort you to the King's study. You'll do your work there." She replies. 

"Ah. Of course you were" I reply, laughing softly to myself. 

"What was that, Princess?" 

"Oh, nothing" I finish, smiling as I'm led towards the study. 

"Princess Kinsey of Killigan!" I'm announced as I reach the door.

 I step into the room and look straight ahead for Finneas but don't see anyone and before I have the time to scan the room, I'm grabbed by the waist and spun around to face Finneas.

 "Oh. There you are." I reply plainly.

 "You're not surprised to see me at all?" He asks. 

"Well, how could I be. This is your study after all" I tease. 

Finneas looks me up and down, then releases me. 

"Well, you see... your comment about me forgetting about you and our mission really got me thinking. I figured that in order to be completely certain we don't forget about going to Lunaris, we should work on our duties together. That way we serve as a constant reminder to the other person of our duty to your kingdom" Finneas explains. 

"Is that what you decided?" I laugh, sitting down in a chair behind Finneas' desk. Finneas places his hands on the desk and leans over it so our noses almost touch. 

"It is" He says. 

"Well how am I supposed to get work done with you distracting me?" I tease. 

Finneas straightens up with a surprised look crossing his face. 

"Oh, so I'm distracting you, am I?" He teases back, walking around the side of the desk and scooping me up.

 I laugh as he carries me over to a couch, setting me down and kissing me playfully. He stands up to leave but I grab him, pulling him down onto the seat next to me to kiss me more.