A little while later, Christina was becoming more and more panicked, pacing back and forth while Skip watched. "How am I going to do this? Everyone will know I'm a fake. They'll throw me in the dungeon in two seconds flat! Oh, Matthew, where are you? Why aren't you here?" She kept mumbling to herself. A knock at the door nearly shocked her out of her skin. 

"Come in." She said, as calmly as possible. Preminger came in through the door. 

"You look beautiful, your highness." He said, melodramatically. 

Skip barked loudly at him. 

"What's this stupid cat doing here?" He added, half under his breath. 

"He belongs to me."

"Oh! He's yours, is he? Well, a thousand apologies, my lady. Such a canine... feline." He slowly backed away from Skip, who was still growling at him. "Why is he barking?"

"Something in his throat..." Christina coughed. 

"I see. The queen has sent me to escort you to meet the king." He held out his arm. 

"Um...." Christina remembered what Matthew had said about him before, but what choice did she have? He linked arms with him. "Thank you."

Meanwhile, in the throne room, King Nathan had revealed himself to the queen, to Josh's nervous pleasure. "I appreciate your understanding, Your Majesty." He said. Despite technically being above her, as a king, he still knew his manners; he addressed and treated her like an equal, maybe even higher in this kingdom. 

"Likewise, King Nathan.. I apologize for my daughter's little delay in the wedding plans. But it's all sorted out now." The door at the end of the throne room opened. Preminger was in the doorway. 

"May I announce... Princess Stephanie." Christina came into the room, a little less awkward than before. The queen clapped her hands together. 

"Oh hello, Darling. Come, come. I want to introduce you to King Nathan. He has something he wants to tell you." She looked around. "Oh, where are my spectacles." Ever since Matthew had stolen them, she could barley see the details of her daughter's face. 

"I'm honored." Nate bowed to her. 

"Uh, the honor is mine, King Nathan." She said, curtsying. She had gotten much better at it in the time that passed. 

"Please, call me Nate." He said. 

Christina felt so overwhelmed. He was... really handsome. She almost lost herself. "Call me Chr- Stephanie! Princess Stephanie. That's my name." She said, brushing a lock of the wig's hair out of her face. 

Skip, who was sitting beside her, barked again. Nate looked a little surprised, but found it in himself to brush it off. He knelt down and pet Skip. "I hope his bark is bigger than his bite." He said. 

Christina giggled. "He likes you, trust me." She said. 

"I'm sure you're wondering why I disguised myself as a page. I wanted to meet you without all this-this ceremony. To get to know the real you."

"The... real me?" She chuckled nervously. 

The Queen, sensing that it was getting awkward, moved over to the piano. "King Nathan, would you do us the honor of playing the piano? I know you love music."

Christina found herself excited. "You do?"

"I will, if the princess agrees to sing with me." He held his hand out to her. She backed away slowly. 

"Oh, I couldn't." 

"Something tells me that you have a wonderful singing voice." Christina smiled nervously and took his hand. Nate sat down at the piano, his fingers hovering above the keys. He played the opening notes of a well-known ballad. Everyone knew it. So did Christina, but she didn't sing. 

"Sing, darling." The queen urged. 

Nate played the notes again, but this time, Christina joined in. "Once a lass, met a lad, 'you're a gentle one,' said she. 'In my heart, I'd be glad, if you loved me for me.'" Nate was looking at her, smiling. The Princess really did have a wonderful voice. "You say your, love is true, and I hope that it will be..." 

Nate joined in. "I'd be sure, if I knew, that you loved me for me." 

The people on the sides watched intently, the queen giddy at the image of her daughter looking so happy, Josh nervous about what stupid thing Nate would do next, and Preminger rolling his eyes. You know, because he's evil, if you didn't get that. 

Christina was starting to get more comfortable, her voice joined with Nate. "Could I be the one you're seeking, will I be the one you choose? Can you tell my heart is speaking? My eyes will give you clues."

That's when Nate started to catch on. The way she sang it, the look on her face, something told him that something was off. That she was even more of a mystery. One that he wanted to know about. "What you see may be deceiving, truth lies underneath the skin."

Christina, now totally comfortable in the present moment, jumped back in. "Hope will blossom by believing-" Nate joined her on the last line. "The heart that lies within." 

Nate let his voice get a little louder. "I'll be yours, together, we shall always be as one. If you loved me for me."

Nate then repeated his last line, with Christina joining in with her line at the same time. "Who can say, where we'll go, who can promise what we'll be? But I'll stay, by your side, if you loved me for me."

"If you loved me for me." 

For a second, they stared at each other. Christina felt so at ease, for the first time since she came to the castle. Meanwhile, Nate was intrigued with the princess. She proved to be the smallest bit mysterious, yet, he knew she was a genuinely kind person. He had heard her being so happy in her room, too. 

The queen clapped for them. "Oh, that was wonderful!" She said. 

Nate stood up from the piano and took the princess's hand. "Care to join me on the balcony, princess? Just us?" Christina, falling more into the role, nodded and followed him out onto the balcony, looking over the sunset. Nate, looking over the balcony, took her hands and, making sure that no one was watching them, looked her in the eye. 

"There's something about you... You're honest ... no pretenses. I like that." The funny part was; despite every word being a bluff to toy with her, there was still some truth to it. When she sang, it was like she really believed what she was singing. "Until tomorrow, Your Highness." He said. And he kissed her on the back of her hand, leaving her to her thoughts. Skip was beside her. 

"Honest? No pretenses? Skip, Matthew and the princess are still missing. And I think I'm falling in love with the king." She placed her hands in her lap, messing with them nervously. 

Skip knew that he had no time to waste now. As much as he wanted to assist Christina, he had to get Stephanie out of the dress shop, even if she was safe for the time being. He hopped off the bench to go find Midas.