With each mile, worry grew deeper. We were getting closer to the castle. With every passing second, the man I cared for was closer to getting married.

Mathew was too embarrassed to talk to me after what happened this morning. I was also still embarrassed, but I would have liked our final few hours alone to be anything other than this.

"You know I have forgiven you for this morning, you were asleep and unconscious of your actions," I sighed trying to change the atmosphere.

Mathew groaned running his hands down his face. "I can't believe I did that, I know you only like me as a friend and I put you in such an uncomfortable situation..." He continued to ramble but all I heard was that he assumed I only liked him as a friend. So he hadn't realized my feelings for him. I didn't know whether to feel relieved for disappointed. Maybe it was for the better, maybe if he knew then he could use that against my better judgement and we would have done something we both would have regret. "... so yes, I am sorry."

I cleared my throat trying to think of a response since I zoned out on his rambled apology. "I know you try to respect our boundaries, as I said before, you are forgiven."

A wide grin consumed the prince's face. "Great! Oh god has it been awkward."

"You don't need to be awkward with me," I reminded him. "We're friends, we should be comfortable around each other."

"I know Clary, that's one of the reasons I like being around you," he said sincerely warming up my heart. "Plus, I will need a friend in the castle. I-- What do you think the princess will be like?"

He looked saddened, maybe a little frightened. Effects of marrying a stranger I suppose.

"I just imagined her like most royalty; stuck up and spoiled," I shrugged my shoulders before I realized I wasn't making anything better. "But... she could be nice? You don't have to worry... she..."

Could be the most annoying person you would have to meet?

Mathew started laughing at me. "Oh god, you already hate her."

I just had a really bad experience with the upper class, especially females in the upper class. My sister being one of them. They had this arrogance and self entitlement to them that was completely irksome. "Most upper class females are not very tolerable. Please name me one that is deemed okay?"

Mathew made a face proving my point. He opened and closed his mouth. Now he was slumping his shoulders. "You are suppose to be inspiring me, not make me fear my future wife."

"My mother told me that your mother was one of the kindest and most down to earth woman she had met when they were young, she still is so. My mother upon joining the upper class still remembers her roots and is a wonderful woman. I myself refuse to become like the other girls. There is hope," I offered earning a smile from the prince. "And my bias on royalty might have changed as how I perceived you had changed as well. You are not as annoying as I thought you to be."

This earned a throaty laugh from the prince. "Okay, you have given me hope. Thank you."

"Anytime princeling," I nodded.

Mathew winced at the nickname. "I thought we had gotten over that nickname."

I shook my head. "Never."

He sighed in defeat. "Your niceness always ends way too fast."

"What can I say, I sort of hate you," I winked.

A small smile crept on his face. "Of course, I sort of hate you too."

We stared at each other for a few moments before bursting into laughter before being cut short. From our point of view, we could see the castle walls a few miles away. A castle has always symbolized home to me, but this castle was very intimidating. As soon as we pass their walls, everything was going to change.

"Promise me we won't change," Mathew's solemn voice said from beside me. I was shocked at this, it was as if he had read my mind.

"What do you mean?" I couldn't help but make sure.

"I don't want to lose you Clarissa, my whole life is about to change today, I want you to be the normality in my life, the home I could come back to. Do you... do you think we could be that for each other? Home?" he asked almost desperately. I felt my heart melt in what could be the most painful yet best feeling ever.

"You're going to have to try a lot harder to get rid of me nerd," I teased earning a wide grin from the prince. I knew I shouldn't promise him that I wouldn't change, I didn't know how I will act when I see him with the princess, but I found the words tumbling out of my mouth just so that I could see him happy and relaxed. "I promise we won't change."

"Thank you," he sighed in relief. "I don't know whether I want the wedding arrangements to go really slow so that I can prolong marrying the princess or if I want them to go by fast so that we can get back home."

"Whatever happens I am by your side," I promised.

He gave me a wide grin. "I know that now."

After a few hours, we had reached the castle walls. Guards stopped us questioning our bringing.

"State your purpose."

I would be suspicious too by the disheveled look we had from our long journey.

"I am Prince Mathew of Faraine and this is Lady Clarissa of the royal guard, please let the princess know of her fiancé's arrival," Mathew said in a regal tone that belonged to royalty.

The guards looked at each other cautiously before one of them called out to another guard. They asked him to seek someone that could identify the prince. We waited patiently until a scrawny looking man walked through the gates. His expression changed into one of shock and fear.

"Let them in! Oh my, welcome your highness. Come in, come in," the man scurried. "I hope you have had a good journey. Your things had just arrived the other day and have been set up in your room, a bath shall be drawn as well as a banquet in your honor. The king and Queen will be delighted with news about your arrival. The princess too of course..."

The man went on and on about how they will treat Mathew. The prince however raised his hand to silence the man. "Thank you for your kindness. I want a room next to mine for my guard along with the highest of treatment for her."

The man looked shocked before composing himself. "Yes of course, we shall treat her as an esteemed guest."

The man called one of the maids to come show us to our rooms. Indeed, they put us in rooms next to each other. Despite their previous arrangements, my stuff were being moved into the room I was currently occupying.

Mathew had sent a healer into my room to check if I needed anything to be taken care of.

I bathed and got dressed into a new uniform that had been packed. I braided my hair before going to Mathew's room. I did not want to sit around all day until someone called for me. I might as well make use of my time.

I knocked on his door waiting for his response.

"Who is it?"

"It's me you nerd, open up," I said. I could hear the prince chuckle from behind the door before he opened it.

His hair was still wet from what I assumed was his bath. A fresh pair of clothes covered him. I noticed he had shaved his beard that had grew over the days. "You shaved."

The prince nodded reaching for his chin.

I shrugged. "Too bad, I liked the beard."

I liked beards, anything ranging from a scruff to a beard.

His eyes widened. "Really?"

"Yes... Feels good to be clean again doesn't it?" I asked earning a nod from him.

"Amazing, I thought I had earned a new layer on top of my skin," he shivered.

As gross at that sounded, I understood him completely.

I looked around the room to find that it had a wall filled with books. That was nice, Mathew would like that. At least I knew they were taking good care of the prince.

A grumbling sound filled the air. The prince looked at me sheepishly. "How long do banquets take to prepare?"

"You're going to have to wait for at least another hour," I warned. "How about we go explore the castle to waste some time?"

I wanted to learn the castle in case I needed to reach the prince or if there was an emergency. I needed to always be prepared.

Mathew seemed to like the idea from the look of excitement on his face. "Well yes! Let's get going."

I shook my head with a light chuckle before joining the prince outside his room. We walked around the castle earning curious glance from its inhabitants and workers. We discovered where the library was for Mathew's sake, we found the ballroom, the servants quarters, the banquet hall filled with the rushing workers, a music room, a gallery, the throne room, we were now exploring the garden outside.

"It's a beautiful kingdom," I admitted. "Princess Alana is lucky."

"Well Faraine is nicer," sighed Mathew. I could tell he was longing to go home.

"Come on," I grabbed his arm. "We haven't finished exploring the rest of the garden."

I tried to distract him. It seemed to work because Mathew was following me. We walked towards the stables where we found a young handsome man in a guard's uniform sitting on a fence watching two racers up ahead. He had to be a few years older than us. Sharing a curious look with Mathew, we both joined the guard in watching the racers. They were head to head making they're way back to the stables, where I assumed the finish line was.

I felt my muscles tighten in anticipation as the two neared. Who was going to win?

The racers came nearer alternating back and forth between first place and second. Finally, the rider on the black stallion crossed before the white horse before erupting into euphoric screams. They both began to slow down before jumping of their horses in laughter. The riders took off their helmets revealing a beautiful dark skinned girl and a handsome man working up a tan from being in the sun too long.

One thing that shocked me was that she was wearing pants as I was. Of course she was in a riders uniform.

"I told you I was going to win Theo," she laughed telling the other rider.

He smiled a marvelous smile at her. He looked at her as if she was a goddess on earth. "Yes you did."

The girl smiled at him before turning to the guard. "And I told you I would be safe. You can stop following me around all the time."

The guard sighed as if he was tired of repeating himself. "It is my job, do not blame me for worrying."

She seemed to notice us standing behind the guard from the curious look on her face. "Oh hello."

We both offered her a smile.

"Hello," Mathew replied kindly. "That was amazing! You were going so fast, I was almost screaming in anticipation. Do you always race like that?"

Mathew seemed to be in awe at this woman. I would be lying if I said I wasn't a tad bit jealous, but I myself found myself in awe as well.

The girl let out a laugh. "Not as often as I would like, or else Sebastian here would die from a heart attack."

She nodded in the guards direction.

"It's the first time I see you here, has anyone shown you two around? I would be happy to offer you my services," she offered kindly. I could tell that she was being genuinely kind, not faking it.

Sebastian sighed. "Princess, we have people to do that."

Princess?

She was Alana?

She rolled her eyes at that. "I can help out, I don't have to throw all the work on my people."

She walked up to us with her hand out for a shake. "I am Princess Alana, I haven't caught your names."

"Nice to finally meet you, I am Prince Mathew of Faraine... your husband," he said awkwardly. The air thickened and the mood just got very weird. Princess Alana's expression was a mix of shock and horror.

No one said anything for a few moments.

"I think I will take the horses in, I have work to do," said Theo with a saddened expression.

Alana opened her mouth to say something but instead just watched Theo walk away with guilt written on her face.

She looked back at us trying to find words to say. Right in time, Sebastian jumped in to save her. "So, how about that walk?"

That escape could not have come sooner. Things just got a whole lot more awkward.

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