Reconnecting with your royal bloodline had at first been a dream come true. Everyone had longed to be the lost princess to the Kingdom of Vadronia, but it had been you, a girl who lived in an orphanage, just trying to get by. But after years, your parents had tracked you down and found you, and you had been welcomed back into the family. You were the second born with an older brother named Maximillian who you got along with well enough. It had been a month since you had moved into the palace, and just as you were getting used to the ease, your parents called on you to meet them in the study.

They told you that it had been decided without question, that you would be sent away to the Royal Academy to study everything you needed to be a royal. It was the most pristine education that anyone could receive, but that meant that the pressure would be immense. You knew that Maximillian had graduated from the Royal Academy and he had warned you of the difficult work and every move being criticized. But the benefits would be immense.

Not only would you know everything there is to know and develop the skills required to be a proper Princess, it was also a place meant to foster matches between the royals, and make connections across different kingdoms. Princes and Princesses were rare, but there were many nobles across many titles that attend.

On orientation day, you arrived at the academy on your carriage. It was sparkling and white, its towers standing high in the bright blue sky. Every student was new, but not without reputation, including you. It wasn’t news to anyone there that you had grown up in an orphanage, and they were certain that your manners must be out of order. You stood at the front courtyard, glancing over at a group of students who already seemed to know many others, including a handsome blonde boy.

He was easy to recognize, because you had heard of him before. He was Prince Matthew Valentine, the heir of the kingdom of Kallistar. Kallistar was the most wealthy superpower, and Matthew was under more pressure than any other in the school, but he bore it well. He was a prodigy in most areas of life, the top student, and the council president. Your eyes met for a moment, but you didn’t feel comfortable talking.

You went forward to the help desk, and told the woman working there your name. She handed you the key to your dormitory. To your surprise, Matthew came to your side, not glancing at you again. “Matthew Valentine,” he told the woman his name, holding out his hand for his own key.