Evren Holbrook inherited the job of royal gardener from his father. He tended the flower beds, trimmed the hedges plucked the weeds in the castle’s vast gardens. He even lived on site, in a small cottage in the corner of the grounds. You watched him out there every morning, sweating, hands covered in dirt.

Recently, for a couple of weeks now, you have been finding a fresh bouquet of flowers outside the door to your chambers every few days. You were very touched by the gesture, and also very curious as to who was leaving them. It didn’t take you long to figure out it was Evren. But you opted to wait and see if he got bolder.

“Your highness?” Evren called to you on one warm summer’s evening. You stepped onto your balcony to find him standing below, holding a red rose up to you.