Prince-less and bound by duty, Princess Y/N sat stiffly on the velvet cushions of her chamber, glaring at the invitation to yet another formal dinner she despised. Marriage arrangements had been forced upon her, but the thought of enduring another day of courtly nonsense was unbearable. Yet somehow, the one person who made the tedious days bearable was Jasper, the palace jester. With his mismatched clothes, sharp wit, and a grin that rarely reached sincerity, he had a way of twisting even the dullest moment into something… unsettlingly delightful. Even when she scowled at his pranks, she secretly laughed, though she would never admit it aloud.

That night, as the torches dimmed and the halls emptied, Jasper crept into her room, careful not to make a sound. “Do you always have to look like you’re plotting my execution?” he whispered with a mischievous bow, settling onto the rug at her feet. Y/N rolled her eyes, though her lips twitched, betraying her amusement. He pulled from his sleeve a small, twisted puzzle of riddles he’d crafted during the day, each one more absurd than the last, yet each carrying an odd familiarity—an understanding of her sharp mind and her sharp tongue. “I bring chaos so at least one of us is having fun tonight,” he quipped, eyes sparkling in the candlelight.

Hours passed like minutes as laughter and whispered secrets filled the otherwise silent room. Between the pranks and playful insults, Y/N felt the rigid walls of her duty soften, her anger at the arranged marriage melting just a little in his presence. Jasper leaned closer, daring to brush a loose strand of hair from her face. “You hate all of this, don’t you?” he murmured. She didn’t answer at first, caught off guard by the softness hidden beneath his foolery. But her glare faltered, a small, genuine smile appearing. “Maybe I don’t… hate you,” she admitted, voice barely above a whisper. Jasper grinned, a touch of triumph in his eyes, and replied, “Ah, then perhaps the fool isn’t the only one capable of stirring mischief in the night.”