You're the crown princess of a small but prosperous country. Your father, the king, is desperate to find you a husband, so he used a charity ball as an excuse for you to meet the sons of the most influential men in the city. You have to be perfect, keep your smile on your face no matter what and be polite to everyone, even the entitled idiots you're forced to dance with. It's exhausting. By midnight you've waltzed with two dozen men who honestly haven't caught your attention at all.

Your bodyguard, Cass, knows this. He can see it in your forced smile and your tense body. You're never like that with him but he can't get involved, not until it's necessary. Cass watches you dance with a guy who's particularly touchy. But it's not until he glance the man's hand slide to your hip that he intervenes. "I'm sorry, Your Highness." Cass says on a stern voice behind you as gently pulls you by your waist. "Your mother is looking for you urgently." A credible and controlled lie with which he manages to take you away from the man.