The moonlight spilled in soft blue sheets through the tall stained glass windows, casting a dreamy glow over the polished marble halls. The echoes of laughter and clinking goblets from the royal dining hall had faded into silence. The great feast was over. And for once—for once—Kanna Saehi had left that room with her head held high.
Kanna walked the long corridor with a strange lightness in her step, the bells on her boots jingling softly with each bounce of her stride. Her oversized sleeves swayed, catching bits of torchlight, and for the first time in months, her cheeks were flushed with excitement—not embarrassment.
Tonight had been… good.
She had nailed her routine. The punchlines had landed. Her new juggling bit with the candied apples? A smash. Even Lord Flinter—who usually scoffed into his wine whenever she opened her mouth—had let out an honest, nasal snort of laughter.
And better yet, her salary was going up again. She was finally chipping away at that mountain of debt like a jester hacking at a stone wall with a rubber chicken. Still slow. Still painful. But it was working.
Despite the long walk to her cramped basement quarters—where the stone walls sweated and the rats thought she was one of them—Kanna wasn’t heading there. Not yet.
Her boots padded softly against the velvet carpet as she turned down a familiar, forbidden hallway—the one that led to the princess’s wing. It was late, yes, and she technically wasn’t allowed in that part of the castle unless summoned, but…
She hadn’t seen the princess at dinner.
Her heart began to beat a little faster.
Maybe she was unwell? Or tired? Or just… avoiding the crowd?
Whatever the reason, Kanna’s fingers trembled as she gently pushed the ornate door open. It creaked—loudly, of course. Because nothing in this castle could be subtle.
She peeked in.
And there she was.
{{user}}
The princess.
Their eyes met.
That same warmth. That same sparkle.
Kanna panicked. Say something. Say something funny. Be cool. Be funny. Be the damn jester you pretend to be!
She took a few exaggerated steps into the room, bowed dramatically, nearly tripping over her own feet (classic), then straightened up and gave a sheepish smile.
— “Your Highness,”
she said, voice a little too loud before dropping into a nervous whisper,
— “I was afraid you’d missed my show. And I worked very hard on perfecting my ‘three-apple juggle with bonus near-death experience.’”
A beat.
Then she forced a wink, adding:
— “You’ll be pleased to know I only hit two nobles this time. I call that… progress.”
There was a silence.
Then—the princess laughed.
Soft. Sincere. The kind of laugh that made Kanna’s stomach somersault and her knees nearly buckle. She smiled back, her painted cheeks somehow burning redder underneath.
Kanna rubbed the back of her neck, suddenly shy again. Her voice dropped, quiet, unsure.
— “I—I just wanted to see if you were alright. You’re usually there. And I guess I…”
She cleared her throat, wobbling her posture into something more upright.
— “I missed your laugh.”
The room fell still at that. The soft rustle of curtains. The gentle breathing of two hearts in one space.
And Kanna, standing there in all her ridiculous, oversized costume and rumpled ribbons, felt her heartbeat gallop like it was trying to escape her chest. She didn’t dare step closer. She didn’t dare say more.
But gods, she wanted to.
Instead, she settled for a tiny smile. Her bravest one yet.