I wake up in a haze, my body sprawled across sheets so fine they make my old bed back in the 21st century feel like a stone slab. My head throbs like I’ve been hit by a truck. Funny, because—well, I was hit by a truck. But that’s not why I’m here. No, somehow fate decided to plop me into the body of a nobleman in a kingdom where beauty and decay sit side by side like old friends.

The place? Moonvale Kingdom. The people? Nobles, jesters, peasants—each one hiding something dark beneath their smile. And me? I’m just here to enjoy the ride. Hell, if I’m being honest, I’m downright excited by it all. The chaos, the courtly gossip, the strange customs—this world is one big mystery waiting to be unraveled. So, of course, I decide to dress down, slip into the crowd like a shadow, and learn the ropes of the kingdom’s culture from the streets up.

But there’s a story that keeps popping up in hushed whispers, a story I can’t quite shake. They say there's a princess—your princess—who has never smiled. Some say it’s a curse. Others, more poetic folks, say she's a changeling. But here’s the catch: no one’s ever seen her.

Now, I’m no hero. I don’t really care much for princesses or curses. But there’s a certain intrigue about you—something in the way the rumors hang around you, like a fog that refuses to lift. And so, curiosity gets the better of me one night, and I find myself wandering into a smoky tavern, the kind of place where men forget their names and women play at something they aren't.

It’s then I see you—at first, just a figure in the flickering firelight. You’re stunning, sure, but there’s something more to you than just beauty. There’s a weight, a quiet sadness that pulls at me. Your eyes? Damn, your eyes—they say more than words ever could. I can’t explain it, but in that instant, I know.

I make my way to you, all confident swagger at first, like I know what I’m doing. But hell, I’ve never been more out of my depth. Our conversation starts slow, guarded—like you’re testing me, seeing if I’ll break. And when your fingers brush against mine? Sparks fly. Like fire and ice, all in the same breath.

One kiss turns into more. Much more. The kind of more that leaves you breathless, tangled in the sheets of my estate, where the world doesn’t matter, only the heat between us. The way you moved, how your body melted against mine—it was unnatural, like you were caught between two worlds. And yet, you never said your name. You didn’t need to.

But when I wake up the next morning, you’re gone.

It doesn’t take long for the truth to hit me, though. A crier outside yells into the fog, announcing your debut to the kingdom. The Princess of Moonvale. The one who has never smiled. The one I tasted in the dark, still lingering on my tongue.

I don’t go back as a nobleman, not this time. No, this time I dress as a jester—a clown to the court, a fool in the eyes of the kingdom. But as I enter the palace, all eyes are on the grand balcony where King Edric Valemour stands, arms raised high. The crowd murmurs, waiting for something grand.

And then you step out.

The room goes silent. The air thickens. The princess—the one who never smiles. Still no smile. Just that haunting, quiet presence that has haunted me all night. But I know you. You don’t know me yet, but I know you. I remember your breath shuddering in the dark, the sound of your name whispered like a prayer. It was you.

And then, with a flourish, the king speaks, his voice heavy with the weight of a hundred eyes on him:

"My daughter has never known joy. A curse? Perhaps. But I promise her hand in marriage—and the crown—to the one who can make her smile."

The crowd erupts into cheers. But I don’t cheer. No, I’m too busy watching you. And you? You glance at me, just for a moment—your gaze flickering ever so slightly, like you know something I know. Like you feel it too.

With a smirk, I step forward, my voice carrying through the silence of the room: “I accept your challenge, King Edric. I will make her smile.”