Emerson's POV

"I don't really like being our in public like this." Victoria whispered, pulling her large hat down, obscuring her face.

I nodded. "Me, too. But luckily, Wilford made the parlor close so it would just be us and the workers there."

She smiled. "True, true." She linked arms with me. "Well, let's get going!"

Eventually, we arrived in the emptiness and comfort of the ice cream parlor. There were two large bowls sitting on a table in front of us, and two workers at the front counter. We took off our disguises as one of them turned to us.

He grinned. "Welcome to our little parlor! Thanks for coming- we really appreciate it."

I grinned at them. "No problem! We both love this place."

Victoria nodded, sitting down in front of one of the bowls of ice cream. "Yeah, we really do." Shw turned to me. "I used to come here all the time."

I stared at her, sitting across from me. "What made you stop?" She stared at the bowl. "Sorry, sensitive topic?"

She nodded. "Kind of. I... stopped coming ever since my mom passed away. Her and I used to come here all the time, until she started getting sick and eventually died."

I gave her a sad look. "Oh, I'm so sorry." She shrugged. "I can't relate on that level, but I had a kitten who got ran over."

She shot her head up. "Oh my Gosh, what did they look like and what happened?"

I got out my phone and started scrolling through my photos. "Well, one day, we weren't really paying attention and she ran out of the house and into traffic. She got ran over." I found the picture I was looking for and showed it to her. "Her name was Muffin, and she was the cutest thing."

Victoria smiled. "She's adorable." She looked at me. "Did you ever get another one?"

I shook my head, putting my phone away. "No, but we had a dog for a while. His name was Max."

She nodded. "Seems like you guys are a happy family."

I nodded. "Yeah. It's me, Mom, Dad, and Toby."

She gasped. "You have a brother?"

I grinned. "Yep! He's four."

"Can I meet him?" She sounded excited.

"Of course! Maybe tomorrow, if you want."

"I really, really do."

"He's really, really sweet. You'd love him."

The two of us fell into a comfortable silence as we ate our ice cream. When we were finished, we thanked the parlor workers and left the building, heading back to the castle.

The next day, Victoria and I played around with Toby and talked to my parents. They instantly adored her and realized that we had a lot in common, which made them ship us even more.

The day after that, we toured the gardens, just talking about one another and finding out some things we didn't know before. We both liked the same band, had a deceased mother, loved dogs, and despised wearing heels. We joked around with each other all day, and were reluctant to say goodbye when she had to leave.

The next night, we were in the Observatory, looking up at the stars through the glass ceiling. We were talking about our love for space, and naming out whatever shapes we could see.

At one point, she sighed, still staring at the stars.

I looked over to her. "Is everything okay?"

She shook her head. "Not really." She looked over at me. "I have tons of male suitors wanting to marry me. Father said that one already asked for my hand."

You sat up. "Isn't that a good thing?"

She sat up, as well. "For others, yes, but not for me. I don't want a relationship with a guy. I don't even like guys." She looked around the room. "And I absolutely love it here at the castle. It's a dream come true for me to even be here." She sighed again. "If something doesn't happen soon, I'll be married to someone else by the end of the month."

"Oh." I said. I put my hand on top of hers. "It'll be okay, Victoria. I'll think of something. It'll be fine."

She nodded. "I trust you, Em."

The next morning, I was surprised by seeing Victoria and Lord Nicholas talking to Wilford and Dark in the Great Hall when I arrived for princess lessons.

I stared at the two. "What happened?" What's going on?"

Nicholas turned to me, grinning. "Princess Emerson! How lovely you look this fine morning."

I smiled at him. "Thank you, Lord Nicholas. Now please, answer my question."

He nodded. "Of course. Lady Victoria and I just wanted to come and thank you for your proposal to her."

I stared at him. "What are you talking about? I never proposed."

Dark nodded. "Of course you did! How can you not remember sending a servant with your letter and the ring?"

Victoria walked up to me. "Are you serious? You didn't?"

I shook my head. "No, I didn't."

She held up a diamond ring. "Then how'd I get this from one of your servants with a letter in your handwriting with the words 'Sincerely, Princess Emerson' at the end?"

Wilford walked up to us. "She probably just forgot because she was too nervous on how you would react. Anyways, what were you going to say before, Nicholas?"

Nicholas grinned. "The answer is yes! Lady Victoria will gladly take your hand in marriage."

I almost choked on air. "You will?"

Victoria nodded. "Yes, I will."

Dark smiled. "Great. We shall start preparing the wedding soon."

"Excellent." Nicholas said, following Wilford and Dark as they left the room. "I'll go back to the mansion and pack up Victoria and I's belongings."

Victoria stared at me. "Are you sure you didn't do this?"

I nodded. "Positive."

Her arms fell to her side. "Then who did?"

"Wilford. Definitely Wilford. He's always knows about stuff that happens around the castle. A guard must've been standing outside the Observatory door last night and told him everything we talked about. He set us up."

She looked down, sadness evident in her eyes. "I was really happy when I read the letter. I really thought that you felt the same spark I felt at the ball, when we formally met." She sighed. "But apparently that wasn't the case."

I took her hand, and she looked up at me with wide eyes. "I never said that, Victoria. No, I didn't send that letter and the ring, but that doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about it." Her jaw dropped. "I felt that spark in the garden, before we even knew each other's name. I've never felt that in my life. Not even with my ex-girlfriend. I was so happy when I was with you. I was already forming a plan in my mind before last night. And when you told me everything... I knew I had to do something soon. So no, I didn't send it, but I was planning to."

"Emerson..." She started crying. "You don't mean..."

I let go of her hand and held it out. She dropped the ring into my palm, and I kneeled in front of her, holding it up. "Lady Victoria, you've made me the happiest princess alive. Will you take my hand in marriage, and be my bride?"

She smiled through the tears. "You don't have to be so formal, Emerson." I giggled. "Yes, I will." She held out her left hand, and I slipped the ring on her finger. I stood up, and she engulfed me in a tight hug. "Thank you for saving me."

I hugged her back, grinning. "Thank you for saving me first."