Despite what he had promised himself the evening before, Jaskier didn't start a passionate conversation with the princess the moment he saw her. He greeted her warmly before the breakfast, but during the feast he didn't say a word, neither to her or anyone else. If Geralt hadn't know that his friend had an inner dilemma, he would have thought that he's sick. And even though Jaskier was a womanizer like few, this time he had a though nut to crack - he took his friend's words to heart and he didn't want to discourage or, above all, hurt the princess. Not long after breakfast everyone went their separate ways. Geralt and Elsa headed to the morgue to study the bodies of the beast's victims. Meanwhile, Jaskier was roaming around the castle's halls, thinking. As he passed one of the chambers, he heard a female voice singing his ballad. He took the liberty of peeking into the room through the ajar door. To his eyes appeared Anna, who was training in fencing.
"He thrust every elf..." she stabbed the training dummy, singing. "Far back on the shelf... high up on the mountain..." she dealt another hit. "From whence it came!" she stabbed it once again. "He wiped out your pest..."
Her moves were smooth. Despite attacking the dummy as if it was her greatest enemy, she did not lack any grace. Her hair was tied up in a bun, allowing the bard to get a glimpse of her neck illuminated by the sunlight streaming in. Slim, devoid of any scratches, it had one small mole in the middle. Wanting to see the princess in her full glory, Jaskier swung the door more open. But he did it too harshly, his hand slipped of the handle, causing him to fall inside, falling on his face with a bang. Anna went silent, quickly turning around in noise's direction.
"Who... Jaskier?" she questioned surprised, walking towards the brunet.
"Ah, Your Majesty! Please, forgive me for this awful intrusion..." he wanted to stand up on his own, but the princess extended her hand toward him.
"You don't have to call me "Your Majesty". "Anna" is alright" she stated, helping him get up.
"Of course, Your Ma- Anna" he cleared his throat. "Please, forgive me for this wicked incident, but when I heard your angelic voice singing a song of mine, I could not help myself...".
"Oh" she replied, placing a hand on her neck. "Well... since I heard it from the mirror seller on the market, I cannot get it out of my head. That's why I sing it from time to time".
"A mirror seller?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in confusion.
"Indeed. But he also sells other things. By the way, he has a weird interest in spoons, he always has one with him, but never for sale. I don't buy any things that he brings from other countries, but I always visit his booth with pleasure, to hear about his journeys. Thanks to him I've got to know your ballads" she told with a smile.
"Hm. I'm glad that my art is gaining popularity thanks to admirers who pass it on" he said, then he peeked at the mannequin. "Is there any particular reason why you're training so passionately?".
"To be able to fight, of course. The world is full of many dangers, that's obvious. If it comes to something, I want to be able to protect myself. Also, one day I would like to go on a journey around the Continent, visit its many corners. And the ability to use a weapon might come in handy" she explained humbly.
"Like there's no rose without spikes, there's no adventure without difficulties" Jaskier compared.
"I wouldn't have put it better" Anna smiled.
A silence fell between them. This silence was prickly, both wanted to continue the conversation, but did not know how. Eventually, the bard took the first step, asking:
"Could I stay and watch you train?" he questioned, hoping that the princess will give him a permission to do so.
"Oh, absolutely" she answered. "Not that I'm suggesting something, but if... you'd like to come by more often... I always train one hour after breakfast. Just knock next time, alright?".
"I will certainly do so" the poet assured, and he was about to sit down on a bench, when he decided to add something. "Anna?".
"Yes?" she was about to attack the dummy again, but turned into his direction.
"You have the most incredible neck. It's like... a sexy goose" he said, and then cleared his throat.
"Oh... um..." her cheeks turned light-pink. "Thank you, I wouldn't compare yours to a goose's one, but it's certainly a nice view, you're a handsome man in general, you're like... a proud peacock! Nightningale! Swan! Dear Freyja, what am I saying..." she felt ashamed.
Jaskier, hearing a compliment like that for the first time in his life, laughed lightly. He thanked and sat down on the bench. And once again he couldn't take his eyes of the woman in front of him. Watching her moves, he knew exactly what to do. He decided to write a ballad.
       The next day, the troubadour was sitting in the castle's garden, writing in his notebook and trying out different melodies that would be perfect for his newest work. His work was watched with fascination by the princess, who heard the strumming of a lute as she passed nearby. She peeked from behind a phillar, that she was hiding behind, and looked at the poet. The passion he was creating with, caused a smile on her face. Combined with the sun shining on him, it created a view that she didn't want to look away from. She decided to take a step closer, so she could have a better look at the man. She planned not to make noise while doing so, to not disturb the artist, but she failed, as she stepped on a little branch, breaking it. The brunet immediately raised his head from his notes and looked into the direction of the comer.
"Ah, it's you, Your Majesty! I've gotta admit, you scared me!" he admitted frankly.
"Forgive me for the intrusion..." Anna scratched her head, ashamed. "When I've heard the lute, I wanted to see who was playing... and it turned to be you and I couldn't resist to look at you when you're in your element" she explained. "If you wish for me to leave...".
"None of this things!" he exclaimed, taking her hand. "I beg you, please stay".
Anna smiled lightly and sat down next to Jaskier. She peeked at the scores he was writing down and asked with curiosity:
"Would you like to reveal what your next ballad will be about?".
"An artist never reveals what his next work will tell a story about" he lied, stealthily closing the notebook. "But I can promise you that when it's ready, you'll be the first one to hear it".
"Oh... I understand" she replied with a bit of sadness in her voice.
Jaskier wanted to tell her what he was so passionately working on. If she had pulled him by the tongue, and even without that, he would have tell her everything that would come to his mind and the saliva on his tongue would have brought. But he couldn't do that, because the song he was creating was for her and he didn't want her to know about it too early. He cleared his throat.
"Do you play on an instrument?" he asked, changing the topic.
"I do not" she answered shortly. "When I was younger I wanted to learn how to play on the lute, but it never came to be. And then I started training fencing and the thoughts of instruments went into oblivion".
"I could teach you" he stated without a single thought.
Anna blinked few times, surprised by Jaskier's words.
"Really? I mean... I don't doubt your abilities, gods forbid... but are you sure that... it's not a problem?".
"Please, don't speak such nonsenses, my dear" he replied, letting go of her hand. "It's no problem for me, but a pleasure" he added.
He moved over to her and handed her the lute. Wrapping an arm around her shoulder, he placed her hands in the right places and telling her few basic informations, he asked her to tug at each of the strings in turn. After she did it, he asked her to try and play any melody. The princess made an attempt. The melody wasn't the most beautiful, it did not lack of false and a little clash.
"This was awful" she stated, smiling lightly.
"The beginnings are always hard. If only you have heard how I was starting..." Jaskier smiled involuntarily at a memory from his youth.
"There's no doubt about it, but you have to admit... it sounded worse than a water hag!" she declared.
They both bursted out laughing. And when they barely calmed down - they started to laugh again. Out of all the melodies they had heard that day, those were the ones that tugged at their hearts the most.
       On a different day, when the bard was once again sitting in a garden, he was snapped out of his trance of creation by the unexpected feeling of an object being placed on his head. Just a moment later, the princess, who was smiling brightly, sat down next to him.
"Hi Jaskier" she greeted him.
"Hello, my muse" he said, returning the smile.
""My muse", you say?" Anna questioned, poking him gently with her elbow.
"Indeed" Jaskier answered truthfully. "When you appear, the ugliest day becomes much more beautiful and the ideas come to my head like bees to the hive".
Anna laughed lightly, as she heard such compliment for the first time in her life. Then, she asked the brunet a question:
"How is writing the ballad going? Because, I do not hide, I cannot wait to hear it" she confessed.
"I have to practice it for a few more times, but I can assure you that tomorrow you'll be the first person to hear it" he provided, and Anna clapped happily. "And the only one" he added in his mind. "Now allow me to ask you a question... what is this?" he pointed to the bundle that the princess had put on his head.
"A garland made of buttercups" she explained. "You'd be surprised how many of them grow in the kingdom... could assume that even more than the crocuses which sit proudly in our emblem... anyway, as soon as I saw them, I thought of you. I chose the most charming yellow specimens and made a garland out of them. I think it fits perfectly. It makes a perfect contrast with your hair".
Jaskier blushed slightly, which caused his cheeks to look like the petals of blooming nerine.
"It's exceptionally nice of you, thank you very much" after those words he took her right hand and placed a kiss upon it.
"You're welcome" she smiled. "You just need to go in it to today's dinner and I'll be satisfied".
"I beg you pardon?" the bard widened his eyes, surprised.
"Am I hearing fear in your voice, viscount de Lettenhove?" she asked with pretended seriousity.
"N-no, I...".
"I guess you are not afraid to go in a garland of flowers to the feast.... after all, it would seem from the ballad about the basilisk that if it weren't for you and your bravery, Geralt would not have defeated the monster, and would even have died....".
"It's just... I used a hyperbole...".
"Or are you feeling ashamed?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.
"I wouldn't dare!" he got outraged. "Not when your artwork adorns me...".
A silence fell between them, the princess stared at the troubadour as if she wanted to drill holes in him with her eyes. After a few minutes, she stated:
"Calm down, I'm just joking!" she laughed, her face had a cheerful look once again, which made Jaskier sigh with relief. "About that hyperbole, I noticed it the first time I've heard the song. To be completely honest, something has always seemed weird to me in this fragment of the ballad. Back to the garland... I'm not forcing, but if you really decided to show up in it to the dinner... I would be delighted".
Then she stood up and walked away, and Jaskier knew exactly what he was going to do. Few hours later, when the time for feast came, the bard appeared on it proudly wearing the gift from the princess. When he arrived, his companions did not hide their astonishment. Olaf was amazed by the garland in which Elsa recognized her sister's work. The queen decided to ask her about it later. Geralt was surprised at the beginning and he was making theories in his head about the bundle, and when he heard how Jaskier, who already had an occasion to look at himself in the mirror, praises the princess's talent for handicrafts, his assumptions were confirmed. Anna smiled, happy that Jaskier liked the garland.

~⚔️~

Awww, what a sweet pair they are! I have to admit, although I don't like writing romantic scenes, the ones with Jaskranna were really pleasant to write.
If you have noticed any errors, please let me know.
Now I'm saying goodbye to you, wishing you all the best! See you in the next chapter, be well!