Princess Kate slept peacefully that night in the comfort of her luxurious bed. Her restful slumber continued unbroken all the way to a few hours after the sun rose the next morning, and when she did sit up and blink her way into the new day, she let out a contented sigh at how refreshed she felt. Kate swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stretched her arms.

After sipping some water from an earthen cup on her bedside, Kate rummaged through her closet and rustled through her assortment of gowns. Normally, her selection would have been entirely random and barely thought through, but given her rendezvous at the Feliz manor that night, Kate felt today was a special one. Even though the dress she wore now wouldn't be the same as the one she donned there, she considered it important to start such a notable day correctly.

At long last, she picked a green gown and fussed with it until it draped over her body properly. Then Kate grabbed her handheld mirror and glanced at her face in its reflection. She tied her dark brown hair back into her customary bun, but once she'd finished, she found herself unsatisfied with the aesthetic. Kate's nimble fingers undid her previous work, and she set herself to making a simple braided ponytail running down her neck and upper back.

Because she'd been too stubborn to call a maid for assistance, Kate underwent several frustrating attempts before she finally achieved the hairstyle she sought. Then she squinted at the beauty products on her desk. Her father often insisted she was unbelievably beautiful even without makeup, so she usually didn't bother. But today was still a special day, and for all Kate knew, she could run into Andre once she stepped foot out of her room. She sat down at the desk and began her application.

Though Kate held herself to no strict schedule in the mornings, one constant was that she always ate breakfast an hour after rising. So when her stomach began grumbling at her, and she was still working away at touching up her eyeliner, she came to the astonished conclusion that she'd spent just about a whole hour on simply touching up her face, and all just over the possibility of running into Andre.

Kate sighed and hurried along the last touches on her eyelashes before stowing her beauty supplies away in a drawer and rising to her feet. After slipping on some green dress boots to match her dress and fastening their side buckles, she unlocked her door and stepped out.

As she made her way down the vacant corridor, Kate realized her father had most likely been forced to eat breakfast in solitude again due to her delay. The very first day after her return from Innutuk, she would have hoped to give him that time together, but supposed nothing could be done about it now.

A strand of hair suddenly tickled Kate's eyelash, and she blew it away in annoyance. She rolled her eyes at the fact that all her hard work to get her hair perfect had still failed to keep every tress in check. If nothing else, now she was absolutely certain that she would have to call on a hairdresser for tonight, because clearly she couldn't manage her own hair properly.

Finally, Kate came to an enormous open courtyard near the center of the castle, where a large section of the roof had been left open to allow sunlight to beam directly inside when midday arrived. As it was, the sun still shone at an angle, but given an hour or so, the prominent sculptures in the middle of the court would bask in its light fully.

Kate strolled past the circle of statues with her hands folded behind her back. Due to their massive size and superior artistry, the sculptures took decades to create, and that being so, each one had come to represent the reign of the Monteraynian king who had sat on the throne and commissioned them. Since very few monarchs lived long enough to add more than one entry to the collection, the one they did choose often proved to be a telling artifact of the man they had been.

My father still has not commissioned one of his own yet, Kate mused inwardly, I wonder if that is a telling fact in itself.

Kate glanced up at one particular statue she had admired many times before, that of her grandfather. His likeness towered above any of the others, with long legs as thick as tree trunks and veiny arms just as large. His sword reached to the heavens, and his hair, though fashioned out of stone and frozen in time, had a realistic appearance of being rustled by a strong wind.

When her gaze descended from the stone form to Manfred staring up at it a few paces off, she giggled slightly to herself. Even with how tall Manfred was, he appeared incredibly short when compared with the colossus that was her grandfather's likeness. She took a few steps to close the distance between herself and the grave swordsman.

"Good morning, Sir Rickland," Kate said in a cheery voice, "I hope you slept wonderfully."

Manfred's lips twitched into a smile. "I did, thanks. Bed was almost too soft. No complaint, though."

"I suppose the royal life isn't for everybody." Kate giggled. "So have you been spending your morning in admiring the sculptures?"

"For a while, yeah. They're all...so unique. And perfect."

"I cannot disagree with that. Which one has impressed you the most so far?"

Manfred squinted his eyes at the statue before them. "Probably this one. So lifelike and awe-inspiring."

Kate grinned. "That one is my favorite too. Do you know who it is?"

"No, I don't."

"That is my grandfather, Sir Dustin Alder. He was the first man to bear the titles of king and knight at the same time. In fact, it was he who drove Shafaria southward and Antapeño northward, giving Monterayne control of Aroria. I find it ironic that we now fight even to keep that."

Manfred slowly nodded. "That is ironic. But it seems your grandfather was quite a man. Did you ever get to meet him?"

"I did! However, I was only three or four years old at the time, so I remember little. What I do recall is that he had this long, jagged scar snaking down his forearm that fascinated me greatly. I often asked to sit on his lap just so I could I could feel that mark."

Manfred let out a breathy laugh. "Children do many funny things, I guess. Do you know where the scar came from?"

"That was one of the few other things I remember. He told me it was no enemy blade that drew the line in his flesh. On the contrary, it was his brother's."

"On accident?"

Kate shook her head. "No. His brother strongly believed Monterayne had no business venturing out from the mountain ring, so when my grandfather insisted on taking the land we know as Aroria, their bickering deepened. And at some point, I suppose it came to blows."

"Did your grandfather win?"

"He always did. Only, this time, it was at the cost of his brother's life."

"That's...really sad. Tragic, actually." Manfred said with a sigh, "What would that do to someone?"

"Well, by the time I met him, my grandfather had already washed the grief down with sheer passage of time, along with the joys of marriage and childrearing. But I've read an old letter of his, where he mentioned being haunted in his dreams by his brother's face, accusing him of being no better than Cain. He also wrote that the acquisition of Aroria was ultimately still worthwhile, but he prayed fervently that the land never drive brothers against one another again."

"I pray the same. The day Monteraynians take up arms against one another...I hope I don't see it."

"Likewise." Silence settled itself between them, but this time, Kate found herself much more comfortable with it. Her stomach, on the other hand, had other priorities.

"Well," she began, "my stomach yearns for a late breakfast. It has been a lovely talk though, Manfred."

"Yeah...I like it too." Manfred said, eyes darting up to meet hers for a moment, "Enjoy your meal."

"I believe I shall. And you enjoy the rest of your day."

"I'll try my best."

Kate shot Manfred a grin before hurrying her steps to the exit. After a second's thought, she decided to make her request known to one of the royal chefs and possibly grab a snack at the same time to take the edge off her hunger. Then while the meal cooked, she could go visit her father. After all, she still hadn't made him aware of her plans for the night.

****

A few minutes later, Kate nibbled on an airy glazed pastry shaped like a horseshoe and headed to her father's garden. At this time of day, she could usually find him there, sitting in his sturdy rocking chair and thumbing through a book. Or at other times, he would have a canvas set up and paint platter in hand as he attempted to replicate a particularly vibrant rose or a cluster of azaleas. His skill was hardly anything to be noted, but he had never expressed any great ambition in the artistic arena beyond merely enjoying himself and trying his hand at it.

Kate ducked underneath a basket stuffed with a rainbow's worth of flowers. Then she rounded a corner and found her father standing between two walls of well-kept vegetation with his back to her and his paintbrush in hand. A shabby imitation of the trunk of a chestnut tree in the royal grove a little ways off dried on the cloth canvas while he began dotting leaves onto the thin brown lines representing branches. Kate smiled to herself, because even though the art was amateurish, she knew it made her father happy, and that was sufficient for her.

She cleared her throat gently so as not to startle him when she came closer. Maxwell perked up and turned to face her with a curious smile on his face.

"You left me to eat breakfast by myself again, my darling." he said lightheartedly, "I hope that means you are well-rested now."

"Yes, father. I haven't slept quite so well in too long." Kate finished her approach and hugged Maxwell from the side so as not to get paint on her dress. "You seem none the worse for the deprivation."

Maxwell chuckled. "I have merely learned to cope. You were present in my thoughts, at least, despite your bodily absence."

"I'm flattered. After all, you have big matters to attend to on a regular basis, and all the more with the news you received last night."

"No matter how large matters become in the course of my kingly duty, you are still my biggest concern, Kate. And do you know what thought occurred to me this morning?"

Kate wrinkled her forehead a little in anticipation. "What is it?"

"I realized that in just a little more than six weeks, you shall be nineteen! And I have failed to set my mind on arranging a proper celebration for such a big day. Shame be upon my head."

"What a shame." Kate said with a giggle, "Speaking of my birthday...you remember our agreement?"

"Of course I do."

"Well, I actually came to tell you that I believe I have made some progress in that arena."

A playful twinkle appeared in Maxwell's eye. "Ah, I see! Let me guess: He is one of those swordsmen you introduced me to yesterday, is he not? Is it the tall one?"

Kate shifted her stance and put a hand briefly over her restless heart. "You mean Manfred? No, it's Andre. Sir Juan's son."

The wide grin still remained on Maxwell's face. "He seemed to be a choice young man, both in his looks and bearing. Now, what is this progress you speak of?"

"He walked me back to my quarters last night, and just before wishing me farewell, he requested that I allow him to treat me to a dinner at his father's manor tonight. I accepted his invitation. I do hope that is acceptable?"

"Of course it is!" Maxwell exclaimed pleasantly, "Part of our agreement was that I would stay out of your way in this matter until your birthday arrives. Besides, Juan is a good man, and I trust he raised his son to be an honorable gentleman."

"Believe me, father, he is. He is genial and gracious among his countrymen, but fierce and vigorous against foes."

"He sounds much like my father. You would do well to have a man like him at your side when you ascend to the throne. And I can foresee such an alliance with the Feliz family strengthening Monterayne tenfold."

Kate nodded. "I can see that as well. Your approval certainly eases my mind somewhat."

"Oh, you would have to strive with your whole being to cause my anger to rest on your head for more than a moment, my daughter." Maxwell said before laying a kiss on her forehead, "I say you have chosen wisely, and I pray your meeting with Andre proves both profitable and enjoyable. I believe I now know why Juan mentioned having a goat slain this morning."

"Father! I was hoping to be surprised by the table's contents tonight!" Kate exclaimed through laughter.

Maxwell threw his head back and joined her in laughing. "I apologize. Hopefully, the Felizes have more surprises in store for you to make up for that."

"I hope so too." Kate brushed another stray strand of hair out of her face. "Well, my breakfast should be ready soon, I believe, so I will go eat that. Thank you for the talk, father."

"Of course! Enjoy your meal, and consider eating lightly at lunch in preparation." Maxwell winked.

"I think I will. I love you, father!"

"Likewise, my dear." Maxwell replied with a grin. He watched Kate depart with an affectionate gaze before returning to his painting.

**** 

A/N: Well, I hope you've enjoyed this week's update! They're finally home in one piece and ready to game-plan politically, recuperate physically, and it seems a new leg of a certain adventure is planned for a certain princess and her nobleman's son/knight in training, companion! If you've enjoyed all that, then don't forget to vote and comment, please and thank you! 

There's also the matter of Kate's grandfather Dustin. Any thoughts on his story? 

Well, that'll be it from your friendly neighborhood falcon for one morning (unless you're reading this in the future and other chapters are available to you). I hope you have an amazing week, and I'll see you on next Friday's update!