Jade dreamt of her long deceased father at night. They sat peacefully in front of the fireplace and played a lazy game of chess. They were silent for most of it because they did not need to converse to understand why the other made their move. As the game drew to a tie Jade looked up to see her father gazing at her with the deepest affection.

At quarter past three the girl roused from her slumber with silent tears running down her face. The acute misery in her bosom weighed down on her as if a physical lashing. Her mind raced through her father's illness and death in a self flagellating fashion once again trying to pick apart any way she could have prevented it.

Before she knew it, her feet were on the warm, carpeted floor and she padded, barefoot towards her dressing room, knowing there would be no more rest to be had. The cool water washed away her frown and nearly dissipated the remnants of the dream. By the time she was fully dressed she had all but forgotten the dream.

A quick round to the Prince's chambers revealed her employer too had abandoned his bed a long while ago for the company of his horses. The secretary quickly forged her path to the stables outside.

Jade felt her breath catch as she caught sight of the Prince's built form from afar. Dawn was upon them but the dense, grey, rolling clouds allowed only dim light to pass. This left her vision muddied but she could see him grooming his Hanoverian mare the closer she got.

The serenity on his well proportioned face in comparison to his outburst just a day back was remarkable. It was as if the wild energy and ardent declaration of love had never occured at all.

Emma's words from yesterday had echoed loud and clear in her head, giving her a throbbing headache right before she went to bed. The thought of falling in love with the Prince was not new. His pleasant face and disposition made him an easy target for her affections. It was only the constant reminders of the impossibility of it was what chaffed her.

He was a Prince and utterly unattainable even if she was in her female form. She had never taken the opportunity to be presented in court, enjoying a debut in her own home instead. If he had seen her at her debut he would have found her unpolished, unpractised demeanor utterly forgettable. No one would have stood to watch as she made her entrance down a staircase. None of the jewels in her mother's closet could have made her shine as the mysterious girl.

And now, if he discovered her true identity he would cast her out of sight without a second thought. There would be no softening in his heart for her deceit. Their friendship would mean nothing to him.

She tried to banish her ridiculous thoughts but they haunted her when she least expected it. The closer she walked on the gravel path towards Luke the more distant he felt.

She suddenly wished she had taken up a less significant vocation. A life as a clerk did not seem too dreadful she lied to herself. It would at least mean her heart was safe but it would leave the Prince unprotected and that was unacceptable.

Jade's meandering thoughts vanished as she realised what the scene before her meant, "Wait, Sire, why are you saddling up your horse?"

"We shall ride down to the capital on horseback," The Prince nodded as he replied, as if it were a fact.

"Absolutely not, your Highness! I have ordered for the carriage already. It will rain soon and I refuse to let us drown in torrential downpour while riding down steep mountain slopes," Jade disabused him of that notion. She motioned for a stable boy to take away the horse.

"Worried the rouge will wipe off your lips in the rain, little girl?" Luke taunted with a mischievous grin. He let the stable boy walk his horse away conceeding defeat without a fight. He already knew his attempt at wresting control would be taken poorly. His new secretary was even worse than Elliot's meddling.

"Perhaps, I worry about the kohl smudging down your pretty face, Your Highness" Jade retorted, not even pausing for a breath, "We would have gotten ill before we even began. How would you even woo your love if you kept sneezing on her?"

"Your meek exterior does a good job of hiding the hellion inside of you. I did not realise I would have to start the trip with a mutiny."

"You are getting your heart's desire, Sire. My job is to make sure you get it safely," Jade replied with a false sense of calmness. The entire objective of their trip was so succinctly explained in her words but their endeavour was going to be hardly this easy.

The tall pair bantered casually, talking of everything and nothing, as they made their way inside to give their farewells. The footmen had made quick work of the luggage which had already been packed and stowed away last night.

Jade took the opportunity to take her last commands from Sir Elliot who sat in his study as if he never slept while the Prince had presented himself to his parents. Luke had joined Jade in Sir Elliot's study and the girl had immediately given them privacy to say their farewells.

..

Jade clambered out of the leather furnished coach, slung her bag over her shoulder and gave the departing Royal carriage a bow before knocking on Mr Gepetto's door. The man opened the door, bleary eyed, holding empty, glass milk bottles. He fumbled with them in surprise seeing the unexpected arrival.

"My girl, I did not expect you today. I hope..." Mr. Gepetto cast a wary glance outside as if expecting royal guards with weapons aimed at them.

"The Prince is going on a journey. I wrote to you last night but I suppose the post rider was not yet awake when we departed this morning," Jade explained as she shut the door firmly behind them.

"So, he goes after her," The old dressmaker's lips turned thin at the pronouncement. He took Jade's coat and coaxed her into his seat despite her protests.

"Unfortunately. I think he walks into a trap," Jade uttered.

"I have the same intuition. Would you like some tea?" The man asked as he tidied up the area.

"We must depart soon. We only stopped at the capital to stock up on our supplies. Our next stop is the Princess' castle up north. She lives a day's journey away," Jade explained her lack of appetite. They had already had a filling meal at the city Palace.

"Ah, yes. The paved roads only go up to her holding. Beyond her castle there are only rock lined paths. Be careful. Civilisation ends where your journey starts," Mr Gepetto cautioned.

"It cannot be that dire," The tall girl said, lightly. She was making the same mistake all the city dwellers made when they thought about their country in terms of their own living conditions.

"Keep this. You must. It is for your protection," Mr. Gepetto handed Jade a green, silk pouch after a long episode of rummaging behind feather boas. The girl tried to open the present but he firmly pressed his own wizened hands atop hers.

"Open it when you need it. Not before, and certainly not after," The elderly dressmaker gave her a piercing look as if he sought a blood oath.

"I-I will try," Jade answered. She looked away, unable to face his gaze.

"No trying. You are heading for dangerous lands. There's no telling what you will face. It will protect you," Mr Gepetto said and suddenly looked as mudane as his knitted tea cosy.

"I'm honoured you think of me," Jade squeezed her fist around the pouch and placed it inside her pocket.

"No, it is I, my dearest, who has the greater honour. You have been so brave. Now, wait a minute. We must outfit you in durable clothes. I got your earlier missive about your fears of the journey and got straight to work!"

Jade was glad for the distraction as her former landlord buried her under pile after pile of newly sewn clothing.

...

Jade was abruptly woken by the unevenness of the road and the unskilful handling of the carriage by the city driver. The girl took a sip from her water skins and exhaled a fractured breath. She tried to remember why she felt so anxious but she could not discern any reason why her heart raced a mile a minute.

Jade felt herself being watched and looked up at Prince Luke's grey eyes dancing with unrepentant glee. He clearly had noticed the drool which she tried to subtly wipe off her chin.

"You were moaning in your sleep," The man announced before going back to examining the interior of their vehicle.

"I was doing no such thing, your Highness!"

Prince Luke shrugged letting her know he couldn't care less what she believed infuriating Jade further. She opening her mouth to insist he was incorrect when the carriage shook with the vigour of an earthquake.

"I was told the roads were paved," Jade complained. She opened her side of the window and inhaled the fresh country air. Her own country estate was west from the capital and would not be a part of their journey. The few patches of farmland were already decreasing out so far south. It seemed that forests would dominate the landscape soon.

"This is the best we can do after the rainy season. They will fix them next spring," Luke looked out from Jade's open window inspite of the fact that he had his own to peer out off.

They were sitting at the opposite ends in what should have been a comfortable carriage made for long-distance journeys but Jade could not recite it's merits after traveling on such an uneven road. Jade was suddenly very grateful Prince Luke had chosen to share his carriage with her or else she would have been squashed between the soldiers stuffed in the larger carriages behind them.

"How terrible. I wonder how much the general populace suffers?" The brown haired girl mused with a bite of her lip. She could spy farm hands working in the distance on seasonal crops. They must only use donkey carts if they were so used to this road.

"Are you already uncomfortable by the hardship of the journey, my young friend. Maybe you should have stayed home," Prince Luke's voice could not hide his amusement at her suffering.

"I am enjoying the scenery," Jade replied stubbornly ignoring the Prince's mumbling about weak city men, "And who said I'm young. I heard you had a birthday recently. We were the same age before yesterday. I checked."

"You should have been more diligent at your job if you did not want to be fooled," The man replied, breezily. He checked his overly clean nails in an exaggerated gesture.

"Sire, I apologize for not acknowledging your special day or even giving you a gift. I hope you do not take it as a slight," Jade mumbled, hoping her words were appropriate.

She had no idea what the protocol was for such a relaxed employer. Sir Elliot obviously had not touched such topics expecting her to keep formalities of the highest order while her own father had been extremely friendly with his workers. They had brought him gifts from their villages on special occasions so she knew there was some merit to her thoughts. She had held many a doll as a young girl made by her staff.

"It would be unprincipled to accept any tokens from you. Besides you are giving me the girl of my imagination. What more could a man want," The Prince dismissed her offers with a dimpled smirk.

Jade unconsciously made a face that gave away her thoughts. She hurried to explain it to her companion, "Talk of love will end up giving me gout."

Luke chortled at her expression. It seemed he had only kept her as a travel companion to keep himself entertained.

"You must have been spoilt as child... I can tell," The long haired man announced. The quizzical mein on his countenance was mocking.

"Well, I doubt my father had as much opportunity as a Royal King," Jade countered with a raised brow. She wondered if she had gone too far much too late.

"You can meet my sister and then you will have a complete estimation of how much we were spoiled," The companion was magnanimous in ignoring his secretary's troublesome tongue.

"Is she situated very far?" Jade asked. She once again gazed out of the open window, enjoying the cooling breeze.

"We will reach there before nightfall," Luke answered just as their royal flag bearing carriage turned right, towards a royal staging post. The pair took the opportunity to exercise their feet and eat a piping hot afternoon meal.

....

Princess Delilah's castle was an imposing stone structure that stood atop a vast mountain amidst swirling fog Jade feared for her life as their carriage climbed the sharp turns that led to their goal. Their driver was truly a most incompetent man.

The stone castle was a stark contrast from the palaces the secretary had recently encountered. There were no whitewashed walls covering the brick and none of windows were painted gold. It was a castle made for sustaining war and not frivolous pastimes.

The drawbridge led them into the inner courtyard and Jade could see, despite the functional look and smaller size, it was very still very impressive. Torches were lit all over the castle illuminating the rugged stonework. Prince Luke descended first at the private entrance and was welcomed by the line of servants waiting his arrival.

"Luke! What a sight for sore eyes," The Princess glided forward and embraced her taller, younger brother. The siblings shared matching beaming grins.

Jade observed the scene carefully as she climbed out of the carriage, minding her feet and gave a low bow. She had only heard of Princess Delilah but had never seen her in person before. The Princess, just like the royal ancestor she was named after, had many grand images dotted all over the summer palace and it was safe to say they did not do her beauty justice.

The Princess was very pale skinned with a soft, heart shaped face. She shared the same dark hair as her brothers which was styled in an intricate bun. Her wide grey eyes matched the ones in front of her.

"I am delighted to see you at last, sister," Luke leaned forward and hugged her again as if he couldn't believe she was in front of him.

Jade noticed his sister was in the family way despite the red velvet gown's best efforts to conceal her state. No wonder she had not made an appearance at the ball. The roads and the distance would have been insufferable for a pregnant woman.

Jade followed the chattering pair indoors and they came to a pause in the vaulted entrance hall.

"See yourself to your usual rooms. I must have a good look at your pretty, new secretary," Delilah eyed the other girl speculatively.

"Not, you too. Half the maids and noble women at the summer palace are besotted with his looks," Prince Luke sighed and looked defeated, "Please be gentle with him. He is rather fragile."

"He is, isn't he," The Princess remarked, her sharp grey eyes gave the new comer a quizzical stare, "I am not a brute, Luke. I will take good care of your staff."

"Your Highness," Jade bowed with deference. Luke may allow her loose tongue but it seemed the Princess was made out of sterner stock. She ushered her brother towards the stairs and led the secretary into a snug parlour just on their left. Jade frowned as the Princess ordered the maid away and offered the treats set out in the room herself.

"Please do not be shy. The cooks have brought out all of brother's favourites," The Princess offered her a platter of chocolate covered biscuits which Jade took with effusive praise.

"This is very good..." Jade took an indulgent bite of the world famous chocolate biscuits.

"I had the chocolate specially imported from our neighboring country. Now, tell me how come my brother's new man is a woman," The Princess asked without changing her pleasant tone of voice. Her face tilted as if trying to solve this particular riddle.

Jade froze, feeling rather sick. The biscuit fell to her lap and the crumbs scattered all over her new outfit. She quickly wiped the crumbs off her shirt with her handkerchief.

"Your Highness..." The girl uttered weakly. Her mouth worked for many moments but her vocal cords were at a standstill.

"I had thought he was surrounded by competent people but alas. Not even Elliot could see through your disguise?" Princess Delilah asked with a curl of her lip reminding Jade of the eldest Prince.

"No, My Princess, he believes I am a man," The secretary replied. Her fingers trembled as she placed the empty plate back to the table. The clank of the plate over glass startled her more then it would have in her usual state of mind.

"What utter rot! I am not pleased at all," The Princess clenched her delicate hands on the velvet draped lap.

"I can explain but I beg of you, please keep my secret hidden from Prince Luke," The younger girl implored.

"I may, I may not although my reason for not revealing your secret would be to see how long you can keep up the farce. Now tell me why. Do you mean to seduce him? He has many male admirers and he has never shown interest so your attempt would be for naught," Delilah quizzed the subordinate with a withering glare.

"Of course, not. He is wretchedly in love with the mysterious creature whom he has only met twice. He would find me abhorrent even in my female form so fear not my limited charms. My only goal is to earn an honest keep and live in the world of men as equals," Jade's words ran into each other as panic set in. Her whole world was crumbling before her very eyes.

"What is your real identity? My brother is already pursued by one witch and I refuse to let him be deceived by another. Tell me everything," The Princess commanded. She leaned forward with such a dominating aura that Jade could not help but spill her secrets. It was no wonder that even the Crown Prince thought his sister was worthy of the throne.

Delilah's piercing grey eyes followed Jade's oft repeated tale. The secretary explained her lineage which was widely available in the ancient family tree books. Her great grandfather had been the younger son of a Duke, who made his fortune in the army and bought a vast estate at the edge of his father's land. The estate was not entailed and was meant to be passed on to Jade but her stepmother's nefarious plans had stolen her future.

"Will you let me go with him tomorrow if you can verify my identity? I mean him no harm," Jade pleaded. She was desperate enough that she would kiss the woman's feet if she demanded it.

"You would still wish to go? How curious. I would have given you protection in my humble abode if your story rang true. I am not an unfeeling monster to turn you out without shelter," The Princess found the whole situation quite curious.

"I have already saved him twice, your Highness. I am not the one that needs protection. He does."