The sun had run a lazy arc across the sky, the grass cool and soft beneath my hands as I leaned on the tree next to Andrew. He'd pointed out the villages in the distance, keenly familiar with each of them to the point he could describe each of their unique features. There was Castlerock, the nearest, that was known for their excellent smithy, followed by Harridon, perched atop a hill with a magnificent church spire visible even from such a distance. When I watched Andrew talk about them, I caught glimpses of the king he would become, one that was genuinely interested in his people and his country.

"Are you really boring her by talking about villages?" Thomas demanded, collapsing on the picnic blanket some time later, exhausted from sparring with James. It had been clear that James was the superior swordsman, as he had barely broken a sweat while Thomas appeared to have run his paces. The other noble had taken a seat near Anne and Miss Claridge, exchanging some quiet words with the governess.

"I find it fascinating," I said, cutting Andrew off before he could reply. Thomas made a face.

"Well I find it dreadfully dull," he said, casting a disinterested glance towards the villages in the distance, "Why must we even care that Boughton has the world's best treacle tart? Bravo for them, it's a pudding,"

I tried to stifle my laugh, but I wasn't quite fast enough. Thomas shot me an appreciative sidelong grin while Andrew harrumphed.

"I think it's admirable when a town takes pride in something," Andrew said, clearly annoyed by his brother, "For instance-"

"Just wait, he's about to mention the Castlerock smiths again," Thomas stage whispered to me. Andrew cut himself off with an exasperated sigh.

"I suppose there was at least some luck that I'm the one to inherit the crown," Andrew fired back. But his words clearly didn't have the desired effect, as Thomas' grin simply widened.

"Luck indeed, for while you're worrying about local puddings and blacksmiths and the contents of the royal treasury, I'll be courting ladies and travelling the world," Thomas said, watching me as if he was waiting for me to laugh. But I didn't laugh this time, because the picture the younger prince had just painted of his brother's life seemed a dull one indeed. I shot a look at Andrew, who was still scowling, and decided that I needed to lighten the mood.

"I wonder which of us could climb a tree fastest," I said, springing to my feet. Both the princes looked up at me in surprise, Princess Anne pausing in her reading.

"We're not permitted to climb trees," she said, "It's unseemly,"

"I'd thought you'd heard about me," I teased, "Unseemly activities are my specialty,"

I'd already tested one of the lower hanging branches, reaching up to pull myself up and over it. Andrew was on his feet in an instant, hovering beneath where I was struggling to my feet on the thick tree limb.

"Oh I like her very much," Thomas said, shooting Andrew a grin, "Dare to keep up, Andy?"

The younger prince had seized another limb, swinging up with seemingly much less effort than it had taken me. I blamed the hindrance of my riding skirts as I reached up towards another branch, bracing my feet against the trunk as I climbed.

"You'll break your necks!" Anne protested, her French book forgotten as she joined Andrew looking up between the branches at us. James and Miss Claridge looked on with barely veiled disapproval, but I'd already pegged them as being the spoilsports of the group.

"Spoken like a true coward, Annie!" Thomas called. He had already scaled above me, leaning down to offer me a hand up.

"Libby come down from there!" Andrew called back, clearly not willing to climb up after me.

"Not until you come up after me!" I taunted, earning more laughter from Thomas.

"Fine, I'll attempt to catch you when you fall to your death then!" Andrew called back. I laughed, looking down at him.

"Ignore him, he's a ninny prince," Thomas said, reaching towards me in earnest now. I hesitated before taking his hand, allowing him to tug me up onto his limb.

"Now tell me, however does a tree-climbing lass end up as a lady-in-waiting?" he asked, cocking his head as he swung his legs off the bough. The tree shook from his weight and I couldn't help but lean over to clutch the trunk. Thomas laughed, bouncing so the branch would shake even more, and I immediately regretted following the reckless royal so high into the tree.

"Your Highness, I suggest you stop moving," Miss Claridge called, her voice sharply cutting across Thomas' laughter, "I am under instructions to bring you home alive and whole,"

Thomas simply rolled his eyes, curtailing his bouncing with a chuckle. He swung down to the limb below us and when I made to do the same, he held his hands out to stop me.

"You're not coming down until you've answered my question," he said, blocking my way.

"Because my cousin was desperate and I was her last resort," I said, "Now move over, troublemaker, or I'll scream until your ears break,"

"I very much enjoy my sense of hearing, thank you," Thomas said, scooting out of the way so I could precede him back down the tree, "Although I do believe I am the winner of your little contest, considering brother dearest remained on terra firma,"

"I do love it when you use big words, Tom," Andrew drawled, "It's a shame we all know you're not that intelligent,"

I had made it down to the last bough, judging how far it was from the ground when Andrew stepped in front of me.

"I did say I'd catch you, didn't I?" he said, opening his arms. I hesitated again, my stomach turning a somersault at the thought of launching myself into Andrew's arms.

"Ever the gentleman," Thomas said, landing on the bough next to me, "Come on Libby, there's only one way down. Either you jump or I'll push you,"

Choosing what I hoped was the lesser of two evils, I hopped myself down from the branch, Andrew's arms catching me midair before my feet could hit the ground. Our faces were inches from each other's as he set me down, my skin burning through my riding dress where'd he'd caught me around the waist.

"Thank you," I mumbled, mortified that I was probably flushing crimson.

"You three had best hurry up or we'll miss tea!" Anne called. I hadn't realized that I'd been clutching Andrew's arms until I looked over to where the princess, James, and Miss Claridge were already mounted. Thomas launched himself off the tree, taking off at a run towards the horses.

"Last one back gets to explain to mother!" Thomas shouted. Andrew was still holding me, releasing me only when I yanked my hands back from his arms.

"Your mother is more than a little terrifying," I admitted. Andrew laughed.

"She doesn't like strangers very much, but she's not all that bad," he said, offering me his arm as we made our way back towards our horses. The other four had already crested the hill when Andrew held a hand out to help me into the saddle. I swung up, turning my mare so I could take in the breathtaking vista one last time. Andrew mounted his stallion, turning it around to face the sweeping view next to me.

"Thank you for showing me this," I said, wondering if I'd ever be able to break out of the palace to see it again.

"Don't worry, there are a few more surprises I'd like to show you back at the palace," Andrew said, as if sensing my hesitation, "Although I'll have to claim at least one of my dances first,"

I turned to him with a smile, allowing my mare to follow his stallion as we broke into a gallop over the hilltop. We caught up with the rest of the party, Thomas running circles around them as they had slowed down to a trot.

"I had a thought as we waited an eternity for you two to catch up," Thomas said, falling in next to Andrew, "What if our return race is a team race?"

Both his siblings looked over at him, warily curious.

"Anne and Libby have to take the road, while you and I have to go through the forest," Thomas said, "Let's make a real race of it,"

"And what of us?" James asked, amused.

"You get to be the judges. James, you come with us, and Bessie rides with the ladies," Thomas said.

"Only if we get the road," Anne said, stunning all of us that she'd want to participate.

"Of course, the easy track for the ladies," Thomas grinned. Anne made a face at him.

"On my mark then," James started, only for Anne to turn her horse and spur it down towards the winding road at the base of the hill. Miss Claridge was off before I could even wheel my horse around, Andrew and James laughing while Thomas swore. I heard their horses gallop away towards the forest behind me as I trailed the princess and her governess. Anne was leaning low in the saddle, Miss Claridge struggling to catch up with her. The road wove between the hilltops, curving up and down as we raced over it. The horses kicked up a suitable amount of dirt and, trailing the others, I was well aware that my riding outfit would need a thorough laundering before I could wear it again.

The princess had crested another hill in front of us, only for Miss Claridge to spur her horse onward when the princess gave out a little shriek. I wasn't fast enough to pull back on my reins as my horse sailed over the hill and landed with a splash in a massive puddle, no doubt leftover from the rainfall earlier that week. Anne's shriek had turned into giggles as she shook off her soaking wet sleeves, her dress now thoroughly muddied.

"Let's not let a little mud stop us," she said, urging her horse onward, "Come on, we're almost there!"

We tore through Highcastle, eliciting even more stares now that we weren't simply three women riding astride, but three women riding astride whilst covered in mud. Miss Claridge's back was ramrod straight, which I took as a sign that she was not entirely pleased that she was returning her charge in such a state.

Anne barely slowed as we reached the palace gates, thundering down the road before she careened off to the side, following the lawns rather than the road. I crossed my fingers that we wouldn't come across the debutantes playing croquet and thankfully we didn't, Anne pulling up just short of the stables.

"We won!" she cried gleefully, only for the men to come thundering down the road around the other side of the palace.

"Just barely!" Thomas admitted grudgingly, sliding down from his horse while his sister stuck her tongue out at him. Miss Claridge cleared her throat and Anne remembered herself.

"I think we'd best be getting back, Princess," Miss Claridge said, dropping a stiff curtsey to the princes and James as she gestured for Anne to precede her towards the palace.

"Libby should come too, she'll set tongues to wagging if she shows up covered in muck," Anne said as I slid off my horse and handed the reins to one of the gaggle of stablehands that had turned up to take care of our horses. I had attempted to wipe the puddle mud from my dress, but it was no use. It was already weighing me down, caked in mud and soaked with water.

"Then we must hurry," Miss Claridge said, "For your mother will be expecting you for tea shortly,"

Anne reached out to give my hand a tug, dragging me away before I could say a proper goodbye to Andrew. Our eyes met and he grinned that special lopsided smile, his eyes crinkling as he took in my soiled attire.

"I'll have my ladies' maid find you a dress, but we'll need to bathe and change quickly," the princess was saying, as Miss Claridge led us in through a door I'd never been through before.

"Thank you, but I'm sure I'd be able to return to my room unseen," I said, thinking of the service corridors.

"We won the race, it's the least I can do not to get you into...Mother," Anne froze, halting in her tracks.

Coming down the wide hallway towards us was none other than the queen herself, two ladies in waiting trailing behind her. I realized with horror that one of them wasn't a lady in waiting at all, but rather Ashley Mayfair, whose blue eyes had widened in recognition as she looked at me. I dropped as deep a curtsey as I could muster in my sodden dress, Miss Claridge mirroring my reverence.

"I presume you have an explanation," the queen said stiffly, running a coldly disapproving look over her daughter.

"We...there was a puddle and..." Anne started, her shoulders slumping as she seemed to want to shrink into herself. The queen closed her eyes, sighing.

"Anne," she said wearily, her eyes softening as she shook her head at her daughter, "Go clean yourself up,"

"It was my fault, your Majesty, for not stopping her," Miss Claridge admitted bravely, the queen's look hardening instantly as she glared at the governess. She said nothing, instead running her eyes over Miss Claridge's similarly soiled riding attire before her eyes turned to me. She looked me over as if trying to place me, none of the warmth she'd shown her daughter as she looked at me. Andrew's words echoed in my head and I dropped my gaze deferentially, fighting to keep from biting my lip out of shame.

"I'll expect you at tea," the queen said sharply to Anne, "On time,"

Anne and Miss Claridge dropped into curtseys as the queen skirted around us, giving us a wide berth. I followed suit, but a beat too late. Ashley was watching me with barely masked glee as she covered her grin with her hand. I watched her go as my feeling of dread intensified.

Suddenly my glorious day had taken a drastic turn for the worst.