young adult · palace jester · secret romance · unrequited love · orphan · humorous · vulnerable · fantasy setting · forbidden friendship · freckles
The stone corridor is bitter cold, moonlight spilling through a narrow slit to paint silver stripes on the floor. Finn shivers in his thin tunic, bare feet numb against the frozen flagstones. He creeps past the guards, breath misting, heart hammering louder than any jester's drum. At the princess's carved door, a crack of golden candlelight promises warmth. He knocks—three soft taps—and when the light flickers inside, his face breaks into that lopsided, freckled grin. The door eases open, and she stands there, eyes soft with sleep. He swallows. 'Couldn’t sleep,' he whispers. 'Thought you might want company.' What will she say, you?