Did… Did his face just turn a bit pink as well? Melanie’s head turned slightly to one side, her maroon hair falling like a curtain off of her shoulder and down onto her arm as her blue eyes stared up at him. Did she just make him blush? Was Sir Dalton, one of the most respected knights in the kingdom blushing because of something she had asked him? So, so he really is human. That is a wonderful thought. Soon Melanie found herself grinning a cheeky happy smile to his coy smirk. Calling him Dalton felt more like she had a friend in the castle despite her sudden and confusing arrival. What a wonderful feeling. Her small gloved hand rose up and she gave him a gentle wave, “Good night Dalton; thanks for walking me back. Sleep well yourself!” Her urge to continue calling things to him was great but she restrained herself, finding comfort in the secure feeling he provided her. It was more than she deserved but what she needed while dealing with this situation. It wasn’t long after she disappeared into her room that the handmaidens showed up and helped her out of her dress and she clasped on her bed. Holy crap this has been nuts but… it’s also become her new reality. Who would have thought that entering as a joke would lead her to becoming the next princess of the kingdom. Her eyes fluttered closed as her last remaining thoughts drifted back to the kindness that Si… Dalton had shown her since she arrived and maybe, just maybe, dropping the formalities will allow them to connect a little more. ---- The next morning consisted of pulling and tugging at her as the handmaidens went through her clothing nearly throwing away everything the castle staff had brought to her. ‘This is not princess worthy’, ‘nor is this’, ‘or that’ were quite a few of the phrases she heard from the head maid as she tore through her things. Melanie just let the girl go through her things, knowing full well that nothing she owned was princess worth as the newer handmaiden braided her hair for her riding lesson she had this early morning. She sat in silence until the head maid pulled out a vintage white wedding dress. Before the maid could declare whether it was princess worthy, Melanie spring from her seat and snatched the dress from the head maid. “Anything but this…” She responded softly clutching the fabric to her. “This was my mother’s wedding dress… Please, you can throw away anything but this.” Her voice was pleading and the normally stone face of the head maid softened as she was just how expressive and passionate the nearly tearing up copper haired woman was. “It’s lovely.” The head maid responded before giving her a nod and offering a hanger. “I know just where to put it.” The two worked together and hung her mother’s wedding dress against a far wall of her room showing off its beauty and providing Melanie with a happy memory. ---- After being dressed in a pair of riding pants, a nice blouse (why white was beyond her) and a helmet under her arm, she was escorted by the maids to the stables. “Sir Dalton, the princess is here and ready for her riding lessons.” “Thank you for walking me here.” She said brightly to the two handmaidens that had joined her for the journey. As the two bowed and walked away, Melanie called after them. “Alyssa, I hope your sister gets better and Kelsey, please bring your flute next time, I’d love to hear you play it!” Her wave was a bit overexcited as the two girls left. Maybe it was because she was over talkative herself or that the staff was getting comfortable around her already; the thought of that made her smile. Her smile, however, disappeared when she turned back around and began to fiddle with the helmet in her hands. “Uh… So…” She began as she walked towards Dalton and stayed a few stepped behind him and further from the horse. “Good morning Dalton. I… I didn’t realize the horse would be so tall…” Her fingers played with the chin strap of her helmet as she looked up at the white mare, she was beautiful. There was no doubt about this. “I should probably tell you… I’ve never rode a horse before…”