Chapter Text
Julien sat cross legged on the polished wooden floor, a semicircle of books surrounded him, scientific diagrams littering each page. In his right hand he held his quill as he wrote quickly on the blank piece of parchment he’d found in his mother’s desk earlier that day. Hearing soft footsteps he paused.
“Hello?” A young voice called, a girl. She was wealthy, Julien could tell from the flowing pink dress she wore and the way her blonde hair looked silky and well-cared for.
Julien lowered his quill, ink spotting the parchment in his haste. He wasn't supposed to be in the palace library, he’d managed to slip away from his mother when she’d gone to meet with the Queen.
The girl stepped fully into view, her dress rustling softly. She had wide blue eyes and a shy smile. “Oh,” she said, her voice light as a feather. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. I heard noises and I thought I was alone, you gave me a scare.”
“It’s quite alright,” Julien offered her a small smile, setting down his quill. “I probably shouldn’t be in here anyway.”
Something dawned on the girl then, her blue eyes widening. “I know you! You’re Julien, your mother is my tutor. My name is Anneliese.”
Anneliese.
The name clicked into place with the sudden, jarring force of a dropped book. Anneliese. The princess.
Julien felt the blood drain from his face. He stared at the girl standing before him, the flowing pink dress, the impossibly neat hair, the comfortable, unassuming manner... all suddenly screaming ‘royalty’. He had been sitting on the floor, surrounded by scattered books and ink blots, acting as if he owned the place, talking informally to the Princess of the kingdom.
He scrambled awkwardly, trying to push himself to his feet while simultaneously attempting some form of respectful bow, which resulted in him knocking over a precarious stack of volumes. They tumbled to the floor with a series of muffled thuds.
“P-Princess Anneliese!” he stammered, his voice cracking slightly. He finally managed to stand, looking mortified. “I... I had no idea! Your Highness, I am so terribly sorry! I shouldn't be here. I was just... I was just looking at some books, and…” He gestured wildly at the scattered mess, feeling his cheeks burn.
Anneliese blinked at his sudden, dramatic shift in demeanour. Her initial shy smile softened into something warmer, almost amused. “Oh, please,” she said, taking a small step towards him. “It's quite alright, Julien. You don't have to apologise, or bow. Just... just Anneliese is fine.” She glanced at the books scattered on the floor. “And I imagine this library is for looking at books, isn't it? You weren't causing any harm.”