Chapter Text
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Juliette had wandered out past where she was supposed to, but she loved the busyness and colours of the market.
Her parents were quite strict about boundaries, but not in a loving way. They pretty much just ignored her most of the time. Juliette didn't mind, she was 7 years old now. She supposed she should be able to go out to the market on her own.
So she had walked right out the door of their home. And she had gone to the market. Alone.
She was quite pleased with herself. It has been so easy—
Juliette slowed to a halt as she saw the state of the market.
It had the same colourful fabric stall-roves, it has the same winding path. It was still busier than ever, and yet—
There was a crowd.
One crowd. Not many. Not the usual crowds at the popular stands, no. There was only one big crowd.
Juliette wasn't sure exactly why. She had never seen a crowd here before.
So, as curious as she was, Juliette decided to get closer.
That's when she saw the Royal Guard.
A dozen soldiers stood in a circle with emotionless faces. Juliette tilted her head. Who wouldn't be smiling at the market?
She crept up closer to the square, if only to see what they were guarding. If only to see why they were here.
Juliette wove through the crowd, passing under arms and legs and tables and chairs. She needed to see.
And see she did.
When she had mad it to the near front, she was able to view what everyone was crowded by.
The king.
Juliette had not seen much of the king in her 7 years. She had seen his photo in the newspapers, and she had attended two royal announcements in her lifetime. Though she had never been this close.
He had brown hair and very blue eyes. Not like hers, hers had a little bit of green in them. His eyes were more like the colour of the sea.
And, standing by his side, was who she could only assume to be the eldest prince.
The king had three sons. Aaron, Adam, and little baby James. Juliette hadn't seen any of them aside from the baby, as one of the Royal Announcements she had attended had been the publication of his birth. He was a cute baby.
Adam, she didn't know much of. He was around her age, give or take a few years. Adam looked a lot like the king, she had heard.
And this prince beside The King couldn't have been either of them, because James was a baby and Adam looked like The King. This boy didn't.
This boy, his hair was golden where his father's was dark. His eyes were celadon where his father's were sapphire. He had to be Prince Aaron.
What she knew about him was much less than both of the younger sons, which is ironic, because he's the oldest and the crown prince.
But she had seen James. She knew what Adam looked like. But wouldn't have been able to find Aaron anywhere.
Until now. She knew him now.
He stood still next to his father. As emotionless as the gaurd, yet it seemed much more unnatural on the face of such a young boy. He looked like a prince— it wasn't even in the outfit or the styled hair, it was his presence. It felt royal. Even kingly.
And then—
His eyes met hers.
She was still standing there— in her dirty, patched dress— hiding in the crowd. And he had seen her.
His face remained the same. Emotionless. He didn't smile. Didn't frown. Didn't raise an eyebrow.
Yet— if you looked close enough to catch it, you might've found a glint of curiosity in those green eyes.
Her lips twitched upwards in that crooked child smile. And he noticed.
He noticed, but he did not smile back.
No, instead, he frowned. Ever so slightly— the curiosity in his eyes replaced with something Juliette couldn't quite place. But Prince Aaron was back to being emotionless. Like the prince he was.
Juliette didn’t know how anyone could have a face so stoic, especially so young. The moment Juliette felt something, it would be shown on her expression in seconds. She could never be so indifferent.
She was stupid for even looking his way. The princes were not allowed friends, her mother had told her. Especially not with peasant girls.
Her mother. She had forgotten she was not supposed to be there.
As she slipped back out through the crowd, she debated whether that was a successful endeavour. She went to the market, for what? To buy something with the money she did not have?
Whatever reason she had gone, it hadn't been that. But had that been so bad?
When Juliette skipped back up to her house, if you could call it that, braids bouncing as she did, she was met when her mother, wearing her same long skirt and white blouse she always did, with her hands on her hips.
"Juliette." Her mother said, in that ever so posh voice. Juliette didn't know why she used such manners, she was only a farmer. "Where have you been?"
"The market." Juliette just said, acting as though she didn't defy the very scary looking lady in front of her.
"The market." Mother scoffed. "You're not allowed to go to the market."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go that far, but the king was there—!"
"I don't want to hear it. Go inside." Juliette was cut off by the scolding of the old woman. And Juliette didn't want to be punished, so she listened.
"Yes, Mother. I won't go to the market on my own again." She said apologetically as she looked down at her feet, resisting the urge to kick a rock and see how far it would go. Her mom wouldn't like that.
Her mother only scoffed at her promise. "Go, then. Inside."
And that's what Juliette did, though her head was still in the market square. Her eyes still on those of light green.
That was the first time she ever saw Prince Aaron Warner Anderson.
And it wouldn't be the last.