Page 12 of Princess Bride Swap

She didn’t look up from the book, so he couldn’t quite read her expression, but when she finally met his gaze, she smiled. “I think I shall quite like to belong to something.”

And he wasn’t quite sure why his chest felt...oddly constricted. But he smiled back, and led her to breakfast, ignoring the unknown feeling lurking there.

CHAPTER FIVE

THEYATEBREAKFASTtogether and then Lyon gave Beau an extensive tour of the grounds. She kept waiting for him to foist her off on staff. To disappear somewhere, as he had when she’d first arrived last night. But he stayed by her side. She supposed it was so that everyone believed in their marriage as something more than an uncomfortable business arrangement. She could play along.

Happily, she did not feel the least bit panicked though everything was a bit overwhelming. But he had a very calming presence when they were out in the castle. He explained everything. Assuaged every anxiety about settling into a brand-new place without her even having to ask.

When it was time to get ready for the dinner, he introduced her to the team that would help her get ready. By name and position, so she knew exactly who to ask for anything.

The only thing she did not get a say in was the gown she was to wear. When she voiced some concerns about the strapless nature of it, she was assured that everything would be secured quite well.

No onesaidshe didn’t have a say, but it was clear she was not allowed torefuse. She would have been annoyed by that, but she was being poked and prodded and practically sewn into the beautiful dress and she didn’t know how to access her anger with all that going on.

She was tired and a little achy and wondering how Zia had done this for years upon years. All this...physical rigmarole to look a certain way for a group of strangers. Events upon events where she had to smile and compliment and act the perfect princess.

All to protect Beau. Because even though Zia had been better atbeingthe heir, she hadn’twantedit. Two silly, spoiled princesses she supposed, who wanted to be human beings more than some kind of emotionless figurehead.

But Zia had been blackmailed, essentially. Always working to protect Beau from whatever threats their father had leveled at her. And Beau had let Zia take the fall again and again.

Which was why she was here. Taking the final fall. And it wasn’t so bad. She’d made her choices, and Lyon was... Well, she couldn’t say he wasnothinglike Father, because she knew his kingdom mattered more to him than anything—if she hadn’t gathered it from their correspondence, she would have fully understood it when he’d handed her that family biography. Family. Legacy. Tradition.

Yes, she was well versed in how rulers viewed all those things as paramount.

But at least Lyon offered some kindness along the way. Her father had never done that for her or her sister.

The door opened and Lyon stepped in, dressed crisply in a tux, his hair in perfect place. He looked every inch the handsome prince he was meant to be.

One of the women who’d done her makeup helped Beau up out of the chair.

“You look beautiful,” Lyon said.

It was a rote compliment, but somehow Lyon delivered it with a note of gravity that made it feelreal. She had never once feltbeautiful. Never tried to feel that. She’d always considered it Zia’s domain.

Lyon’s eyes on her made a compliment she’d never craved suddenly feel...wonderful. And made her think about another night sharing his bedroom. Sharing hisbed. Whatstepsawaited her there.

Which was not at all what she should be thinking about.

“It’s as if the tiara was made for her, don’t you think, Your Highness?”

Lyon’s gaze didn’t move from Beau, but he nodded at the hairstylist. “It does indeed.”

She didn’tfeelthat way at all, but the fact Lyon’s gaze stayed on her with such...intensity made her want it to be true. It made her want to stand a little taller and ensure all his compliments could be believed.

It was a very strange feeling, to want to impress someone. From a very young age she’d known that there would never be any impressing her parents, so she’d stopped trying. She hadn’t worried overmuch what anyone thought of her because she had known her role. No role at all.

Now she had one.

Lyon took her hand, lifted it to his mouth and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. She wondered if she would ever know how to react to that in a way that didn’t make her feel totally off-kilter. Like someone else. Someone who was not unwanted and hidden away.

“The announcement went well and will ensure that we have quite a few attendees at dinner tonight,” Lyon said, leading her toward the door. “You will be introduced to some members of parliament. Some members of my extended family. After, we shall sit down and film our short video introducing you and our plans for the future.”

“And just what are our plans for the future?”

“A responsible, trustworthy and charitable monarchy that will work with parliament rather than against it and usher Divio into an age of stability they have not seen for decades. A partnership with Lille, that will eventually lead to a union of our countries once you inherit the throne.”

She hadn’t been consulted in any of that, but then again, she had no actual stake in Divio except for that eventually she would be mother of the heir to the monarchy.

---