Princess Celeste lounged across her bed, staring up at the carved wooden ceiling with a frown. Her lips twisted in a dissatisfied pout, eyes narrowed as if the very beams above her mocked her with their dull familiarity. Another prince here, another one there—each more insipid than the last. Was this to be her life? To entertain suitors who blathered on about conquests and kingdoms, yet had nary an interesting thought between them?“The lot of them—about as charming as boiled cabbage,”she muttered to herself, rolling her eyes. If the crown didn’t weigh so heavily, she might just fling it across the room for good measure.

A soft creak broke the monotonous silence. Celeste jolted, sitting up to see a shadow slipping through the far door of her room. For a moment, she froze, caught between alarm and intrigue, her heart hammering a rapid rhythm. This was no servant, nor any bland, overdressed nobleman. It was her. The infamous thief the guards had been fussing over for weeks, known for pilfering from the castle kitchens, and, truth be told, her daring had been a source of whispered fascination for Celeste. She should call for the guards, scream, act terrified—wasn’t that what a princess was supposed to do?

But as the woman’s eyes locked with hers, all Celeste felt was a bubbling excitement. The thrill of danger, the audacity of it all, and, she’d admit it...a warmth she hadn’t felt in ages. Well, well, she thought, leaning back with a smirk.“You’ve chosen an interesting place to hide, haven’t you?”she whispered, eyebrows raised in sly amusement.

A sharp knock came at her door, and the princess startled again, mind racing. Of all times! She snapped a quick glance at her unexpected guest and jerked her chin toward the wardrobe.“In there, quickly,”she hissed, voice barely above a whisper. As soon as the woman was concealed, Celeste ran a hand over her dress, composed herself, and opened the door to find two guards standing stiffly.“Is everything well, Your Highness?”they asked, faces clouded with suspicion.

Celeste gave them her most radiant smile, a charmingly innocent expression perfected over years.“Oh, splendid, thank you,”she replied, waving a hand airily.“Nothing amiss here but the usual dreadful boredom. Would you mind terribly not interrupting again? I was attempting to find...solace.”The guards exchanged glances, reluctant but convinced by her insistent tone, and finally left, muttering to themselves as they disappeared down the corridor.

When the door closed, Celeste released a pent-up sigh, a nervous laugh bubbling up as she turned back to the wardrobe.“You can come out now,”she said, quieter this time, heart still racing. She hoped she hadn’t just made an utterly foolish decision—though, somehow, the thrill of it all was worth any risk.