Chapter 1: Free

"We're late, your highness, we're going to fall behind schedule." Said Nathalie, who was in charge of scheduling for Prince Adrien, who was being fitted for a suit for his upcoming wedding. "We have twenty, maximum twenty two minutes for the fitting, And then we need to move on to your speech at the Historical Society. After that we have to rush, and I mean, rush, to the Horticultural Society Tea. Oh, and then there's your maths lessons, your geography lessons, your science lessons..." But the prince had zoned out. He looked down at his pet cat Plagg, who seemed bored, but was loyal enough to follow his favourite person to annoying things like the fitting. He politely gestured to the fitting attendants to back off and stepped away for a moment to have some much needed personal space. He stepped into the next room, a room where gifts were piled on a table, but no people were currently in there, and the black feline followed behind him. When Prince Adrien was stressed, he liked to sing aloud to himself, and Plagg was his supportive audience he would sing to. He wandered through the empty room in the castle and sang what was on his mind to cheer himself up.

"🎵All my life I've always wanted to have one day just for me. Nothing to do and for once nowhere I need to be. With no lessons, lords, or lunches, or 'to do' list in the way. No one to say when to eat or read or leave or stay. That would be the day...🎵" He wandered to the window and looked up at the sky, thinking about how amazing it would be to have an empty slate, no duties to fulfil, a world of endless possibilities where he could make all his own choices. Complete freedom. He finished off his short song, not noticing someone quietly enter the room behind him. "🎵What would it be like to be free? Free to try crazy things, like marry whom I choose...🎵" Adrien stared out the window, barely noticing his friend who happened to be down in the garden below as he sang. A throat cleared behind him. The prince turned around, hoping whoever came in didn't hear him singing to nobody but himself and a cat. "Oh, father, I didn't know you'd be here. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get distracted. They were almost done with the fitting, I just needed a moment, don't worry, I'll make it to my next appointment on time," The king raised his hand to silence his stressed son.

"Don't worry Adrien, I trust you to handle your royal duties. I know you've been stressed recently. As have I. The future of our kingdom is in our hands, remember." Of course. Adrien felt a little guilty about his urges to get away from his royal life. He simply had to do his royal duties as they were given to him, but his father was still the king, he had the heavier burden on him from being the one the kingdom looked to. With the kingdom going bankrupt, it fell to King Gabriel to make the difficult decisions in order to look after his kingdom. Even he understood that sometimes his decisions didn't always include his son's happiness at the forefront. He just hoped his son understood that they needed to keep the wellbeing of their kingdom at the top priority. "You know son, I am sorry about the engagement. I know you wished to marry for love, like I did with your mother." the king said, thinking of what little he'd heard before his son had noticed him in the room. "But as you know, it is vital you marry Queen Kagami. It is the only way to take care of our people." Prince Adrien had been surprised when he'd first been made aware of Kagami, Queen of a nearby kingdom, as he had never heard of a king or queen as young as he is. Normally a prince or princess wouldn't take the throne until a few years later. However, he was told that she was a rare case where her parents had unfortunately passed, and as the only heir, it was decided she was old enough to take the throne at her age. That was part of the reason she was looking to marry at her age too. At her age it was recommended that she rule her country alongside a husband to be king, and as well as that, it was recommended she marry so she can conceive an heir for her kingdom to ensure her royal family continues on.

"I know, father. It's my duty." Said the prince. A worker came in carrying a wrapped box and set it down on the table.

"Look son, another engagement gift." the king said coldly. Prince Adrien looked at the gift pile, trying not to show his annoyance. He appreciated all that he had, but all these gifts, he realised, came with strings. Making a word-play joke in his head, he thought about the double meaning of something coming with strings attached. In his case, it was his royal duties, tying him down like strings, forcing him into a life where he has everything and would feel guilty to complain, but one thing was missing. He would have to give up on finding love like in the stories he'd heard, as his duty forced him to marry a woman he didn't know. The question still remained in his mind: What would it be like to be free?