"Sana, you can't be serious! You can't switch yourself with a maid to get out of marriage", Alec exclaimed frantically. He watched the raven-haired beauty throw her wardrobe on her bed and look around the room for necessities. She paused as she picked up a comb and swiveled around to face him.

With her eyebrow arched intelligently she stated, "Well, from my knowledge of history I've learned it is a rather common practice for Princess's to escape marriage to foreign nations by switching spots with a maid."

"Good!" Alec mocked throwing his hands up. "Then you know those tricks all ended with bloodshed."

"Not all." Sana shot back as she continued packing her clothes.

"Yes, all!" Alec cried. How could he possibly stop this infuriating woman?! She had an answer for everything, He thought to himself as he ran a hand through his blonde hair.

Sana paused again looking thoughtful. Hope shined in Alec's grey eyes. "Well, I guess that could be a complication…"Alec opened his mouth, but was cut off as Sana resumed, "Well, no bother, Galen is far too small to pick a fight with us. And anyway they'd never find out. Sera acts more like a princess than I do. I'm doing us both a fair by switching spots."

Alec sat down on the small wooden bench in the corner of his room with his face buried in his hands. He lifted his head and shook as head as he began mumbling, "This isn't going to work…. No, not at all. You might die, Sana. The world out there isn't as pretty as you believe. You won't have Royal Guards! You won't have any respect for being Royalty! You'll be alone! You've never even worked a day in your life…" He continued as Sana rolled her large red mahogany-colored eyes and mocked his ranting. "What if you get kidnapped or killed, or worse, raped! What if you get raped, Sana?!" Alec panicked. She was perhaps the most attractive woman in the kingdom. She was no Goddess, but she had a charisma that made her beauty unique and charming. Striking countenance, perfectly proportionate body, tall and bold stance…and most importantly beautiful eyes.

"Alec, please," Sana sighed. "I did not take training for 14 years for no good reason. I can defend and attack as well as any one in the Royal Battalion. You might as well accept it. I'm not going to change my mind. You now better than anyone how stubborn I am." Sana walked over and sat next to Alec. She took his hands in hers and said softly, "I love you, Alec. You've been my friend since the day I was born. I now you're just looking out for me, but this is something I need to do. I wasn't meant to live a life in a cage, dictated by rules and others. I was to be free after Jale's crowning. I was the second-born. I was never to ascend to the throne. I do not wish to rule a country…I cannot rule a country. Mother and Father know that; that's why they wish to marry me off, but to me that is a worse fate than ruling this nation. There are so many reasons why I cannot marry Galen's future King, but this is the biggest. I wasn't meant to be royalty. I just wasn't."

Alec looked at Sana's sincere eyes. He could see that she was serious. More serious than she had ever been about anything. For the first time in his life, he saw fear in the brave princess's eyes. She couldn't be chained; it would kill her. Her life's ambition of being a healer would go to waste. If only Jale hadn't died! Was he to protect her or save her?