Author's Notes: Hello! This is just a fun project to practice writing GL (my first) and comedies. Title is in the works, just a little lazy.

Princess Vividoyne Melodya Devianchi Freya Cucumber Solera Amara de Galadrial Grace of Pim stared up at the top of the master staircase as the names of princesses were called one by one.

She sighed. She should have been up there with them but stupidly, she had arrived an hour too early and had been mistaken briefly as the help.

Darn her need to be extra punctual! She had cleared up the misunderstanding but her awkward nature made it so that she simply ran away to the corner of the room until the ball was in full swing.

She groaned internally and closed her eyes. It would be too embarrassing now for her to go up there and put her name with those of the other princesses.

She sighed again as she watched as the princesses began to descend the steps after the call of their respective names. Each one of them gorgeous, extravagantly dressed in their recklessly costly gowns.

Vivi sighed once more. They were all so beautiful with their glittery, long hair and their flawless bright complexion, miraculous bosoms, and slim builds.

She sighed again. She belonged up there, she knew. They were exactly like her, she had even spotted them a few times when she visited the libraries in their kingdoms, sitting elegantly in a sunny corner with a book in front of them. They would always sigh and look out the window to a land that they believed only existed in their imaginations or woe being trapped in their royal world and the burden of being so desirable.

But Vivi knew that their adventure was right around the corner, each of these princesses, including herself, would receive their magical happy endings.

She internally squealed as she imagined it. The formula was always the same so she didn't have to think very hard.

First, the princess or princess-to-be dreams of something more than her cooped up tower or small, provincial town. She does not wish to be the fairest of them all! But alas she is and because of it, she is stolen away. The prince comes and saves her but oh! he is scarred by some trauma he refuses to disclose and she is unsure of their future together. But, in a twist or two, she touches the heart of her beloved prince and cures him of his curse! Then they marry and live happily ever after.

Vivi sighed again. She had just read a book with that plot just the previous night and the night before that, as well as the night before that.

It was her destiny, as it was for all these princesses, and it excited her.

"Oh, who might you be?" came a soft, melodious voice from behind her.

Vivi knew that voice, it was the voice of Princess Rose of the Rose kingdom. Deemed the fairest of her land, she had only recently found her prince and was about to be married in a fortnight's time. This ball was in her name.

She turned around, excited to finally come face to face with a princess who had found her destiny except when she turned, she found herself facing... air.

She knotted her brow and looked right and left then finally peered down. Princess Rose was... rather small, more than half a foot shorter than her.

"My," the princess said, with a radiant smile. "You're quite tall for a lady, are you not?"

Tall? She? No, she was a princess of tales, she was perfectly the right size for a princess... slim and petite... okay, perhaps not petite but she was certainly no giant.

"Oh, Rose, there you are," came another voice and Vivi turned to see a stunning red haired woman heading toward them. Vivi knew her too. Princess Ariella, another princess who had both found her prince charming and married him just a little over three months ago.

Ariella stepped up beside them and looked up to meet Vivi's gaze. She was even shorter than Princess Rose.

"Oh my," Ariella exclaimed. "And who might you be?"

"I'm... I'm Princess Vividoyne Melodya Devianchi Freya Cucumber Solera Amara de Galadrial Grace of Pim."

Ariella released a musical laugh. "That is quite the mouthful. Why were you not up there with us when we were introduced at the beginning of the ball?"

"Ah," her cheeks began to burn. They would understand if she just explained.... "I was reading, you see and fearing that I would get too lost in the story, I put the book down and decided to come early so I would not be tempted to pick it back up."

"Oh, I understand," said Rose gently then sighed. "It is the best feeling in the world to pick up a book that you simply cannot put down. Lately I've been reading about a prince in disguise as the princess's knight and unbeknownst to her, he sacrifices himself to save her on their journey but thankfully, he is saved by the princess's pure tears."

"Oh, I read that as well," said Ariella, also sighing. "The prince reminded me of my own, Prince Kellen. He too went in disguise to save me."

She turned to Rose then. "I came to congratulate you on your upcoming wedding."

"Yes," chimed Vivi awkwardly, trying hard to match the gracefulness of the princesses before her. "Congratulations, I heard it was quite the ordeal and Prince Caulum had nearly failed in slaying the dragon."

"Oh yes, there is now a small scar on his right hand and at night, he is sometimes woken by night terrors. He is quite brave."

She sighed and Ariella and Vivi both joined in.

"And what of you, Princess Vividoyne? Have you had your adventure yet?"

Vivi shook her head. "Oh, not yet."

"Have you met your prince?"

She nodded. "Yes, I've known him since childhood."

"And who is that?"

"Prince Aurinor."

"Oh, he is a handsome one."

"He is indeed," added Ariella. She then paused. "Though he isn't all that tall."

"Six feet is quite tall," Rose replied.

"Yes but Vividoyne is about that height as well, are you not?"

Vivi looked at her in surprise. "Well... I've never measured."

Ariella smiled then shrugged. "I am sure it is fine. There is no rule at all that says a princess must be so many inches shorter than her prince."

Vivi's smile disappeared slightly but came back in full force when she heard the master of ceremonies state that he would now be announcing the princes. She excused herself as she headed just a little bit, but not too much, closer to the master staircase.

The master of ceremonies called out several names before she heard it.

"Prince Aurinor of Alderroad."

Holding her breath, she watched him descend the steps. He was as breathtakingly handsome as ever with flowy dark hair, bright blue eyes, tall, and broad in form. He kept himself well groomed judging by the immaculate state of his outfit. He was the perfect specimen of a prince.

She hadn't seen Aurinor since she was ten years old and he was fifteen, eight years ago. The reality of what she hoped would be his adult form far exceeded her expectation. And she found herself growing excited at the prospect of speaking with him again.

And hoping to do just that, she began to make her way toward him when a crowd of people suddenly blocked her path. Women who were not princesses or princesses-to-be, who served as potential but ultimately failed rivals, swarmed the princes who had not already found their way to their respective princesses.

Vivi sighed as she eventually found herself relegated to the outskirts, to the location of the wallflowers with the other awkward misses.

It was the fate of her type of princess so she was not all that upset but still, she really had wanted to meet Aurinor.

She sighed as her eyes searched for him in the crowd.

And when she saw him, her eyes brightened. He was sneaking out the door that led to the gardens.

It was a perfect opportunity! The garden at night was the most romantic place for a princess and prince to meet. And while normally, or rather always, it was the prince that sought out the princess in such a scenario, Vivi simply could not wait.

She had been dreaming of the day they would be reunited and she couldn't forgo the opportunity to do it in such a place as perfect as the Rose Kingdom's Rose Garden.

Looking around to make sure that no eyes were on her, she quietly and quickly made her way to the exit.

Slipping through the elaborate glass door, she found herself on a path paved with red and pink gemstones, sanded flat against the earth.

Lifting her skirts, she quietly ran the way of the path until she came upon the archway that signified the entrance to the gardens.

She looked to her left and then to her right for any signs at all for her prince. For a while she saw nothing but then, after long moments of listening to crickets singing amongst the flowers, she heard it.

Low male voices.

Suddenly knowing that she should not intrude but unable to help herself, she tiptoed her way toward the sounds.

She peered cautiously, and a bit excitedly, around a rather large bush of pink peonies and saw two men standing at the far side of the garden near a large tree that had a swing tied to one of its branches.

She recognized Aurinor instantly but she had not a clue as to the man who stood beside him.

This man was tall, several inches taller than Aurinor and was clad in a jerkin with Alderroad symbols on its sleeve. On his belt was a sword that also sported the Alderroad crest.

"My lord," the stranger said, his voice deep and a bit pained. "You should not be out here."

"Petur," said the prince and Vivi paused. There was an element to his voice that was... sorrowful.

Curiously, she inched just a bit closer.

"How could I possibly spend my time in there when you are out here in the cold with a potential danger right around the corner?"

"It is my job as your knight."

"And it is my job as your prince to ensure your safety."

There was a momentary silence before his reply. "You should be spending the evening with your princess."

Vivi nearly huzzah'd the man, nodding vigorously in agreement, when the prince spoke again.

"I have told you that I have no plans to marry her."

She froze and blinked then blinked again.

"My lord, it is your fate –"

"Not another word, Petur." Evident anger in Aurinor's voice. "You cannot– you will. not. convince me to leave you. I love you and you are where my fate lies.... So please, do not tell me to leave."

What? Vivi blinked.

What? She cleaned out her ears. Had she heard right? No, no, their fate was already written in the stars, how could–  What?!