The Accidental Princess

    My hands shook as I read the letter. The neat handwriting proclaimed an offer that I couldn’t believe. I sat the message down on the counter of the kitchen, closing my eyes. I shook my head, hoping that maybe I could will this away. This wasn’t really happening. This was just a dream. I was sure of it.     When I opened my eyes again, I found I was still standing in my kitchen in my apartment. I looked down, seeing the letter lying open on the counter. I sighed. This wasn’t a dream. The message was real. Everything about it was real. Yet, I still couldn’t fathom it. With a sigh, I decided to call it a day.     The following day, I called Annick. My former boss and the man who taught me all I knew about designing would know what to do. He always did. He came over at ten in the morning, bringing coffee. We sat at the kitchen table, stirring our coffee in silence. He was reading over the letter, studying it for a long moment.      “So, you’ve been invited to be a royal designer for the Fitzcharles family of Arvendon.” He finally said, taking a sip of his coffee. “Congratulations.”       “Would you do it?” I asked. “Anni, would you leave everything behind and design for a royal family? For people who probably wouldn’t appreciate you?”        He laughed. “Of course!” He leaned forward and took my hand. “My dear, help me to understand why you’re hesitating. It pays well, way better than I could ever have paid you. It’ll be an amazing learning opportunity for you. It’ll give you a leg up on the competition. Also, I know you and Prince Jacob have some… how do you say… chemistry?” He shook his head. “That may not be the right word. Anyway, you should go.”    I raised my eyebrows. “Really? You think so?”     He nodded. “You’d be dumb not to.”     Annick spent another hour in my apartment before leaving. I pondered his advice for a few days. Then, when I had made up my mind, I sent my reply to the email the letter had provided me with. They responded the next morning with an itinerary and a plane ticket. They gave me a week to pack my stuff before the flight.     I called my mom to tell her that I was packing up my life and moving. Again. She wasn’t too thrilled. My father was even less happy about this new job. However, he concluded that since Arvendon and Paelford have always been allies, it was okay. His comments made me miss my home country of Paelford even more. After we talked, I spent the next few days packing. Then, it was time for me to leave Heles. On the plane, I watched the country disappear—my home for too short of a while.