Two weeks had passed since Celestia's "tour" of Rochefort Manor with Prince Adrian, and despite her every attempt to throw him off, the prince showed no signs of backing down. Worse, he had started sending her gifts—flowers, books, even a beautifully crafted writing set engraved with her initials.
Celestia had returned every one of them.
This morning, she awoke to find yet another parcel on her doorstep. She barely glanced at it before shoving it back at the poor servant who'd been ordered to deliver it.
"Take it back," she muttered, pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders.
The servant looked nervous. "But, my lady, His Highness specifically requested—"
"Take it back," she repeated, her tone icy. The servant didn't argue further and left, clearly relieved.
She sighed. It seemed that Prince Adrian had taken her polite attempts at rejection as a mere challenge. Her next steps would need to be less polite.
"Good morning, my icy little villainess," came a familiar voice from behind her. Hugo strolled up, grinning as usual, with a mug of tea in one hand and a mischievous glint in his eye. "Sending yet another gift back to the charming prince, I see?"
"Hugo, please," she said with a sigh. "It's not as charming as you think. He's relentless."
"Or, perhaps, quite interested," Hugo said, taking a sip of his tea. "You're the first woman he hasn't charmed in a single afternoon. That alone must fascinate him."
Celestia scowled. "My goal isn't to fascinate him. It's to make him leave."
"Then you'll need a bolder plan," Hugo replied, barely suppressing a grin. "Let's do something drastic. Make him run for the hills."
Celestia considered it, a mischievous spark in her eye. "You're right. If polite rejection doesn't work, then maybe impolite rejection will."
With her plan set, Celestia spent the next few days devising "tests" to throw at Adrian, each one more absurd than the last. She knew if she could paint herself as utterly incompatible with royal life, the prince might lose interest. And if he didn't—well, at least she'd be entertained.
The Royal Test Begins
Celestia didn't have to wait long. Three days later, Prince Adrian paid her a surprise visit. She greeted him with a forced smile, her plans already set in motion.
"Good day, Lady Celestia," Adrian said, a grin flashing across his face. He looked as self-assured as ever, his posture radiating confidence.
"Good day, Your Highness," she replied, keeping her expression carefully neutral. "I didn't expect you today."
"Consider it my way of... staying unpredictable," he said, watching her with a hint of challenge in his eyes. "I wanted to see how you've been doing."
She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "How thoughtful of you."
She led him to the manor's formal sitting room, where she had "prepared" an elaborate tea service, complete with an array of delicacies that looked impressive—but tasted far less so.
"Please, Your Highness, have a seat," she said, gesturing to the seat across from hers. As he settled down, she lifted the teapot with a steady hand and poured him a cup.
He took a sip and froze. His face remained impassive, though she saw the slight twitch of his lips.
"An interesting blend," he managed, placing the cup down with the utmost politeness.
"Mint and rosemary," she replied with a straight face. "A bit unusual, I know, but I find it refreshing."
More like revolting, she thought with satisfaction, but she kept her face perfectly composed.
"Very... unique," Adrian replied, his smile never faltering. "Thank you."
Celestia gave him a tight-lipped smile, somewhat disappointed that he hadn't recoiled outright. But the next part of her plan was sure to unsettle him.
"I hope you don't mind," she said, her tone casual, "but I wanted to show you a part of my daily routine. I find that spending time with animals brings me peace."
He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Animals?"
"Yes, of course," she replied, rising from her seat. "Come, I'll show you."
The Stables
Adrian followed her to the manor's stables, where a peculiar sight awaited them. Celestia had gathered her three pet goats—Balthazar, Eloise, and Wilfred—all dressed in little bow ties that Hugo had managed to procure for the occasion.
The goats were particularly unruly today, and as Celestia opened the stable gate, they trotted out with unabashed enthusiasm. Balthazar, the largest and most mischievous of the trio, immediately trotted over to Adrian and began nibbling at the hem of his trousers.
Adrian looked down, surprise flickering in his eyes, though he didn't move to stop the goat.
"This is Balthazar," Celestia said, barely containing her amusement. "He has quite the refined taste."
"Clearly," Adrian replied, a faint smirk on his face as he gently tried to nudge Balthazar away.
But the goat was persistent, and within moments, Adrian found himself surrounded by all three goats, each vying for his attention.
"They're rather... spirited," he observed, trying to maintain his composure as Eloise nipped at his sleeve.
"Yes, aren't they?" Celestia said, watching him with a raised eyebrow. "I often bring them to important meetings. Their presence is quite soothing to me."
Adrian's expression remained neutral, though she could tell he was struggling not to laugh. "A unique approach, Lady Celestia."
She watched him carefully, expecting him to show some sign of irritation or discomfort. But to her surprise, he simply bent down, gave Eloise a gentle pat on the head, and smiled.
"They're quite charming, actually," he said, looking up at her. "I can see why you'd enjoy their company."
Her lips pressed into a thin line. He was proving harder to unsettle than she'd anticipated.
The Dreaded Picnic
As a final attempt, she invited Adrian on a "picnic" in the garden—a picnic that, unbeknownst to him, would be accompanied by the worst selection of food she could possibly muster.
The garden was stunning, with roses in bloom and soft grass beneath their feet. Celestia had set out a blanket and arranged an impressive-looking spread of food. However, everything had been intentionally prepared with an odd twist. She had pickled plums, overripe pears, bitter tea, and stale bread.
"Thank you for joining me, Your Highness," she said sweetly, taking a seat on the blanket.
He looked at the spread and smiled. "Thank you for the invitation, Lady Celestia. It looks... quite unique."
"Yes," she replied, giving him an encouraging smile. "I pride myself on providing a one-of-a-kind experience."
She offered him a plate with a pickled plum and waited with barely contained excitement as he took a bite. His face registered the taste for a split second—long enough for her to catch—but he quickly masked it with a polite smile.
"It's... different," he said, swallowing with obvious difficulty.
"Isn't it?" she replied innocently. "I thought you might appreciate a taste of something unusual."
"Indeed," he said, forcing down another bite with admirable resolve.
As the "picnic" wore on, Celestia found herself both impressed and frustrated by Adrian's resilience. Not only had he endured the goats and the terrible food, but he had done so without a single word of complaint. Even his eyes, which she had hoped would reveal a hint of irritation, remained surprisingly calm.
Finally, as they packed up, Adrian gave her a thoughtful look.
"Lady Celestia, I must admit," he said, "I've never met anyone quite like you. Your... unique tastes are refreshing, in their own way."
She blinked, momentarily stunned by his sincerity. For a moment, her mind went blank, and she felt an unfamiliar warmth in her chest—a feeling she quickly suppressed.
"I'm glad to have provided you with... refreshment," she replied stiffly, not quite meeting his gaze.
He chuckled softly, his gaze softening. "I look forward to our next encounter, my lady."
With a final bow, he left, leaving Celestia standing in the garden, bewildered. She had thrown every trick in her book at him, and yet he hadn't shown the slightest inclination to call off the engagement. Instead, he seemed even more intrigued.
"Unbelievable," she muttered to herself. "Is he enjoying this?"
As she returned to the manor, her mind churned with new plans. If Prince Adrian thought he could wear her down with patience and charm, he was sorely mistaken. She would simply have to try harder, escalate her efforts, and show him that she was truly the worst match he could possibly imagine.
But as she thought back to the look in his eyes, a small, unsettling doubt crept into her mind. Perhaps Adrian wasn't as easy