The Frog and The Beast

The Princess Chapter 1

It had finally happened—I was now Fiore's Princess. This moment, a dream I had cherished since I was eight years old, had finally come to fruition. As I stood on the stage, crowned and surrounded by smiling faces, I felt a profound sense of achievement wash over me. In that moment, I realized I had truly made it—just like my mom.

"I won the title of Spring Princess, Dad," I announced when Loke finally stopped admiring other girls and brought me home.

As usual, my dad was in his office, engrossed in his latest designs while comparing them to the latest fashion magazines. The life of a designer, I thought.

"That's nice, honey," he replied, not bothering to look up from his work.

"This means I'll be attending the openings of several new establishments and invited to countless parties for the next two years. I might even make it into the news!"

"Uh-huh. Just make sure you're home by nine," he said, still focused on his sketches.

"And I've decided to drop out of school to pursue a new career as a nude model for Playboy magazine."

"That's great, Lucy," he said, completely unfazed. "By the way, don't forget about the opening for the new store this Saturday."

Unbelievable. I ran upstairs to my room as fast as I could. Throwing my purse on the floor and myself on the bed.

I buried my face in the pillows, letting out a muffled scream of frustration. How could he not understand the significance of this moment? I was finally stepping into the spotlight, and all he could think about was his designs and his publicity.

After a few moments of silence, I rolled over to stare at the ceiling, my mind racing. Maybe I was expecting too much from him. After all, he had always been more focused on his career than on my achievements. But this was different. This was my moment, and I wanted him to share in it with me.

Not only that, but I was certain that this time, this accomplishment would finally hold significance for him.

"Miss Lucy?" A gentle knock accompanied by a soft voice came from the door. It was Aquarius, our maid. "May I come in?"

"Of course."

As she opened the door and caught sight of the tiara perched on my head, a smile spread across her face.

"I see you won. Congratulations! Your mother would be so proud."

"Do you really think so?"

"I know so."

"Thanks."

"I think a celebration is in order," she suggested.

"Dad's too busy to celebrate."

"Oh no, I meant a private one for just the two of us. How about some sundaes and a marathon of *Mystery Science Theater 3000*?"

Alright, here's a deep, dark secret about me—so deep that not even my best friends, Cana and Sorano, know. I happen to be a huge fan of science fiction. I know, it's often seen as a nerdy thing, but I've always been captivated by space, especially the stars, and science happens to be one of my best subjects in school.

Of course, this secret must remain hidden. I mean, can you imagine? Fiore's Princess enjoying old sci-fi shows? I'd be the biggest subject of ridicule since the time everyone found out that Jason from the year book community had a literal shrine dedicated to everyone in school. Not kidding.

"I'll grab the ice cream and toppings. You pick the episodes!" Aquarius said.

As she left, I sat up and wiped my tears away. I might not have my dad's attention right now, but I had Aquarius, who always seemed to know how to lift my spirits. I rummaged through my collection of DVDs, my heart racing at the thought of indulging in my favorite pastime.