Seventeen Moments [Imagines]

Title: The Prince and the Librarian

Prince Joshua sat in the grand hall, surrounded by books, maps, and scrolls as his tutors droned on about the responsibilities of ruling a kingdom. His father, the king, had made it clear that his education was crucial-every decision he would make as a future king would be rooted in the knowledge and wisdom passed down to him.

Joshua had always been a diligent student, his calm and composed demeanor making him a favorite among the scholars. But there were days, like today, when the weight of it all felt overwhelming. The expectations, the responsibilities-it was a lot for a young prince to bear.

He listened carefully as one of the scholars spoke about the kingdom's history, nodding politely but allowing his mind to wander. What fascinated Joshua more than the facts and figures were the stories-the legends of old, the tales of knights, dragons, and ancient magic. There was so much more to the kingdom's history than what was written in the official records, and he was determined to learn all of it.

After hours of training, Joshua was finally dismissed. He stood, offering a respectful bow to his tutors before making his way to the library-a place where he could lose himself in the stories that captivated his imagination.

The royal library was vast, filled with shelves upon shelves of books. Most of the time, it was quiet, with only a few scholars and librarians moving silently through the aisles. Among them was a young woman, a librarian who always kept to the shadows, preferring to work quietly and avoid drawing attention to herself.

Her name was [Your Name], but most people didn't know that. She had been working in the library for a few years now, always doing her best to remain unnoticed. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy her work-she loved books, and the library was her sanctuary. But she was shy, and the idea of standing out or being noticed made her anxious.

Today was just like any other day. She was organizing a shelf of ancient texts, her fingers gently brushing over the worn spines of the books when she heard footsteps approaching. She didn't look up, assuming it was one of the other librarians or scholars. But then, a soft voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Excuse me, miss."

Slowly, she turned to find none other than Prince Joshua standing a few feet away, his expression polite but unreadable.

She immediately felt her cheeks heat up, her mind racing. What was the prince doing here? Why was he talking to her? Did he even know her name?

"Y-Your Highness," she stammered, quickly bowing her head in respect. "How can I help you?"

Joshua smiled slightly, though his expression remained composed. "I'm looking for a particular book on the kingdom's history-something that goes beyond the official records. I've been told the library holds a few texts that might interest me."

She blinked, still trying to process the fact that the prince was speaking to her. "Uh... Yes, Your Highness. We have several books that cover the kingdom's legends and stories. I-I can show you where they are."

Joshua nodded, gesturing for her to lead the way. As they walked through the aisles, she couldn't help but feel nervous. She had seen the prince in the library before, of course, but he had never spoken to her directly. Most of the time, he kept to himself, always with a book in hand and a thoughtful look on his face.

"Do you enjoy working here?" Joshua asked, breaking the silence.

She glanced at him, surprised by the question. "Y-Yes, Your Highness. I love books... and the library is peaceful."

He hummed in response, his gaze sweeping over the shelves. "It is peaceful. That's one of the reasons I like coming here. It's a place where I can think, away from... everything else."