Thank you, kind souls for coming across this book! I hope it is safe to assume that if you're reading this book, you must love this movie (and this perfectly perfect couple). If that's the case then...we (yes, you and I, we) have a connection! So as undeniable soul mates, I'm sure you can do a simple favor of making your other piece of you happy by satisfying her thirst for reviews, can't you?

And please don't kill me for slightly (but not so splendidly) tweaking the lyrics of the VERY BEAUTIFUL songs from the movie...

Erika's POV

"Done…what do you think?" I lifted the gown off the work bench, admiring my art piece. I spun around to showcase the finished product of an hour of endless stitching to Bertie, my prison partner.

"It's beautiful, Erika." Bertie beamed at me. The lady was such a lovely person to be with. She was the only reason I hadn't attempted murder on a certain woman yet.

I smiled at her as I hung the gown and picked up another cloth. Among a mountain of them. Just a few more to go… I started to draw out some patterns on the azure fabric but the pencil wouldn't budge. The room felt so stuffy. I needed some air.

Being an indentured servant, there will always be days like this. When I'd feel so caged in. Fortunately for me, I found the perfect way for me to unwind. I put the pencil down and closed my eyes, feeling my body sway to the melody already forming in my head. With that, the lyrics flowed out.

All my life I've always wanted

To have one day for myself

Not waking up with a pile of work on every shelf

With no hems in need of pressing

And no sleeves in disarray

No wedding gowns with a thousand stitches to crochet

And no debt to pay—

"Madame Carp!" I heard Bertie gasp and turned to come face to face with a burning Christmas Tree.

"What do you think I'm running here? A cabaret?" Madame Carp scowled at me. I would've said a debtors' prison.

"Keep laughing." Oops, did I said that out loud? I glared at Madame Carp as she spun back up the stairs. "But you'll be working for me for another 37 years."

What?! "But I've already paid off more than half!" I retorted in disbelief. After working as her servant for the past 17 years of my life, my parent's debt should have been close to fully paid!

"But there's interest." The sinister old woman smirked. "Your parents should've thought of that before borrowing so much."

At that, I could feel my blood boiling inside me. She didn't have the right to bad mouth my parents. Not when they'd tried their best for my sake. "They did it to feed me!" I almost yelled, but I knew that if I did, she would have the excuse to dump me with more work. Then that would be her win.

"Their mistake." Madame Carp sneered at me before slamming the door shut. I heard the lock clicking behind her. The moment I could no longer hear her presence, I turned back to my music for comfort.

What would it be like to be?

Free!

Free to do my own things

Free from endless IOUs

Free to fly

Free to sing…

I sighed once more, imagining the world outside this stuffy place. The sky. The ocean. The people. I picked up the blue cloth that I was working on and swung it over my shoulders, pretending it was my coat of freedom.

Though I know I have so little

My determination's strong

People will gather around the world to hear my song!

"Can I come along?" I heard Bertie's silvery voice singing along and smiled with my eyes closed, envisioning her with me as we ran away from Madame Carp's.

Soon I know I'll forever be…

Free!

I opened the balcony doors and breathed in the fresh scent of the morning rays as I stepped outside.

I close my eyes and feel myself fly a thousand miles away

I could take flight but would it be right?

My conscience tells me 'stay'

I'll accomplish what I need to

I'll repay my parents' debt

Duty means doing the things your heart may well regret

But I'll never stop believing

And she can never stop my schemes

There's more to living than gloves and gowns and threads and seams

In my dreams

I'll be free!

Dominick's POV

"King Dominick! Please, I beg of you. Let's go back to the castle now!" Rider, my royal knight and best friend hissed at me as he grabbed my elbow and tugged at me, urging me back.

"Shh!" I hissed back as a lady and a young boy, I assumed to be her son, walked passed us. She smiled at me and I quickly beamed into the most casual smile I could offer. The young boy however was lost in his own thoughts, staring at something behind me. I turned to see a stall selling candies and smiled endearingly.

"Can I have one, please?" I asked the seller, fishing out some coins. The man handed me a green candy with a friendly smile, making my heart sing with pride. I took the candy and knelt in front of the boy.

"Here, for you." I said. The adorable lad shot me the widest grin ever as he took the candy from my palm with an excited 'thank you'. "What's your name?"

"Daniel."

"Well Daniel, you're most welcome." I ruffled his short blond hair and stood up. "I hope you like the candy!" I called over my shoulder as we walked away.

I turned to my left to see Rider staring at me with a scowl on his face, arms crossed. But I couldn't miss the slight twitch of his lips; an attempt to hide his smile.

I shook my head at him with a playful smirk, earning myself another glare from my friend. But I was too busy observing the daily lives of my people to be bothered.

And I must say, I liked what I was seeing.

The town was bustling with people. The folks were laughing and chattering. The children were singing and playing. And this was why I enjoyed sneaking out of the palace, dressed as a common folk.

In the castle, I had to act all prim and proper—be a King—but here. Here, I was just… me.

I had been very busy the past few months, partnering, setting up a new trade etc. I never had the time to play some music. But my weekly stroll in the town did the trick. My people's laughter were music to my ears.

"I'm serious, Dominick." Rider quietly spoke to me from the left. Well, he must have been really quite serious; he dropped the 'King'. He used to call me just by name when we were young. But that was before he found out that I was a prince. I met him in town—when I was, ahem, doing my princely rounds in town. He still does that now whenever he gets too stressed up that he'd forgotten that he was no longer talking to the "carpenter's son" but the King's son.

"You've got a marriage coming soon. The Princess of Rosenville, remember?"

Oh right, there was a marriage too.

I sighed. When my parents died in an accident, I was forced to take the throne at a young age—10, the youngest King of Dulcinea's history. Obtaining the trust and respect from my people was not easy but I had a secret score—the notes of my father's.

To be a King

Is to never be outsmart

To be a King

Is to wear your crown in your heart

Give a handshake and keep it firm

Sit through the court without a squirm

Speak and be clever

Never ever loss for words

Words

To be a King

Is to keep your emotions dead

To be a King

Is to always use your head

But marriage is another thing. I sighed.

"I know that you'd rather play your piano all day than get married, but this Kingdom can't be without a Queen forever." Rider said, probably hearing my sigh.

"I'm not saying that I won't get married forever, just is it really necessary now? I'm only what, 24?"

"Yeah, but you took over early. It's a fast forward timeline for you." My best friend shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "Besides, it'll help you affirm your hold over the crown. You are aware that even till now, there are still some people against you right?" I was still "too young" to be King.

"I know, I know…" I sighed. Well, a King's got to do what a King's got to do right?

...

But that didn't mean he couldn't have some fun while doing it.

"I am Ambassador Bismark, here by the invitation of the Queen." The royal guard bowed and made his way to inform the Queen of our arrival. Once he was gone, Bismark turned to me. "King Dominick…you are…quite sure about this?" He asked, respectfully but his gaze upon my outfit screamed doubt.

I bit back a laughter and gave him my serious 'Kingly' expression. "I am."

As if on cue, the guard reappeared to guide us through the palace, cutting off any dissuasion Bismark could've had.

The guard pushed a white door open and announced our arrival. This must be the main hall then. Bismark and I walked in and my eyes instantly halted at the ravishing item at the window—a white piano.

"Ah, the ambassador! It is very good to see you." I snapped my attention back to the Queen, silently berating myself for losing focus.

We walked past a man dressed in full royal purple. He wasn't wearing a crown so he wasn't the King but he sure was acting like one, with that smirk plastered on his face. There was something I couldn't place about that…

"Ahem…" I felt a nudge at my arm and looked down to see Bismark nodding towards the Queen and back at the case in his hands.

Right. No time to think about someone else's business. "On behalf of King Dominick, I present this engagement gift to you." I bowed slightly and handed the Queen the necklace, hoping that she wouldn't pay much notice of my slip of tongue when I mentioned the King. By King I meant myself, of course.

"Oh, thank you ambassador!" Whew, the sparkle of the necklace worked. "Princess Anneliese would be quite pleased."

Princess Anneliese. The name was foreign to my ears. I turned to the portrait of the Princess, hanging on the wall. Everything was so foreign. I could only hope that it would get less so from now on.