A Quest To Woo the Prince

Eleanor stared at the lopsided box in her hands and sighed. She had spent hours—hours—crafting the gift, and the result was… uninspiring, to say the least. She wasn't sure what had gone wrong. Was it the crooked edges of the box? The uneven wrapping paper that wouldn't stay in place no matter how hard she tried? Or perhaps the obnoxiously bright ribbon that looked like it had been plucked from a children's birthday party? Either way, it was all the System's fault.

"Ding! Quest: Craft a heartfelt gift for Adrian. Success rate increases with sincerity."

Sure, the task sounded straightforward. But the System had conveniently failed to mention that Eleanor had the artistic talent of a toddler armed with safety scissors.

She held the gift at arm's length and grimaced. The contents of the box—a small charm she had painstakingly carved from wood—were slightly better, but not by much. The charm was supposed to resemble a hawk, a subtle nod to Adrian's royal crest. Instead, it looked more like a misshapen pigeon.

She groaned. This was a disaster waiting to happen.

But the System wouldn't let her give up.

"Deliver the gift to Adrian within 24 hours or risk failure. Your sincerity matters more than perfection."

"Sincerity," Eleanor muttered under her breath as she walked toward the royal garden where she knew Adrian would be. "What kind of prince needs sincerity when he's already got half the kingdom fawning over him?"

Still, she didn't have a choice. The System's reminder about her time running out had lit a fire under her, even if it meant facing yet another potential rejection. She squared her shoulders and pressed on.

When Eleanor arrived at the garden, she spotted Adrian sitting under a sprawling oak tree, a book in his hands. He looked every bit the picture of a noble prince, his tailored coat accentuating his broad shoulders, his dark hair catching the light of the sun. His expression, however, was as cold and unyielding as ever.

Beside him sat another figure, one she hadn't expected: Cedric, Adrian's closest friend and confidant. Cedric was everything Adrian was not—warm, approachable, and perpetually cheerful. His sandy blond hair and easy smile made him a favorite among the court, though Eleanor had learned he was fiercely loyal to Adrian and not one to cross.

She hesitated, clutching the gift in her hands. The last thing she wanted was an audience, especially one as perceptive as Cedric. But it was too late to back out now. Cedric had already spotted her and was waving her over with an exaggerated grin.

"Lady Eleanor!" he called out, his voice brimming with mock enthusiasm. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Adrian glanced up from his book, his expression darkening the moment he saw her. 'Wonderful!'

Eleanor plastered on her best smile and stepped forward. "Your Highness," she said, curtsying as gracefully as she could manage. "I… I brought you something."

Adrian raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. Cedric, on the other hand, looked positively delighted.

"A gift?" Cedric said, leaning forward with interest. "How intriguing. It's not often the prince receives presents."

Eleanor's cheeks burned, but she held out the box anyway. Adrian took it reluctantly, as if it might explode in his hands—which, to be fair, wasn't entirely out of the question.

"Open it," Cedric urged, his grin widening.

Adrian sighed but complied, carefully untying the ribbon and peeling back the paper. Eleanor held her breath as he lifted the lid. Inside was the wooden charm, its awkward shape painfully obvious against the velvet lining of the box.

There was a long, awkward silence. Adrian hadn't said any words, but Eleanor could feel the shame already. 

"It's a hawk," Eleanor blurted out, unable to bear the quiet any longer. "I… I carved it myself. I thought… you might like it."

Adrian stared at the charm for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he picked it up.

And that's when it happened.

A sudden pop echoed through the garden, followed by an explosion of glitter that erupted from the box like a shimmering volcano. It covered everything—Adrian, Cedric, the book, even the grass beneath their feet. Eleanor gasped, horrified, as she realized what had happened.

The System chimed in her head, far too cheerful for her liking. "Congratulations! You've added sparkle to the moment!"

"Sparkle?!" Eleanor hissed under her breath. "Are you serious right now?"

Adrian's face was a mix of shock and disbelief as he brushed the glitter from his coat, his usual icy demeanor cracking just slightly. Cedric, meanwhile, was doubled over with laughter, tears streaming down his face.

"Oh, this is priceless," Cedric said between gasps. "Absolutely priceless. Eleanor, you've outdone yourself."

Eleanor wanted to disappear. She could feel Adrian's gaze boring into her, and she braced herself for the inevitable scolding. But to her surprise, he didn't say anything. Instead, he let out a soft, exasperated sigh and shook his head.

"Next time," Adrian said quietly, "try less… flair."

It wasn't much, but Eleanor swore she saw the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. It was gone as quickly as it appeared, but it was there. A small victory, however fleeting. 

As Adrian stood and brushed the remaining glitter from his coat, Cedric finally managed to compose himself. He shot Eleanor a knowing look, his expression more serious now.

"Walk with me," he said, gesturing for her to follow.

Eleanor hesitated, glancing at Adrian, but the prince was already turning to leave, his attention back on his book. She sighed and fell into step beside Cedric as they strolled through the garden.

"That was… brave of you," Cedric said after a moment. "Bringing him a gift like that."

"Brave or foolish?" Eleanor muttered, still mortified.

Cedric chuckled. "A bit of both, I'd say. But I admire your determination. Few people would dare to approach Adrian so directly."

Eleanor frowned. "He doesn't make it easy."

"No, he doesn't," Cedric agreed. "But that's by design. Adrian has… a complicated past. One that makes it hard for him to trust anyone, let alone open his heart."

Eleanor looked at him, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean?"

Cedric's expression darkened slightly, the ever-present smile fading. "Adrian doesn't talk about it much, but his upbringing wasn't exactly ideal. He's endured a lot—betrayals, abandonment, loss. It's shaped him into the man he is today. And it's why he has no interest in love."

Eleanor's heart sank. She had known Adrian was guarded, but hearing Cedric's words made her realize just how deep his wounds ran. How was she supposed to win the heart of someone who didn't even believe in love?

"Don't take it personally," Cedric said gently as if sensing her thoughts. "Adrian's walls are high, but they're not impenetrable. If anyone can break through them, it might just be you."

Eleanor wasn't sure if Cedric was being kind or cruel. His words were encouraging, but the weight of her task felt heavier than ever. She had so much to prove—not just to Adrian, but to herself.

As they reached the edge of the garden, Cedric paused and turned to her, his expression serious once more.

"Be careful, Eleanor," he said. "Adrian's world is full of dangers you might not see coming. If you're not careful, you could lose more than just your pride."

Eleanor nodded, his warning sinking in.