It'd be a lie to say that I didn't think of Cas that night. Running the conversation over in my mind a hundred times. Should I have asked for his number? If I'd see him again? Should I go to the festival tomorrow and see if I'd see him there? Eventually, I decided that wondering would do me no good.

         "You're off early," My mother commented. I smoothed down my dress, it's only ten am.

         "Going to the pre-celebrations, Hanna's helping set some stuff up," I grinned, slinging a handbag over my shoulder.

         "Alright, don't stay out too late,"

         "Yep!" I replied halfway out the door.

         "Text me when you're on your way home!"

         "Okay!"

          The ride into town was a short one, it went faster with the bike and would've been only minutes if I had a car. Alas, our family stuck to one car, and that was Dad's. Today was warmer than most, a few clouds drifting back and forth. Maybe by the afternoon they'd gather and the night wouldn't be as cold.

         I reached the final intersection that separated the suburban areas with the 'city'.

         Well, if the 'city' was constituted by three high rises and a splattering of cafes, real estate businesses and other odd stores. Despite being incredibly central to the country, Ardeena was a pretty isolated town. The forestry surrounding it had intentionally been left to grow thick for military training. Mountainous terrain stood against the faded sky, ringing the horizon each way one looked. Military and occasional agriculture were Ardeena's two biggest exports... probably our only exports.

         Maybe in ten years once the border conflicts stilled and the need for the Royal Military lessened, Ardeena would change. Re-invent itself. Maybe a tourist town or something.

         Banners wafted in the breeze. Volunteers intermingled with pedestrians. The national colours of green, red and gold waved across the sky. I paused at a traffic light. A continual vibration of a device buzzing in my jacket pocket. I pulled out the phone. His phone.

         In the early morning I'd noticed the device of my attacker laying. Looking rather flattened in the bushes. It'd looked mostly dead and I figured it must've run out of battery.

         Until now.

         "Soph speaking," I tried to sound cheery, my voice tentative.

         "Hello Sofia," the voice was warm, a sense of buoyancy in his words.

         "Ah," I spoke gently, "the dusk attacker who gave me a bleeding nose,"

         A sigh.

         "You're going to remind me of that every chance you get, aren't you?"

         So there'll be more?

         "Maybe," I toyed, "I'm feeling merciful today,"

         "Great to hear, are you in town?"

         "As central as you can get,"

         "I'm at a cafe, Burbank Coffee, meet me there?" I turned to my left. Across the street was the coffee shop. It was one of the fancier ones in town with its modernistic design. Burbank Coffee was scrawled across the burgundy sign above the floor to ceiling windows. Inside, people chatted on bar stools and couches. Stressed assistants for the VIP visitors darted in and out of it's doors. The place was busy, but it wouldn't be deafening.

         I turned my bike, unclasping my helmet and leading it across the street. The light turned green when I passed halfway. As I was approaching the cafe, I caught my reflection in the window. I'd dressed way too casually for a coffee meetup. A grey miniskirt and black stockings paired with a deep green blouse and my 'for absolutely everything' grey parka. No makeup, my hair was in a ponytail. I sighed. At least the grey, fingerless gloves were cute.

         It'll be like, five seconds. My inner voice insisted. He'll be there, you hand him the phone, trade a joking line or two and then go.

         I don't want it to be five seconds. Another part of me whispered. I placed the bike against the neighbouring building. Five seconds.

         A creamy aroma was in the air. Strains of music from a pre-selected coffee playlist lifted the background. The two baristas working moved back and forth. There was only one in the line, he turned towards me.

         "Sofia!" He excitedly gestured for me to join him.

         I can't believe I'm meeting with the man who stormed into my backyard on a coffee date.

         It's not a coffee date.

         I joined him in the line.

         "Want anything?" He looked to me.

         It's definitely a coffee date.

         "Are you sure?"

         He grinned. "Yeah sure!" Then he chuckled, a deep seated one within his chest, "I mean, I've gotta make up for that blood nose somehow,"

         I laughed. The barista looked between us, worried.

         "Just a chai,"

         "Long black for me thanks," Cas added. I stole a quick look at him. In the light I could discern his features a little better; a strong jaw, a long but not incredibly large nose, eyebrows the same shade as his hair. He was dressed in a charcoal overcoat with a white dress shirt underneath tucked into dark blue jeans. I raised my eye at that but didn't say anything. It was like he'd walked straight out of a detective crime show.

         "Thank you," I said to him.

         He looked familiar. I couldn't place my finger on it.

         "Are we even now?" He chuckled.

         "No way, you've still got some work to do," I laughed, he scoffed. The two of us sat and the conversation eased into silence.

         "You look good," He said suddenly. Seeing my look he added, "I mean, better than last night of course,"

         "Yeah," I said suddenly, "about that, what- what was that?"

         Cas looked around, it seemed I'd spoken a little too loud. I looked around. A group of four girls on the couch, two businessmen that I'd never seen before at the stools, a single mid-thirties man in a casual outfit. I looked again; two girls, one a pregnant woman, the other one straight out of the gym and an assistant gathering a four pack of coffees. There were no weird, stalking people here.

         "I told you. I was just running through the street, looking for the missing dog,"

         My eyes narrowed. Why was he lying?

         "Why are you in town?" I asked, sipping at my drink.

         "I'm starting a charity network of retiring veterans and off-duty servicemen," His words were businesslike, "We'll be launching here in Ardeena, it has the highest rate of servicemen and women in the country."

         It also had the highest suicide rate.

         I nodded into my drink, "That's really great. Ardeena would really benefit from something like that."

         "I hope so," Cas' words were wistful. "So where are you from? Always been in Ardeena?"

         "Born and bred," I gave a small smile, "my father's one of the Commanding Officers, so we live here. Just close enough,"

         "Is it something that runs in the family?" Cas asked curiously.

         "As far back as we can trace it," I nodded. Our family has been in loyal, unwavering service to the crown for almost twelve generations, "though my younger brother is leaning towards more academic pathways,"

         "And yourself? What does you want to do?" My stomach dropped. Cas' questions were keen, but not overbearing, however that one... My mind flicked through the countless times I'd tentatively answered that question. That question never ended well.

         "Hold on," I chuckled, "this goes in turns. Where are you from, mystery man?"

         "Another nickname, very suave," Cas grinned. "I should write a list,"

         "You do that," I laughed, "but back to the question, where are you from?"

         "Apolia City," He answered. I tried to suppress a gasp. He was from the city!

         Of course he's from the city, my mind scolded, he's starting a charity. He's probably super rich!

         That made sense.

         "What's it like there?" I asked, excitedly. I'd gone once, for a school trip when I was thirteen but that was over six years ago.

         He must've been surprised by my reaction because he shrugged, "Its a city?"

         "No!" I cried, "there's gotta be more than that,"

         "Well," He chuckled, sitting back in his seat, "there's been a massive extension to the Southside of the city after the recent earthquake. It's been super crazy getting that up and running in time. So another thing to organise and open,"

         "Busy life," I commented.

         Cas nodded to himself, "It's good though. Beautifully well done. A mix of modern and classical Apolia. The project was a great boost for infrastructure and employment. Issue is, now we need to find jobs for all the new workers,"

         He sipped at his coffee. I swirled the last half of my chai.

        "What made you want to do veterans charity work?" I looked up. Cas looked pensive.

         "I served, myself," My eyebrows shot up.

         "No way! For how long?"

         "Eight years, just finished up," He have a little smile.

         "Eight years!" I remarked. Then paused, "wait, how old are you?"

         "Twenty-four, yourself?"

         I gave a fake gasp. "Cas, a man should never ask a lady her age,"

         "My apologies madam," He replied in the same mock-grandeur.

         A moment passed between us, "I'm nineteen," I spoke into my chai.

         "Is that so?" Cas raises an eyebrow. I braced myself for comments about 'so are you studying?' Or 'why aren't you travelling?' Or any other list of questions, "you're very mature then,"

         Don't grin, don't grin.

       "Thank you kind sir," I replied, the two of us sitting in comfortable silence. I watched the people outside the window moving back and forth. Technically I should be helping Hanna, but here I was. On a coffee date.

         "Alright, my turn," my stomach folded as he spoke, "what-."

         "My bike!" I jumped up, crying. A figure in a hoodie was wrenching my bike from the sidewalk. Cas turned suddenly. Already on my feet, I ran outside. The perp already had a running head start, swinging his leg over and letting the gentle slope help him pick up speed. "You're a terrible person!" I yelled at the thief, a body rushed past me.

         A long furling overcoat flapped in the breeze, his long legs reaching almost yards a second. I gasped.

         Cas was chasing my bike thief!

         My mouth was open as I watched the bike thief swerve and slow to let a car pass. Cas managed to close the ground between them. The biker unaware, Cas lunged. The two of them falling to the sidewalk in a tumble. I rushed forwards.

           Ten meters away. The biker managed to land a kick in Cas' face and scrambled to stand. Five meters away... He picked up the bike and began to run. Just far away enough when I arrived.

         "Shoot," I hissed. I turned to Cas who was nursing a bleeding nose and a cut cheekbone. "Cas! Are you okay?"

         A few people gathered around but I waved them on.

         "Yeah, ah, ow," His hand flew up to his nose as he sat up. It was already dripping with blood.

         "Here," I turned to my satchel, pulling out my travel pack of tissues and offering a few to him. "Keep your head forwards. We don't want any blood going into your lungs," I leaned in, reaching out a hand to study his cut.

         "What a wild ride," He chuckled but winced, "ow,"

          "Its okay, it's superficial," I turned to my satchel pulling out my compressed first aid kid. "We just need to make sure its clean so there's no scarring,"

         "That'd be absolutely horrible," Cas rolled his eyes, "I could have this badass scar and I'd tell the tale of how I stopped a bank robbery with my bare hands and saved the life of a fair- ow," I dabbed the cut with a gauze wet with my drink bottle.

         "Sorry," I chuckled, "I figured if I let you keep going then you wouldn't notice,"

         Cas looked offended, "Keep me distracted then... Tell me what you want to do with your life,"

         In the middle of squeezing out a dab of antiseptic cream, I paused, sighing, "It's always awkward when I tell people," Then I mumbled, "you don't want to hear it,"

         I applied the cream, Cas winced but didn't say anything. I pulled back, packing my things.

        "Well I definitely want to hear it now," Cas chuckled.

         "You shouldn't need stitches, though I'd recommend maybe a light bandage." I reached into my lunch box where there was a spare ice pack, I wrapped it in a new gauze. Cas took it slowly, "keep that against your cheek so it doesn't bruise too much,"

         I sat back, on the sidewalk, in the middle of a poor Apolian town, choosing my words carefully.

         "I did some pre-study courses, was going to do some Culinary Arts. I wasn't happy. Cooking was something that I loved doing in my spare time. But I needed a qualification. So I went to nursing school, did the basics. Worked at an aged care facility for a little while..." I sighed, "I just want to be a housewife, it sounds stupid though,"

         "No," Cas shook his head, "it doesn't. It's an underrated occupation these days,"

         "Thank you," I spoke slowly.

         "It's honourable. You dedicate yourself to others,"

         I gave him a small smile. Cas stood, helping me up. We were close, I noticed. A little closer than people who only met yesterday would normally be. I took a conservative step back.

         "Sofia, I-." Cas was looking up, past me. I turned. The man in the cafe who was in his mid-thirties was rushing towards us, he didn't look happy. Cas turned to me, "Sofia, can we meet up again? Does tonight sound good? I'll text-."

          "Your highness!" The man called. I stilled. Who was he talking to? I turned back to Cas to see if he was equally as confused. Instead, his lips were firmly pressed and he watched me carefully. I looked back between the two. The man seemed to have read the tension and slowed as he approached. I looked back between the two again.

         "Wait, what?"

         And then it clicked. The charity, serving in the military, opening the new section of the city, being a VIP worth abducting, living in the city.

        Cas was the eighth child of His Royal Highness, Miezko IX the Great.

        Cas was Prince Casmir-Stefan.