Requested by tomholland_simp01: Tom is the heir to the throne, and Y/N is one of the villagers in his kingdom. She's the prettiest girl in the town and is incredibly smart. Tom values that and one day, Y/N is out shopping with her evil step sisters who are extremely in love with Tom. Y/N is reading her favourite book, which happens to also be Tom's, and accidentally bumps into him because she isn't paying attention to where she's going.

I sat on the sofa in the drawing room of the manor, my eyes flicking over the words of my favourite book as I read it for the umpteenth time. I had read this countless times, but in a house where reading and brains weren't valued nearly as much as beauty was, in a house where all of my books had been sold once my father had died in order to pay for my step-sisters to have new dresses, I had to make do with what little I had been allowed to keep.

"Y/N." I sighed and let my eyes flutter shut, a sinking feeling already taking over my heart as Lindsey's voice called out from behind me. I opened my eyes again and forced a smile onto my lips before looking over my shoulder at her.

"Yes?" I asked with fake sweetness.

"Esme and I are going into town to buy new dresses for the prince's next ball. You're joining us." She stated.

"Can't I just stay here and read? You know that I'd much prefer that." I sighed.

"No, you can't. You know how important it is to get noticed by the prince, we'll never get to marry him if he doesn't notice us first." She scoffed.

"Bold of you to assume that he's into polyamory." I retorted.

"Stop being crass, and get ready. We're leaving soon." She spat, making me sigh and look back at my book as she left the room. I bit my lip as I closed the cover softly and stood up before smoothing my dress back against my legs. I lived in a small village in the rurality of Southern France, my life joined with my stepmother, and stepsisters in the beautiful home that I had lived in happily with my father until he had died, five years ago now. Since he had passed on, I had been treated like a slave by my stepmother and sisters, the three women valuing beauty over all else whilst I was much more one for brains and books. But it was fair to assume that a lot of the importance that they placed on looks was because of the prince, soon to be king, that ruled over our village as part of his kingdom. Prince Tom Holland had been the love of every woman in the village for the last few years, with every single one of them, including my two sisters, being desperate to be named his wife and princess. Even I had to admit that the boy was incredibly attractive, with his hazel curls and gorgeous chocolate eyes making him stunning even to the most humble girls out there. But it wasn't as if I had any chance with the prince. I wouldn't lie, I wasn't ugly by any means, but the facts combined that I valued intelligence over looks, plus the fact that I was simply one out of hundreds of women in this village alone, meant that my chances of ever getting noticed by Tom was tiny, if not non-existent. And so, I'd continued to keep my head low, and pray that my stepmother and sisters wouldn't start treating me even worse with yet more time. I sighed and took a deep breath, my mind already starting to mentally prepare myself for the hell that would be shopping in the village with my sisters as I left the drawing room, and started to head to my bedroom to get myself ready.

Tom's P.O.V

Tom stood in his bedroom in the palace, his eyes on his own image in his mirror as he got dressed and tried to prepare himself for his monthly check on the villages in his kingdom. He looked up as his door opened, and Harrison walked in.

"My lord. Are you ready for your monthly trip into the villages?" His best friend, and right-hand man asked.

"I suppose so. Though, I doubt that I'll find anything new." Tom sighed and shook his head as he did his cuff-links up.

"I wonder, my lord, if you are referring to a potential bride in that statement?" Harrison asked. Tom sighed again and looked at the boy.

"That is exactly what I'm referring to, my friend. I've been searching the villages for a wife for the last six months, and all of the women seem to be the same. Absolutely obsessed with their looks, and not giving a damn about brains or intelligence. And that's how it is because they think that looks are what I want, above everything else, but no. I need someone who is smart, who values more than just what they see in the mirror. And I fear that because of that, I will never find a wife." He mumbled, a dread filling his heart at the idea. Tom wasn't ignorant, he of course knew that not all women were the same, but in his personal experience, the ones in the villages that seemed interested in him were. All they seemed preoccupied with was having the most in-fashion dresses, having their makeup and hair done by the most popular and sought-after artists, none of them were interested in the slightest in picking up a book, having an intelligent conversation. And whilst of course Tom wanted to find someone who he was attracted to, he valued intelligence far above anything else. It was one thing to find someone who he loved the sight of, but he needed to be able to have an engaging conversation with them too. That was all that he wanted. But he feared that he would never find that.

Y/N's P.O.V

I stood outside of the dress boutique, my eyes glued to my book as I leant against the glass windows and waited for Lindsey and Esme to come out from undoubtedly spending obscene amounts of money on new dresses that they didn't need. We had been out shopping for an hour already, and my book was the only thing saving me from being bored out of my wits.

"Hey, I'm talking to you-."

"Ow." I gasped and looked up, the pain in my cheek startling me out of my book-induced trance. I looked at Esme with wide eyes, her fingers squeezing the skin of my cheek having been responsible for the pain that I had just experienced.

"Esme?!" I scoffed and shook my head.

"Stop your whining, it's not lady-like. Come on, we need to go to the jewellers." She mumbled as her and Lindsey started to walk. I sighed and shook my head as I followed them, though within seconds, my eyes were back on my book as I slowly walked behind them. Though, soon enough, I became so entranced in the words that I would have never seen in a million years what was about to happen. Who I was about to bump into. Without warning, I walked into a strong and firm chest, making my eyes widen and a gasp leave my lips as the impact started to cause me to fall.

"Woah!" a pair of equally strong hands grabbed my biceps and caught me, my heart racing as whoever this was had stopped me from falling.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry-." I looked up, and my eyes widened further as I saw exactly who I'd bumped into. My mouth fell open, my heart virtually stopping in my chest as my gaze met the absolutely gorgeous eyes that I'd seen in paintings, seen from a distance. But never quite seen in person. And I had to admit that they were even more beautiful seeing them for myself. Tom stared back at me with an equally gentle gaze, his lips etched into a small and soft smile as he looked at me.

"O-oh, my lord, I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." I gulped and shook my head as I reluctantly moved my body from his grip, but only instead to curtsy for him.

"No, please, do not worry, I was not paying attention either, it's okay." He chuckled and shook his head as his eyes flicked down to the book that I had managed to hold onto, despite the impact. His eyes widened slightly, his smile widening as he looked back up at my eyes.

"You were reading this?" He asked. I gulped and nodded, everything in me still slightly numb as I tried to comprehend the fact that the prince, Tom, was actually still talking to me.

"Y-yes, my lord, it's a really interesting and engaging read." I gave him a small smile.

"I know, it's my favourite book. I must have read it at least a dozen times." He chuckled. My eyes widened slightly, my smile also growing and my heart fluttering at his words.

"As have I, my lord. The binding is even starting to wear with how much I have read it." I returned his chuckle nervously.

"Only way to have it. After all, reading is the best way to keep the mind engaged, is it not?" He smiled.

"Quite, my lord." I nodded, making him return it and bite his lip as he continued to gently gaze at me.

"May I ask for your name?" He asked. I gulped and looked at him, my mind still in complete and utter disbelief that this was happening to me. Tom had the pick of all of the women in at least ten villages, and then yet he was choosing to engage with me.

"My name is Y/N, my lord. It is beyond a pleasure to meet you." I chuckled and shook my head.

"The pleasure is all mine. I am Tom. It is lovely to meet you." He smiled, making me return it and bite my lip as he gently took my hand and raised it to his lips. The entire time, our gazes never broke, the spark between us feeling absolutely surreal as we looked into each other's eyes. Looked into each other's souls. And every second felt simply perfect.

"I do apologise, my lord, but I have to go. It will not be long before my sisters notice my absence, and if they show up, you will never be able to finish your tour for the amount that they will surround you." I teased, making him laugh and nod at my words.

"As you wish, my lady. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I do hope to see you again soon." He spoke gently.

"I'm sure that you will, my lord." I smiled. He returned it and bit his lip, his head bowing slightly as I curtsied again. I walked past him, our bodies barely an inch apart as I started to pass, my heart still racing, and my mind still completely unsure of what had just happened as I reluctantly walked away from the simply incredible prince, and back to find my sisters. Back to my old, boring, prince-less life. Even if that wasn't what I wanted.

Tom's P.O.V

Tom and Harrison walked through the streets of the village, Tom's hands neatly clasped behind his back as his guards walked behind the pair.

"Have you seen anyone who has taken your eye yet, my lord?" Harrison asked.

"Have you seen a single lady with a book in her hands, holding an intelligent conversation, or not looking at her own reflection in a shop window?" Tom asked in return.

"No, my lord." Harrison shook his head.

"Then, my friend, you have your answer." He smiled, making Harrison laugh and nod as the pair continued to walk.

"My lord!" Tom looked down, a smile curling onto his lips as an adorable little girl ran up to him with a single blue flower in her hand.

"Hello there! What's your name, darling?" He asked softly as he got down onto one knee in front of her so that they were at eye level.

"Jessica." She giggled.

"Jessica, what a beautiful name! I wonder, is that flower for me?" He smiled. She returned it and nodded as she handed it out to him, the boy's heart bursting with cuteness from the girl as he gently took it from her.

"Thank you so much, darling. Have the most amazing day." He smiled and cupped her cheek with his hand. She giggled one last smile and gave him one more smile before running away again.

"Well, that was most definitely the cutest thing that I'll see all month." Tom chuckled, making Harrison smile and nod as Tom stood back up. But as soon as he did, he walked straight into a small chest. His eyes widened, a quiet gasp leaving the lips of whoever he'd bumped into as he could just tell that the impact would be enough to make her fall. Unless he caught her first, of course.

"Woah!" Tom exclaimed as he quickly grabbed the girl's biceps to stop her from falling.

"Gosh, I'm so sorry-." The girl looked up, and her eyes widened further as she saw who she'd bumped into. But Tom was already more focused on how absolutely stunning this mystery girl was. Her mouth fell open as she looked up at him with the most gorgeous eyes that he'd ever seen, Tom's heart already falling so hard for her as they looked gently at each other. Tom was in love, he knew that simply from looking into those eyes. Simply from knowing that now, he never wanted to look into another pair of eyes for the rest of his life. And that was what he'd been looking for. He'd finally found it.

"O-oh, my lord, I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." The girl gulped and shook her head as she moved her body from his grip, but only instead to curtsy for him.

"No, please, do not worry, I was not paying attention either, it's okay." He chuckled and shook his head as his eyes flicked down to the book that she managed to hold onto, despite the impact. His eyes widened slightly, his smile widening as he looked back up at her eyes.

"You were reading this?" He asked. She gulped and nodded, Tom's feelings only being confirmed. After all, the book that she was reading was one that Tom had read himself, and it was no easy read. Even Tom had trouble reading it at times, despite it being his favourite book, and he'd had private education. He could tell purely from that that this girl was extremely impressive, both in brains and her beauty.

"Y-yes, my lord, it's a really interesting and engaging read." She gave him a small and beautiful smile.

"I know, it's my favourite book. I must have read it at least a dozen times." He chuckled. Her eyes widened slightly, the girl clearly shocked that Tom had read the book that she was holding.

"As have I, my lord. The binding is even starting to wear with how much I have read it." She returned his chuckle nervously.

"Only way to have it. After all, reading is the best way to keep the mind engaged, is it not?" He smiled.

"Quite, my lord." She nodded, making him return it and bite his lip as he continued to gently gaze at the stunning girl.

"May I ask for your name?" He asked. She gulped and looked at him.

"My name is Y/N, my lord. It is beyond a pleasure to meet you." She chuckled and shook her head.

"The pleasure is all mine. I am Tom. It is lovely to meet you." He smiled, making her return it and bite her lip as he gently took her hand and raised it to his lips. The entire time, their gazes never broke, the spark between them feeling absolutely surreal as they got lost in each other's eyes. Looked into each other's souls. And every second felt simply perfect.

"I do apologise, my lord, but I have to go. It will not be long before my sisters notice my absence, and if they show up, you will never be able to finish your tour for the amount that they will surround you." She teased, making him laugh and nod at her words. But also at the discovery that she had a sense of humour too. Meaning that she was the ultimate package.

"As you wish, my lady. It was a pleasure to meet you, and I do hope to see you again soon." He spoke gently.

"I'm sure that you will, my lord." She smiled. He returned it and bit his lip, his head bowing slightly as she curtsied again. Y/N walked past him, their bodies barely an inch apart as she started to pass. Tom followed her with his gaze, his heart truly and utterly in love as she walked away from him.

"I found her, Haz. She's the one. She's the woman that I'm going to marry." He mumbled, his head shaking and a small smile on his lips at the idea that he had finally found her. He'd finally found his soulmate.