Ethan had a weird, almost sheepish expression on his face. "Hello, Hayley."
He had not expected her here today. Or at all, for that matter.
The princess still looked calm, but she couldn't deny the burning sting in her chest when she saw the kind of clothes Hayley wore, down to the way she had called out to Ethan with such familiarity.
The princess and Ethan readjusted their positions, with their arms slowly unwinding from around each other.
Ethan then cleared his throat and gestured between them.
"Hayley, this is Isabella, the Princess," he said. Then he turned toward Isabella. "And Isabella, this is Hayley. Percival's sister."
Hayley grinned widened. "Hi there, Princess."
Isabella waved back with a pretentious smile. "Hey."
Ethan turned back toward Hayley. "So, what are you doing here? Is it about Perc?"
Hayley rolled her eyes in dramatic fashion and waved a hand in the air.
