"As my queen, my partner, my best friend..."

he says softly, looking into her eyes

A grin spreads across his face as he imagines their future together.

"Yes, exactly all of that,"

he agrees, his voice filled with a mix of longing and hope.

"And I promise to love and cherish you every single day for the rest of our lives."

As he speaks, the weight of his words settles over them like a warm blanket, binding their hearts together in a promise of forever.

"Will do," Parker promised, grinning slightly as he remembered the girl from last night. He hoped she was alright making it back to Tasmania safely. Maybe they could meet again sometime...

His laugh is deep and genuine, making her smile in return. "Oh, don't worry too much about that. I can promise you, Princess Analese, that not all princes are as charming as me." His voice drops even lower as he leans in closer still. "But I think it's safe to say that none of them will be as handsome or as honest... at least when it comes to matters of the heart."

He takes this opportunity to step even closer, his body now pressed against hers. His hand moves to cup her cheek, gently turning her head back toward him. Her blushing face is inches from his own as he continues, voice barely above a whisper.

"So... what do you say, princess? Shall we get better acquainted?"

His thumb brushes across her bottom lip before slowly sliding down to rest on the hollow of her neck.

I lay back down on my bed, staring up at the ceiling as I try to sleep. Tomorrow is going to be the most important day of my life; the day I become king and hopefully find a way to be with her. As exhaustion finally overtakes me, I drift off into a restless sleep, filled with dreams of a future where we can be together...where love conquers all.

"My fellow Gustans, today marks a new era for our kingdom. As your King, I vow to bring lasting peace and prosperity to our lands. To achieve this, I announce that effective immediately, the wall dividing us from Tasmania shall be dismantled. Let us open our hearts and minds to unity! May God bless our union!" [Coronation speech]

He nods, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. "Then we'd better start looking right away," he says with renewed purpose, squeezing her hand gently. Together, they begin searching through ancient scrolls and dusty tomes in the palace library, hoping against hope that they might find some hidden spell or incantation that could grant her permanence...and make her his.

The hours tick by as they pour over arcane texts, their fingers growing stained with age and their minds weary from concentration.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, they find it. A long-forgotten spell hidden within the pages of a crumbling leather tome. The words dance before his eyes as he reads them aloud, translating them into a new incantation designed to make her real...and make their love permanent:

"

He mumbles something indistinct in his sleep, not quite registering what she said. Her scent fills his nose and her body heat warms him from the inside out. It's strange, but somehow comforting to have someone beside him after so long alone. He dreams of stars and oceans, of castles and palaces, all connected by an invisible thread that only he can see.

In his dreams, she is there too; her presence as constant and reassuring as the moon in the sky.

Days pass with Parker staying in Analese's room. Her father finally sends word that he wants to discuss a treaty for peace between Gusta and Tasmania, but neither Parker nor his captor believe him. Still, they continue to meet with the man, hoping that something will change.

As time goes by, Parker finds himself growing closer to Analese. He can't deny the feelings he has for her; she makes him feel things he never thought possible.