"Are you always this nervous around royalty?" he asked with a hint of amusement in his voice. Catherine's heart skipped a beat at the question and bit her lower lip feeling embarrassed. She felt her cheeks heat up as she fumbled for a response.

"N-no, your grace. I'm just..... really surprised by your visit," she managed to say, trying to keep her voice steady.

The king chuckled. "I know. You look like you've seen a ghost. But you look quite adorable when you're flustered", he said, making Catherine look up at him in surprise and her cheeks blushed even more. She couldn't believe that the king was actually flirting with...