Would Ronan think that is respectable enough? If he’s so ashamed of where I came from, why did he bother bringing me here at all?

Ronan might be ashamed, but I’m not.

“My father raises goats, Your Highness.”

The queen’s tittering laugh echoes, and she presses her fingers to her smirking lips.

Farming might not be the most glamorous position in society, but it is a vital one. Without people like my father, the castle kitchens would have no food to feed their royal mouths.

Ronan’s grip tightens as he pulls me tightly to his side. “What she means to say is that her father owns the largest farm in Gravale.”

That isn’t true, but what else did I expect?

“Impressive,” muses the king. “You couldn’t pay me enough money to work on a farm here in the valley, let alone on the side of a mountain.”

“Thank you, Sire. That is kind of you to say.”

The queen’s eyes narrow on her husband before her head swings back toward me. “What do you think of my son, Kerris Dawn?”

I think he is a liar. “Ronan has made me feel quite welcome in the city, and for that, I am truly in his debt.”

“I see. And do you plan on marrying him for his money or his throne?”

Ronan’s fingers dig into my palm, his jaw pulsing as he returns the queen’s glower. “Mother…”

“What?” The queen shrugs her slender shoulders. “It’s a simple question, is it not? The daughter of a goat farmer. Honestly, Ronan. It’s obvious the woman is only interested in what you can provide for her.”

The king sits up straighter, a flush creeping up his jaw. “That is quite enough, Majella.”

I don’t care that this woman is the queen of our kingdom. I have done nothing wrong, and she does not get to treat me like dirt simply because she believes I am some money-chasing fae with a thirst for power.

“To be honest, I see his crown as a barrier to a future together.” And I want nothing to do with it. “But to answer your question, if your son and I were to marry, it would be for neither his money nor his throne. It would be because I care for him and feel the two of us would make each other happy. That we make each other laugh.”

“A princess who laughs,” the queen scoffs. “Just what this castle needs.”

The king offers me the first genuine smile I’ve seen since I stepped into this room. “I believe you’re right. That is exactly what this castle needs.”

Ronan’s cheeks are as red as cherry pie filling, and I imagine mine probably match. If I had to live my eternity with this wretched woman looking over my shoulders, commenting on everything I said or did, I’d lose my mind.