“Are you asking me not to pick it?”

“Hardly. I’m glad that you did. It’s about as different from Edgewood College as a school can be. It seems like that is exactly what you’re hoping for.”

I nod, relieved I won’t have to change my decision.

“I’ll let Richard know, and they’ll start making arrangements. We’ll schedule a briefing for later this week.”

I smile and stand. “Thank you, Papa,” I tell him, walking around the desk to kiss his cheek. “This means a lot.”

Three days later, I enter one of the ornate conference rooms where the Royal Council holds its regular meetings. A large oval table sits in the center of the room. It’s surrounded by red velvet chairs, most of which are already occupied by men in suits. While they all look familiar, the only person I recognize at first glance is Richard. He’s served as the head of the Royal Guard for as long as I can remember, and his brusque yet assuring manner makes it clear why he was chosen for the position to begin with.

My father stands off to the side of the table next to a large projector, filling a glass with water from a pitcher. There’s a spread of food out, but I don’t take anything since I just finished eating lunch.

The group of men all rise as I enter the room, each bowing respectfully in acknowledgment of my presence. I take a seat in one of the two available chairs, and my father takes the other.

“Ready to begin, Princess?” Richard asks once I’ve settled against the smooth velvet.

I nod in response.

“King Robert informed us of your wish to study at a university outside the country this fall. We came up with a list of schools that fit the basic requirements regarding international tensions and location. You chose Lincoln University in the United States, and plans are already in motion for that to take place. The purpose of this meeting is to provide you with an overview of the logistics and safety measures we plan to implement, and for you to ask any questions you may have.”

I nod, and Richard shifts his gaze to my father. “Your Majesty, I’ve made a few changes since our conversation yesterday to address the concerns you raised.”

My father nods.

Richard stands and walks over to the screen that’s been set up. The projector mounted to the ceiling hums to life, and several lines of black text appear on the screen.

“The essential component of this operation is complete and total discretion. Your safety depends on it. All the schools we selected are located in areas where press analysis and local demographics suggest no awareness of Marcedenia or its royal family, but that’s far from a guarantee. We’ll still take every precaution we can. You’ll keep your first name, since it’s a fairly common one in the States, but you’ll go by the last name of Rhodes as a pseudonym. Your hair color was consistently cited as a memorable characteristic, so you’ll need to dye and cut it. The university was told you’re an American but have been at boarding school in England for the past eight years. Tell the same to any peers. That will excuse some cultural naiveté, but you’ll still need to study some basic elements of American culture. Any questions so far?”