so happy to be exposed to it here while she’s visiting, so I told her I’d take her to dinner in one of the villages.”
I smiled. “She’s just like you were, when you were fifteen,” I said. “You’d rather be down here in the dinky town than in the castle eating the best food money can buy.”
“Exactly,” he said. “I understand where she’s coming from.”
“Hey,” I said. “When’s the last time you had Carter’s?”
“Mmh, Carter’s,” Sebastian said, his eyes briefly widening. “Years. I haven’t had it since… well, since we last went together, probably. Eleven years ago.”
“My big ‘plans’ for this evening were just to stop by there and grab a beef and peppers sandwich,” I said. “You and Emma should tag along. If you think it’s okay for a prince and princess to step foot on the fairgrounds, of course.”
He was silent for a second, as if the idea of going to the Berrydale winter fairgrounds was like I’d just told him we were flying to the moon.
“I’m—I… sure,” he said finally. “I’ll have to inform Genoveve, and make sure that our schedule allows it, of course—”
“Of course,” I said, walking over to Sebastian and giving him a little push on his shoulder. “Prince.”
“You’ve gotta stop calling me that,” he said.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” I said, waving him off as I went to grab my coat. “Let’s go get some sloppy sandwiches.”
6
Sebastian
I hadn’t been to the Berrydale winter fairgrounds in many years, but it was clear the town had only grown more serious about their winter festival as time had passed.
The fairgrounds was small, but stepping onto the lot had always felt like walking into a small town in its own right. It felt as alive as a theme park would have, with plenty of food stands, small carnival games, and more booths with people selling their wares.
It had always been lively, but now it seemed like a winter party more than just a simple fair. People clutched hot cider as they milled around. A folk band was playing music on a small stage near the entrance. The entire grounds was always decked out to look like a winter wonderland. Lights were strung from every awning and tree, in shapes of snowflakes or trees or reindeers.
“This is beautiful,” Emma declared as she looked all around. “There is nothing like this in Beloria.”
“Berrydale takes winter very seriously,” Henry said. “I’m glad to see that hasn’t changed, at least.”
“Are there any rides?” Emma asked. “I’d love to go on a roller coaster.”
A small smile appeared on Henry’s face. “Afraid there aren’t any coasters here,” he said. “Pretty much the only ride you’ll find is the Ferris wheel.”
“I see,” she said, still marveling at a string of snowflake lights that was hanging from an oak tree. The princess had probably grown up in a castle with actual diamonds in its chandeliers, and yet cheapie plastic string lights fascinated her.
“But Carter’s does have the best beef and peppers sandwich you’ll ever have,” Henry said, nodding toward the sandwich stand. “Hope you’re ready to get messy, princess?”
I glanced over at Emma. She was wearing a pristinely clean, cream-colored silk dress, and had various bracelets and rings on her hands that had to contain silver and emeralds and diamonds, too.
“We don’t need to eat at Carter’s, Emma, if you’d prefer something else,” I offered.
“No, no, it sounds lovely,” she said. “Let’s go. Order for me, Henry?”
“At your service,” he said, winking at her as we made our way over.
A few minutes later, we crowded around a tall, stand-up table with big, greasy sandwiches. Xavier had been the only person to get a salad, something I hadn’t even realized Carter’s sold until now.
“Would you like me to find you a fork and knife?” I asked Emma.
She just smiled at me, reaching down to pick up the big, sloppy sandwich, bringing it to her mouth.
Henry lifted an eyebrow at me before diving into his own sandwich.
“Delicious,” Emma said as she chewed. “Incredible.”
We devoured the sandwiches, the princess finishing before I did.
“This is the best salad I have ever had,” Xavier said, stabbing the last lettuce leaf with his plastic fork.
“I’m glad you like it, because I’ll never get anything other than the sandwiches,” Henry said.
“I love it,” Emma said. “Do you think they ship internationally?”
Henry snorted. “Believe me, even if they shipped it on the fastest private jet in the world, this sandwich would be a pile of slop by the time it made it to Deercrest, let