Book Bound

San Myshuno
Senator Suites Penthouse

Her Royal Majesty Queen Aria-Grace Cromwell burst into the room, a stark contrast to her usual composed demeanor back home at Cromwell Palace. Her dark hair, perfectly coiffed, with its light chestnut tone framed her delicate face, complimenting her immaculate style and her slender figure. Her unusual, very light translucent green eyes, a Cameron family trait, were wide with panic. Her light skin, with a fading tan, hinted at her love for travel with her family. Her eyes locked onto her older brother, Nicholas, whom she was currently visiting at his San Myshuno home, and she made a beeline for him.

“Nick, have you seen William? I can’t find him anywhere!” she demanded; her voice edged with panic.

Nick looked up, unfazed. At five years her senior, Nick shared the same dark hair with a light chestnut tone and the striking Cameron green eyes. His light skin also bore the remnants of a tan, a testament to his frequent travels. Despite being in his 40s, he looked remarkably youthful, much like his sister. Nick was married to Adrianna, of Tartosian descent, which reflected in their son Ryan’s deeper skin tone. The rest of 17-year-old Ryan was a spitting image of his father, tall and very athletic with the same levels of confidence and nonchalance.

“Not recently. AG, chill. He’s probably out with my son, doing whatever teen boys do these days. Relax, Ryan pulls this stunt all the time, knowing that if he told us before he’s going somewhere, his mother and I would grill him about his homework being done, so he likes to take the ‘easier to ask for forgiveness than permission’ route. Hard for me to fault him for that, knowing I was just like that at his age. As long as his grades stay up, his mom and I prefer to pick our battles. I bet he saw some girls from the window and dragged William along.”

“William is the Crown Prince of a kingdom! He can’t just go and hit on some girls, Nick!” Aria-Grace exclaimed, her voice rising with urgency. “Do you know how inappropriate, not to mention dangerous, that is for him? I’m alerting security to find them! It was a mistake to have the security staff hang back at the hotel. I knew it. Blending in is one thing, but risking my children’s lives is not worth it! Nor is risking the good reputation of House Cromwell if reports surface of the 16-year-old future king allegedly whoring around in the streets of San Myshuno. His father would have a heart attack! I probably would as well!”

“AG, seriously,” Nick said, grabbing his sister’s arms and forcing her to meet his gaze. “You and the kids are here to reconnect with family and normalcy. Granted, our family might not be the best example, but it’s better than the uber-sheltered, disconnected-from-reality palace life all day, every day. Kids need to experience different things to learn. Remember when your Victoria snuck into the cargo hold of a plane to fly to Chestnut Ridge with poor Jack? Because of inclement weather, they ended up staying at his horse ranch in a bare-bones two-bedroom cabin for a week. I’m sure Jack was ready to be committed, but she was fine. She had a ball and made real-life experiences royal kids would normally never get to make, and we both know Jack would never let anything happen to her.

They’re smart kids because they come from good stock, AG. We’re not idiots, and we don’t raise idiots. No one in San Myshuno would expect the Crown Prince of Henfordshire among them. Here, he’s just another boy with a funny accent. That accent might even help them land some dates, and I’m absolutely okay with that. You know why? Because I know my son is a lot of things, some of them less than optimal, but he isn’t a man-whore. Do you think I’d give him so much freedom with so few rules if I seriously thought there was even the slightest chance he’d knock up some random girl at 17? No, AG, I know he’s not like that. I trust him, Addy trusts him, and Mom and Dad trust him.

Ryan has a big mouth, almost as big as his ego, but he’s all bark, no bite—or do you think Adrianna would sit there and raise some man-whore with me, not to mention Mom standing by letting that happen?! We all know Ryan. He’s a good kid and wouldn’t use girls, no matter what sort of machismo he spews. He likes the chase, probably enjoys making out—who doesn’t? But if my kid ever came across a loose girl and she let him go all the way, it would most likely be the dog who caught the car phenomenon. He wouldn’t know what to do with himself, let alone with the girl. If my son has ever made it past second base by now, I’d be genuinely surprised. He hasn’t met a girl he was serious enough about to make his girlfriend, and unless that happens, I know he won’t do stupid things that could have severe consequences for all of us.

Ryan knows very well what’s at stake for our family, starting with the famous ones, but also his grandpa and me, because our reputation matters. Seeing how we are lawyers, and he wants to be one at some point himself, he can’t turn your son into some gigolo either. Relax, sis.”

“William better not ‘land’ anyone! All it takes is someone snapping pics and posting them online and it will spread like wildfire. This is a big city, Nick. Dangerous! William isn’t used to anything like this, especially not without at least one parent with him and guards or security securing the perimeter.”

“A big city Ryan grew up in. One I grew up in and for a good portion of your youth, one you grew up in too. AG, I live with one of the biggest pop superstars to ever walk the earth, our mother, aka pop icon ViVa, yet mom just goes outside without security guards securing any parameters. Mom is constantly out and about the city, spa, shopping, hairdresser. Occasionally, someone recognizes her, she poses for selfies, signs autographs, and then moves on, if need be using her natural–cough, cough–‘charm’, which as we both know, can send anyone running for the hills. My son inherited said ‘charm’, so in the extremely unlikely off-chance he and William would be abducted, said ‘charm’ would guarantee the kidnappers would kick both back out at the next stoplight and go check themselves into the nearest psyche ward. Trust me, I live with our mother and my kid. Ryan can be a ding dong sometimes and often makes us cringe by being a typical teen boy, dare I say, an overconfident prick sometimes, cos he takes after me, as Addy likes to remind me, but he would never recklessly get himself and William into some bad situation. Plus, he is smarter than is good for him and would manage to find a way out for both. My son is well-travelled, Addy and I saw to that. I doubt there are many situations that could overwhelm him. They’ll be fine, AG. Let boys be boys. If they get into real trouble, the police will call, and Dad and I will bail them out. Lucky for them, we’re both attorneys.” Nick added the last part with a smirk, earning a playful swat from his sister.

“My son better not get arrested because of your son, Nicky! And William better not be doing naughty things with random teen girls he and your son pick up along the way!” she giggled.

Nick then softened his tone, his expression turning serious. “Listen, AG, I get it. You’re worried. But you have to trust Ryan. He knows this city like the back of his hand, and he would never let anything happen to William. They’re cousins and get along great, and your boy needs this time to just be a teen boy, to experience life outside the palace walls amidst three younger sisters. Ryan will make sure William is absolutely fine. Trust me on this.”

Aria-Grace took a deep breath, nodding slowly. “Alright, Nick. I trust you. If you say they’ll be fine, then I will believe it.”

Nick smiled reassuringly. “There’s the AG I know and love, at least sometimes. Now, let’s try to enjoy this time together, okay? Help me pick a restaurant for dinner. Just a heads up, Mom is on a diet. Again.”

“When is Mom ever NOT on a diet? I think she started before you were born and never stopped. No wonder she is so skinny. Well, at least I inherited that, which makes looking royal easier, cos I am naturally thin. The crap the royal seamstress and advisors put me through after the birth of each kid, cos my waistline wasn’t what it used to be, urgh!”

“So, salad bar? I mean, Addy’s been cooking for all of us, and you know she does not want to hear anything about ‘no carbs’. I think it’s the Tartosian in her, they take that as a personal insult. They need their pasta and doughs, olive oils and decadent cheeses. Why do you think Dad and I work out so much? I don’t love it, but if I didn’t, I would not look like this. When I broke my leg skiing two years back and was laid up, I ended up looking like Brendan Fraser in ‘The Whale’. Getting back into shape afterwards at my age was hell. Never again.” Nick shook his head.

“Nick, I didn’t fly all the way over here to reconnect with my parents, brother, and his family while chewing on some iceberg lettuce like a bunny! I want something decadent and revolutionary from the Spice District. Any cuisine is fine, but it needs to be more special than a salad bar. Mom can order salad anywhere. She’s in her seventies, why does it matter if she’s skinny? She better not be trying to pick up men, or Dad will lose his shit.”

“Mom and other men, no way. You know her, she is vain AF and you and I inherited that from her. Then again, Dad has always been a metrosexual too, so no wonder we are the way we are. Okay, you’re the guest of honor, I have just the restaurant and you will be sorry you asked for revolutionary dishes, cos this place has spices and they are not afraid to use them, without getting too graphic lemme tell ya you will be crying when whatever you put in is ready to come back out the other end, but it is GOOD food and you won’t be sorry. I will defer Mom’s rant straight to you, cos she will complain, this I promise you, but Dad loves that place, so he’ll be thrilled. Just reading the menu at that restaurant makes everyone gain a pound. Might wanna set your alarm for 6 AM sharp tomorrow to go for a run with Dad and me at Myshuno Meadows to work some of it off or you may have to fly back home in some of my clothes cos yours no longer fit.” Nick nudged his sister.

San Myshuno
Downtown area

Meanwhile, Ryan and William, the latter disguised in one of Ryan’s baseball caps and hoodies, wandered through the bustling streets. William, with his light buttery blonde hair tucked under the cap and his striking Cameron green eyes peeking out, looked every bit the part of a regular teenager. His tall, slender frame contrasted with Ryan’s more athletic build. Ryan was animatedly recounting their failed attempt to get some girls’ phone numbers.

“Boyfriend, my ass. I bet her boyfriend isn’t as cool as me, IF he even exists. And I bet his grandma isn’t THE pop icon ViVa… maybe I should’ve mentioned that… or your parents. Bruh, if those chicks knew you are literal real-life royalty, we’d be well past second base by now. We’d be sleeping off a homerun.”

“Don’t you dare! We agreed, none of that! I’m your cousin from Henfordshire, my parents own some horse stables—and that’s it. It’s the truth, albeit not the whole truth, but all anyone needs to know about me. And you’re the son of a successful attorney and a CEO of a large financial institution. That’s already impressive enough to meet a girl, no need to mention our famous ancestry. Plus, it’s not proper, let alone sanitary, to engage in… coitus before you even know anything about a girl. They could be anybody. Golddiggers with venereal diseases, or much worse. As our parents would say, we haven’t the necessary experience to be able to know.”

“Coitus? Venereal diseases?! Oh gawd! Jeeze dude, with that attitude, you’ll die a virgin! Sometimes you are really too much of everything. Look, I am no dumbass, I know all that you just said. Plus, it’s not like we keep Grandma Vivien locked in the basement, she lives her life, I know I have been seen with her, so even if I were to mention her, I wouldn’t be telling well-kept secrets, except if she ever found out I used her name trying to get laid she’d probably beat me unconscious with her designer heels. You don’t live with her and grandpa, but I do, so I know my limits with her. You act as if I was thinking about releasing the nuclear codes on X or something. So, chill out and come on, there’s another hangout down that street. Boba tea shop next to a Forever 21 AND a Sephora, plus an H&M and a Starbucks across the street. It’s like fish in a barrel for girl shopping.”

“Girl shopping? Oh dear. If Papa could hear you…”

“Listen, Will, if your dad could hear me, he’d agree. Don’t you remember how your parents met? Uncle Max literally picked Aunt AG up on a bridge at college, where she was crying over Rohan because he came out as gay and broke their engagement. Talk about shooting fish in a barrel. Your dad picked up your mom when she was super-vulnerable. Even I don’t do that with girls. At least not often. But often enough to know it works.” Ryan shrugged, while shaking his head at his cousin.

“It was much deeper than that! He told us the story many times. He saw Mama and just knew she was ‘the one’… and he was very patient with her. They never… did things until after they were wed. It was never about carnal pleasures for them!” William defended his parents’ love story.

“Yeah, right. And Santa’s real. Oops, spoiler alert, he’s not, as any 9-year-old will confirm. Just wait till you hear the truth about the Easter Bunny. Almost as shocking as finding out your dad wanted to hook up with your mom the minute he saw her, cos he thought she was hot and clearly available, seeing how she was crying over her ex. Know how I know that? Because he’s a guy. Any guy with a dick has one goal in life: to use it. End of story. Sorry, Will, but that’s the ugly truth. Now, come on, let’s find some pretty girls to get closer to getting a chance to ever using ours for more than just peeing. Follow me.” Ryan headed off, but William held him back, pointing.

“Oh, Ryan, look! A bookshop! A quaint little bookshop, how charming! I’ve only ever seen ones like this on the telly. Look at the shop window, those books! Some of them look really old. Let’s go in! I simply MUST see this!” William sounded very excited, generating an eyeroll from his cousin.

“Let’s not. My parents have tons of books. You can read back home. Let’s keep going to the good stuff. If this gets you excited, lemme tell you that some chicks our age here already had boob jobs, and I promise you, your eyes will pop, along with other body parts, my man!”

“But it’s the smell, the feel, when you first meet a new book, uncharted territory. I have decided. We shall go browse.” William said with determination, pulling Ryan along.

Timeless Tomes & Treasures was a quaint little bookshop nestled in a cozy corner of the San Myshuno mall. The shop was owned by Mrs. Evelyn Harper, a kind-hearted elderly woman with a passion for literature. Her teenaged granddaughter, Grace Harper, helped out after school. Grace was a breath of fresh air, with her auburn hair often tied in a loose braid, freckles dotting her cheeks, and a pair of bright eyes that seemed to sparkle with curiosity and intelligence. She wore a pair of big, roundish glasses that occasionally slipped down her nose, giving her a slightly absent-minded professor look.

While Grace wasn’t a beauty in the classical sense, her imperfections that made her all the more endearing. Her front teeth were slightly crooked, and she had a small scar on her forehead from a childhood accident. She often had ink stains on her fingers from jotting down notes in her journal, and her shoes were always a bit scuffed from her habit of walking everywhere. Despite these quirks, or perhaps because of them, she exuded a genuine warmth and authenticity that drew people in.

Grace was also a bit clumsy, often absent-mindedly bumping into shelves or dropping books, which added to her charm. The irony of her name was not lost on those who knew her well. She had a strange, infectious laugh that started as a snort and ended in a melodic giggle, making everyone around her smile. Grace had a penchant for wearing second-hand clothing, engulfing her in a strange old attic smell, adding to her quirky, unique style. These little things made her stand out in a world where everyone else seemed to strive for perfection.

William, disguised in Ryan’s baseball cap and hoodie, wandered into the shop, the bell above the door jingling softly. The scent of old books and polished wood filled the air, a stark contrast to the bustling city outside. Ryan had reluctantly agreed to let William explore while parking himself near the door, already bored, scrolling through his phone.

As William browsed the shelves, his fingers tracing the spines of various books, he heard a soft voice behind him.

“Can I help you find something?”

He turned to see Grace standing there, a warm smile on her face. She wore a strange outfit in what appeared to be some 1970s style pattern and handmade, her hands lightly dusted with flour from the cookies she had been baking in the back. The scent of them in the oven now tickling William’s nose as Grace noticed, wiping her hands on the apron, taking it off, wadding it up, before slipping it somewhere under the counter with the ancient-looking cash register on it.

“Uh yeah, sorry about the flour and apron. It’s slow this time of day, well, actually it’s slow every day no matter the time, so I sometimes bake cookies to pass the time, then nibble on them with some coffee over the latest books we got in. Are you looking for anything in particular?”

“Just browsing, thank you,” William replied, his Henfordian accent immediately catching her attention.

“You’re not from around here, are you?” she asked, tilting her head slightly.

“Your powers of observation are keen. I am from Henford-on-Bagley, that’s in Henfordshire, the island kingdom northeast from here,” he nervously overexplained.

“Henfordshire? You came a long way to shop at our humble little store. I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone from there come in here. I’m Grace, by the way.”

“Will,” he replied, suppressing the urge to elaborate that Grace was also one of his mother’s given names, as he extended his hand to her. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Grace looked a little surprised, then took his hand and they shook. William couldn’t help but notice how different Grace was from the debutante girls he had met back home. She was genuine, down-to-earth, and her eyes held a depth that intrigued him. Unlike those aristocratic girls with their designer perfumes and clothing, who had all started to look and sound the same to William long ago, Grace smelled like attic, but also soapy fresh and like … cinnamon and cookie dough.

“So, what brings you to San Myshuno?” Grace asked, leaning against a nearby shelf.

“I’m visiting my grandparents, aunt, uncle, and my cousin, Ryan.” William gestured towards Ryan, who was leaning against the wall near the exit, engrossed in his phone. “Thought I’d explore the city a bit,” he added, glancing around the shop. “We don’t have big malls or bustling cities back home. It’s quite rural, you see, with the occasional village here and there. Even our capital is little more than a large village. It suits us, though, as my parents breed and sell horses, which would be rather difficult to manage in a place like this. This shop is splendid. Do you work here often?”

“After school and on weekends, and often during school breaks. My grandma owns the shop, so it’s like a second home to me. I’ve always loved books, even before I could read them. I used to pester everyone to read to me. I’ve been helping out here since I was barely tall enough to see over the counter,” Grace explained, her eyes lighting up as she talked about the place. “So, horses, huh? That’s awesome! I’ve never ridden one, but it sounds like a dream. If I close my eyes, I can totally picture you riding across some rolling green hills and flowery fields, with the occasional cow and some chickens here and there, while people work in their lush vegetable gardens and drink a spot of tea. Come to think of it, I don’t know much about Henfordshire, but I’m sure we have some books on it. I’ll have to check them out later, brush up on my geography too, ’cause to be honest, I’m not really sure how to imagine it right.”

“Honestly, you’ve already got the gist of my home. There’s not much more to say, unless you wish to delve into long lectures on its historic values, which, truthfully, would put even the most dedicated history buff into a coma—it’s definitely not as thrilling as San Myshuno. Must be wonderful, being surrounded by all these books, with new ones arriving daily,” William remarked, picking up an old, leather-bound volume.

“It is. Each book has its own story, its own history, like a person. Sometimes you find old letters in them when a batch is sold to us by descendants who inherited them as part of an estate and have no interest in books, or people tell you about the book when they sell it. It’s like meeting new friends every day,” Grace said, her passion for literature evident in her voice.

William smiled, feeling a connection with her that he hadn’t felt with anyone else, especially not right upon meeting them. “Do you have any recommendations? I’m looking for something… timeless. Special. I’m quite well-versed in the classics, you see. I am quite the avid reader myself.”

Grace’s eyes sparkled as she led him to a shelf in the back. “Oh, I think I have just the thing. It only came in last night, I haven’t had a chance to catalog it yet. This way.”

As they browsed the books together, William found himself captivated not just by the stories on the pages, but by the girl who brought them to life. She spoke about each book as if it were a personal acquaintance, a friend, as she had called it.

After spending some time browsing the shelves and chatting with Grace, William finally decided it was time to leave. He glanced over at Ryan, who was still near the door, engrossed in his phone.

“Ready to go?” William asked, heading towards the exit and pulling open the door with the usual jingle.

Ryan barely looked up, muttering, “About damn time.”

As they stepped outside, Ryan pocketed his phone and shot William an annoyed look. “What took you so long? You said you wanted to— and I quote his royal pain in the ass here, meaning YOU—‘only glance around briefly.’ Dude, that was almost two hours ago! I thought you fell asleep in there; I was about to just drag your… what the hell is that?!” Ryan pointed at a bag William was now holding, bulging with the telltale shape of books. “You seriously bought books?! Dude, what is wrong with you?! We can’t go pick up girls with grandpa holding a bag of secondhand books! Never heard of e-books?! They fit on your phone and don’t embarrass both of us!” Ryan exclaimed, looking appalled.

“Uh, yes, I purchased books, as one typically does in a bookshop, Ryan,” William retorted, holding up the plastic bag filled with old tomes in front of Ryan’s face.

Ryan swatted it away with a smirk, sighed deeply, and facepalmed. “Dork! That wasn’t today’s mission. Stick with the plan, Prince Valium! When in Rome, do as the Romans do, remember? Welcome to Rome, and I’m your Roman tour guide. How are we supposed to meet girls when you’re lugging around a bag of smelly old books? You smell like an old book now! Are you serious? We might as well get ‘nerd’ tattooed on our foreheads!”

William chuckled, unfazed by Ryan’s dramatics. “Relax, Ryan. Not every girl is impressed by flashy moves and smooth lines. And not every girl dreams of a quick fling with a guy they just met. Some might actually appreciate a guy who enjoys a good book and can hold a conversation beyond ‘wanna bang?’”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, good luck finding one of those in this city. That’s literally how dating works here. You see someone you like, you try your best line, and if it’s mutual, you hook up. If both liked that enough, it becomes a relationship. And if it’s REALLY good or you find you have more in common, you move in together. Welcome to the 21st century in the big city, you rural spawned relic from the olden days. Come on, let’s hit the boba tea shop. Maybe we can salvage this day.”

As they walked down the street, William couldn’t help but think about Grace. Her genuine smile and the way her eyes lit up when she talked about books had left a lasting impression on him. He glanced at the bag of books and smiled to himself, feeling a sense of contentment he hadn’t felt in a long time.

They reached the boba tea shop, and Ryan immediately started scanning the crowd for potential targets. William, on the other hand, found a quiet corner and pulled out one of his new books, immersing himself in its pages.

“Seriously, Prince Valium? We’re here to meet girls, not read! I’m gonna talk to Aunt AG about leaving you here for a few more weeks, ’cause you, my man, need help! You need Doctor Ryan Cameron’s teen boy boot camp! You go out to pick up girls, or you stay home and read a book like an 80-year-old. Operative term being ‘or’ here.” Ryan groaned, shaking his head.

William looked up, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Who says I can’t do both?”

Just then, a group of girls walked in, giggling and chatting. One of them noticed William reading and nudged her friends. “Hey, check out the cute guy with the book. That’s different.”

“OMG, so vintage! I love it. I love vintage stuff,” another one added.

Ryan’s eyes widened in surprise as the girls approached their table. “You have GOT to be kidding me,” he muttered under his breath.

William smiled, closing his book and looking up at the girls. “Hello there. Care to join us?”

The girls placed down their coats and bags then headed to the counter to pick up their orders.

Ryan couldn’t help but laugh. “Alright, you vintage bookworm, this round goes to the nerd from across the pond. I give up. I got nothing here.”

Later that evening, they returned to the luxurious three-story penthouse where Ryan lived with his parents and paternal grandparents. The city lights of San Myshuno twinkled through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow over the spacious living room.

William settled into a plush armchair, pulling out the books he had bought earlier. As he leafed through the pages, he noticed a small piece of paper tucked inside one of the volumes. Curious, he unfolded it and found a sweet note written in neat handwriting:

“Will,

It was lovely meeting you today. I hope you enjoy these books as much as I do. If you ever want to discuss them or just chat, here’s my number.

Grace

P.S. I think you’re kinda sweet and I like your sense of humor. :)

William’s heart skipped a beat as he read the note. He couldn’t help but smile, feeling a warmth spread through him. He carefully tucked the note back into the book, already looking forward to the next time he might see Grace. And he would make sure there would be a next time. Maybe as soon as the following day.

Ryan walked by and noticed the smile on William’s face. “What’s got you grinning like that?”

William held up the note. “Just a little something from the bookshop.”

Ryan glanced over Grace’s words, then raised an eyebrow. “No shit, huh? Looks like the bookworm nerd’s got game after all. Wondering if I shouldn’t start reading. You got as many numbers as I did today and you weren’t even trying.”

William laughed, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation for what the future might hold.

Grace and her grandma, Evelyn Harper