Devil's Imposter Bride

As the Princess stared at me, I couldn't help but feel a knot form in my stomach. Her gaze was intense. I bit my lips, hoping that my request would be granted. However, when the words finally left her lips, my heart sank.

"But, I don't want you to be my maid," she said, her voice soft but firm.

I tried to hide my disappointment, but I couldn't help the slight frown that formed on my face. I felt a pang of sadness in my heart, knowing that my plan failed. But I hadn't given up. For the sake of my younger brother's life, I wanted to give it another chance and convince the Princess. I opened my lips to speak, but before I could say anything, the Princess interrupted me.

"I have another condition," she said, her voice suddenly changing.

Another condition?

My confusion was evident on my face as I looked up at her with wide eyes. "W-what is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The Princess smiled at me, her gaze softening. She looked around as if making sure that no one was watching and then called me closer. I was confused, not sure what she was trying to do. Seeing my confusion, the Princess rolled her eyes and grabbed my hand, pulling me closer. I was so shocked that my eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.

I knew that as a mere commoner, it was improper for the Princess to touch my hand. But before I could even think of pulling away, she told me her condition. The words froze me instantly, and I almost forgot to pull my hand back.

"What do you think?" the Princess asked excitedly. 

"W-what?" I stuttered shockingly. 

"I want you to swap your identity with me," she repeated as if she wasn't talking about committing a crime but pretty clothes or delicious foods. 

"Princess, I-I.. I don't understand this kind of humor," I said humbly and lowered my head. 

Swap identities with the Princess? This had to be a joke. How can a princess suggest something like this? Was she testing me? I couldn't help but wonder. 

The Princess smiled widely. "I am not trying to fool you. I am serious." 

"What?!" 

I couldn't believe what the Princess was suggesting.

Swap identities? Was she serious?

I stared at her in confusion, but when I looked into her eyes, I could tell she was dead serious. "What do you mean?" I finally managed to ask, my voice trembling slightly.

The Princess chuckled, clearly amused by my reaction. "Let me explain my story," she said, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "But first of all, let me start by introducing myself. I am Princess Amelia from the Kingdom of Ellendale...." 

Then, she began to tell me her story, and I could sense the sadness and frustration in her voice.

She explained that her kingdom had been at odds with the Kingdom of Arathorn for years. In order to maintain peace between the two kingdoms, her father, the King, had made the decision to marry her off to the Prince of Arathorn. As a princess, she had been raised with the understanding that her duty to her kingdom always came first. And so, despite her own wishes, she had accepted the proposal.

But she didn't want to get married. She was already in love with another man, and for the first time in her life, she wanted to follow her heart and be with that man.

She wanted to be with her true love, to build a life with him, instead of being stuck in a loveless marriage for the sake of politics.

That is why, she wanted to swap identities with me so that she could escape the responsibilities of being a princess and go in search of her lover. In exchange, I would take her place and go to the Kingdom of Arathorn.

At first, I was completely taken aback by the proposal made by the Princess. I couldn't comprehend how she could come up with such an absurd idea.

How on earth was I supposed to take her place?

She was a princess, and I was just a small servant. The thought of pretending to be her was preposterous, as I would be caught within seconds. Moreover, the Princess and I looked vastly different from one another. It would be impossible to fool the guards outside who were responsible for her safety.

They would notice immediately that their Princess had been swapped with someone else. Despite the risks, the Princess was insistent, and she implored me to consider her proposal.

However, I was hesitant, as the consequences of being caught were dire. I couldn't risk my life for something that was nearly impossible. Shaking my head, I refused, "Princess, this is highly impossible. I can never be you," I told her.

However, she looked at me with hopeful eyes. "Don't say that. Only you can help me."

"But how? We look so different. I can never pretend to be you. I would be caught. And what about the guards outside? Won't they know?" I asked. 

The Princess didn't seem to share my concerns. Instead, she laughed lightly, as if my worries were unfounded. "Is that the only thing you're worried about?" she asked me, amused.

I nodded hesitantly, still unsure of what she was trying to say.

She smiled reassuringly. "Then you have nothing to worry about. The guards outside belong to the Kingdom of Arathorn. They have never seen me before, and they don't know what I look like. In fact, nobody knows what Princess Aurelia looks like. So, it will be very easy for us to switch our identities without being caught."

I didn't know what to say to that. I was hesitant to agree to such an idea. It was quite daring, something that I could never agree to. If I agreed, then not only would I have to change my identity with the Princess, but I would also have to bear her responsibilities. 

How could I possibly get married to the Prince of Arathorn? That would be cheating, a crime. 

That was not what I wanted. I simply wanted to go to the Kingdom of Arathorn and do my task to save my younger brother's life. However, when I looked into the hopeful eyes of the Princess, I was torn.