"God, Castle, what's taking you so long?" Javier groaned when Castle appeared in the dining room carrying a tray of eggs and fresh bread.

"Yeah," his brother chimed in, "you're like the slowest person ever this morning."

Castle said nothing as he passed over their breakfast. Truth be told, he thought he was doing quite well—especially considering it took him nearly three hours to walk back to the farm from the palace the prior night. It had been worth it, though, to hold Princess Kate in his arms and hear her beautiful laugh. He would have wandered the earth for three days if it meant he could watch her smile at him just one more time.

"My apologies, gentlemen. Did you have fun at the ball last night? You must have arrived home rather late."

"Yeah, and you didn't come help us either." Ryan snipped.

"I must have been asleep." Asleep…or trudging through the woods freezing due to his lack of appropriate outerwear.

"The ball was amazing," Javier said. "I must have danced with Princess Kate a dozen times."

"No you di—ouch!" Kevin yelped when Javier elbowed him hard.

"Yes, I did." Javier corrected. "And you did too, didn't you?"

"Wha—oh yeah," Kevin said after Javier nudged him again. "Yeah we danced, but no more than five or six times. Mostly, we talked. She told me all about her favorite poems and was really impressed when I recited one for her."

"Is that so?" Castle responded, trying to keep his voice light. It was all he could do not to laugh. He knew for a fact that the princess preferred books to poetry; she had told him so during their stroll around the garden.

"Absolutely. I wouldn't be surprised if she came here and visited me—we really connected."

"She connected with me too!" Javier insisted, raising his voice. "Had she not been dancing with that other guy we definitely would have talked, too."

"Yeah, who was that?" Kevin asked, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms over his chest. "It was so annoying how they kept sneaking off to the balcony. Like, how rude—we all want to talk to her, dude."

"Anyway!" Javier scoffed.

Castle had to leave the room before the grin on his face betrayed him. He couldn't believe his ears. Him—they were speaking about him! He was the man who had danced too much with the princess and snuck out onto the balcony with her. He truly could not believe his luck. If only his step-brothers knew the truth. Then again, it was probably best they didn't; he feared the punishment would be far worse than twenty lashings.

After cleaning up breakfast, Castle slipped away to the barn loft to jot down some new ideas in his notebook. He dug into the pocket of the pants he'd been wearing the night before only to find the pocket empty. He checked his shirt, but it too was void of the notebook.

No, no, no! How could this be? His life's work! Where had it gone?

He could have lost it at any point between the palace and the farm. That was fifty miles! He would never, ever find it.

Crushed with disappointment, Castle flopped down onto a hay bale and buried his face in his hands. The memories of his night with the princess were wonderful, but seeing as that was all they would ever be—memories—he'd wished in that moment that he had stayed home.

"Boys! You're never going to believe the telegram we just received!"

When Mr. Esposito rushed into the dining area during dinnertime, Castle did not bother to look up from the wine he was pouring for his brothers. He knew "boys" would never refer to him.

"What's that Dad?"

"It's from Princess Kate's staff. It says the Princess will be traveling around the country to every single home in her kingdom in search of a suitor."

"That…seems like a waste of time." Kevin pointed out.

"No, no," Mr. Esposito continued, "apparently she's trying to find someone in particular. It says here that each eligible male will be asked to produce a writing sample in her highness's presence."

Javier laughed. "A writing sample? Why?"

"She's trying to find the owner of a notebook left at the palace on the night of last months' ball."

The wine bottle slipped out of Castle's hands and crashed loudly on the table. Fortunately, it did not break and he was able to mutter out an apology to his glaring brothers.

His notebook! So he hadn't lost it in the woods or on the side of a road somewhere—Kate had it! He'd lost it at the palace. Furthermore, Kate was so interested in finding the notebook's owner—so interested in finding him—HIM!—that she was visiting every home in the land? That was…improbable. Had he not heard it from Mr. Esposito, he never would have believed it.

"The whole thing seems very strange to me," Mr. Esposito said as he set the telegram aside and sat down in front of his plate. "Who would have left a notebook at the ball?"

Immediately, Castle felt his face grow hot when both Javier and Kevin looked his way. Shit. Shit. This was not good. Knowing he had to get out of the room he asked, "Can I get anything else for you sir?" Fortunately, Mr. Esposito grunted and waved him away and Castle made his escape.

Oh no—oh no! This was not good, not good at all!

Okay, okay—he wasn't going to panic. So he was often seen with a notebook around the farm—that wasn't a big deal. Having a notebook was hardly a quality unique to him. Besides, the telegram simply said 'a notebook' not 'a notebook full of stories' and thus it was even more likely to be explained away. He just had to keep his cool.

"Castle!"

Shit!

Turning around, Castle saw both Javier and Kevin entering the kitchen. Swallowing hard he asked, "What can I get for you? Do you need more wine?"

"It was you, wasn't it?" Kevin asked, completely ignoring Castle's attempt at deflection. "You were at the ball."

"What?" Castle forced out a laugh. "That's ridiculous; no I wasn't."

"The princess found a notebook—a notebook Castle. You're always carrying around that damn notebook!"

"I'm hardly the only person in the country who has a notebook, now am I?" he said, trying to use the logical approach. "Besides, think about it: how would I have gotten to the ball? You took the only carriage and its dozens of miles away."

Kevin gazed over at his brother. "He does make a valid point."

"Yeah but look at him—his beard is gone and he smells better!" Javier challenged.

Castle shrugged. "So I shaved and took a bath—neither of which indicate I was at the ball last month."

Javier grunted. "Fine. But we've got our eye on you Castle!"

For the next several weeks the country was abuzz with news of the princess's impending visit. Whenever Castle went to the market to pick up supplies or to sell what was left over from their meager crop he heard nothing but talk of Princess Kate. Apparently, her arrival in their province was imminent and every family was trying to prepare—including the Esposito's.

Castle had scrubbed every surface of their home until his hands were nearly raw. The floors, the windows—even some of the walls! The date of the princess's visit had not yet been finalized, but Mr. Esposito wanted everything ready, knowing they would not get more than a day or two notice.

When finally the telegram from the palace arrived, it included instructions that every eligible male in the household would be presented to the princess. They would need to write several lines on a piece of parchment she provided. She would then examine their writing, and if it matched the notebook she possessed the man and his entire family would be invited to the palace to celebrate.

By the morning she was to arrive, Castle had worked himself to near exhaustion. In addition to re-scrubbing all the floors, he had been required to aid in making a feast to serve the princess and her entire army, though he had no idea why. He hardly believed the princess would want to hang out once she'd collected her writing samples, but Mr. Esposito believed that and he didn't want to argue. His hands were already sore enough.

With the food displayed in the dining room, Castle returned to the kitchen to clean himself up. If every male was to be presented by order of the princess, Mr. Esposito had to let him meet the princess. He doubted very much that the princess would invite him to the palace once she realized who he really was, but the look on his step-brother's faces would be more than enough satisfaction for him.

He'd only been standing at the kitchen sink for a moment when he heard footsteps behind him. He'd barely turned around when he was grabbed under each armpit and dragged towards the back of the house. "Wha—what the—what's going on?!"

"Just a little insurance policy," Kevin said.

"Yeah, in case it really was your notebook the princess found." Javier added. Then, when they reached the door to the cellar, they unceremoniously chucked Castle inside, bolting the door behind him. Castle rushed back up the stairs, ignoring the throbbing in his shoulder and leg, and tried the door, but it was no use; he was trapped.

"Welcome, Your Highness, to my humble home."

Kate nodded politely to the man as he bowed at her and swept his hand out to the side. "Thank you, sir. May I ask your name?"

"Esposito. And these are my sons Javier and Kevin."

Kate observed each of their bows. "And these are the men of your household?"

"Indeed, madam. With the passing of my wife we are but a home of three bachelors. Please, come inside."

Kate nodded, walked inside, and waited in the foyer for her two attendants and the men of the household. They ushered her into an adjoining sitting room where she sat on a yellow sofa and crossed her legs at the ankles. She could not say she recognized any of these men from the ball, which disappointed her greatly. Once again, her journey would be for naught. Still, she would accept their writing samples as promised in the telegram.

"I assume you are aware of why I am here today."

"Yes of course, Your Highness and we are delighted you are visiting. Boys?"

The shorter, lighter skinned man knelt down before her. "Please, Your Highness, may I recite you a poem?"

"Or I," the darker skinned man said as he mirrored his brother's actions, "may sing you a song."

Kate cleared her throat. "That's very kind, gentleman, but I'm afraid I don't have time. Montgomery?" she said to her manservant. He stepped forward with two pieces of parchment and two pens, handing one to each of the men. "Please write for me the sentence, 'Hello, my name is,' and then write your full name.

"Is that all?" the blonde man asked. This earned him a smack from his father who hissed, "Do as the princes says!" Kate fought a smirk.

A minute later she was presented with two pieces of parchment. From Montgomery she received the leather bound notebook. With one quick glance, it was clear the writing did not match. She gazed up at the trio of men. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time."

"No waste at all, Your Highness," the father said. "May we offer you some food? Perhaps something to drink?"

"No thank you." Kate stood from the couch and walked back into the foyer. "We must be on our way; we have many other homes to visit."

"I understand, but if you need anything else…."

Kate nodded politely and waited for them to open the front door before stepping out into the warm sunlight. She approached her carriage, but her walk slowed when she spotted a piece of parchment jammed into the door frame. Curious, she plucked it free, unfolded it and gasped.

I'll never forget our night together. It will be with me always. I hope you find what you're looking for.

Kate skimmed her finger over the loop in the y; her heart skipped a beat. "Montgomery—the notebook."

Stepping further into the courtyard so her view was not shadowed by the house, Kate held open the notebook with her left hand while holding the letter with her trembling right hand. The y's—they matched! "Montgomery look at this!"

The elder man stepped up and looked over her shoulder, gazing at both documents before confirming with a nod. "It seems we have found him."

Grin on her face, Kate whipped around to the perplexed trio of men. "This note was on my carriage. Who could have written it?"

"Note, Your Highness?" the father asked, his tone ringing with innocence.

Kate approached him. "Yes, this note. It appeared while we were inside. Do you have any other men on this property? A servant perhaps?" Yes, that made sense; the writer's hands had felt so rough against hers.

"S-servant?" the darker-skinned man stammered.

Kate needed no other confirmation. "Where is he?"

"He…uh…he…"

"You will answer the princess." Montgomery informed him in a deep, commanding baritone.

The stammering man's chin dropped and he confessed, "We put him in the cellar."

"Show me."

Kate followed the two younger men back through the house, through their kitchen, and to a locked wooden door. When they opened it, she charged down the stairs despite their protest only to find the cellar vacant. In a far corner, just above a wooden piece of furniture covered in cobwebs, a small window was open. She could hardly believe it was large enough for a man to escape, yet clearly he had.

Stalking back up to the kitchen she said, "Looks like he climbed out a window; he can't have gone far. We'll need to search the grounds."

Knapsack slung over his shoulder with a spare set of clothing, a pen, and his new notebook, Castle made his way along the road leading towards the closest town. Sitting on a step in the cellar he'd had an epiphany. If he didn't change his life then, he probably never would. His conversation with the princess had given him hope that maybe he could become a published writer someday. It would be hard and it would take work, but he was willing to do it.

Shimmying out the window had not been easy, but he'd managed it, packed up his things and slipped away, hoping to find work in the nearest town. He could be a bartender, a waiter, or even a farm hand. If that town had no work, he'd move on to the next. No matter what, he wouldn't stop writing.

Hearing a horse and carriage coming from behind him, Castle stepped off the road and trudged several feet into the grass to give the carriage clearance. Much to his surprise, it didn't pass, but instead came to a halt. When he heard a female's voice shout, "Wait!" he stopped walking and turned around. Her face lit up when their eyes met, and his heart immediately stuttered; she was even more beautiful than she had been at the ball.

After clambering out of the carriage, she approached him, folded sheet of paper in her hands. "Where do you think you're going?"

He liked the way she spoke to him as though they were already in the middle of a conversation, like they were already friends. With a slow smile, he shrugged. "To find a better life."

She stopped about a foot from him and nodded. "I might have an idea about that. What's your name?"

"Richard."

She took a small step closer. "I'm Kate."

He took a step back from her and shook his head, dropping his chin low. "You're a princess and I am but a servant."

"No," she corrected. He looked up, tentative, and she smiled even broader. "You're a writer." With that, she stepped in close, rose up on her toes and pressed her lips very softly against his.

"I…" Castle began to speak, but no words came out; he was stunned. A princess had kissed him. Hell—forget the princess part! A beautiful woman had kissed him! That alone was a reason to celebrate. He didn't yet know how to process the fact that she was royalty.

A chortle escaped her lips and she reached down to take his knapsack. "Come. I think I have something that belongs to you." She'd made it to the carriage before she looked back to find him still statuesque. Again, she laughed. "Aren't you coming?"

Castle took one more moment to soak in the amazing transformation about to happen in his life and then, smile on his face, he joined her in the carriage.

Richard Castle awoke with a start. Where was he? What was going on?

He sat up, blinked, and took in his surroundings. The room was dark, the sheets and mattress soft, and the other side of the bed occupied by a sleeping figure.

His wife! Princess Kate!

Er, Kate. Just Kate.

Rubbing his eyes, Castle looked to his left to see the clock on the nightstand. 3:42 in the morning. He had been dreaming, but what an odd and incredible dream. Not to mention amusing.

Chuckling, he scooted over to spoon himself against his wife's back, draping his arm over her rounded stomach. During dinner she'd been teasing him about writing new version of fairytales for their son. At the time, he thought the idea crazy. He wrote mysteries not fantasies, but in light of his dream he decided maybe that wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Princess Kate.

She was no Nikki Heat, but she might be a pretty interesting character to explore.

A/N: Thanks for reading and thanks for the reviews! I hope you enjoyed this little crack!fic detour. Honestly this just took on a life of its own. I was outlining a legitimate story that would be Cinderella-inspired but then i thought...what would happen if i just went full scale crack!fic with it...and this was the result :)

Thanks for humoring me!