II

The Boy from Reaum De France

Before I had left the palace, a plan was already lurking in my mind; I would go back to my hut first to ask Eos, Kalare, and Scylla to come forth with me in the journey I was about to take before consulting them with my plan about the princess. However, a certain, unexpected event had occurred and now, my mind was contemplating whether the foreign prince can be of help or not. His presence brought a great deal of confusion and irritation in me. 

Instead of dwelling on the prince, and blaming him for everything that has happened, I shifted my attention to Farrio. He was the horse that the palace guards had bought from a merchant. He was a quiet horse, for even when I tried to converse with him, he spoke only with one word. 

"The trail that we are following is not of the mountains," the prince spoke. "Do you plan to get me lost in the forest?" 

My forehead knotted at his sudden accusation. I may be infuriated with him, but I would never do such lowly acts. Ignoring his sentiments, I spoke calmly, "My journey is not fit for a prince. I suggest you take the route back to the palace."  

"How do you know what is fit and what is not fit for a prince? Royal families went on a journey a lot."

“The royal families went on journeys to visit other kingdoms. This journey is entirely different from that.” I observed him closely, wondering about his doubtful actions. 

He was the one who woke Princess Aurora; therefore, he was her true love. Trusting him to help in this journey would be foolish. It would be more believable if he were planning to sabotage my plans for the two of them to live together. They were destined to each other, after all.

“It is a gentleman’s job to make sure that a lady would be safe in her travels. I am merely ensuring your safety,” he stated, an obvious lie, with a hint of a grin on his face. Instead of replying, I just condoned him with silence and a disappointed look while he watched me with his amused eyes.

The prince was walking on the other side of Farrio as I guided him through the rocky road. It made me wonder how he kept up with me despite my obvious attempts to outrun him. With that, I glanced at him and noticed how long and huge his strides were. Even though he was wearing a servant’s clothes, the way he walked was still of grace and elegance. His every move was calculated and precise. 

How did he fool the others when he does not look like a servant at all, I ask myself.

 Instead of thinking about the prince’s impossible physical features, my eyes set on the sky. A mixture of colors, orange, blue, and black, can be observed; it just looked like when the sun was rising, but the difference now was that it’s setting. The forests, mountains, and the roads beyond made the sight even more breathtaking. 

I have seen the sun and its beauty before, of course. However, whenever I looked at it, I was in the forest, the Kingdom of Moors was far from my sight, like an unreachable dream. Today, I came from the kingdom, and seeing nature from a different angle made me feel a sense of calmness and euphoria. 

The two of us followed the road trail silently with frequent glances and glares. The anger that I feel towards him still reigns in my head, however, it was pushed back, and replaced by curiosity. 

“We should rest here for the remaining hours of the day,” he suddenly spoke. 

“Why?” If only he was not with me, I could have explored how to ride this horse without any judgment, and I could reach the hut easier. It was not in my nature to feel embarrassed, but now that I am with a prince, it does not sit right with me to learn horse-riding in front of him.

“The sun is setting; the roads will be dark by then. It would be wise to rest and continue our journey at dawn.” The prince’s mouth curved with a mischievous smile. “Are you not aware of the basics of travelling?” 

Heat spread through my cheeks. “Of course, I am aware of that. It was still too early to rest.”

The prince’s laugh echoed through the gigantic trees. “Si vous le dites.” He spoke every foreign word with ease and softness. I do not understand what he was saying, but it brings a pleasant tone in the ears. 

The beauty of language was really something that would always mesmerize me. I had tried learning different languages across the years of isolation in the hut. However, my efforts were in vain for I never truly learned. It was a mere hobby to pass the time. 

“Why would we rest here? It is better if we are close to the road trail.” The prince has instructed me to follow him inside the woods, and without further thinking, I followed him right through it. 

A foolish move, now that I had realized it. I should not be submitting to him. He was a prince back in the palace, but now that we are far from the kingdom, he holds no power. Still, he seemed like he knew what he was doing.

The prince gracefully placed the huge, white cloth in the grass. “Thieves can steal our food and clothes if we stay on that path. Here, we would be hidden and safe,” he explained.

It took us merely an hour to set-up our little camp. A fire was ignited by the prince, keeping us warm in the middle of the windy night. He warmed up two pieces of bread by the fire, before handing it to me. I gladly accepted it and ate silently.

I had not eaten anything for the past twenty-four hours; this was the first time I had experienced hunger, that it seemed like a piece of bread was not enough. With that, I grabbed another piece from the basket and heated it up near the fire. The prince’s eyes followed my movements as I ignored his observing gaze.

Sleeping easily came to me before, however, that night, I was unable to sleep peacefully. The physical pain that the torture has brought me ached whenever I tried to lay. 

The sting of the wounds subsided not long after, still, every time I closed my eyes, the memory of the palace guards and the dark room came to mind. The whips. The icy water. The cries that escaped through my mouth. My pleading. The king’s orders. The king’s decision to end my life. The Godmother's weeping eyes.

I tried sleeping, only my heart hurt for remembering the endless pit of torture and pain, and my wounds started to ache again. 

The prince was already preparing the horse and diminishing the fire when I awoke. The birds chirped everywhere, creating noises that calmed me for it reminded me of Eos and Kalare. The sun was flaring in the sky; my skin was delighted to receive its warmness. 

Mornings were my favorite. It gives a sense of new beginnings, of another chance to live and see the world.

The prince and I started walking towards the railroad again. My eyes sparked with joy when the loud noises of the river waves reached my ears. It was where the road trail ended, and beyond it was the forest that covered and protected my little hut for years. 

“We should wait until afternoon before crossing the river and entering the forest,” the prince stated when he noticed that I was removing my glassy slippers to cross the river.

“Why should we?” Is this another ‘basics’ for travelling? The river’s waves were not dangerous, for they would calm down the moment I step my foot in it. The forest listens to me, as well. 

“The lions would go to sleep once they have eaten their lunch,” he explained. “We could not risk getting eaten by them.”

“The lions?” I asked, my head tilting in wonder. “Do you mean Hysmmaye and Xanthippe?” 

His eyes bulged with surprise. His expression looked funny, that I almost released a smile. “Are they your pets?” 

“They are my friends,” I corrected before continuing to remove the cover in my feet.

“Do you really talk to animals?” The prince started to remove the worn-out patten in his feet.

“Yes.”

“How do you do it? Are you the princess’ Godmother?” 

A small chuckle escaped in my mouth before I could stop myself. Being mistaken for a Godmother sounded beautiful and funny in my ears. The Godmothers had blessed me with each of their power, still, I am not like them. 

I am not like anyone he has encountered. 

As expected, the roaring waves of the river calmed down the moment my feet touched the water. Hysmmaye and Xanthippe roared loudly when we entered the forest, but when they took sight of me, they immediately retreated. The live roots of the trees did not seem to bulge as I crossed the forest easily.

The prince seemed baffled by what he had seen but did not speak of anything. My chest swelled with pride as I observed the amazement in his eyes. It was unfitting but my pesky mind cannot stop boasting inside my head. 

 Eos was sleeping by the window when we arrived, his white wings hanging at the edge of the wood. It took only a small tap in the wood for him to open his eyes, and when he did, he chirped loudly and excitedly.

“Cola! You are finally here! We were so worried!” he continuously stated as he fluttered around me, giving my cheeks a small peck. Laughter filled my stomach as I tried to evade his ticklish beak. However, my laughter had come to stop short when Eos had made a sudden change of course. 

“Who are you? Were you following our dear Cola?” he hissed at the prince. The latter obviously does not understand a bird’s language, and so, he stared at Eos with admiration and entertainment. 

“Eos--” Before my words were fully said, Eos attacked the prince; his majestic wings were flapping wildly. He was scratching, biting, and hissing continuously while the prince covered his face using his arm. The two of them seemed to dance in their own rhythm, circling around the grassy field in front of my hut. Farrio was thumping his feet up and down, neighing, because of the mess that was happening.

“Eos!” I gasped. “He means no harm!” The scene was quite baffling to watch! 

Eos halted mid-air, flabbergasted, before he continued flapping his wings towards the prince. “You had bewitched Cola! First, you woke the princess, now, you had cursed Cola! You are an evil creature!” Eos’ emotions seemed to burst from the anxiousness that the past events had caused. 

“Eos, please, calm down,” I pleaded with a calm, convincing voice. “Where is Scylla and Kalare?” 

With a final blow on the prince’s forehead, Eos stopped. The prince’s sleeves were now covered with large holes, and his forehead and cheeks were bleeding slightly due to the scratches that Eos’ beak had caused. Still, he was standing proudly, though a hint of exasperation can be observed in his expression. I could not help but feel pity for him.

“Eos, where is Scylla and Kalare?” I repeated, trying to get my friend’s attention. 

His eyes were still on the prince when he responded, “They went to visit some friends and will be back in the evening.”

“Would you be a delight and fetch them for me?” 

Even though he does not like it, Eos still obliged my requests while I welcomed the prince in my hut to cure his wounds. Some of it was bleeding, but it was nothing excessively. Still, now that I know how much a wound hurt, it felt like a responsibility to tend to him, especially that he is a prince. He must not know how to tend to a wound, nor he never even got a wound before.

I have read from books that royalties were always protected over any type of harm; no matter how small of a harm it is.

“Your friend was angry,” he started. “Did I do him wrong?” 

Does he really think he did nothing wrong? I thought. It was a wonder how he could be of knowledge and be that ignorant at the same time. 

I carefully put a damp cloth in his arms’ little wounds while trying to evade his gazes. “You woke Princess Aurora. Eos was mad at you for it.” 

“Should Eos not be delighted?” There was a sincere confusion in his voice. “The King was also supposed to grant me favors, now that I had awoken his daughter.” 

“No one would be happy to know that the princess is awake.” This conversation was causing mental strains in my feeble mind. Nevertheless, there was one question that was lurking in my mind, and it was a chance to ask him. “Were you happy when you woke her?” 

My hands looked smaller when it reached his face. It was perplexing how his skin was so flawless and clean, and a bit maddening that it was ruined by Eos’ beak. It would leave little marks all over. 

The prince closed his eyes as I placed the cloth in his face’s wounds. “A moment of happiness, oui. However, I do not remember anything else when I awoke in the castle.”

His answer was enough confirmation that he was happy when he woke her. He would be, of course, for he is the princess' true love. Would he really come in this journey to bring her back to sleep? Or was this a mere plan to keep me away from his love?

“You should stay here. I would gather more food and clothes for our journey,” I stated when his wounds were all cleaned.

It would be unwise to assume that my friends would come forth with me on this journey. Nevertheless, it was never unwise to prepare for more. Especially that I would be facing Princess Aurora and Queen Leah, which were powerful black magic benders. 

A lot really needs to be prepared for that encounter.

“Your back is bleeding.” My thoughts were interrupted when the prince spoke.

Using the small mirror in the corner, I turned and saw that it was bleeding heavily. The white cloth that covered it was now red from the blood, while my midnight blue dress was now darker, a hint of liquid spreading through my back. Maybe that was why my wounds were hurting painfully since yesterday. I had not gotten a chance to clean it.

“Did you get those wounds from the palace?” The prince’s eyes were now filled with seriousness, unlike his usual stubborn and curious facade. It was unsettling to see him that way. “Did the King have you tortured for not keeping the princess safe? Was it because of my doing?”

The screeches outside were able to interrupt our conversation by getting my attention. Eos, Kalare, and Scylla were probably nearby.

“Do not say anything to my friends,” was what I spoke for there was not enough time to say more. With that, I left the prince in the living room to enter the small room where I sleep to change clothes and bandages. 

Eos was always concerned over my welfare. Even though it was touching, it was also worrisome for I do not know what heights he was willing to take to protect me. He could have attacked the King too if he ever found out about my wounds. Kalare was much scarier, for he could totally injure a person. Aside from those, I do not want them to worry further. The troubles and anxiousness that I had brought upon them was already enough.

The timing was exactly right for when I left the room, my friends were just entering the hut. Eos seemed to warn Kalare and Scylla for they were not surprised to see the prince sitting comfortably in the living room. They were just busy giving him glares and occasional hisses.

A small smile crept on my lips as I watched my friends act adorable. I was only gone for a day, but I missed them greatly. Their presence made me feel at ease and safe.

“Good afternoon,” I greeted enthusiastically, ignoring the prince’s watching eyes. 

“Cola!” Scylla ushered and hugged my little toes. “We thought King Stefan had you killed!”

“Do not listen to her, Cola. Scylla was the only one who was thinking that,” Kalare stated, grinning.

“That is not true! Eos was the one who proposed the idea!” I could not help but chuckle at their small banters. “But how did your journey go Cola? Why is this imbecile here?”

A gasp came loose from my mouth. “That is not a good thing to say, Scylla,” I recalled.

She pouted. “I apologize, but you have to admit that his presence here is not… right.” 

“I agree with Scylla on this,” Eos spoke. I glanced at the prince. He was still watching me, which was uncomfortable, but nonetheless, ignoring him would be the wisest move.

“The prince would be helping me in finding Princess Aurora and bring her back to sleep,” I explained. “King Stefan has ordered me to look for her and bring her back to sleep.” 

“He did not punish you, Cola? Did he threaten you to find her?” Kalare probed, his eagle eyes were squinted and analyzing.

It took me a minute to reply. “No, he did not punish nor threaten me. It was just a mere task, and my duty as the princess’ keeper.” The lie easily flowed out of my mouth. Another lies for another day. 

Lying was growing tiresome. The guiltiness that I felt whenever I spoke them was becoming a burden. In my years of living, I had never lied to any of them, my Godmothers, or my friends. How could this situation made me do such thing?

Kalare smiled. “That was a relief to hear.” I smiled back, feeling an ugly emotion in my chest for lying in their faces.

“We would be coming with you, Cola. The prince is not needed for this journey,” Eos says with a hint of exasperation in his voice. However, I do not know how to respond to that, so I just gave him a nod, acknowledging his sentiments.

The four of us conversed for a while, brushing off the prince’s presence. When my friends heard my growling stomach, they decided to cook a meal. At first, they were hesitant and unwilling to cook for the prince, as well, but I urged them to be nice and mindful of their actions. In the end, they agreed, which earned a smile from me.

“You should just sit down, Cola. We can cook!” Scylla urged, not wanting me to help.

I giggled. “It is okay, Scylla. I would help. We could not risk the hut getting burned down, could we?” 

“Let her come, Scylla. The three of us could not even use a knife!” Kalare shouted from the small cooking area. Scylla frowned but she obliged. 

Before I could fully enter the cooking area, the prince spoke after a long time. “I apologize.” 

My head turned to look at him, confused by his sudden apology. “What for?”

“I apologize for causing you harm.” My heart melted at the sight of him. His eyes were sincere as he spoke every word. For a moment, I saw a down-to-earth prince. A prince who knows when and how to admit mistakes.

No. I did not see a prince. 

I saw a boy, regretting his mistakes. 

And so, I gave him a sincere smile. “Your apology is accepted, Your Highness,” I spoke, bowing down a little to pay respect to the prince he actually was.

“Henry,” he uttered. “I am Prince Maximillien Henry Schaeffer of Reaume de France. You may call me Henry.” My lips pursed, astonished at his sudden friendly gesture. 

Slowly, I nod. “I am Constanza Larraurie of the Woods. You may call me Cola.”