Meeting the Princess

Should I just take absence today? That jerk kept me up all night! I can't forget how close he was yesterday and what I felt on that exact moment. Is he telling the truth? Do I really make his heart flutter? He already mentioned it twice. If it's true, is it a good thing or a bad thing? And the memories of my first kiss kept flashing back.

I groaned in frustration and pulled on my hair. "This is so confusing!"

I heard a knock on the door. Who would that be? I opened it and was shocked seeing Dean. I haven't take a bath yet and there's only half hour before class starts. "I overslept. I'm going to school right after I take a very, very quick shower." I acted like I was rushing.

"Take your time, you're not going to school today." I like how that sounds but...

"Why?"

"I changed my mind, don't take your time. We need to keep moving before the roads are packed with faeries."

"Why?" I repeated my question, annoyed on how he ignored it.

"Time's running."

"Why?"

"Just take a bath and I'll explain later." I gave up. He's not gonna answer. What's up with everyone not wanting to answer me?

Like I said, I took a very, very quick shower. Dean is lying on my bed when I stepped out of the bath chamber. "I told you not to take your time."

"What? I was fast."

"You think you were."

"How long was I've been inside?" I'm pretty sure I was really quick.

"Let's not argue about this. For now, we set off." He dragged me outside.

"Hey explain first! I'm not going without knowing what this is about."

"You'll be seeing the Crown Prince." My eyes widen in shock.

"Really? Then let's hurry up!" I'm the one who dragged him now. He wore a long black coat with a hood and a black hat. He added sun glasses when the crowd was getting thicker. He's the King's advisor and his face is as well-known as the royal family, it would not be taken well if they see me walking around with him. "Why am I going to see him?"

"He'll tell you."

"Where?"

"You ever run out of questions?"

"After this."

"At the place."

"What!? I'm going back to the palace? At the Isolit or the main palace?" I wonder what's so important that I have to go back to there. He quicken his pace. "Hey."

"What?" He dragged me to the forest and put his hat on my head. "Don't show your face to anyone."

"Where are we?" This is not the way we took when I first left the palace.

"Should you have questions at everything."

"Lead the way Mister." I said sarcastically, putting the hat close to my chest and stretching one arm out.

We walked inside the forest. "Are you sure about this? Seems like we're lost." He ignored me. "And what's up with this hat? There are no faeries here, to whom should I hide my face?" The trees started to thin and I could see the streets ahead. "Ok."

"Where's the bracelet I gave you?"

"Oh! That? I decided to wear it on my ankle. It irritates me less than on my wrists."

"Ok." That was it? I guess my tounge would be paralyzed for a while.

After passing the crowd, we're in a forest... again. Dean took back his hat from my head, so, I think there will be no more faeries on our way.

We stood in front of a concrete wall extending up to who knows where. There is a small opening that is guarded by two faeries. I noticed that they have a pin on the collar which is an indication that they serve at the palace. Dean lowered his hood and we entered it without problem. Across the wall is also a forest.

"Wow! I didn't know there was a way there." I said as I realized where we are right now.

"Because you must not." Of course I know, I was not supposed to know.

"Welcome home Your Highness!" Lily greeted me with a big smile on her face.

"I missed you." I gave her a hug but not for long because she immediately pulled from me. "Did they give you more work?"

"I was just tasked to maintain Isolit. I'll keep it beautiful until you come back for good, Your Highness." I only smiled at her. When will I ever come back? Do I want to?

"Where's Shaun?"

"He advised me to bring you to the garden." Dean told me.

"He's not there, Your Highness." Lily said.

"Just wait there, I'll check on him at the main palace." He walked out after saying those.

"I'll go prepare for your lunch, Your Highness." Lily bowed to me and turned around but faced me again. "And there's a guest on the garden. He said the Crown Prince sent him here. But I'm not sure if he's allowed to see your face, Your Highness."

"Wait up! Anything happened while I was gone?" She seems hesitant to answer me.

"Nothing, Your Highness." I doubt that. What is she hiding?

"Thank you Lily." I smiled to her and went to the garden. I hid behind a tree, just in case he's not really allowed to see me. But why would Shaun send him here if he's not supposed to? I was facing the man's side profile. He seems familiar. I moved to see him properly and I tripped, falling hard on the ground.

"Shit!" I groaned in pain.

"Hey!"

"Harris!?" I watched him as he approached me. "Why are you here?" He towered over me so I was looking up at him.

"I'm the one who should be asking why are you here?" Oh right! No one knows I'm the princess. Wait...

"Are you here for your duty as the Princess' royal guard?"

"You got it. So why are you here? Do you even know where you are?"

"You said she was already here?" I suddenly heard Shaun speaking.

"I left her inside, this is the only place she could've gone." That's Dean voice now. I stood up, ready to approach them but Harris pushed me down.

"What?!" I hissed at him.

"Are you crazy?"

"What? Why?"

"You'd get yourself killed." I raised an eyebrow at him. What is this guy saying. "Hide."

"What?" We heard Dean and Shaun's footsteps getting nearer.

"I told you to hide!" He seems panicking. Does he think that I'm gonna get into trouble once they found me here? Right, he doesn't know who I am. He flicked me on my forehead. "Hey listen."

"What?"

"You've lost your mind." He lift me from the ground, carrying me with his two strong arms.

"What are you doing?" I stared at him confused.

"I'm saving you."

"From what?"

"Don't you know where you are?" He put me down beside a bush.

"Where am I?" I asked him.

"Well... This is... Here... It's esoteric. You shouldn't get curious about it." He answered. I just stared at him. "Why on earth did you think of coming here?" He started to cover me up with leaves and grasses. I laughed at his actions. "Why? You're laughing?" He looked annoyed. "You would be thanking me later. Don't move."

I brushed off the things he kept throwing at me. "Stop it already." He stopped for a moment then bend his body on my level.

"You have a death wish?" I giggled because of his serious expression, his brows knitted.

"Why do you care if I get me beheaded or not?" I mocked him.

"Isn't it normal to help your fellow civilian who you think is in danger?"

"Ok I'm buying your excuses but get this grasses outta my face." I can't get annoyed at him right now, I kept laughing at his absurdity.

"Your friends would kill me if they found out that I let you die here."

"Are you scared of them?" I smirked at him.

"No!... Can't you just accept my generosity?" I laughed harder and he flicked my forehead again.

I automatically reached my forehead as I yelled at him. "Ow-"

"What are you two doing?" Shaun asked confused seeing me on the bushes covered with grasses and Harris kneeling on the ground in front of me.