More Than A Princess

The reluctant groom

“Let’s just run away after the wedding, to wherever our path takes us,” Lyvia suggested after a couple hours of quiet contemplation. She is now lying on Callan’s lap comfortably. 

“Or maybe we don’t go ahead with the wedding and I just disappear?” Callan suggested instead. 

“But where would you ‘disappear’ to? It’s not like there are plenty of places for you to hide and survive,” she pointed out. She narrowed her eyes at him. A frown creased her brows. 

“Does this mean you don’t want to marry me? Or the thought of marrying me turn you off entirely? Am I so revolting that you can’t bear the thought of being married to me?” she asked. 

Is she so repulsive that he could not even entertain the thought of marrying her? For a moment, she was filled with self-doubt. 

He quickly raised up his palms in denial to her accusations. 

“No, no, no, you got me wrong here!” he protested. “I was trying to think of a solution out of our predicament,” 

She nodded, although she still looked up at him suspiciously. Callan cleared his throat self-consciously and pulled at the collar of his shirt. Then he placed a hand on her head and stroked it gently. 

“Look, okay, I confess…I do feel a tiny bit uncomfortable about getting married in a few days, I have mentioned this before, we barely know each other, it could turn out disastrous,” he said.

Come to think of it, he did mention it before earlier. Callan is obviously the reluctant groom. She sighed. Maybe he does find her revolting or repulsive or just not desirable enough to want to spend the rest of his life with her. 

“But! Don’t get me wrong,” he quickly continued. He bend down and planted a gentle kiss on her lips. “I do like you. I like your hard headedness which can be quite endearing at times,” he said, smiling down at her. 

She smiled back up at him. Her heart skipped a beat at his words. Maybe they can eventually learn to love each other. One day. She reached her hands up and pulled him down for another kiss. He returned the kiss and deepened it. After a long moment, they broke apart, panting.

“There’s no time for this, we have to come up with a solution soon, otherwise Henry might cook up some scheme to get back at me,” Lyvia said. 

“What about Jinna? Maybe she can help?” Callan suggested.

Lyvia was reluctant to involve Jinna. Her handmaiden had been pushing for her to marry Henry instead and the way she had left her with Henry earlier was suspicious. She doesn’t know what Jinna gets out of her marrying Henry but it just felt wrong. 

“She’s a Henry supporter, she wants me to cancel our wedding and marry Henry instead so, no, it is best we don’t involve her,” she said.

They are now back to square one. Except for the running away part which was the only practical option. Lyvia was balking at the thought of having to rough it out for too long out in the country. But if it was to escape the golden cage that is her position as a princess, maybe that is the price she has to pay. 

“Look, let’s go back to the garden and check for the rift again, maybe I missed it,” Callan suggested. For want of a better idea, she agreed. She sat up reluctantly. It was so nice lying on his lap. It was warm and comforting. 

“We will have to ask one of the servants to lead the way…I am hopeless with directions here, I got lost and that is how I ended up here,” she told him, grinning sheepishly. 

He laughed.

“Okay, I shall summon your servants…they aren’t even my servants,” he said. He pulled a bell and a servant knocked before coming in.

 “Take us to the gardens, we…er…want to go for a stroll,” Lyvia commanded in her authoritative princess voice. 

The servant nodded and held the door open. “Yes, Princess Lyvia and Prince Callan, this way,” he said.

They followed him through the warren of long hallways before coming to a door. He opened it and gestured outside. 

“Which section of the gardens do you wish to visit Princess Lyvia and Prince Callan?” he asked politely.

Lyvia dismissed him, telling him that they will stroll around on their own. Then, she and Callan walked into the garden and started searching for the spot where they landed. The moment they came to it, there was definitely something strange about it. 

They can feel the hum of power around it but couldn’t see anything. There was no tiny rip of light in the air or anywhere. But it was there, they are sure of it.

“I can feel it! Do you feel it?” Callan asked her excitedly. She nodded. They both stretched out their hands to feel the air and try to find it. They probably looked ridiculous, walking around, waving their hands about but they don’t care. 

Callan wanted to get back home and Lyvia just wanted to get away. She doesn’t mind staying at Callan’s world forever. She is certain he would take her in. Suddenly, Callan shouted and then fell back, falling to the ground in a heap. 

“Oucchhhh!” he grunted and rubbed his hands. 

She immediately went over to him and crouched down to his level. 

“Are you okay? What happened? Is it the rift? Did you find it?” she asked rapidly, then looked around and waved about just to be sure. 

He didn’t reply her but continued to rub his palms together. Then he waved and suddenly a large box of pizza appeared on the ground next to them. Lyvia and Callan gasped in unison. 

“Waaatttt….” She stammered. 

“It appears that I got my magic back!” he told her gleefully. 

“And the first thing you can think of was to make pizza appear? Really?” she asked. He could’ve used his magic to get them back to JorvTown but no, he conjured up a pizza. Honestly. 

“You must be hungry,” she said sarcastically. 

He shrugged sheepishly, he stood up and then he picked up the box of pizza. He opened it to check it and sure enough, there’s a large pepperoni pizza inside. Hey, he was slightly hungry and he is bored with the food in Vernia. They don’t have pizza or burgers or french fries here. 

She stood up along with him and glared at him as he picked up a slice and started eating. 

“Checks out, this here is good pizza,” he said in between chewing. 

“Callan!” she exclaimed. “Shouldn’t you be using your magic to get us back? I don’t believe you,” she said, crossing her arms on her chest angrily. 

He finished eating the slice of pizza and handed her the box. 

“You sound hangry...you know, hungry and angry…maybe you want some,” he said. 

She glared at him angrily and made no move to take the pizza although it does smell good. If looks can kill, he would be dead right now. All the tender feelings she had for him just a few moments back had evaporated at this moment. 

“Okay, okay, jeez, I was just teasing you, please hold the pizza for me,” he said, pushing the box on her hands and she reluctantly took it. He rubbed his hands again. Then he muttered a chant and closed his eyes. His face scrunched up in concentration and effort. Sweat beaded his forehead. He continued muttering softly under his breath. 

But nothing happen. 

Then he stopped. He looked at her apologetically.

“I can’t do it. I am not strong enough, I don’t have enough power to do it,” he told her regretfully. 

She wanted to throw the pizza on his face. 

“So, what’s the point if all you can do is conjure up pizza?Ugh,” she said. She pushed the pizza back on his hands and started pacing. 

“There must be a way for you to recharge your power…maybe at sunset?” she asked. 

He shrugged. He honestly doesn’t know how his magic works in another world. He has never been to another world. He knows for sure money works differently here and there is no credit system here. So without credits, what can power his magic? He was perplexed. He has never encountered this situation before. 

“Well, sunset is a start…to try,” he said.

“Good. Let’s go, I know a spot of open space for us to watch the sunset,” Lyvia said. She grabbed his hand and dragged him along as she strode purposefully out of the garden, leaving the palace grounds. 

When they reached the palace gates, the guards recognised her immediately and bowed when she approached.

“I am taking my betrothed for a walk around the lakes,” she told them. 

“Princess, do you need a carriage or horses?” one of the guards asked. 

There was no time to go to the stables and fit out horses or a carriage. It is almost dusk. She shook her head. 

“No, I prefer to walk, it’s good for the constitution,” she said. Callan merely nodded along. They left the palace grounds and they are now facing vast green lands of dirt paths and lakes and forests that stretched as far as the eyes can see. Callan was suitably impressed by the breathtaking view. He has seen pictures of Vernia but this is real life. He looked overhead, the sky is turning orange and the sun is moving down. 

“Quick, we have to hurry!” Lyvia said and then she was running.