Suddenly the old man and the woman came out of the room .I had been sitting there daydreaming on the wooden beach and did not realise the passing of time .The sun had set and darkness was waiting on the fringe.I looked up at them and to the question on my face they replied-" he is going to be fine .He has regained consciousness .He is sleeping now .It will take at least a week for him to heal completely if he takes proper rest and food.You have to take care of him because we don't have the energy at this age ."
I bowed sincerely –" thank you sincerely .I will definitely do my duty .Thank you so much for taking care of him ." and because I was feeling a little emotional at that moment I knelt down on the ground before me and bowed my head deep .
" Oh my child " the old lady chided me ." Get up now .enough of thanks .we did our duty .we are healers and this is what we do .now you have to take care of your husband."
I did not know why I had told them that he was my husband .My only thought at that time had been to conceal the prince's identity .But now they really think that the prince is my husband and I felt a little guilt about that lie .
I went inside to look at him .His eyes were closed and there were dark circles around his eyes as though life had been tough on him . He looked exhausted .He had been tortured and starved .At that thought I had this black feeling of revenge in my head.I was not going to spare the ones who did this to him. I would kill them all ,I promised myself .
I sat beside him and touched his forehead and swept the stray hairs backwards. And then I bent down and kissed him on his forehead. As I sat there watching him breathe he suddenly opened his eyes.
He smiled and then " You are back from your trip "
That million voltage hit my heart and then my heart started running its race .
" Your Highness I am sorry I could not protect you ." I apologised seriously .
" It is very inconvenient , you know , when you suddenly vanish like that just when I am telling you my feelings. I am the Prince and soon to be king and you cannot go away until I tell you that you can go " he complained .
" and another thing – please look at me .I hate seeing only the top of your head when I am talking to you." He was almost whining now .
I slowly raised my head and looked into his eyes. I was looking at my whole universe in his eyes.Time stopped . I stopped breathing and everything around vanished .It was just me and those wonderful eyes.They were speaking to me of love and passion and I am sure my eyes were responding in the same language.His fingers held on to my fingers and he smiled .
" No going anywhere without this time .that is an order" his other hand came around my head and pulled my face for a long awaited kiss .
In the evening the old woman brought food for us .She had refused my help and did everything herself saying that she loved cooking .I did not insist too much since my cooking was very bad .In my life I had always gone to restaurants or take-aways for lunch breakfast and dinner .I hated cooking too .So I helped the woman by cutting firewood for her to cook . I cleaned the place and I helped the old man with digging the garden to plant medicinal plants .I noticed that all the flowering plants were bright with flowers of different colours and they looked beautiful . The old house appeared to me to be beautiful now. Maybe I was in love and so everything appeared to be bright and shimmering .The blue of the sky ,the orange red and yellow of the flowers ,the green shades of the leaves and the browns of the earth and trees were painted especially for me like a painting .
As soon as he could sit the Prince would sit on the bench outside and he would watch me and the old man digging and planting the various herbs plants and trees.
And with his arm around me we walked to the edge of the river and sit basking in the beautiful sunshine and I would fish with a spear I made . I discovered that I was very good with a spear and caught a lot of fish every day which the old couple would cook . Everybody loved the fish .
There was an extra mattress for me in the room where the Prince slept .I pulled the mattress toward his and I slept watching him sleep everyday . He was getting stronger and better .
I stayed beside him everyday ,scared that I would be pulled back into the future anytime . I hid my fears from him.I would hold his fingers in the night tightly . I would look around if I did not see him for a few seconds.It was like he was the sun and I was orbiting around him .
The Prince POV
I looked at her and read the fear in her eyes. I knew she was scared that she would be pulled into the future and I was too. But I was helpless and I did not know when it would happen. So I made sure she was always in my sight . In the night I held onto her and prayed that during the night she would not vanish.
When we had come here that first day the old man and the old woman had healed me completely . I don't know what they did but they were not ordinary healers .They were the gifted ones who could heal physically and spiritually . I could feel the energy when they placed their hands on me .
" Can I request a favour ? " I asked them
" what is it son?" the old man asked .
" could you tell her that it will take some days to heal ? I don't want her to know that I am completely recovered . It will give us a chance to be together before the world and its responsibilities catch up with us again "
" of course " he smiled " Go ahead your Majesty "
" Do you know who I am ?" I was a little worried that my identity was revealed .
" Don't worry .No one will know . And how we know …..well we cannot disclose that .But we promise that no one wil know the secret from us .And about her ...do you think you will be able to hold on to her ? " he asked
" What do you mean ? Do you know something ?" I tried to get up but found that I could not even raise my head.
"She is not from here .But destiny is a strange thing . I don't know how this will work out but the power of love is amazing . I don't know ..." he fell silent as though pondering about some deep secret of life .