Uncle Derek had a rational thought. After that 'WHAT,' he said 'It is alright' to Shaph and went on explaining at large that Fayn, having got his Kingdom back, would be too busy to come. So did Leon whose family must be celebrating about restoration of their mind believing I had already cured them.
This theory proved wrong very soon. On the third day of my undisturbed and mundane healing days, Fayn blew into my room. Leon came just as fast. And as if there was a princey network of some sort, soon Philip, Jared and his brother king, the Bila's siblings, King Valentine, five-year old Prince Caleb, Princess Alette and Prince Ciel, Lord Garb, Sir—umm—and many other important guests I forgot the names came lining up for a visit.
Get-welled gift mounded up my room and the main hallway. Uncle Derek was so frustrated but he could neither stop people streaming in, nor expel the purposeful and persistent princes out of the palace ground.
"Do you not have a harem—oh, my mistake, a country to run?" Elise jibed at Valentine at the end of my bed. It had been like this for the past half hour.
"Princess that's a king!" her maid whispered hurriedly as Eldrin tried to lift up his tired face.
"I do, in fact," Valentine said teasingly, "if it isn't for Princess Kara's health, I would not give the slightest bother of leaving my harem. Now you see how important you are Princess."
"Ri—thank you ever so much." I said eyeing the vexed Elise cautiously and wondering how far would these two go. I was just so tired being squashed in the middle of sarcasms.
"Please go and proceed your courtship somewhere else." Fayn motioned heavily with his hands but that could silent them only for a few minutes.
Eldrin was so peeved that he no longer stayed beside his sister. And it became clearly evident the next day or two that the incredulous relationship was going on so well, considered by the increasing number of mockery and, of course, flowers—although Valentine said they were leftover from those for me.
Those were Eldrin's problem, but mine was still here around my bed and he was also one of them. The taciturn Leon did not stop telling me how sorry he was about those incidents in Aeca and how grateful he and his family feel for me. After I broke the curse, never before had the family felt this awaken and free. I had a notion it must be a placebo effect.
Philip brought along a fist-size agate for me. The gem is believed to have healing property and from my escapade in this world, I too, believed Magic could provide such amazing ability to stones. He also coupled it with a Magic crystal, for the glassy rock was a Magic storer and in case the agate's power weakened, I could use this Magic crystal to recharge the stone.
Kay was admiring the Magic crystal. He was so hypnotized because of the opposite but similar characteristic of the stone to Edurn ice.
Elise and Valentine were at it again.
Jared, taking my left hand, was complaining his shit off about me going into danger and got myself hurt, and some slipping moment about his brother too—seemed they were getting along. I thought he glared at me while doing so but I was not sure because of the color of his eyes. I could never for a life get used to that pair of unseeing white eyes, especially when you just got back from somewhere really white.
Eldrin, holding my right hand with his darker skin ones, seemed really happy about his new life in Bila. He said he had been out in the sun for as long as there was light. I told him he should beware of skin cancer but he just cocked his question-marked face.
There they go the I-lost-count time, Elise and Val.
Prince Ciel had completely taken on another personality from his last stay. He did not carry that eye patch on anymore. He said that now he was very proud of his yellow eye, and all thanked to my letter. I told him again confirming my fondness for that iris, feeling glad that he could finally appreciate what he had. The Prince became really friendly and caring, too much care that he knitted both yellow and purple eyes together, kept saying he should come with me wherever I go because I seemed to get into troubles all the time. I earnestly agreed with the second part of that.
Princess Alette was also very nice to me. But she let her brother talk more and receded to join King Julien's conversation.
Fayn wedged in and put his large hand on my head. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Do you not have a Kingdom to run too?" I asked him, "And I'm not being sarcastic, don't be offended."
He pressed lightly on my head, lowered himself on the bed, and softened his peer—umm...lovingly? "And I have you to thank. I would not be able to prevail the battle, Ben and many of my men would not be alive without your help. I also need to apologize back there in Aeca." His face turned sad for a moment, "I should have known you have weakness against caterpillars. I shouldn't leave you. I—this is the littlest I could do to repay."
Well, you could do more, you could leave me alone.
That was from the meeting of the first day of Princes' and Princesses' assembly. Later on, Kay, being the most expert on Edurn ice, would come to have a look at me with the doctors in the morning and again during my dinner. It had become quite a rather regular practice that I almost felt like he was the doctor himself.
"I am very sorry," I said to Kay, "about Queen Neera's—"
"It's not your Highness' fault." said Kay as he lifted my arm inspecting for any tiny frost molecules that might be buried in there. He had been talking to me ordinarily since I came around in this castle as if he felt contrite about the whole troubles I had to go through.
"But your Queen—"
"She's no longer my queen since she abandoned Edurne to Magic." Kay said very coldly, "I only stay because I cannot leave Kimhan."
He examined my fingers. "I think there's no more ice in your Highness body."
"When did you know that I'm the Princess of Coronale?" I asked as he reverently laid my arm on the blanket.
"Every dress has royal emblem on it." he said.
"I see," I said and checked on my dress too, "wait! You! How do you know? You took off my—"
Kay's bleached face bloodened. "I—I'm—" he slowly stepped back, "I'm very sorry—I—it was necessary! I—"
I knew Kay was wrong about no more ice in my body because I felt an enormous lump in my throat. The atmosphere went absurdly frigid but my blood remained flushing really well, "I—I suppose it can't be...helped."
Awkward moment prolonged. I had to break the thick piece of ice invisibly pressing down on us. "Really, it's okay, it's okay, you were trying to save me, it's okay, I don't mind...at all." That was more to myself.
"My warmest apology." He murmured.
"I told you I'm all right. Totally fine!" I had to say these for many more days before Kay's color brightened to its usual saturation.
Eldrin would come alone after sundown and chatted—or rather whinging—about his sister and King Val. I understood and pitied the Prince, he had no one to talk to on this matter. So I listened to him, it was kind of an infernal mistake.
"You're such a nice person Princess Kara—my true love. Thank you for understanding and listening to me. It would be great if you could be by my side, listening to me forever."
No, thank you.
King Julien had already left but his brother remained. Jared's visit hour was lunchtime. Since the reconciliation with his brother, he had been taking on a lot of royal works. Hence lunch, was the only free time for him. Sharon stayed at this hour too, she had been the mainstay of looking after me lately because Shaph was robbed by Uncle Derek to help in the basement with Jes. The Cimon Prince would insist on feeding me, performing his talent on desserts from time to time.
"Behold, my new creation, milk pudding from fish." Jared presented proudly pushing the tray toward me.
"Wow," please imagine me say that in a wide circular black mouth and a total flat voice, "shouldn't it be fish pudding?" and it did not look so appealing.
"No, because the taste will be milk." said Jared unsparingly confident, "try it, here."
Sharon, help me! I shouted in my head like this every time Jared's new inventions were offered forth. Well yes, he was a genius, and the white fish meat undergone transmutation so cunningly and flawless into lactic acid based food. It tasted milk all right. But it horrified me every time I thought it was once the grilled fish (and some vegetables) left over from the main course. It made me think of the mermaid sashimi.
"You needn't do this Jared, really." I told him, looking appreciative but actually felt abhorrent. "It took a lot of energy to create such perfect sweet out of savory, and your work has been grueling."
"I'd do anything for you." He added to the sweet in my mouth and I almost threw up. "You saved my Kingdom and avenged my father and mother's injustice. Both of us, all of Cimon, will always be deep in your debt."
At the end of the sentence, his voice sounded low and serious. His interlaced hands hang between his two perpendicular knees, and he just began to look cool and divine with falling strands of shimmering white hair and the otherworldly eyes smiling at me under the white assertive arches. "And because you are going to be the mother of my children!"
Blast the look!
I, while trying to hold down a choke at Jared's imperious face, wanted to say they should rather thank luck. "I'm not very keen on accounting, my degree was science. So you see, I don't keep account."
Jared blinked his white eyes. He did not get it.
Well, at least, despite his overbearing words, he had been brutally gentle with me.
Philip only stayed a couple of days. His surging popularity in the country had him engaging in more public works—and minor public works—than ever. People in Witrin called for him in every possible occasion, even for a birth of a baby, a recovery of a kid, or just a day-end party to celebrate a harvest of precious stones. He enjoyed and loved not to miss any of them. So Miss Thailand-ish.
"I am sorry I need to leave early." He came to say goodbye.
"It's fine really. I'm glad you have fun with your new life." I said. "Please give my warmest regards to Queen Dia for me."
Philip tenderly stretched his lips wide, "I will come back with more Magic crystals as soon as I can."
"Don't overwork yourself, take some rest if you are tired."
"You must rest well too," Philip stroked my hair while I went stiff. "take care of your body, you are precious to me."
"Don't worry. You must look after yourself." I said as Philip smiled ever wider. I hoped he did not get it wrong.
To you, the conversation might seem to go on retardedly. It was my indirect way of trying to tell him not to come back and leave me be.
Ciel would play me a song every day after dinner. We had a nice conversation and became quite a close friend very soon. The Prince told me his sad childhood story of how having two different color of eyes leaded him to be bullied despite being a prince. The yellow color, I learnt, was from magic dusts going into his eyes. Not only it whitened the color, but also gave a special distant sight. Ciel could clearly see every detail on the moon with that eye like how I named it.
"Why don't you put magic dust in the other eye too? You could have the same color and two great eyes." I suggested.
"Magic dust in an eye was not a pleasurable experience." Ciel simply said suggesting that my suggestion was totally stupid.
"Oh sorry! I..."
Ciel laughed, "It's alright. You really like this eye color?"
I nodded as Ciel said, "I hope you don't only like my eye."
"Oh, of course not!" I said, "your music is the best too!"
Ciel had a wistful second on his face when he started again, "I hear you can sing too, can you sing along my flute when you recover?"
"I--I guess..." I hoped I never recover...no, this is stupid! I must recover!
It was like this every night until King Zeru of Mithril called Ciel and his sister back somewhat urgently. Before they departed, the siblings came to say goodbye. Ciel insisted on me staying in bed until he could come back again. He seemed to be really frightened of me going into troubles.
"Promise me." said Ciel tightening his hands around mine. The two colors of his eyes that should have made it hard to read his thought now clearly reflected worry in them. I had no powers against this pair of bewitching retinas and this new Ciel, I nodded obediently.
Leon had been the one with the most change, however. He was no longer a lazy lubber who loved to sleep and relax all the time, in fact, I had not once seen him nap. You might argue that I was not with him twenty four-hours, how was I supposed to know he was not stealing some chilling out moments alone? That was because he would storm into my room every morning with a new souvenir from either Queen Liona, or Prince Leander, or Princess Leontyne, or King Leonard himself. He was just so full of energy—new life energy, that's what he said—that he ran back and forth between Coronale and Aeca every day using purely the power of his panthera-legs. I almost fell off my bed when I first asked where he got those souvenirs from.
"Father wants me to report on your condition daily." said Leon as his doggie steward, Teak, looking wiped out laid a pot of family recipe down for Sharon to dish out into small serve. I could almost understand the word dog-tired from his expression. He must be the victim of Leon's hyperactivity. "This is Antelope soup. Mother made especially for you. It is very nourishing." Leon said.
"Please pass my sincere thank to Queen Liona. I deeply appreciated it. You all treat me like a family member." I said.
Leon took a small china bowl from Sharon. "We all think of you as a family member."
"Do you?" I arched my brows at the warmhearted words. The Lion family was so nice and cordial!
"I, specially, want you to be." Leon handed over the bowl as the greasy brown soup made me forgot to think deeper to what Leon said. I whispered, "I hope it is not from an Antelope-Beastskin."
"Of course not!" Leon overheard it. "That would be horrible!"
"Sorry, it was just some unpleasant experience." I said and sipped.
It tasted good and new to me. So I had no problem helping myself for the second bowl. Leon looked very pleased as we chattered on about trivial stuff like we used to at the rim of the backyard forest. I had a good time too.
At noon, Jared came in, and Leon prepared to set off for his Kingdom home again. Teak slopped after his master to another endless running circle.
"See you tomorrow." said Leon and stormed out.
Valentine! My dear King Valentine took the afternoon session. He would float in with Pin, both looking jubilant and well-fed. Becoming a king seemed to have given him a tremendous charisma. I thought he suited this job.
"How is Queen Silvia?" I asked on his first private visit.
Twin colors in King Val's eyes spiraled outward as he clutched my hand and I flinched at the sudden action. "Why are you asking about my mother? Is it because you love me so much that you care about my mother for me?"
My mouth gaped open letting the air traversed in between freely. It had been a while since I had to deal with princes and my glib riposte speed had distinctly gone numb.
The King chuckled, "Oh, my cute 'stunning' Princess, I so adore you."
Now I think of one, "I thought it was Princess Elise you adore?"
"E—Elise?!" He chuckled one more time to hide his embarrassment, "I—"
"I think Elise is a stunningly cute princess." I said catching up his pace, "I am so ugly, I don't suit you all at." That was revenge. Oh yes, I still remember!
"Ugly! Who said that!" The stunned king exclaimed, "You are the most beautiful person I have ever seen!"
As I was about to retch at the comic act and dreadful lie, Val added on, "You spare my mother! And you ask about her even though she tried to kill you! How could anyone be more beautiful than you!"
I was really stunned this time. It was his way of saying. I now understood how he felt and what he meant. I dropped my sarcasm that was lining up behind my teeth and slacked my jaws into a heartfelt smile. He could be someone I like—as a friend or a brother of course.
Sooner or later Elise would march in pretending very diligently to look as if it was a coincidence, whereas she had been in fact searching the whole castle for Valentine. And after a little chat with her, I would began to sink my head in the fluffy pillow to run away from this preposterous pair's romantic bickering.
Fayn was kind of on and off. He would drop by every spare time he had, and like Leon, he occasionally would run home for imperative affairs. This was already the fifth time of the fourth day and I was almost allowed to step out of bed.
"But Princess needs rest!" Fayn protested Kay and the doctors coming for a final check-up.
"Thank you for your concern, but I've been resting for weeks." I said, glad that I finally got to work my body.
"Princess has totally recovered." affirmed the doctor as I nodded at him. "I will inform Master Derek at once."
"Thank you for all your help." I said as the group retired out of the room and Fayn started, "I don't believe them, you still look so pale."
"That's because I've been inside for ages." I told him.
"Still," Fayn seemed not to be able to abandon fret. "I was nerve-racking when you fell into Edurne back then, I am still nerve-racking right now because it was my fault that my nose was not good enough to sniff you out and you end up in bed."
Sniff me out? "A—am I that stink?!" You see what happen when you don't take a shower for a long time. I am so never gonna do that again.
"I hope you could be." He said real serious and firmly gripped my hand. "I would have smelt you out right away even in that harsh cold."
That left me no word. You see, with other princes, it always sounded like a tease or a joke. But this time I could not even laugh or yank my lips with that severe expression and sincerity shined in the marble-liked fade blue gray eyes. Not to speak of the memory in the forest that assailed back at me. I was shock still.
A whole minute passed, Fayn' grave face did not lax.
"You are not serious about—about, umm, about...me, are you?" I did not want to ask this. It was like a confirmation about his feelings that I wanted very much to avoid. But the nagging of the cumbersome silence was much greater that I lost it.
"I am." said Fayn, ever more fervent, "Very."
"B—but you can't!" It was almost like a reflect, I did not have to think saying that.
"Why not?" Fayn put more force into his clasp as he said it, "I love you."
A buzz of energy zoomed up the line of my backbone raising hairs on the occiput. That was an energy of despair and hopelessness. It swelled when Fayn embraced me, made me forget my promise to Ciel, and fuelled me to pelt with the longest stride down the corridor, jump almost three steps at a time down the old triangular rock stairs the first thing in the next morning.
I was so scared.