I waited patiently for her to finish the sudden questions and realizations coming out of her mouth, and stood still while she did. "I'm traveling with a prince! I can't believe you're the prince! What's it like living in a castle?! You were the prince this whole time?! Do you have exotic pets?! Do you wear a crown all the time or just sometimes?! Do you have a room for everything?! When you sing do birds sing with you?! Are your hands as soft as silk?! How many clothes do you have-?!"
I had run out of patience and grabbed her face to make her stop talking. "Are you done?" I then let go and turned to walk away. She followed me still with the same amount of excitement. "I'm sorry, it's just that I can't believe it's you!! I have so many questions! Wait, if you're Prince Dedrin, then why are you out of Reinthoria looking for a stone that your family already has?"
I hesitated to answer her. 'If she finds out that I want to find it to kill my father she'll no doubt be hesitant to help me. Ugh! How did she recognize me so easily?!' I quickly thought of a lie and sighed. "My parents are doubting that I am nice enough to become king, so I'm finding the stone of Sudre to gift it to them and prove that I am kind deep down." She gasped in awe and put her hands together. "That's such a lovely thing to do! Risking your life to give a gift to your parents! I always knew you were a sweetie inside that hard shell of yours!"
She pinched my cheek and I slapped her hand away. "Stop it." She continued to smile with a rush of surprise. "Wow, I'm going to have to get used to this! Not seeing someone's face, you just form an idea in your head about what they look like and man, I was way off! I just assumed you wore a helmet because you were subconscious about a freakishly big nose or something! I'm going to have to get used to seeing you make facial expressions as well!"
Like always, her cheerfulness became increasingly annoying as we continued our walk. A while later she made us lunch, but this time she acted like her food wasn't worthy of me. I already knew she was unworthy, so hearing her say it all the time was even more irritating. Sometimes I just caught her staring at me and I hoped that this shocked period would be over soon. It had only been a day but still. 'I know I'm gorgeous but god damn!'
By nightfall, we had reached the outside of May's village. There were lots of lights from the flowers glowing brightly all around the village like pastel lamps, most likely to protect against goblins. We were almost there and had a couple of minutes until we would enter the town when I noticed May looking at me again. "Will you stop staring at me?!" She then covered her face with her hand quickly. "Sorry! It's just I'm still comprehending that I saved the prince's life!"
I turned to her, angrily. "What?! You didn't save me! Because one, I saved you right before that so it evens out! And two, you made me lose my helmet so now you owe me your life!" Her face fell with confusion. "How expensive was that helmet?" A moment later she ran into a tree from not seeing where she was going and flopped to the ground. "Ow!"
The sight of it made a laugh escape my lips, and she returned to flying happily next to me while rubbing her nose. "I just made a prince laugh! Yay!" I raised an eyebrow. "Don't you care at all that you're a complete joke?" She shrugged. "Lesson number one hundred seventy-one, Dignity is overrated. Anyway, I'm so glad to be home! I can't wait for you to meet my family!" My expression became confused. "What? Why would I want-?"
I was then interrupted by someone calling out to us from a nearby house that was made from a very large red and white mushroom. An older man with orange fairy wings was standing in the lit doorway with a smile. His hair was brown with gray streaks running through it, and he looked jolly despite that his clothes were made from leaves. "CherryMay! You're home!" May's face lit up as soon as she saw him, and she flew faster over to him to give them a hug. "Papa!" They embraced each other happily and I stood there awkwardly as they reunited.
May let go of him but continued to hold his hands as she spoke. "I missed you so much, papa!" The man smiled in return. "I missed you too! What took you so long to get back?" She lifted her shoulders, trying to hold back her excitement. "Well... On my way back I met the human prince! He can't fly so that's why it took longer." His expression became surprised and she gestured for him to look behind her at me.
His face filled with even more surprise as he saw me and I crossed my arms. May then flew over to me and pulled my arm so I would get closer. "This is Rin- um, I mean Dedrin. He's in the forest because he's on a quest, and he asked me to help him!" I had no memory of asking her, but I stayed silent as her father responded. "I can't believe this! My name is Xyler, CherryMay's father. It's an honor to meet you, your highness." He bowed a little and I shrugged one shoulder. "I imagine it is." May let go of me and clasped her hands together with a nervous smile. "Since I'm helping him on his journey, I'm afraid we'll only be able to stay the night."
Xyler nodded with a little sadness behind his eyes. "I understand. You're always so kind helping others, just like your mother." He put a hand on her cheek and she smiled faintly while looking at the ground. He then pulled his hand away and turned to face both of us. "You two are just in time for dinner! Come, Alester is going to be thrilled that you're back, May." She brightened with joy and took me by the arm again to drag me inside the house. "Hey! Wait-!"
I had no desire to meet her family let alone have dinner with them. 'Fairies are too nice for their own good. Why would they invite a complete stranger into their home? It's like they're begging me to kill them.' Once we were inside I saw that there was a table and chairs in the main room by a circle window, with hanging flowers that glowed above it to light up the house. There was an open doorway that led to the kitchen across from us, and stairs next to it that led up to the top of the mushroom.
The house was small yet homey-looking, and there was another fairy inside setting the table. He had yellow wings and looked to be about thirteen in age, with short brown hair and green eyes. When he heard us he turned his head and smiled once he saw May. "CherryMay!" He ran to her and she let go of me to hug him back as he wrapped his arms around her. "Alester! I missed you!"