May trembled as she answered. "Q-Queen? Y-You want me to be your q-queen?" I nodded and she started to hyperventilate. "It's so hard not to scream right now." I raised an eyebrow. "I hope that's a good thing-" She then kissed me before I finished my sentence and tackled me to the floor. "Mm!" After the thud, she pulled away and shouted. "YES!" I laughed and placed the ring on her finger as she straddled me.
She looked at the diamond with admiration in her eyes and Dymas and Alexra walked into the room, confused. "Uhh, what's going on?" Dymas asked as he looked at me lying underneath May. I then sat up and May helped me to my feet as she jumped with joy. "We're engaged!!" They gasped at the news and my parents came from another hallway. "How lovely!" My mother said as she approached us. My father followed alongside her and crossed his arms. "I thought you worked alone."
I put my arm around May as I answered. "I've learned that it's much easier to have a partner in crime." My father smiled and turned to May. "Welcome to the family." May returned his smile brightly and my father turned to the door. "I'd better set the stage. I'm sure all of your subjects will be more than interested to know how things have panned out." It was strange that now I had achieved what I put in so much effort for, yet everything was so much different than I imagined.
My father called the whole kingdom to inform them that the stone had chosen me to rule. He spoke down to the crowd from the main balcony of the palace and projected for all to hear. "I'm sure my son will change this kingdom for the better! Now, like all of you, I'm just as curious to hear what he has planned!" He then turned to me, who was standing behind him, and he gestured for me to come and take his place. "Come. Tell them how you'll use your power."
I approached the railing and looked onto the crowd. I smiled and raised my hands. "I'm not one for big speeches!" Green magic then came from my hands and surrounded the air in vines of light. The crowd gasped as it grew and soon it surrounded the entire kingdom. Once it reached the wall it made the dark containment fade until there was nothing in between Reinthoria and the forests. The people saw that I had taken down the wall and gasps and whispers passed through them.
After the magic disappeared I placed my hands on the railing. "Too long we've been blocked from the outside world! I don't know why my ancestor created the wall, and maybe it was what was best for the kingdom back then, but it isn't now! I've spent time out there, and yes, it can be very dangerous. However, the time has come to unite our worlds because if any of you are like me, you're going to love the forests as if they were a part of you!"
Nervous smiles began to grow among the many faces that looked up to me and I continued. "If we continue to hide from the wonders that are outside of this kingdom just because we're afraid, if we don't learn how to coexist with all the amazing creatures that can teach us so much about the world, we will surely suffer in silence! While I was gone, the forests became my home, and one day in them had more adventure than twenty-six years in Reinthoria! The forests are a part of me now and I'm even marrying into it!"
I smiled back at May who was standing behind me and the happiness on her face grew. I turned back to the crowd, continuing to smile. "I just hope that you all will join me in creating a better world for our descendants!" The crowd then cheered and applauded, and I was surprised by their enthusiasm. "Nice. I don't have to resort to mind control," I said to myself jokingly, but my father overheard and flicked me in the forehead. "Ow!"
He smiled as I rubbed my forehead and he turned to the doorway. "Your decision is most intriguing. Let's execute it, shall we?" I nodded and the rest of the day became a joyful one. Word spread quickly that the walls of Reinthoria had come down, and creatures from all around came to say hello to the humans. The humans were clearly nervous at first, but after a while, they started to see how wonderful all of the new acquaintances were.
The rest of the day I worked with the people, and the fairies showed them how to make flower lights to scare the night dwellers away. I helped build the lights and taught everyone I could about the new world. May and the rest of my family helped as well, and Razerous convinced Saniel to give the children rides while the adults worked on the construction of the kingdom. My family was happy that they were able to help the people directly with this new system, and a celebration was thrown in the midst of everything.
Meals were made for everyone and dancing broke out at nightfall. The different species showed my people how to celebrate properly, and this lasted days. More and more villages found out about the excitement and came to join in. Familiar faces appeared along with the villages and I saw everyone I had met on the quest. The gnomes, May's friends Granite and Olive as well as their seven Naga babies, Kaltar the Minotaur, Azul and Raymond who visited through the rivers, Yang the dragon, Ivy the centaur, Cecile and some of the other giants, the sprites, Grimwore, Galund and Raimu, and May's family also.
As soon as May's father saw her he ran to her with Alester at his side. "CherryMay!" When she noticed them she gasped and hugged them both tightly. "Papa! Alester! I missed you guys so much!" They pulled away from the embrace and her father continued to hold her hands as he spoke. "We heard that Dedrin was the new king and was back in Reinthoria, so we assumed you'd still be with him."
I became nervous as I remembered my last encounter with May's family and walked over to them. I stopped beside May and Xyler turned to me and bowed. "Your Highness." I felt awkward all of a sudden and laughed, nervously. "You really don't have to do that..." Xyler raised his head with a smile. "Of course I do! You're the one the stone chose! It's truly an honor that you and CherryMay have become such good friends."
I rubbed my shoulder with my other hand, trying to overcome the lump in my throat. "W-Well it's a little more than that now..." Xyler's eyebrows raised in surprise. "What do you mean?" May could tell I was nervous and was trying not to blurt out that we were engaged and she held a hand over her mouth. I then took a deep breath and put my arms at my sides. "I'd like your permission to marry your daughter."
Both Xyler's and Alester's eyes popped. "Huh?!" Xyler started to shake. "Y-You want to- My daughter- You want to make her- She's going to be q-q-q-quee- '' He suddenly fainted and fell to the ground with a thump. May and Alester rushed to his side hurriedly and I started to panic in my head. 'I hope that was a good faint and not a bad faint!' I thought.