Fauna was sitting in the pool at her friend's house, floating around thinking about the prince. With her sunglasses on her face, no one could see her looking at the moon peeking through the blue sky.
What Fauna didn't notice was her best friend, and brother looking at her daydreaming in the pool.
"What do you think she's dreaming about?" Marshall Asks Delphine
Delphine tilted her head at her friend daydreaming in the pool.
"Hmmm, hard to say. She can go either way. I think she's just watching the clouds," Delphine said
To Delphine, she knew something was occupying her friend's mind. So much so it was making her more aloof than usual. Fauna started to notice the pair staring at her in the pool and smiled.
"Ok, what is it? You've been staring at me for at least a minute or 2" Fauna says
"Well, we wouldn't be staring if you're head wasn't in the clouds. What's got you staring off in the distance?" Marshall says to his sister
"Nothing, just lost in thought, staring off into the distance, you know the usual," Fauna says smoothly as she pulls her sunglasses off her face and onto her head.
Delphine laughed
"Dreaming about fictional characters?" Delphine guessed as Fauna rolled her eyes
"No, can't I just stare at the sky without being questioned?" Fauna asks putting her glasses back on her face and resumes staring at the moon.
"Okay, fine but when you're done, lunch is ready!" Marshall says going back under the gazebo by the house.
Delphine sat at the side of the pool, putting her feet in the water.
"So are you going to tell me what you're thinking about, or am I gonna have to wait until you have thought enough about it?" She questioned Fauna
Fauna sighed getting out of the tube, and swimming up to her friend, putting her arms on the side of the pool.
"Well, it's complicated. When I have a grasp on things, you'll be the first to hear all about it" Fauna sighs. Delphine's eyes softened at Fauna's explanation. She knew when Fauna was ready, she would spill every detail.
Later that night, Fauna was sitting in her backyard, leaning against the brick wall. She was just enjoying the cool wind of the summer breeze on her slightly sunburned skin. Humming aimlessly she almost didn't hear Atlas arriving.
She peeked open her eyes to see him quietly trying to scare her. But she only smiled at his attempt before speaking up.
"Don't you dare," Fauna calmly says opening her eyes to Atlas's disappointed expression
"What gave me away?" He asked joining her on the grass.
"Well besides feeling you're presence near me, I felt the breeze get blocked first," Fauna answers as Atlas gives a short laugh
"Wow, I could have scared you if I didn't interrupt you're relaxing" Atlas exaggerated as Fauna laughed
"Well, it is summer, not much to do but relax, I had a long fall...winter, and spring," Fauna said naming all the seasons school was in session.
"Sounds horrifying. How was your day?" Atlas changed the subject as he leaned on the back of the house.
"Fun! I went swimming today with my brother and best friend," Fauna responded
"What about you? How are the princely duties going?" she asks as Atlas sighs at the question
"That bad?" Fauna says
"Kinda, I mean I have been working my whole life to become the next King of Jericho. I feel I might let my people down," Atlas answered as Fauna patted his back
"Let people down? Atlas, I may only have known you for a short time, but I can tell you're going to be an amazing King." Fauna states as she situates herself to sit in front of Atlas.
"But how can you know that? Last I checked you humans have no powers, let alone the one to predict the future," Atlas says looking at his lap
Fauna paused at his statement. While yes, technically they don't have powers, she knows what power she does have.
"Well, who said that? Last I checked I have powers" Fauna says as Atlas's head shoots up
"What? I don't believe in you" Atlas calls out to a smug Fauna
"It's something you cannot see, and cannot touch but it's always there, can you guess what it is?" Fauna riddles the prince as he looks more confused at her words.
Atlas thought for a moment, but nothing was coming to mind. He took a guess.
"Sarcasm?" He answers as Fauna is a little surprised at the answer and laughed
"No, not that, it's Love and Confidence," She says as the prince is still confused.
"Love? Confidence? What's your point?" He questioned
"Okay, I'm going to tell you a story on how these go together," Fauna started as Atlas nodded his head as she began
"Since I was little I have always loved to sing. Singing was the best thing I could do, but I was younger I was always scared to sing in front of people who weren't my family." Fauna started.
"But one day at school, they announced there was going to be a talent show," Fauna tells as Atlas was getting pulled into her story.
"I worked up the courage and signed up. I told my family and they helped me get everything ready. I worked every day memorizing the song so I could perform it without forgetting the lyrics. But when showtime came and I was singing on stage I got scared and ran off." Fauna says as Atlas gasped,
"In the middle of the song?" Atlas questioned
"Yes, all those eyes on me got me so nervous it prevented me from doing what I loved the most. But thankfully with the help of a friend, I got the confidence to go back out there at the end of the show and perform the whole song by myself." Fauna finishes as Atlas beamed at the story
"But how does that work with me?" He questioned, Fauna rolled her eyes
"You'd love to be a good king to your people right?" She questions
Atlas nods
"Then think like a King. After all you are going to be the one who makes all those decisions, and I know when the time comes you're going to be a great ruler" Fauna finishes as she looks back up at the clear sky.
What she didn't see was Atlas's eyes softening at her words.