ALYSSA
—Princess Alyssa. —Greta enters with the other attendants, and they greet—. We have good news for you.
—Is it no longer necessary for me to get married by obligation?
—It's related, but it's not that. —She shows me a sheet of paper and the only thing I can distinguish is the logo of the nation on the corner of the page—. The kingdom of Kastoria has sent an invitation for the princess of Corfu to visit its village.
The other attendants applaud as if it were a great achievement, but they don't know that it only annoys me. However, I have no choice but to accept my fate... at least for the time being.
—We'll prepare your luggage now; you'll be leaving in two days.
—Two days? So soon? And how long will we be there?
—You will be there for ten days. The princess will travel alone. —I get surprised—. That's how it should be; Kastoria will see to your safety.
—Does the king agree to the terms? —She nods.
—The king will send an invitation to the Prince of Kastoria as well.
—No, I'll take care of telling him when I get there, I don't want so much formality with something that I'm sure won't work.
—Why do you say that?
—I can feel it. I'm not good at pretending, one of us will end up saying that we are only good for a friendship. —They all keep silent. I ask the rest of the attendants to go to my closet and prepare everything while I stay alone with Greta—. We have only received one invitation, right?
—... yes, your majesty. Lundy hasn't sent anything. —This woman knows me very well—. Duke Han sent an invitation too, but it had to be declined because it interfered with Kastoria's schedule and between him and Prince Einar, I know you would have preferred the prince of Kastoria.
—Yes, thank you. —I smile lightly.
—... there is still time for them to send out more invitations. We have a month.
—... are you searching my head? —I joke and she smiles.
—I've known you since you were little, princess and with your tone of voice I can tell if you're angry, sad, pretending or if you're happy. —She puts her hand on my shoulder—. You were right when you said that the prince of Lundy wouldn't send anything, but we shouldn't give up yet. Would you like_?
—no, no, no, no. My pride and dignity come first. If he hasn't sent anything it's because he doesn't want to and well, I'll indulge him in that because I'm not for begging either, you know I never beg.
—I understand.
The remaining two days pass quickly, and it is time to travel to Kastoria. I'm in a bad mood, they didn't tell me the terms of the invitation and until today I realize that I can't travel with my cell phone. As if they knew I could pay more attention to it than to the prince, but it seems illogical to me, it is my mean of communication, I will have to contact my father through the assistants of Kastoria because not even Greta is coming with me, I am going completely alone.
Imagine it's a survival challenge where you have no way to communicate. Take it like that, my dear, maybe that way you won't want to hang the prince of Kastoria from a coconut palm tree.
I arrive in Kastoria after a few hours and the royal family greets me on the landing track. I get off the jet and Einar is very obvious with nerves; I find him tender and funny. He offers me a bouquet of roses and I take it and then greet his parents and his younger sister, Milena. She is a very sweet girl like Einar.
Hopefully these ten days will pass quickly.
AREN
—I have a few days left in Lundy, what else will you show me?
Kaira received Lundy's invitation two days after the ball; I would have liked not to, but I didn't live with her at the ball because my head was elsewhere, I didn't even see her, but I guess she was around. Besides, even without distractions, the king would have done it anyway. The princess came a day after the invitation and has to be here at least ten days. I've been counting down the hours in my head for her to get out of here. She still has three days left; time goes fast fortunately. Getting to know her more, I have realized that she is another delicate cloying like the others, she has nothing new to attract. I inquired about her nation, and it is not the best either.
—Do you practice any sport? —I ask her.
—I like swimming and tennis. But my strong point is the second one.
Ok, she is athletic.
—My younger brother also likes tennis.
—Really? It would be great if we play a round. —She smiles and Ivar is walking out to the garden, but he has some things in his hands that make me look him confused.
—Ivar —I call him, and he looks at me—. Where did you get that?
—Hello —he greets us and comes closer—. Princess Kaira. —Slightly bows and she returns the gesture—. This, big brother, is a bow and these are arrows.
—What do you plan to do with that? You don't even practice archery.
—I'll do it from now on. —I raise an eyebrow at his confession. Why out of the blue does he want that?
—Ivar, Aren told me that you like tennis. I play it, would you like to play a round with me?
—I'll accept the match tomorrow; I already have my schedule for the day busy.
—You'll really play that? —I ask, pointing to what he's carrying.
—What's in it? —he shrugs—. I want to know how much honor I pay to my name, and I also have other intentions. —He winks at me and the question mark in my head gets bigger. He looks at the princess next to me and bows—. I hope you are enjoying your stay in Lundy, your majesty. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave. —He goes to the side of the stables and I keep wanting to know why he wants that.
—your brother is very nice and cute —she speaks out of nowhere and I see her—. And he looks very much like you.
—...yes, I've been told that before. —She picks up her cup of tea—. You'll have to wait for him to play with you.
—Why don't you and I play?
—I don't play tennis —I lie while sip my drink—. Sorry, you'll have to wait for my brother.
—it's ok... I see archery has caught your brother's attention now. It's a good sport, not everybody practices it; it seems simple, but it's not. Do you practice it?
—No, I only have acquaintances who do, but I do something similar. Sometimes, I play shooting with a gun. I also have to aim at the target and have good aim, the difference is that I use bullets and they use arrows.
—Really? Wow, I didn't know about that. Is it not dangerous? I'd be scared to practice it. —She laughs lightly—. But it must be fun.
—It relieves stress, not that I enjoy it. —I shrug my shoulders.
She is afraid of guns. She is not into extreme sports and the fact that she plays tennis and swims confirms it to me.
The rest of the days pass quickly where she gets to know Lundy, its gastronomy, culture, economy, education, among other things. I try to avoid people seeing her, but there are activities where an audience is required. I don't want them to remember her face and see her with me, because that makes my people believe that she will be their future queen and I don't want that, I prefer things calmly and discreetly. Even more so when having spent these ten days with her, I have realized that I do not imagine her by my side governing; she is nice, she has good qualities, but I just do not like her.
The only sad thing about her leaving is that I have to travel to Kaunas in two days and do the same thing she did here, get to know her nation, her people, participate in events, do activities that "bring us together", but if it didn't work here for me, I doubt it will work there.
—See you in two days, Prince Aren. —Curtsies and I return the gesture—. Kaunas has open doors for your people.
—I thank you. Have a good trip. —She gets into the jet, and I walk away for it to take off. I return to the palace and my younger brother is the first one to greet me.
—Is she gone? Did you make sure she got on the jet and took off?
—Do you dislike him that much?
—It's not that~… —laughs—. It's just that I prefer the presence of another.
—that's why you dislike her presence.
—The thing is… —he puts his hand on my shoulder and sighs—. I feel that you don't like her either.
Was I very obvious?
—How can you be sure?
—You are my only brother, my favorite person in this palace and I watch you all the time, I already know when you are uncomfortable, when something displeases you or when you are forced to do something... her presence here made me see that side of you that I rarely see.
Rare. Uh-huh.
—... Ivar, someday, I will be the king of Lundy, there are laws I must obey, this is my duty.
—I know and I understand. But maybe you would feel less burden if you gave yourself the chance to know other horizons.
—You want me to bring the princess of Corfu, don't you?
He laughs and blushes. —Could you? We both win. I told her we are destined to start a family; you can help me not to look like a liar.
—I didn't ask you to tell him that. —I continue on my way, and he comes after me.
—At least give me the pleasure of her being part of the family. Obviously, she won't be my wife, but she can be yours, how about it?
—It's easier for you to try to make her fall in love with you, anyway she seemed to like you when she met you in Kaos.
—Jealous? —I stop and look at him—. Just kidding. —I pick up my way—. It's a good possibility~, my intuition never fails~.
—This time it does.
—Karma exists, big brother.
—Stop threatening me~.
—Just try it! Trust me~.
—Ask our mother to take you to Corfu and stop bothering me.
The only thing I can agree with him about everything he said is that I don't see myself in the future next to Kaira, but I refuse to imagine it with Alyssa. I made a promise. Her mere presence makes me anxious, and I just want to get away from her, just like the first time because...
—Prince Aren. —I stop when I hear Camilo's voice and look at him again—. I wanted to talk to you about the candidates, sir.
—What now? —I ask, pinching the bridge of my nose, let's go to my study. —I go to my study, and he comes after me. I take a seat in the chair behind the desk, and he stands in front of me.
—About Princess Aly_
—I said not with her.
—I understand, your highness. But this is in case it doesn't work with Princess Kaira. You know your father, sir, and if you don't accept any of the princesses you were introduced to, you will have to resign yourself to staying with Lady Seren. Princess Alyssa is your last choice, your majesty, please give her a chance.
I keep silent a few seconds. Then, I run my hands over my face. —Fine. I will go to Kaunas and when I return I will decide whether to send her that invitation or not. It will be a wildcard.
—I'll have the invitation ready. —I raise an eyebrow—.. It's just in case you don't like Kaunas.
—good.
DAYS LATER
ALYSSA
I have spent three very productive and entertaining weeks with Einar. I spent ten days in his kingdom, and he spent ten days in mine. Days where we did many things, like meeting the palaces, visiting the main towns of both nations; my people saw him as well as his people saw me with him and his family. We visited emblematic places of both places as well, and shared ideas of the government systems of both. One thing we also did as a tradition of such meetings was to walk alone with him, something that made me uncomfortable. On those walks we talked about deep issues, about our tastes, about how we projected the future. That way we could know better if we saw ourselves next to that person, but it wasn't like that for me. He told me about his life, his way of being, what he liked, what he didn't like, what he thought was right and many other things that my eyes labeled him as a good person, a good ruler, a good father, a good husband, but not for me. Good friendship is the most I could imagine with him.
It bothers me to some extent because I know he is a good person, he is handsome, my duty as a princess is to get married, but I still have to force myself to be attracted to him because I am not born to it. I don't get butterflies in my stomach when I think of a future by his side, sharing a family, nations, children, being happy, ruling side by side. I feel comfortable with him, he makes me feel good, but not in the way I would like, it's still not enough to say I love him.
—I've had a lot of fun with you, I hope I haven't bothered you at any time —he says when we are about to reach the top of the stairs that lead to the jet.
—Not at all. It was good to have you here and a pleasure to have shown my lands to a new friend. —I smile—. I hope you can come back soon; Corfu has open doors for you and your people.
He comes closer and holds me in his arms. All the staff turns to look away and I would like to do the same, but I'm the victim. —I wanted to do this a long time ago, but I was going to be embarrassed to see your face afterwards. —He laughs lightly—. I seriously had fun with you, I hope this will happen again. —He takes my shoulders and smiles—. You already have my number, chat me when you have time, I'll do the same. —He starts walking backwards—. Take care of yourself~!
—be careful or you're going to_ —stumbles with the first step and falls down sitting down. The staff turns around again, and I cover my mouth and hold back my laughter out of consideration for him who is as red as a tomato—. I warned you.
—I will listen to your advice from now on. —We laugh—. Goodbye.
—Have a safe trip. —He climbs the last tier and the entrance closes. The staff says goodbye, and I step back for the jet to take off. It does in the next few minutes, and I let out the laugh I've been holding back—. You didn't see me do that —I threaten the staff once I get control of myself.
—No, your majesty, we don't know what you're talking about.
—That's the way I like it. —They wink at me, and I laugh more quietly as I return to the palace.
—How was the farewell with the prince? —Greta approaches with her arms behind her back and a smile.
—...movie. —I hold back the laughter—. It was good.
—How did you feel these three weeks with the prince?
—What can I tell you? Caterpillars don't metamorphose yet, maybe later if we stay connected —I snort and pats my shoulder.
—But don't worry, I have good news for you, ma'am. —She takes out a paper from her bag and shows me the content that steals my colors—. Prince Aren of Lundy has requested your presence to visit his reign in three days.