Earlier this Morning:
"Mommy,"
"Yes dear."
"Look at this!"
I held in my hand a little book titled "The Legends of Riguo" showing it to my mother.
"These people look exactly like us!"
She glared at me with a strict expression immediately taking the book away from me.
"Don't you dare say that again."
"But…"
"Don't you dare! You're grounded if you do Hu, especially if you say that to grandma."
She turned around, sighing, taking the book away from me and getting ready to walk out the room.
"They're monsters."
"Monsters? But…"
I shot up from my bed, breathing heavily.
"A dream?"
Slowly, the walls of my dream faded as the real world blended back in.
"That's…That's right…"
I said to myself quietly.
"That's right, I left a long time ago."
I rolled out of bed to begin my day.
Present Day:
"No Princess, you have to leave."
I sighed.
"It's not that long Princess, I'll be back in a month, just get good at chess or something, i don't know, you have a story about princesses doing similar things like that you read about, no? Just imitate them."
"Yes but…"
"You'll be fine, hurry along back now, I still have to pack my things."
"I was kind of hoping for my own story…"
She sat down beginning to pout.
The place I was planning to head to this time was the coastal island of Kauki. A llama trader had told me that this was the first time in 100 years that they were opening trade to the outside world.
"The new King is more lenient, boss," he said to me, "They're letting outsiders in."
"Is that so? And the sea creatures you feel are going to have value to the outside world?"
"Of course boss, there isn't a place in all of Kaijie with creatures like the ones there. According to the other traders I know, they get fished out from the clean Kauki seas."
For years, only diplomats from foreign nations were allowed to come in and out of Kauki, and when they did, they were never allowed to take anything of real value with them. So the only real speculation anyone of the outside world had were from their word of mouth, or drawings and writings they spread. Even the Princess only knew of Kauki from her library as Rigou didn't have much in the way of diplomatic relations with Kauki for various political reasons that I won't be getting into right now. Given all that anyway, what the llama trader had said certainly did make sense as an economic opportunity.
I looked at the trader with a suspicious expression. As a veteran in this industry, I had known at this point the value of information, and such information was never given for purely selfless reasons.
"That does sound interesting, I'm guessing you own a ferry company that can get me there?"
"I don't have that much wealth," he said, reaching into his pocket and handing me a written card. A smile formed on his face.
"But they do pay me commission if you mention my name,"
"Which is?"
"What!"
He looked at me surprised.
"We've been trading for months, and you still don't know my name, Hu?"
"My apologies, it is not my intent, I just trade with many llama traders you see."
He lowered his head with his ego clearly damaged.
"It's… it's fine boss, it's fine. The name's Ahmed. Ahmed Lukhar. Just tell the ferry company on this address I sent you so I get my commission."
"Uhhh… will do." I said taking the card.
That was about 2 weeks ago. Before, I was thinking of making the biyearly stop this time to the nearby kingdom of Genise where they made nice watches, but I couldn't pass up such an opportunity. Not with something so interesting and evergreen on my horizon as an alternative. What's the point in living if you can't experience new places and events, right? I might as well have just become a boring shoemaker like all my friends from my old village if I didn't believe that. It certainly paid more to do so as well.
I looked at the princess still pouting as she just stared at the ground with depressed red eyes. The colors of her green dress blended in as if she was one with the grass.
What was I supposed to do though? I had said no at least 10 times at this point, but the princess was ever persistent. The reality of the world was that even if she wasn't a princess, it would be hard to turn down anyone with this much of a "cuteness" factor to them.
And it was not in my nature to say something generic like:
"Oh, but what about your parents? Sure, maybe they're difficult now, but eventually you will become a beautiful queen and rule the kingdom! So there's no need for you to come, you belong and will be happy here,"
Like hell I would say ever say something that stupid! How would I even know anything about what her life is like in the kingdom other than from her own accounts of it which are contradictory to that statement, even if her viewpoints did probably contain some bias. I suppose then, if you are reading this, you also probably expect something else generic to happen like after I leave, she secretly snuck herself into my wagon and then randomly popped out a week later from hiding. Just like every other princess story ever right?
So boring.
The truth of the matter was this, I thought as I stared at her melancholy expression now lying down and just staring at the sky. I did very much want the Princess to come with, very badly in fact. It had been a while since I've had a friend for that long of a time. But even more so, I grew a sense of curiosity over these last few months observing her so much.
What would someone who lived inside one place their whole life suddenly be like in an outside world environment, free of the social influences of her birthright? It's not something that one gets the opportunity to see easily, especially from a Princess no less. Certainly way less boring than the majority of the world's people. Not to mention, most guys would never turn down the opportunity of traveling with such an attractive looking companion.
Even so though…
I sighed,
"Look Princess, as much as I personally wish for you to come, I can't change the letter of the law. It is what it is. There's no way to disguise you either. Everyone already recognizes you so it's not like you'd be able to actually go outside the wagon without being caught. So yeah, how about instead I just bring you a souvenir when I get back and…
"I'll shave my head."
"..."
Did I hear that right?
"I'll shave my head" she repeated calmly sitting up, "It'll be clean bald. And then I'll trade clothes with the servant girls and you know what!"
Excitement returned to her voice.
"I'll even bring my own hooded robes too to disguise myself. Oh, this is so fun!"
She raised her arms up looking back at me in excitement.
"I'll even bring my own eyepatch. Argghhh Kauki be a sea port country, no lad? Argggggg…"
At this point though, she may have forgotten it was I who gave her the eyepatch in the first place as she began doing a pirate impression bending her index finger to look like a hook.
"Arrrrrr it be me, Pirate Riko here to plunder ye treasures."
"Wait, you're serious?"
"Hmm…? About coming with? Hell yeah! Come on Hu, I've been saying for months how…"
"No, not that. You're serious about shaving your head?"
Although she was certainly different from the average princesses I had read about in other stories, there was something through these 6 months which did always feel similar. As you will recall, the Princess had rejected my head pat attempts before with a swift headbutt to the chest. Patronization aside, she seemed to be very particular about her hair. It was usually in a well kept ponytail though she would have her stylists do fun unique things with it such as up to 4 ponytails at once or making a whole butterfly out of it in design. Occasionally like today, when she was using her full arsenal of persuasion tactics, she also let her hair down flowing beautifully contrasting with the light makeup on her face. But in any case, it was the one part about her that was always clean when she came to see me as I could smell the shampoo she used every time. To say so easily that she'll shave her head…
"Yeah! That will help disguise me right? If that's what is needed, then that's what is needed!"
"Okay, I get that, but…"
"Alright, sounds good Hu! I'll be back tomorrow then and we'll be ready to go! My parents are gone for another week anyways so there's no way this can fail!"
"Yes but…"
The rest of her words felt very little weight in comparison.
"You're really going to shave your head? But your hair…"
"It's beautiful?"
I nodded, to which she gave a soft smile while doing a hair flip.
"I know, but… it'll grow back. You said if anyone sees you with me there will be trouble for you, right? Well if I shave my head, it's like it won't even be me! Nope nope nope, I'll just be instead uhhh… peasant girl Okir or something!"
She looked at me who continued to stare at her blankly before nervously laughing.
"Ahaha, I don't know, that was lame, that's the character's name of the current book I'm reading! Anyway, we'll just go for 1 month then and on the return trip, we'll take the last part of the journey separately and I can just tell my parents I got kidnapped and it'll be like nothing happened! Sure, they might issue kingdom wide search warrants and other stuff and yadda yadda whatever. But it's fine!"
"Is it?"
"Yep!"
"How?"
"Because I want to see really cool fish, that's how!"
"..."
"Alright, it's settled then! I'll shave my head and get the clothes ready by tomorrow and be back here at exactly 5 PM before you leave!"
She leaned in close to me, grabbing my hand again, and doing her best whimper face.
"Promise you won't leave without me?"
In most other instances I would be blushing, but my mind was still stuck from her previous words instead this time.
"Umm… uhhhh, wait, you're really going to shave your head?"
"Yes! For the last time, Hu! I am going to shave my head. What's the big deal, I see people with bald heads all the time when they get old!"
"I don't think they shaved them though, and there's no way the palace barber will allow you to do that."
"That's fine, I keep a pair of scissors under my bed."
"... why?"
"For the shepherds."
"For the shepherd to shear the sheep, right?"
"Don't worry about it Hu! All I want to know is that, you promise you'll still be here tomorrow, Hu? And that you'll take me with you? No excuses Hu! You said the only reason I can't go is because I'll get recognized and now that that's taken care of, I see no reason for me not to accompany you on your journey."
"But…"
"And that's final!" she said with a wink. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a head to shave and a bag to pack, see you tomorrow Hu!"
And with that, she immediately left without another word. As she did, I just stared in her direction as her silhouette faded.
"Okay," I said to myself, "There's no way. Is she really going to…"
-The Next Day-
"Well, what do you think?"
I blinked twice and then pinched myself to ensure I wasn't still asleep in some kind of weird fever dream as the Princess stood there in front of me in the same green dress as yesterday camouflaging with the grass. I thought maybe the king had already executed me at this point and this was some sort of weird fantasy that resulted after death. Because the eyes, face, and smile of the princess I recognized very well but….
"You… you really shaved your head."
"Yeah, did you expect me not to? Do I look like a coward to you?!?!"
"No, it's just…"
"Surely now I can come! Are you not at all impressed by my commitment? After all this time complaining how blah blah you'll get decapitated or whatever if someone recognizes me. Well there's no way anyone can recognize me now so that's no longer an excuse! Now you have to take me with you!"
"Princess…"
"What?! What is it Hu?! I did everything to circumvent the issues you stated previously! You have to take me with you, UNDERSTAND!?"
She leaned into me, angrily placing a finger on my chest..
"UNDERSTAND BUDDY?"
"..."
"..."
We stayed there in silence for a moment just glaring at each other. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore.
"Pfff… pfff… BWHAHAHAHAHAH YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS PRINCESS! BWHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!"
I couldn't help it, I really didn't think she would actually do it. Her head looked like a peeled potato. Though she didn't do the perfect job as some hairs still stuck out making her look even more ridiculous. It was so funny, I began rolling on the ground in laughter.
"Hey don't… grrr… Hu… Hu…"
She began to whimper, "I JUST REALLY WANT TO GO SOMEWHERE NEW, OKAY!"
"No no I know it's just… Bwhahahahahaha."
She rolled her eyes as I continued my uncontrollable laughter.
"Urgh… whatever, this means I can come with though, right?"
"What, uhhh…"
That's right, I still had to make the decision.
"My parents will ground me for months if they see me like this. I have to go. This means I can come now right?!" She said as I could see the pout begin to form under her potato head. I smiled then though. Despite the shock of the appearance change, it was still 100% her. 100% Princess Riko all the same. And sure, would there still be great risk bringing her along? Of course, but nothing good ever comes out of a life without some risk. Plus, I really couldn't say otherwise after such an effort.
"Alright… hop on Princess, we'll leave in 10 minutes."
Her face brightened up and her smile returned.
"Re… really?"
Disguise and all, she couldn't hide her infectious beauty even if she tried.
"Yes really. Ah, but actually you will need to get rid of one thing though." I reached for her dress. Even if it was a disguise, there was something else definitely off about her current appearance.
"Hey, where are you touching! Hu wait no, that part is sensitive."
*Squeal*
"Oranges? Really Princess?" I said, taking an orange out of her chest area.
"Hey, give that back!" The princess shrieked. Thanks to my height and reach advantage however, I just held the orange high so she couldn't reach it. "You said to disguise myself! This is part of my disguise!"
"It's fine enough as it is…" I said, still keeping the orange away from her. "No need to disguise that part of you. It's what gives you main character energy. I'm going to feed this to the horses."
"Urgh, whatever, let's just leave soon then." she said, taking the other orange out so her breasts returned to their more natural shape.
"Right."
We began walking into the wagon.
"Hey Hu?"
"Yeah?"
She turned to look at me.
"Do you only hang out with me because I'm pretty and earn you money?"
"Where did that come from?"
She sighed, getting into the front of the wagon next to where I would be navigating the horses.
"No reason, I just wanted to know. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
I smiled at that. After I finished feeding the horses, I untied them and got into the front of the wagon sitting next to the Princess.
"Well!?" She demanded, leaning into me as I did, "do you?"
"No," I said, as I whipped the horse beginning its movement on the road, "It's because Princess…"
"Call me Riko!" she said pouting, "I'm not a princess like this am I? So call me Riko!"
"Right, Riko."
I smiled looking down at her shiny head beaming from the sunlight.
"No, I think you have it wrong. I hang out with you and continue to do so now Riko… because you're the most interesting person I've ever met."