Once he had been shown around the castle, the King and two of his guards showed him to his room. A single candle was ablaze on top of a tall dresser, the sun pouring in through a big window. He stepped in and saw that the wooden floors didn’t creak as he slowly advanced into his room, unsure if this was supposed to be a trap or not. He went over to the window and looked at the scenery before him, which was of the magnificent forest he had come to admire. The trees swayed slowly in the calm wind, going this way and that way ever so gracefully. He watched blue jays and cardinals flying around nonchalantly, without a care in the world.
He turned to the King, who was smiling as he crossed his arms. “Is this a trap?”
King Erek laughed, dropping his arms and walking towards him. “Visitor or not, our guests get the best. Rest up, because tomorrow you start your training.”
“Yes sir,” Daniel said, bowing his head.
Erek leaned in and whispered in his ear. “Remember, it’s Your Majesty. Don’t worry. It takes some time transitioning.”
Daniel cleared his throat before saying, “Yes, Your Majesty.”
As the king was leaving, his daughter appeared at the entrance and smiled at her father. When the King nodded his head in acknowledgment, she returned the gesture. “May I enter?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” He was confused as to what to say or do. Part of him was telling him to bow; the other was telling him not to make a fool out of himself and instead wait to be told. What do I do?
The princess smiled widely, taking a step closer. “You don’t have to do that with me. I’m your princess, nothing more or less than that. When we’re out in public however, just address me as Your Highness.”
“Yes…Your Highness.” His heart began to thump as she smiled, taking another step closer to him. He felt a tingle in his body that flooded through him, a sensation he had never felt before, not even with…
“How are you liking Varin?” the princess asked as she sat on his bed.
Daniel tried not making eye contact. Why is she in my room? Still, just play along. He looked down at the floor as he moved past her. “I…I’m liking it…so far.”
“If you like what’s inside the walls, you’re going to love the outside. It’s beautiful, majestic, exuberant. Too many words come to my head when I think about it.” The princess got up and walked over to the window, letting out a sigh. Her silver crown glistened in the sun’s beams as it rays shone through the window. The jeweled prongs that jutted out from the curve twinkled in its light.
“You’ll have to show me one day,” Daniel said with an awkward smile, staying rooted to where he was at.
Princess Anya stood up and stood so close to him, he could smell the wild strawberry scent of her hair. “I keep my promises, Daniel Gates. Complete your training and I promise to take you out beyond the wall.”
“How do I know you’re not saying that to trick me? With all due respect Princess, I don’t know you. I have never met you a day in my life. Why should I take your word for it?” Daniel wanted to trust her, but he was hesitant. He didn’t know if he should or not, and it was making him upset. There was a knock on the door and they broke apart quickly. It was Balisnor who had walked in on them. Daniel’s anger took its natural course at the sight of the Chief Bodyguard. They eyed each other menacingly for a brief moment before Balisnor turned to the Princess and asked, “My Lady, are you alright?”
The princess fixed herself up and smoothed out her dress. “I’m fine Balisnor, thank you. I was just telling him good luck with his training tomorrow.”
Daniel went over to his table where his pitcher of water was and poured himself a glass, choosing to be oblivious to their conversation simply for the sheer fact not to hear Balisnor’s voice. It was toward the end of their talk that he decided to hear what was being said.
“Your father would like to see you, My Lady, hence why I’m here.”
“Very well.” She looked Daniel in the eye once more and whispered, “Good luck. I will be watching.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
When she had left and was out of earshot, Balisnor walked in and said, “You start training tomorrow. You need to focus and get out of your head anything that may hinder your performance. Can you do that for me?”
“Yes sir.”
Daniel couldn’t help but think about the obvious. To be asked to put that in the back of his head and focus solely on this training Balisnor spoke of, was hard for him to do. Yet he knew he had to try not for his sake, or even the Princess, but for his family. Well, his decoy family. He balled up his fists and tried to recollect himself as a swarm of emotions ran his way, trying to take turns in torturing him. Balisnor, in seeing the torment in his student’s eyes, said, “I know what troubles you, but you need to know they made the right decision in bringing you here.”
How does he know what troubles me? He hasn’t walked in my shoes! He doesn’t know the pain of hearing that the family he grew up with since he was a toddler isn’t actually his family! What does he know about pain? Loss? Not being able to find your identity and where you stand in this world?
He bottled this raw anger and took a deep breath before replying to Balisnor. “That’s not what I’m upset about Balisnor. It’s the fact that my real parents just might be here and I don’t have a fathom of an idea where to start looking. Of where I can get the answers to the questions that haunt me day in and day out since finding out the family I once knew, isn’t my real mother or father. So, the sooner we start and I learn what you want me to learn, the sooner I can get out of these walls and seek what’s been awaiting me all this time.”
“Make a name for yourself and I promise you, they will hear about you and come. Put all that worry to rest and show us what you got.”
He smiled and, in return, Daniel smiled back. “Yes sir.”
Balisnor went to the door, then turned around as if he had forgotten something. “I suggest you keep your relationship with the princess secretive. You have a lot to show Erek before he even allows you to be with her alone. Keep it professional when out and about. What you two do behind closed doors is none of my business.”
Daniel nodded to Balisnor to let him know he understood before the big guy made his way out, leaving Daniel to his lonesome. He dug in his pocket and retrieved a square piece of parchment. When he had opened it, his eyes filled with tears as they set upon a picture of Mary and him smiling widely for the camera, cheek to cheek.
Almost immediately, both depression and grief set in, bringing him into that dark atmosphere he thought he had ridden himself of. The same picture he had retrieved from her locker was the same that he held here and now. He wiped his eyes as that warm smile touched him once more. “I miss you,” he said to her, his hands shaking. “I don’t know how I keep pushing myself to go on. Some days are worse than others.” His lip quivered as he dug out the ring. “You remember this? How happy you were? How happy we were? I wish I could join you, so we could be together again. This pain is just too much for me to take. I know you would want me to keep going. I get it. I just need to feel you again, to talk with you just one last time.” He lay on his bed with his hands outstretched and examined it until his eyes grew heavy and he couldn’t stay awake no longer. When he had felt the urge to sleep, he took off his shoes and placed the picture next to his bed before getting in the covers and dozing off. I love you, Mary.