True Love's Kiss - Part 2

Previous Chapter - Part 1

True Love's Kiss - Part 2

“It would seem so,” Prince Kalristian replied with a bit of exasperation in his cultured voice. I remained with my rump planted firmly on the ground as I stared disbelievingly up at the prince as he shook the sleep from his body. He stood and stretched his lithe body one muscle at a time. I gaped at him, still not able to believe that my kiss had woken him up.

Finally, he turned to look at me and noticed I had not yet gotten up. “Do you plan on reclining on the floor all day?” Kalristian inquired politely. “Or shall we move our introductions to somewhere more comfortable?”

I flushed bright red and scrambled to my feet. “Sorry, ummm…wherever’s good.”

A look of mild irritation flitted across his features as he replied, “Then follow me and we shall search out," he paused, "wherever.”

He opened the door on the opposite side of the chamber and I scurried after him, only to slam into his back when he stopped right outside the door. There was a crowd of people in the ante-chamber and everyone from highest Lord to lowest servant was staring at Prince Kalristian. What little emotion I had seen from him thus far was instantly wiped from his face and a mask of haughty superiority fitted itself over his features.

Before anyone could speak, he turned to the nearest servant and spoke into the shocked silence, “We require a sitting room and light refreshments.”

The startled servant stammered out a, “Yes, Your Majesty” and turned to lead us down an adjoining hallway to the nearest sitting room, I assumed.

We sat in an awkward silence until the servant had left and returned with a tray of pastries and tea. When the door was firmly shut behind the servant with instructions that they not be disturbed, Prince Kalristian turned to me.

“He called me Your Majesty. Is my father the King dead then?” He asked in a clipped voice.

“Umm, yes. King Kalroran died 40 years ago. One year after that your brother, King Kalsirian, awoke. He ruled until ten years ago, when he was killed in a hunting accident. Since then we have been ruled by High Regent Silurianus.”

I stopped speaking as a brief look of shock passed over Prince Kalristian’s face, quickly replaced by his mask. He stiffly asked, “How long have I been asleep?”

I glanced around nervously. He had been asleep almost three times as long as any prince before him. “87 years, Your Majesty.”

At this his mask well and truly broke. He stood up quickly and paced to the window, as if to look out over the gardens. In the reflection from the glass, I watched as Prince Kalristian, now King I guess, gained mastery over his face once more and discreetly wiped a single tear from his pale cheek. When he finally turned back around he looked the part of an untouchable royalty once more.

He addressed me down the slope of his nose, “You obviously know who I am. Am I to know who you are?”

“Of course, Your Majesty.” I hastily sketched a courtly bow to best of my country abilities. “My name is Bierni Nalorna of Sasharin. Everyone calls me Be, though. But, uhh, you can call me whatever you want to.”

“And what is it that you do in the illustrious province of Sasharin, Master Bierni?”

He said it with such condescension that I could not help but loose the polite awe I had been trapped in up until now. “I am head of the Blacksmith’s guild,” I said with all the pride I could muster. I had worked hard to get where I was and I was good at what I did.

He was barely able to hold back a sneer and I lost my temper. “You know what, I don’t believe in this true love magic crap. I only came because my sister wanted to try breaking the curse. No wonder you were asleep so long. You’re such a prick no one could ever fall in love with you.” I was yelling by the end of my little speech.

He replied with perfect control and did not raise his voice even one decibel. “And what would some back country blacksmith from Sasharin know about magic anyway. You think I was happy to wake up and see your pathetic commoner face staring back at me.”

“Fine then, you won’t have to look it for another minute. You can go to the bloody hells for all I care.” I grated out in an angry voice before I stalked out of the room and slammed the door behind me.

I stomped down the hallway to find Mils and get out of there but, before I made it ten feet, I was surrounded by the castle guard. It seemed no matter the protest I made, I was not allowed to leave. They dragged me to suite of rooms, threw me in, and locked the door behind themselves.

I yelled at the top of my voice and banged on the door until I had no voice and my fists were bruised. And still no one came. I finally gave up, sliding to the floor beside the door and leaning against the wall, I looked around my ornate prison and cursed the day that bard had come to my village. True love, my ass. More like eternal hated.

To be continued…


Next Chapter - Part 3