Chapter 29: Not Just a Princess

The Princess stares with humor all over her face as the Prince struggles to extricate himself from the vines that were entangled in all sorts of ways on his whole body.

The Princess does not even move an inch from where she is standing. She finds it very amusing for a strong fairy like him to be having difficulty. Or maybe...he is just pretending to humor her.
            
"Do you need my help now?"

She asks the Prince mockingly. She stays put where she is standing gauging how long the Prince will withstand not seeking her help.

After a few minutes, the Prince raises his hands as a sign of defeat. He turns to the Princess with a pleading look.

"Please a little help here my Princess."

He tries to charm her with his bright smile.
            
Finally, with an easy flick of her finger, the Princess loosens the vines. She gives a little giggle knowing that she has proven a point.
            
"Thank you my Princess. I was just kidding when I said that a Princess like you should not be so involve in matters of battle or conflicts."

The Prince is truly apologetic.
            
"I am your Prince, so you need not worry yourself on these things."

He adds with a little more gentleness in his voice, in case the Princess decides to prove something again.
            
"My Prince, you know I love you with all of my heart and I will support you in your decisions when you become king. However, I would like you to keep in mind that I am not just a Princess."
            
"When things get rough, I would be at your side in your battles! I would be your Queen after all. No one wants a weak queen."
            
"Our people might be nurturing because it is in our nature but I could also be strong if our realm is threatened."

The Princess ends her discourse full of pride in her tone.
           
She makes another movement with her index finger then a green flower appears on her palms. She tucks it behind her ear.
            
The Prince observes his Princess and he grins. She is becoming more and more like a queen in her views.
            
"You are really admirable."

The Prince walks towards his Princess.

"Come my love, let us see your King Father and find out if he agrees with your ideas."

The Prince replies teasingly as he takes his Princess' hand and leads her to the Great Hall.
            
The Princess turns around with a swift movement and throws her dagger to the direction of a nearby tree.

The Prince and the Princess laugh at the same time.

Queen Alina smiles as she recalls her moments as a Princess, with her Prince Merlion.

He has always told her that she reminds him of his younger sister. Merlion has been so fond of his sister but chooses to spend time with her at the Green Haven more than his own realm. He was soon to be King of the Blue Haven but he has preferred to be with her here.
            
The Queen glances at her sleeping daughter. She smiles.

She still cannot believe that after what seems like eternity of anguish and longing, her daughter is just right beside her on her bed right now.

She gently strokes her daughter's hair. She becomes emotional again of the thought that her princess grew up not being with her mother. She tries to imagine how her daughter was when she was growing up. Maybe she is as stubborn as her too.
            
Queen Alina sighs deeply and stands. She goes to the wide open window and sits by the window sill.
The sun is slowly rising. She marvels over such wondrous blessings that nature possesses. As the Earth Fairy Queen, she is responsible to keep the beauty of this world as it is.
            
"Mother?"

Princess Aria sits up so suddenly. Her face is filled with anxiety. She stands from the canopy bed and rushes to her mother's side. She embraces her tightly without a word.
            
"Are you alright my child?"

The Queen questions her Princess, as she strokes her hair once more.
            
"I had the same recurring dream when I was still a child. I was a baby in a basket and I felt suffocated."

Princess Aria responds quickly, a bit calmer now.
            
"I am sorry my Princess, we made the decision to hide you for your safety. Your father and I would not know what we would do if the Dark fairy got his hands on you."

The Queen explains but sounding apologetic. Somehow, Queen Alina feels responsible for these alarming dreams of her daughter. Letting her go then seems a very terrible mistake.
            
"Mother, why is the Dark fairy like that? Why does he have so much hatred in him? What happened to him to fill his heart with so much anger?"

Princess Aria tries to make sense of it all.
            
The Queen is a little surprise by her daughter's questions. However, Aria is of their world and knowing about the Dark fairy is part of being a fairy.
           
Queen Alina guesses that maybe her daughter is starting to think like the true Princess of their realm now. She would like to understand why all these events are taking place.

"My darling, so much has happened even before you were born and there are times, love can turn to hatred."

"This can make any of us lose our way. Fairies go through that, not just humans." The words of the Queen still seems a puzzle to the Princess.
            
"We are hoping that we can still save Alirion from the darkness surrounding him but we fear he would not like our help."

Queen Alina declares with grave sadness.
            
The Queen stands unexpectedly and pulls her daughter with her.
            
"Come Arianna...I have something to show you."

The Queen steps on the window sill. She looks at Arianna and climbs through the open window. She motions for her daughter to follow.
            
Princess Arianna comes through the window but not as effortlessly as her Queen Mother. She needs more getting used to moving around wearing dresses like this.
            
Princess Aria gazes at where they are standing. It is another inner garden just like the one where she had her heart-breaking moment with Caspian. She frowns from the memory and tries to recover from it immediately.
            
Her Queen Mother walks a few paces to a small willow at the center of the garden. From a branch, she retrieves two daggers.

She returns to where Aria stands and then faces the willow. She takes aim and throws both daggers simultaneously. Both daggers hit the center of the trunk of the willow tree.
            
Princess Aria gawks in admiration. She never suspected that her Queen Mother has such a precise aim.
            
"It was Melandra who trained me. We were close since we were young. She has the skill of a true ranger even then and I was meant to be the Queen." Queen Alina scowls at the memory of her friend and protector.
            
"She taught me to be more than just a Princess. We both believe that even our destinies cannot dictate everything that we want to be. I know I have my responsibilities as a Queen but I also know I can be more than just a royalty to be protected."

She continues to explain.
            
"Mother, I wish to be like you. I would like to be brave too. Can you train me to be the right Princess for our realm?"

Princess Aria stares at her mother in anticipation.
            
"I will my daughter. I promised myself that I cannot be helpless. I owe it to my friend and to our people."

Queen Alina says in agreement.
            
Princess Aria walks towards the tree to reclaim the two daggers her mother just threw a while ago. She smiles in excitement.
            
"I am ready now."
            
Queen Alina gazes at her daughter with so much admiration.