Fallen Kingdom ✔️

Final Rounds

I was looking through Moira when I ran into Jovsin. He was looking around, almost terrified. "Brother, what's wrong?"

"Rathelia is missing. I cannot find her anywhere. I've been looking through building after building."

"Prince Bowen has been off alone for a while as well. His brother came back to the castle, but not him. I must admit it does worry me."

Jovsin sat down, hands covering his face. "Dear sister, I believe I have done something wrong."

I sat next to him. "Tell me. I shall help any way I can."

"It's Rathelia. We used to speak a lot, I'd be learning to fight in the yard while she practiced her magic. We were the best of friends. I didn't care that she wasn't of royal blood. I loved her just the same. Now, she doesn't even look at me. She spends most of her time watching Prince Bowen. I feel like I have made a mistake."

"I don't think it's your fault, Jovsin. I believe that it's been a long time and she needs time to know you once again. We've all been changed by the seven year gap. By what happened that day. What we need to do is focus on the task at hand."

"I love her, sister. I lasted this long by thinking about her smile. Her laugh. Her. There is nothing I wanted more than to marry her when Irseval was dead."

"I know how you feel. Believe me, I do. The confusion of knowing someone your whole life only for everything to change in a moment. This is no time to be confused by emotions though. Now is the time to be thinking about getting out Kingdom back. Not only that but to protect Servania too! Weather it's Rolande who becomes king there with Princess Lolana or if it's Prince Bowen, there will be change and there will be a wonderful, strong king in power who knows what's right and what's wrong. Svenon is angry about what happened, but once we regain our home, we will put everything back to the way it was and mourn mother and father properly. They were great rulers. I will be sure there is an alliance between Wyverna and Servania again, even if Svenon doesn't like it. I have been making the plans in my head for a while. We can make a path between the two kingdoms and become one."

"And how will that happen if Rolande doesn't marry Princess Lolana? We only have one sister."

"Oh, that's easy. Prince Bowen and I are friends. We'll make a pact to become one kingdom like father and the King of Servania did. This time I know it will be true. I don't even know why I'm thinking about this so much. There's no time. I should be thinking about how we are going to kill the immortal Irseval."

I heard a noise from right in front of me. "Ahem." It was Prince George standing there. "Am I bothering you?"

"Not at all. Would you like to sit with us?"

"Of course, Princess. I have a question for you, about seven years ago."

"Yes?"

He sighed. "When my brother was called inside, and I found you in that bush in the winter, nearly frozen solid, you said something. I have always wondered why you are so against marriage and love?"

"There is no time for that when Irseval is ruling my kingdom after he murdered my parents."

He laughed. "And after? What do you do then? Live a life alone? You are nearly an adult and haven't been engaged to someone yet."

"Why can't there just be love? Why must a royal marry another royal? There is nothing wrong with Striker, I just don't believe there's anything there. He has liked me for years before the fallen kingdom and I have never felt anything more back. I think I enjoyed being just a stable girl. People fake feelings for those in power as they want power as well. Seeing someone in a new light, maybe that's a good thing. Maybe that's how you find love. Mother used to tell me that she thought she would be alone forever, especially after her parents perished. She thought she would along with her parents as well, until father came along. At first, she didn't know him as a prince. Only as Arion. The young man who rode his horse like he were to deliver messages every day. She thought he was just a plain old man with charisma who found a lonely young woman in need of help. She had no feelings for him at first, but among their travels to Wyverna, they fell in love, neither knowing the other one was of royal decent. They loved each other for who they were. The reason why I hate titles so much. I'd rather get to know the person than the name. The things you can see behind closed walls are incredible. My closed walls say a lot, and what it says about me, is something I am proud of. My actions speak for me, not my title. I agree with mother and I always have. I'd rather be surrounded by those who care for me and I care for then living a lonely life in a fake love."

Jovsin smiled. "You'd rather live your life alone then have to marry someone you don't want to?"

"Yes. If I loved someone, theoretically, I would give up being a princess for them. I would be a commoner again and live my life to the fullest, helping anyone I could."

"So, you're saying you'd rather be a stable girl than a queen?" Prince George asked.

"Well, in your kingdom, yes. I don't like how your kingdom is set. In my kingdom, being queen and being a stable girl are the same thing. I've been teaching Prince Bowen how to survive without the cushioning of his castle. It's been a struggle, but he's been learning fast. On his second day, he was already cooking. This experience has caused him to want to change his kingdom for the better. He's changed very little since he was young, but the changes he has made have been great ones."

Jovsin put a hand on my shoulder. "I can see why he came to rescue you. He didn't see a princess in need, he saw a friend doing something stupidly heroic. He wanted to protect the girl who saved his life."

"The girl who saved his life multiple times and who he wouldn't have survived a day without. I thought he was a royal pain at first, but I'm starting to see that he is a good friend with true meaning to this quest. I couldn't have been happier to have been a part of this. If you spot Bowen, please let him know that I've gone to bed early. It will be a long day tomorrow and I don't want to miss a thing."