Chapter 23

"What is it?"

"Before I can help you, you must complete a task for me."

"Anything." I kneeled to the great creature and lowered my head.

I woke up with an anxious jolt.

"What's wrong?" A soft hand touched my shoulder. I opened my eyes. I was in a massive bed, wrapped in the finest silk sheets. The soft hand belonged to Mavis.

I pulled down my shirt and frantically felt for my chest. The infected wound was gone. I was completely healed.

I jumped out of bed in a cold sweat. I was in my bed, in my kingdom.

"Zander, you're frightening me. What's wrong?" She said.

I looked down at her. Her hair was long and silky. She was wearing a nightgown as white as snow.

"W-where is Daniel?" I asked her.

She squinted her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Who is Daniel?" She pushed the sheets back and rose from the soft bed.

"He's. A guard." I said.

"If he is a palace guard I am sure he's around here somewhere. What's all this about? Did you have a bad dream?" She asked.

I pulled the doors back, giving myself access to the balcony. I marched over to the edge to see into the front courtyard. I was in Lafayette. I was at home. It looked just as I had remembered it. The weather was perfect; not a cloud in the sky.

She put her hand on my shoulder and pulled me in. She wrapped her arms around my neck and yanked me towards her. I felt her leg brush up against mine. A lump formed in my throat.

"Mavis. Are we. Are we in Lafayette?" I asked.

"Of course we are. Are you feeling alright? You are rather cold." She moved her hands down to mine, giving my arm a massage on her way down. I pulled away at the discomfort of her intimate touch.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Maybe it was all just a bad dream." I said.

"Let's go back to bed, then." She gave me a kiss right on the lips. My eyes didn't shut, in shock of her actions. It was completely out of place for her.

I laid back down next to her. She inserted herself into my arms. When she fell asleep, I inched off the bed, careful not to wake her.

I got up and crept out of our bed chambers. There were no guards watching our doors. Everything was unsettlingly peaceful. What had happened? Perhaps the war was all a dream? Perhaps Samuel had never existed?

I found one guard patrolling the wing. I approached him. He bowed to me. I had almost forgotten of my renewed status.

"Your majesty." He greeted me.

"Hello, are my. Parents here?" I asked.

"Of course. But I am sure they are fast asleep, it is late. Is something wrong?' He asked.

"No, nothing. Goodnight."

I returned to the bed. Perhaps the reality I was experiencing was a dream. The only way to truly find out was to return to sleep. I crawled back in bed with Mavis and squeezed my eyes shut.

I woke up the next day. I felt the sheets. They were still silk. Mavis was sitting at her vanity.

"It's about time you decided to wake up. It's almost afternoon." She said. She stood up to stand over the bed. Her tiara was decorated in diamonds, her dress matched the same purple of the Lafayette banner.

"Sorry. I must've been really tired." I said, rubbing my eyes.

"You better get up. It's almost lunch time. And we have to pack."

"Pack?" I asked.

"You don't remember? We are going to visit my parents."

"Oh, yeah. I knew that." I lied.

"You really can be foolish sometimes, can't you? Now come on! Get dressed." She said.

I threw on clothes and looked in the mirror. I was clean. There were no cuts or bruises, or any sign of a physical journey.

My parents were already seated when I made my way down to the dining room.

"Zander! My darling boy!" My mother stood up to greet me. She kissed my cheeks.

"Mother. You're here." I said, putting my arms around her in a firm hug.

"Of course I am, where else would I be?" She said.

"Are you feeling alright, my boy?" My father asked.

"His hands have been cold since last night." Mavis spoke up as she joined them at the table.

"I hope you aren't getting sick! I will call for the doctor." My mother said.

"I'm alright. I promise."

We ate a large meal filled with a variety of different meats, vegetables, and fruits. My stomach hadn't been that filled in a long time, I thought. Or perhaps it had. My father was politely chatting with my mother and Mavis.

"What of the war?" I spoke up, ending the endearing conversation of theirs.

"War? What war?" My father raised his eyebrows at me.

"The war with Vendov." I asked, hoping someone would give me something to understand my surroundings.

"Honey, there hasn't been a war for a long time." Mavis said, touching my hand. I jerked it away.

"She's right, dear." My mother said.

My mind felt split in half, like a log being split in two. It felt like I had lived through two different experiences. Neither lives being a dream.

"I think I should get some fresh air." I stood up from the table and excused myself.

I walked around outside in the courtyard. Everything was bright and full of life. There was no war. No orphans dying. No soldiers leaving their families just to die in battle. No starving people in our land. Perhaps even if the reality I was in was a dream, I would willingly stay. Life seemed easier. My parents were alive; I wasn't living in the shadows of my own mistakes.

Another guard had passed by me. They had stopped to bow to me.

"Your majesty." He said The voice sounded familiar.

"Will you remove your helmet?" I asked him. He did as I commanded. It was the rugged face of Daniel.

"Is something wrong? Have I done something wrong?" He asked timidly.

"No, not at all. Daniel, right?" I asked.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"Well, as prince I make a point to know the names of the knight's protecting me." I lied.

"It is an honor for you to know my name, your grace." He bowed his head once more.

"Daniel, do you have any children?" I asked him.

He shook his head.

"I'm afraid not. I haven't been lucky enough for such things." He said, keeping his head bowed.

"Thank you, Daniel." I said, allowing him to leave.

"I pray you and princess Mavis have a good journey tomorrow." He finished.

Perhaps arriving at Belmonte is what I needed to find out which world was real. Maybe there would be something there that would help me sort my mind out.

I packed lightly, only a satchel full.

"Is that all you are bringing?" Mavis asked.

"Yes. I don't need much."

"Zander, it's our wedding anniversary party. You need to bring a crown at least. Hurry, the carriage awaits." She said.

I slipped a gold crown on my head. It felt heavier than I remembered. I followed her down to where we were greeted by guards and servants. My parents were there to say farewell.

They both hugged me. I appreciated their embrace so much more than I ever had before.

"Goodbye." I said.

"Don't worry too much, son. It'll only be for a week or so." My mother said. She grabbed my arm.

"Your arms are getting cold, too. You must see a doctor when you get to Belmonte, promise me." My mother said.

"Alright, mother. I promise."

Mavis and I hopped into our carriage. Guards on horses surrounded us as we began the journey to Mavis's home. She wrapped her hand around my cold arm.

"The cold is spreading. Let me warm you up." She said.

I jerked away and pulled up my coat

"That's alright. That's what this is for." I said.

"Zander, you have been nothing but odd since you had that nightmare the other night. You're so distant."

"And you're so..Close."

"That's how we've always been. Even when we were young." She put her hand over mine.

I had no idea what she was talking about. We had never imagined each other as anything more than friends, even as husband and wife. That I was sure of. No matter what world we were in, I had never been interested in her, nor had she been in me.

She inhaled heavily.

"Zander, please. Let's try-."

The carriage suddenly flipped on its side. We heard the guards yell and the horses begin to whinney and kick. Mavis flew on top of me as we landed sideways.

"What's going on?" She panicked.

"I don't know. We need to go out and check." I removed her from my side and stood up, pushing the door open. I stepped out of the lopsided carriage. My guards were being attacked.

"Is there a sword somewhere?" I asked Mavis.

"I don't see one!" She said.

I watched a man single handedly take down the guards without a single golden hair out of place. He knocked another guard to the ground to look up at me.

"Hello, Princey."