Tales From the Cave-Wally and the Magic Lamp

A Whole New World

Wally craned his neck to look up at Artemis, standing on her bedroom balcony, looking out onto the Timorian view.  He groaned in agony.  He had been trying to see Artemis all day, but she had refused to see him and insisted on staying in her room the whole time.  He would have visited her in there, but he had denied entry by the guards standing at her door, on strict orders from the Princess.

Even from a hundred feet above, Artemis looked so beautiful, her silken ensemble flowing in the soft evening breeze, the jewels on her skin glittering like the stars in the sky, her golden hair shining under the light of the moon.  Wally watched her stare up at the night sky for a few minutes, looking sad and forlorn, before slinking back into her bedroom.

He groaned and looked over at his friends.  Conner and Kaldur were deeply engaged in a game of chess. M'gann, Raquel and Zatanna were gossiping among themselves and admiring each's other's brand-new outfits. Roy was squatting in the corner, trying to get the smell of elephant poo out of his leather clothes.  Robin was at his usual post in a time of crisis—right beside his best friend.

Wally moaned, upset.  "What am I supposed to do?", he griped.  "How am I supposed to woo Artemis when she won't even let me talk to her?"  Robin shrugged his shoulders.  "Need I remind you, Wally, Artemis isn't one to fall for the usual tricks.  She's not the kind that melts in your hands if you give her flowers or compliments.  Getting her to fall for you us gonna be tricky."

Roy rolled his eyes as he got up onto his feet.  "We don't need a complicated plan!", he exclaimed.  "You're going about this all wrong!  You're not going to win her over with all this fancy-schmancy prince junk!  Tell her who you really are!"  "No way!", Wally shouted.  "Thanks, Roy, but the last time I listened to you, I blew my chance with Artemis!"

Wisp had been sitting on the bushes, watching the entire scene unfold before her.  "Actually, I have to side with Roy on this one.", she sat, floating over to hover at Wally's side.  "Why don't you just tell her the truth?"  Wally shook his head.  "If Artemis found out I was just some broke teenager who broke her heart all those years ago, she'd kick me right out of the palace!"

He took a deep breath.  "Okay, Wallman, you can do this.", he muttered to himself.  "You can pull this off.  You've just gotta be smooth.  Cool.  Confident!"  He smoothed down his red hair, dusted off his new clothes, and adjusted the golden crown perched atop of his head.  He smiled at his friends and struck a pose.  "How do I look?"  They exchanged forlorn expressions.  Robin sighed with a heavy heart.  "Like...a prince."

Grinning with esteem brimming over the top, Wally summoned the magic carpet to him.  He climbed on top, and it ascended into the air, above the treetops, above the palace walls, above the smaller marble-and-ivory towers, towards the balcony where the Princess chose to reside.
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High up, in the tallest tower of the palace, was where the Princess's bedroom sat.  It had the largest balcony ever seen, so that she could go out with her telescope and observe the moon and planets, or sit outside with a favorite book, enjoying the peace and quiet as she read, or even dance out underneath the stars, to the music of a thousand chirping crickets.

Tonight, however, the Princess had no reason to partake in her usual joyous activities.  The tall, wide doorway was covered with transparent silk curtains, dividing her room from the balcony.  She lay across on her favorite fainting couch, her head rested on the cushioned divans seated at the edge, serving as her pillows.  One hand gently stroking the head of her devoted Sultan, her broken heart having drained any energy she had to enjoy the wonderful view of the night sky through the see-through silks, the only thing separating her from the rest of the world.

"Princess Artemis?" She sat up at the sound of her name, her fighter instincts kicking in, preparing herself to duel any intruder who dared break into her home. "Who's there?" From behind the silk curtains, she could see a masculine figure climb over her balcony. "It-Its me. Prince William." She scowled as she rose to her feet and stormed onto her balcony, determined to send him packing. "What do you want?"