I Am Not Cinderella

Chapter 6

Arthur felt self conscious as Barrie watched him as he took off his clothes. She looked at him like he was some insect she was studying. It was very unnerving. He turned and glared at her when he was undressed. Her eyes flicked over his body before she grinned at him.

"Are you finished staring at me?"

Barrie giggled. "Relax Arthur. I may be a Princess, but that doesn't mean that I haven't seen a naked boy before."

"Even if you have please don't stare at me like that. It makes me very uncomfortable."

Barrie laughed and her clothes came off in a flurry. Arthur caught her just before she threw herself into the river. Barrie gave him a look which would have made her mother, the Queen, proud.

"There better be a good reason why you stopped me from jumping in the river."

Arthur let go of her and threw his hands in the air. "If you want to drown go right ahead." When Barrie didn't move he motioned for her to jump in the river. He snorted when she didn't move.

"Are you done throwing a Princess fit?"

Barrie's glare evened out and she looked away from him. "Yes," she murmured softly.

"Good, now were going to start this slowly. We'll stay in the shallows till you're comfortable with venturing farther out in the river."

"When will I learn to swim?"

Arthur ruffled her hair as he pulled her towards the waters edge. "When we're able to sneak away to the lake without being caught."

Barrie pouted, but soon was squealing at the feel of water upon her bare feet and legs. She jumped like someone had stuck her with a pin. Arthur caught her before she fell in the river. He set her back upright and tried again on drawing her into the river.

Several hours later Arthur and Barrie were sunning themselves in a bend of the river that was far removed from humans. Their clothes lay hung over tree branches to keep them from getting wrinkled. The sun was warm upon their skin and neither cared that they were nude. Nudity is something that children do not worry about.

"Arthur?" Barrie asked in a voice that was devoid of any royal mark.

"Hm," Arthur said as he closed his eyes and savored the cool breeze that blew across his skin.

"When we're older, will you still be friends with me?"

Arthur opened his eyes and looked at Barrie. He found Barrie staring at him with an earnest look upon her face. Arthur didn't want to let her down so he said what she wanted to hear. "I'm not one to have friends Barrie, but I'll be your friend when we're older."

Barrie sat up and scooted closer to him. Arthur sat part way up and leaned back as she got real close to him. Her face was less than two inches from his face. "Promise."

The yearning Barrie's voice made Arthur squirm. "I promise Barrie."

Barrie threw her arms around Arthur knocking him flat. She sat back and looked down at Arthur as he sat back up. Her hair was long enough to fall over her shoulders and cover her non-existent bosom from his eye. She rested on her knees with her hands folded daintily in her lap. Her eyes shown with happiness.

"I promise Arthur that when I am Queen I will reward you greatly for your kindness."

Arthur stood up and started collecting his clothes. "You don't have to reward me for anything Barrie. Just be my friend like I'll be your friend."

Barrie nodded her head and scrambled to her feet. "I can do that."

They both scrambled to get dressed. Barrie looked uneasily at the sky which was beginning to darken. Angry clouds were starting to roll in and the wind was picking up. Arthur peered up at the sky. "If we run we'll make it before it storms."

"How can you tell?"

Arthur pointed at the sky and explained how to tell the difference between a storm that'll bring rain and one that won't. Barrie nodded and jumped as a bright fork of lightning flashed across the sky. She darted off like a rabbit when thunder boomed across the sky. Arthur ran after her keeping pace with her and guiding her as they raced for the palace.

They reached the palace just as it started to rain. Arthur saw Barrie to the door before he headed for the blacksmiths shop. By the time he got there he was soaked to the bone. He shook himself off when he got inside the hot forge. Master Ballard looked up before he pointed to the fire.

"Get over there and tend to the fire boy," Master Ballard growled at him.

"Yes Master," Arthur said as he got busy tending the fire. "He failed to see the gruff smile Ballard wore on his face as he watched Arthur get to work. He shook his head as he remembered how he was when he first noticed what a girl was. Arthur and his master worked long into the night. The only sounds echoing around them were the sounds of a roaring fire, the pounding of metal on metal, and the deep rolling boom of thunder.