SAVING THE DAMSEL

Chapter 2 The Idiots

Victor muted her.

A shrill narrator dumped worthless information that the villagers and townsfolk didn't want to hear. "Though there is gossip that Petunia is Victor's youngest daughter, it isn't true. Nor did she freeze her eggs, but she used magic to birth her lovely princess."

Prince Thackeray's muscles peaked through his pressed silk shirt, strawberry-colored lips smiled underneath his trimmed beard, and his dark hair contrasted with his brother's mop of blond strands.

"Prince Victor didn't need a crown of silver decorated with gems, but he wore one," the narrator said. "But he needs to shave."

"Will you shut up!" Thackeray cracked his knuckles. "Blackstone is missing, and we need to find him."

Victor spoke to the audience. "We live inside our amazing protective dome. She shelters us, and my son is missing. He was Wendy's closest friend. Don't do it for me. Do it for our beloved Wendy." His mouth transformed into a hard and furious slit.

"All of this is because of mistakes I made, which caused people to misinterpret the oracle books." Queen Izz lowered her head. "The royal elders are going to choose Dex to replace me and establish his line as the only real one. Since I haven't adopted an heir, and they won't accept my sweet son, Alva, my line will die with me."

Victor blurted. "It was supposed to be Griffin. He's a royal Lower Labradorite shifter. The elders promised."

Queen Izz spoke. "The elders had no choice; the oracle book chooses who the royal title goes to, and I accidentally altered it with my actions."

The broadcast went to a commercial break.

Monday: The Glass Heart Kingdom:

Florence played hopscotch and sang about true love and helping others. She carried rocks for villagers and fixed their windows.

"Shouldn't you be in church?" An elderly man struggled to carry the feed for his unicorn. His leather skin tanned underneath the artificial sun.

"Home service ended hours ago, and the townspeople have to rebuild after the war. Do you need help?" Florence asked.

"A little." The man grinned sheepishly.

She grabbed the massive bag and carried it.

Attractive women sighed as Prince Thackeray passed them by. He waved at the fake sky and the dome above his head.

The old man brushed his unicorn's mane. "Do the girls that want to be rescued by a man bother you?" he asked Florence.

"No, it's okay to be rescued or do the rescuing. It's not sinful to ask or even to beg for help." Florence skipped around the street.

A dairyman lost control of his unicorns, and three milk bottles shattered. He tipped his hat. "Hi, babe."

Florence ignored him and kept walking.

Her suitor trotted after her. "Our next date will be better." He felt her arm.

Florence flung him off. "Sorry, I need to leave."

The dairyman winked at the dome. He attempted to shimmy but lost control of his reins. "Hey, Wendy, how about you and me get together?"

Thackeray rushed back. "Leave her alone!" He waved at Wendy again.

The dairy man's unicorns pulled the man in the direction of the closest alehouse.

Wendy cried, and rain fell.

He hugged the side of her dome, and he wept, too. Thackeray then left.

Wendy stopped crying and dried off Florence with warm, filtered sun. "I'm worried about my best friend."