Reina: Return of the Princess (*COMPLETE*)

Chapter Twenty-One

Corinne hadn't had a moment to herself to let everything sink in. After Gavin dropped her off to her bedroom, she threw herself on to her elaborate silk bedding and let the tears flow. She had done it. She had survived. Gavin and Bria were alive. Calix would live. She missed the Harrisons. She missed Earth. She was magical and could control the weather and the elements. She had just met her biological family. It was all too much and she was exhausted. She needed some time to collect herself.

First, she was going to change out of her clothes and take a long bath. She had a handful of attentive servants waiting to help her, but she shooed them away. She didn't need help giving herself a bath.

How odd that they wanted to wash me? Gross.

It felt so good to lay in the warm water. Bruises from all of her near death experiences, covered her body. That thought led her to Calix. She thought of his face, and blushed. He was so handsome, even covered in dirt. It was amazing to see his body transform back into his striking figure. She had caught herself looking at him differently the last week they were together. She appreciated him so much more, and loved spending time with him. Even when he was being ridiculous, she still liked him paying attention to her and listening to her talk. They had some amazing talks, and she found him quite fascinating.

She started to think of the castle and her family and realized she needed to spend more time with them and get to know them better. It was a wonderful feeling to see her parents again.

Corinne hurried and washed her hair, and climbed out of the tub. She wanted to slip into something comfortable for the day, like maybe some sweats or something. All that was hanging in her closet were long poofy dresses. "So much for comfortable" She said out loud. She grabbed the purple dress that at least had some velvet on it and put it on.

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Corinne was not allowed to see Bria yet. She was still being taken care of in the medical room so she tried to familiarize herself with her kingdom. The people in Brimsdelle were all so interesting. They wore their hair in unusual styles. The girls tended to have really long hair, and would have intricate braids throughout their hair. If they left their hair down, it would be in loose curls with half of it pinned up. The girls, of course, wore dresses. They were all very feminine. This whole world was very feminine. The boy's hairstyle was somewhat long, almost shaggy. It was kept a little below their ears in loose waves or pulled back into a ponytail. The young men wore long shirts and long brown pants that fit into their boots. They wore vests over their rolled-up-sleeved shirts, with a belt and sheath to hold a sword. The older men kept their hair perfectly cut and wore royal robes. They were very well put-together. Corinne felt somewhat self-conscious because she definitely stood out from the crowd with her hair pulled back into a ponytail like the boys.

Corinne walked down the marble staircase into the corridor of the palace, lost in thought and hoping she would be able to find her way out of the castle to meet her family. Calix was being escorted into a large room by four large Siri guards.

"Corinne!" Calix said.

One of the guards tightened his grip on Calix's arm and corrected him, "Young man, you will bow and address Princess Reina as Your Highness."

Awkwardly, Corinne tried to shoo the guards away with her hand and said, "Oh no, no, no, that won't be necessa...." But, she was too late.

Calix bent over in a magnificent low bow and said, "Excuse me, Your Highness."

Er- You didn't have to do that. You are just as much a royal as I am."

Trying to think of something else to say, nothing came to mind. After a long pause she simply said, "Well, I'm just about to go and have a picnic with my family, and I better get on my way."