Nathaniel's POV
"Well, Vega wouldn't have come back if she didn't need our help. I mean, we captured her."
"What if her army is hiding in the trees? Waiting to pounce?"
"Talia, you know her the best. What about you?"
"I don't know her." Talia repeated with gritted teeth.
I was watching over Vega, who seemed out of it. She was playing with a ball of light that she had conjured.
"Lux Crystalli," she shouted. Another ball of light appeared in her other hand.
She handed one to me, and I must admit, I enjoyed bouncing it between my hands before it finally clattered to the ground and burst into a bunch of glitter.
"Nathaniel, are you okay?" Iris asked, her hand on my shoulder surprising me.
"Of course,"
"Vega, do you know where the castle of Black Knight is?"
"Unfortunately, I don't." she frowned.
"We should check out the surviving knight of Ephedia."
"He's in Borealis, right?"
"Yep."
"We should get going, then."
"I'm coming with you."
...
After at least several hours:
Talia demanded that she be in charge of navigating, so naturally, we let her.
We regretted our decision.
"Are we there yet?" Auriana groaned.
The sun in Borealis was pretty hot, for a kingdom in the middle of the sea. Dawn had already thrown up twice when we were on the boat. And we thought Chandler had diarrhea.
"I'm sure we're almost there soon." Talia reassured her.
"That's what you said ten minutes ago!" Auriana complained.
"The castle's right here!' Lyna shouted, pointing to an aqua blue castle in the heart of the kingdom.
"Oh, thank goodness!" Iris smiled in relief.
Talia glared at her playfully.
Vega didn't seem to mind.
"So, Vega, what are you the princess of?" Lev sank into a chair and relaxed.
"Light." she grinned, flashing a playful smile.
"Naturally." I muttered.
"Queen Virdi! King Cinis!" a villager called.
A man and a woman burst out of the drawbridge, drawing the attention of several citizens. Many fawned over her. Admirers crowded the square. Peasants bowed at their feet. They helped each citizen stand up, and patted them on the head.
"Lyna!"
A wave of whispers was set over the crowd.
"It's Princess Lyna! She's returned from planet Earth!"
"I heard she ran away."
"She's SO unworthy of the crown."
"What happened to her jewel?"
These were all statement that I heard uttered by the citizens of Borealis.
There was a girl in the middle of a crowd. She was beautiful as the morning sun, but nothing compared to my Iris.
She looked like she was trying too hard.
"Hey you!" she shouted flirtatiously. I gulped and quickly followed the king and queen into the castle, before she could get to me.
...
"So, Lyna, what's life like on Earth?" the Queen asked as she sipped her tea. Lev looked like he was having trouble with his teacup.
"Well, I met some theater friends. I'm getting a job as a director for a play." she smiled.
"How nice!"
"And what about you, Princess Iris?"
"I'm just living with Nathaniel. I'm an actress with minor roles." my girlfriend replied proudly.
"What about Prince Chandler and Talia? I heard you two are married." she wiggled her eyebrows.
"Oh, no. We're getting divorced." Talia explained.
The entire room went quiet.
"Why?" the King asked softly.
"We just don't get along anymore." she shrugged as if it was no big deal. The silence took over the room until Carissa started to speak.
"I'm married and taking care of the kingdom." Carissa noted.
"Oh yes, I heard about the passing of your mother. We give our condolences." the King and the Queen chorused.
"I'm a singer. I usually partner with VEVO."
"You have to give us a CD or something!" the King grinned. Lyna leaned over and whispered,
"we're pretty big about music here in Borealis."
"Yep. We already have all of Lolirock's." Talia, Auriana, and Iris smiled sheepishly.
"Well, Dawn and I were living together. But that's out of the picture.." Lev trailed off.
"What amazing couples! Such a shame that you broke up." the King and Queen shifted uncomfortably in their seats.
"Mom? Dad? What's wrong?" Lyna asked.
"Oh, nothing honey." the King reassured her.
The Queen nudged the King gently.
"Right, well, what do you need?" the Queen asked, diverting our attention from the uneasiness.
"We need to meet the Knight from Borealis." Dawn addressed.
The King's body straightened, as did his wife's.
"No."
"But, mom!" Lyna pleaded.
"It's for your own safety. As for lodging, why don't you stay here, in the pal-"
"No, thank you." Lyna stood up and pulled Iris by the hand.
"Lyna! They offered lodging! And food!" Auriana watched as her stomach growled.
"I know. But something's going on. The last time they hid something from me, it was my birthday cake."
"What if they're being serious? Besides, I was planning to sneak around the Palace later."
"They can't keep protecting me! I'm in college for pete's sake!" Lyna shouted exasperatedly.
"We'll find out on our own." Carissa comforted her.
"Heck yeah!" Auriana pumped her fist in the air.
"But can we get something to eat?"
"Of course, I know the best restaurant here!"
...
After a hearty lunch:
"I'm full!" Auriana groaned, trying to sit up, but failed.
"Auriana, come on, you shouldn't have eaten that much!" Talia rolled her eyes.
"I figured out that the Knight resides in the Palace..."
"Oh shoot." Lyna gritted her teeth angrily.
"Lyna, we shouldn't have declined that invitation!" Chandler graoned.
"I know, I know, I'm sorry." Lyna laughed.
"Well, he's in the highest tower of the Borealis Palace."
"Seriously? Like Rapunzel?" I asked.
"Yeah, sort of." Lyna shrugged.
"Let's try to go back inside." Lev suggested.
We walked over to the palace, and Lyna tried to pass through the guards.
"Sorry, madam, you are not permitted inside the Palace,"
"I am your princess!" Lyna protested.
"The King and Queen have a higher status that you, Your Majesty."
"Ugh!" Carissa stomped away frustratedly.
"Well? What's your plan now?" Talia asked.
"I-I don't know." Lyna looked disappointed in herself.
"Detransformation." she cried.
Her hair turned black, and her outfit was gone. Immediately after, she groaned in pain and fell to the floor.
"Lyna!" Chandler called out, worried. The palace guards looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
They shrugged and hoisted Lyna up.
"Please, is she okay?" Dawn asked frantically.
"She'll be fine," one guard reassured me, "I think it's just a case of lightheadedness."
Behind their backs, Lyna suddenly moved her head to wink at us.