“Ring? For me? It’s beautiful!”
Clyde blushed as he heard the words come out of Princess’ mouth.
“This is really something! I’m going to go show it to my mom.”
“Whoa, um, hang on,” Clyde said, rushing over.
“What?”
“It’s sort of just for tonight. I wanted you to look even more like a princess while we explore the cave.”
“It’s not mine?” The look the Princess gave him was filled with hurt and confusion, but he had to stand strong. He had snuck it from his mom’s dresser only because he knew she couldn’t bring it with her to the painting site—for fear it could get stuck on something. If she knew Clyde was letting Princess use it, she would go nuts. Mom didn’t like Princess.
“It is yours until we get done with our adventure.”
She smiled. “Clyde, wouldn’t it be great if our adventure lasted a lifetime? Then the ring would be ours forever.”
Clyde liked that she was using the word “we,” and he agreed it would be amazing to be with her forever.
“Okay, I won’t tell the Queen about it because I know we won’t have it after today. But maybe one day it will be ours again. It’s possible, right?”
“Right,” Clyde agreed, though he didn’t know how that could ever happen.