Surrounded by huge piles of books, Simina slept soundly, head lying upon an open book. Nar came in to check up on Simina since she'd been there for a while. He walked in and found her asleep at the table, lying on a book. She slept so soundly that Nar did not want to disturb her. He was about to wake her in a polite manner, but at that instant, Nar heard a loud WHACK!
Simina jolted awake, squeaking. Nar glared at Oliver as he watched him whack another bookshelf with his cane. WHACK! Simina looked all around and realized that she'd fallen asleep while reading. She placed a hand on her head.
"Oh dear..." She yawned sleepily, covering her mouth. Nar cleared his throat.
"Oliver," he said. Oliver turned toward Nar.
"Yep?" Oliver responded.
"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop whacking my bookshelves with your cane," Nar said through gritted teeth.
"Well, whatchu want me to whack 'em with, my hand?" Oliver drawled. Nar sighed irritably.
"No, Oliver, I don't want you to whack the bookshelves at all," Nar said, scowling. Oliver grumbled and strolled away. As he walked away, his cane quickly snapped and whacked one of the bookshelves. WHACK! Nar groaned.
Simina started even more at the sound of Nar's voice behind her. She turned and saw Nar. Immediately she leapt out of the chair, alert.
"Your majesty!" Simina exclaimed, alarmed at his presence.
"I see you've been doing some light reading." Nar's voice dripped with sarcasm. Simina smiled sheepishly, hoping he wasn't going to reprimand her too harshly for sleeping on the job.
"Yeah, um, I uh, enjoy reading. Quite a bit..."
Nar nodded. "I understand that this is your first day back after your...incident. However, could you please...refrain from falling asleep while you're supposed to be working?"
Simina cringed. "I'm sorry, it...it won't happen again. Your majesty."
He pursed his lips. "Stop calling me your majesty. You can just call me Nar."
"Okay..."
Nar sighed heavily, sucking his teeth. He held back the tension growing in his body and took a deep breath. He took something out of his pocket. "I wanted to...give you something."
Simina flinched out of habit, but nothing happened. He placed a small, jagged pink crystal on the table. She picked it up. "What is it?"
The odd little object was cool to the touch, yet warm at the same time. It glittered in the light, sending small, sparkling beams in various directions.
"It's a magic crystal. They come in other colors, like blue and purple....red too. You can use it to help you channel magic," Prince Nar explained.
Simina nodded. "Oh, I see. I remember reading a book about them. I never thought I'd see one up close, though."
"You, um, read a lot?" Cautiously, Nar sat down next to her. He wasn't sure how to feel. He wanted to talk to her, get to know her better, but perhaps he was awkward.
Simina smiled. "Yes. I love reading."
Surprise sparked inside of him. He'd never met a girl who liked to read.
"What do you usually like to read?"
Simina rested her head on her fist. "It varies. But right now, I like folklore and fairytales."
Nar propped an arm on the table, leaning back in a certain way that made him look like he was posing. Nar experienced a strange stirring deep in his chest, something he'd never experienced before. It was weird, yet oddly pleasant as well. Was he starting to like her? Prince Nar was uncomfortable with this unknown emotion, but tried his hardest to keep his composure.The last thing he needed was his magic flaring out of control due to his emotions.
Nar appreciated the fact that she didn't swoon over him like other girls he'd met. She wasn't like them. He admired that she was different. She exhibited intelligence, along with a subtle beauty. She wasn't overly expressive and didn't seem extraordinary in any way, yet Nar was inexplicably drawn to her. He wanted to figure out why. Something was beautiful about the way she held herself, and Nar couldn't take his eyes off her.
"Being here feels like I'm in some sort of fairytale." Simina fidgeted in her seat as she tried to avert her eyes from Nar. Why was he staring at her like that all of a sudden? Her face reddened.
"What do you mean?" Nar's mellow voice was like the softest breeze, pleasant in Simina's ears. Why did he sound so...nice?
"Well, you know...I'm the peasant girl, and you're the prince. Fairy Tales always have a prince..." Simina trailed off.
Nar smiled. "Yes, I guess it seems that way since I also live in a castle."
Simina pulled at a string on her dress. "So...what do you like to read?"
"Anything, really. I enjoy...poetry."
Simina's excitement grew. "Me too!"
Nar held back a smile at her enthusiasm. He wanted to continue to appear aloof. He couldn't let on that he was interested, but he also couldn't help himself. Nar just had to know if she was of suitable marrying age.
" May I ask you a question?" Nar narrowed his eyes.
Simina nodded, feeling a little wary.
"What is your age?"
Simina grew suspicious.
"I'm twenty," she answered, lowering her voice.
Nar smirked. Perfect. He tried to remain inconspicuous. He dropped his gaze. Now, was she already spoken for?
"And are you...married? Or possibly engaged?" Nar gazed back up at her with glowing purple eyes.
Simina shook her head.
"No, I'm not." She wondered why he was asking her these questions. "That's the reason I came here—because I am not married," Simina explained. Nar was curious and wanted to know more, but before he could ask, he heard the grandfather clock in the library strike four-thirty p.m. Simina heard it, too, and immediately jumped to her feet.
"Oh my goodness! I need to get home! Aunt Lyda will be wondering where I am!" she cried.
Nar also stood.
"Can I borrow a few books?" Simina asked timidly.
"I'll allow you to take only three," he said sternly.
Simina took three, holding them in the crook of her arm.
"I will take you home if you like," Nar offered her. Simina glanced up in surprise and also in confusion.
"Umm...sure," Simina said uncertainly. Nar held out his hand to her. Simina accidentally made eye contact with him.
"Take my hand," Nar said softly. Simina gulped, staring into his open palm, his hand's pale, ivory skin. She raised a slow, tentative hand and gently placed it in his hand. Nar's smile grew wider. The smooth, cool touch of his skin greeted hers with a surprising, but pleasant, softness. Simina's skin tingled. He curled his hand around hers, tugging her slightly closer to him. She squeezed his hand back.
"Are you ready?" he asked Simina. She cocked her head to the side in confusion.
"Ready for what?" Simina didn't know what he was talking about. But she didn't let go of his hand.
"I'm going to transport you to your house instantly. So you might want to hold on," Nar explained. Simina blinked in realization.
"Oh. Okay. I'm ready. Simina prepared herself, feeling jittery and nervous. She breathed out. Nar counted to three.
"One. Two. Three." As soon as the word three left his lips, a swirl of dark, glittering purple mist flurried around them, and her feet left the ground. She gasped as weightlessness enveloped her, completely untethered. Even though there should have been wind, there wasn't any. Wind was nonexistent, and her tresses lay still. But Simina never let go of Nar's hand. She still left her hand clasped in his. Simina was scared to let his hand go. She decided she'd rather not let go for fear of falling.
As Simina looked across the way, she barely made out Nar's shrouded figure, who was cloaked in purple mist. She saw all of this in a matter of seconds because all of it happened in an instant. Within seconds, Simina's feet touched back down on solid ground again.
Relief flooded Simina at the comfort of feeling the solid ground beneath her feet. The glittering purple mist stopped flurrying about them and disappeared. Everything about them cleared. Simina saw her hand still clasped in Nar's. She stared at him standing across from her. His purple eyes glimmered a smile to her.
"You're home," Nar said and gently dropped her hand. Simina took her hand from his and put it back at her side. Cold, harsh reality returned from the absence of his hand clasped in hers. Simina looked around and realized that she stood at the front door of her house. Befuddlement clouded Simina's mind. She looked back at Nar, wondering. How did he do that?
Simina did not ask, however. Her tongue froze in her mouth; she became tongue-tied. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth, and she managed to speak.
"Thank you," Simina croaked.
"You're welcome. Enjoy your evening," Nar bid her kindly.
Simina waved him goodbye just as she watched him disappear in a puff of swirly purple smoke. Simina reached out to touch the smoke with the tips of her fingers, but it dissipated before she could reach it. A little tiny wisp extended toward her finger, but it evaporated.
Sighing, Simina walked toward the front door. She knocked, holding her three books in the crook of her left arm. A few moments later, her aunt opened the door. She looked surprised to see Simina standing on the doorstep.
"Oh. I didn't know you were back, Simina. I didn't hear your carriage pull up," Aunt Lyda said, stepping aside to allow Simina entrance. Simina walked in.
"Uh...Nar took me home," Simina said awkwardly. Before her aunt could say anything else, Simina quickly hurried upstairs to her room to be alone to read her books.