The Prince & the Co-Ed

My mother has always told me that when true love walks into your life, you'll know it. She wasn't lying. Here I was, on the day of my wedding, pacing the halls. She makes my stomach flutter, my smile is brighter, and my heart beats faster. It's a fairy tale, a true love at first sight story. The horns are going to sound soon, and I'll soon gaze upon her beautiful face and know that she chose me. "Five minutes your highness, " Lionel, my trusted servant and friend, said. I looked down at my toes and sighed. He stepped into the room and fixed my tie, looking at me. "Your father and mother will not be kept waiting, sir. Might I suggest we make our move into the great hall?" How did my life come to this? I remember it was a nice summer's day when this whole thing started. My mother and father were in the dining hall. "My dear, we have a princess coming to visit you for the week. She's the daughter of King Godfrey of Borkum. She's a lovely girl," my mother said, wiping her mouth elegantly "Her father thinks you would get along quite well with her." She was always doing that. Trying to set me up for marriage with other royals. Didn't she remember what happened last time she brought a princess over? I put my fork down and stood straight up, staring at my parents who seemed like they didn't care about my feelings at all. "Mother, I thought we had discussed this. If I marry, I want to choose who I marry." "Peter, we only care about your happiness." "Apparently not. I wish you would stay out of my love life." "Princess Hannah is a sweet girl. I'm sure you'll like her." "Oh, like how I liked Greta, Susan, Carol, and Farrah?" She stood up as well, her face a mask of anger and I gulped. My mother was a monster when she was angry. She was the queen, and if she didn't get her way, she punished like a queen. "Peter, we are not going to discuss this any further. Hammah is coming here for a week, and I expect you to be nice. You will show her the kingdom, eat with her, and enjoy her company. I'd hate to hear that the prince of Sephora wasn't as hospitable as promised. Is that understood?" she asked, her arms going across her chest and her eyes narrowing. There was no arguing with this lady. I sat back down and played with my food for the rest of the evening. I wasn't happy with my situation. A prince has to marry a princess, royal rules I suppose. "Yes mother, I said, unenthusiastically. The day came for Princess Hannah to come, and like I promised, I was a gentleman. I bowed, pulled chairs out for her, opened her doors, showed her the kingdom, and even kissed her hand when escorting her back to her room. It wasn't something I enjoyed doing. Like every other female I've met in my life, she was more interested in my wealth. With every tour of the kingdom, she would get more and more excited. She thought I couldn't see right through her but I could. I could see her perfectly. It was even worse that she put on a good show for my mother and father. I'm not saying she wasn't a good actress. She fooled my parents, after all. "So, Hannah, how do you like our kingdom so far?" my mother asked at dinner one night. "Oh, it's wonderful. It seems your people really like you." "Well, that's what happens when you rule over people," I muttered under my breath. Hannah looked at me. "So, Peter, your mother was telling me you like to play music." Of course she did/ My mother was trying to impress her. Trying to make me fall in love with her. It wasn't working. She was a snob. I knew her kind. "I dabble. I'm no Beethoven or Dio but I'm okay," I said, and went back to shoving my food around my plate. Hannah looked at me, wiped her mouth ever so delicately, and excused herself from the table. She looked like she wanted to cry. I looked at my parents, both shaking their heads, wearing disapproving looks. As if I were in the wrong. "What?" I asked, genuinely confused. "Did I do something wrong?" I secretly hoped I did. Although, looking back on it now, it was quite rude to leave a lovely young lady hanging. "Could you please act civilized?" my mother asked, glaring. "I'm trying, mother. It's not easy to spark a conversation. We have nothing in common." Footsteps sounded from down the hall, and we stopped arguing. There was an awkward silence reverberating around the room. Hannah sat beside me and picked up her spoon. "Sorry, your majesty. I had to go powder my nose," she said, softly.She looked at me and I could only describe her expression as hurt. There was a slight pain in there. I felt guilty for making her feel unwelcome. She didn't ask to be here. My anger was pointed towards my mother, not her. "I hope I didn't interrupt anything. I looked at my mother who was now more interested in her plate of food than with me. I looked at Hannah, awkwardly, and nodded, wishing I could just escape from the situation. "It's quite okay," I said. "Mother and I were just talking about how happy we are that you're here. By the time the week had ended, Hannah was happy to go away. After all, we had nothing in common and she was happy for that. "Sorry Peter. I hope this week didn't waste too much of your time," she said as I escorted her out to her carriage. I genuinely smiled and looked at her. "Of course it didn't. I'm sorry my mother dragged you out here for nothing," Isaid, holding the carriage door open for her. She stopped, looked at me and smiled. "I'm sure you'll find your special someone," she said. She kissed my cheek and stepped into her father's carriage. I watched them take off as Lionel ran to my side. He chuckled, following me up the castle's driveway. "So, I hear you and the young princess didn't quite take off on the throes of romance. Want to talk about it?" he asked, stopping on the top step of the entrance. I nodded as he opened the door and I walked inside, Lionel closing the door behind me. "So, what do you plan on doing now, sir?" I stopped and thought for a second. "Lionel, I want to find my own wife. My way. No interventions from mother. No surprise guests. I want to find a woman who will love me. And only me. Not my wealth, not my title, but just me. Are there women out there like that?" I asked, walking up the staircases in the main hall. Lionel chuckled again. "How does one go about doing that in the first place? Airplane? Boat? Train?" A plane. That was what I needed. There was an airstrip not far from our kingdom. "That's it!" Lionel had been going on about duties to the kingdom, blah, blah, blah when he stopped talking and just looked at me, a blank stare crossing his face. "I'm sorry your majesty, did you say something?" he asked. "Lionel, you have a cousin who knows how to fly a plane, right?" He raised an eyebrow and held up a finger to waggle at me. "No. No, no,. no. Your mother would kill me if you flew anywhere, especially by yourself." "Who says she has to know?" "I strictly forbid you from leaving this castle." "You forbid me? Lionel, you're forgetting who's in charge here. If my mother finds out I'm gone, make up a story." I walked to my bedroom and packed a bag, Lionel still trying to stop me from leaving. "I'm not a good liar, your majesty. Especially around your mother." "I'm sure you'll be fine," I said as I walked down the stairs and toward the front door. "Please, sir. You're giving me anxiety." "Lionel, I have to go. I don't want to be forced into a marriage. I don't want my mother to make decisions for me," I said, patting his cheek. "If mother asks where I went, tell her I went to stay with Uncle Holden. She doesn't talk to him." And with that, I walked out of the door and left Lionel standing at the door as I was headed out for my adventure. I couldn't see what he was doing but I could picture him standing there with his hands in his hair, rubbing his neck, and eventually he would start to follow me. Sure enough, about halfway towards the end of the ground, I heard footsteps. I turned to see Lionel following after me. "I can't quite let you go alone," he said, panting. "If you get hurt, it's my head." "Thank you for your concern," I said, patting his shoulder. "Come, my friend. Adventure awaits." and off we went to our next greatest adventure.... the airport.