The Royal Flower

Chapter 2 - New Home

Carolina

My savior’s head was bowed the whole time I was wrapping myself with the thick cloth. Even after I was covered, he did not dare look at me. I had to look at his profile almost the entire time. It pleased me that he was at least handsome. He had longish blonde hair, a lean but muscular body, and sad blue eyes. My savior looked to be a few years older. I just had my twenty-first summer.

It seemed his plans had changed. While he appeared to have settled for a day in the forest, he decided to bring me elsewhere.

“Where do you live?” he asked, seemingly eager to pass me on to someone else.

“I live in Queenspell.”

“Where is that?” his brow was furrowed, but I could not help but see how strange his clothes were. He was wearing a rough blue pair of trousers, and his tunic was much too short.

“It should not be that far from here.”

“We will find the place,” he said as he continued walking the path ahead of me. I followed him, wondering how I could tell him that I was now in his servitude for a year. From what I had observed, he might not believe me.

The forests looked familiar but different. The canopy was not as thick as I remembered it. I did not hear any animals other than birds chirping. I did not see any deer, only tiny insects crawling over the forest floor. Not long after, we had found a clearing. It was a strange one, with a straight, paved path instead of the rough and rocky one I expected.

My savior walked towards a strange machine. It was black with four wheels underneath, smaller in diameter than a spinning wheel but larger than a wagon’s.

“What is that?” I asked. I could not help it.

“It’s my car. Um, what is your name?”

“I am Carolina. What is yours?”

“I’m Daniel.”

“What’s a car?”

“Mmm.” It seemed that Daniel was contemplating whether he should explain. His eyes were narrowed and his lips pressed together as if steeling himself to be polite. Instead of answering, he headed for the car. He opened its side and looked at me expectantly.

“It’s a carriage!” I gasped. Of course, silly me. I went in while also carefully holding onto the cloth wrapped around me. I did not know why I bothered when he had already seen my body and did not seem too happy to see it.

I went inside the carriage – car – and settled myself on the soft seat. Then, Daniel went to the other side. I did not know how he did it, but he made the carriage, car! (my apologies), tremble like a monster growling underneath us. I almost covered my mouth to keep it from saying anything.

We were quiet in his car. I saw him glancing at me at times, turning a little red each time. What a sweet and gallant man! Other men would have already tried something. Even though I was still a virgin, I still had to say “yes” because he had saved me from an eternal curse. But no, I had nothing to worry about him. He seemed anxious enough that I was there.

“W-were you really the flower I plucked just a while ago?” he finally asked.

“Yes, I was. You saw me.”

“I take it you don’t have a home – not really – around here?”

“What year is it?”

He told me. We were right near the beginning of a different century. The 21st.

I sucked my breath. I had been there for much longer than I thought.

“I did not expect it to take that long.”

“What didn’t you expect to take long?”

“My curse.”

In my head, I thought, "Self-imposed curse."

He was quiet again. He continued to maneuver the car along a long, paved path. This time, I saw some structures on both sides. The trees were also less dense now.

“We are almost home. Well, at least, I believe you should stay with me while we figure out what to do with you.”

“I must stay with you. For a year.”

Daniel laughed, but it was not cruel. He seemed to be startled and amused at the same time.

“You don’t have to. Once we find out how we can get you home, you can. I will not hold you hostage.”

“You do not understand. I must stay with you. I must stay with the person who saved me from my curse.”

I heard him take a long, deep breath. He was shaking his head a little, probably wondering how he ended up in such a predicament. He did not say another word until the car turned and stopped into one of the structures that seemed to fill the sides of the path.

“Here is my home. You may take my guest room while you try to remember where you are from.”

He opened the door. I then realized that it was a house. It was a lot smaller than our castle, but it was cleaner than the peasants’ homes. Instead of the smell of dirt, there was the faint smell of perfume.

“You perfumed your home, Daniel?” I loved the sound of his name.

“It’s um… an air freshener. My mom bought it. She insisted although I told her that I did not mind not having anything at all.”

“Oh, I love it. Your mom – you mean your mother?”

“Yes. And – oh s**t!”

He turned red again as if he did not mean to curse. I found it amusing - a man ashamed of cursing.

“What is it?”

“It’s just that she has a habit of coming uninvited and unannounced. We need to find you some clothes.”

I silently agreed. I thanked the goddess that it was at least summertime, or else I would have frozen to death. Daniel gave me one of his shirts to wear. It went past my hips, but it still showed my thighs.

“I think I had made things worse,” he said, turning red again.

“How?”

He did not say anything, but I suspected what he meant as I looked down and saw the outline of my n*****s. Daniel seemed like a nice man that I thought I would not tease him so much. I sat on one of his wooden chairs, one in the dining room. He felt it a signal that I was hungry. So, he set some boiled eggs in front of me.

“That is all I have right now, Carolina. I am sorry. But I promise you I can at least cook for you when you are still here.”

I smiled at him and started gobbling the boiled eggs. I just realized just how hungry I was. Being a flower for centuries could do that to you.