The Princess's Knight

Chapter 2

Iris walked to her economics class, tipsy, borderlining drunk. It was alright. This wasn’t the worst she’d come to class. She staggered a bit as she walked which earned her some glances from her classmates, but other than being unphased, the only reactions she got were a few eyerolls, and a girl in the corner that pointed. ‘Again’?

There were a few seats open. The options were over there in the corner with the girl who said ‘again’, a spot next to Jasper, or a spot next to Lucas. Obviously, she had to choose the latter.

Iris stumbled over to the seat next to Lucas, and scanned his expression before she sat. He gave a small nod and she took her place in the chair.

“Good morning, students,” Professor Magnolia said, strolling up to the front of the class.

A few students greeted her as well, half-heartedly and out of synch.

“Yeah, I hate Mondays too,” she said. “So, did anyone hear the news last night?” She inspected the room in search of answers, but everyone shrugged. “Really? No one? The world population officially hit ten billion.”

“Oh,” the class said.

“Something else in the world is happening. Something that could impact the economy. Anyone care to answer?”

Again, no volunteers.

“Mr. Amber,” Professor Magnolia called. “How about you?”

The student that she called upon darted his eyes around the room. “I, uh, I heard that Princess Delilah’s twenty-first birthday is today.”

The professor pursed her lips. “True, but it doesn’t affect the economy much.” She chuckled. “Unless you count that expensive party she’ll be having tonight. What I’m pertaining to however, is the marriage between a crowned prince, and crowned princess in continent number seven that takes place today. As per usual, when two crowned heirs marry, the countries merge.”

The loner girl in the corner that mocked Iris earlier raised her hand. “Um, what countries exactly? That continent is full of thousands of miniscule kingdoms. How does it affect our economy? And why is it even news? This is like the fifth time this month that some random countries have merged. Bring up news about a merger between countries that belong to the top ten, or even the top hundred, then we’ll talk.” She smirked, as if she had proved herself to be more intelligent than Professor Magnolia, but the teacher simply smiled.

The professor scoffed. “Being citizens of the third most powerful country in the world really makes some of us elitists, no? Tell me, Ms. Willow, how did Sylva come to be as large and successful as it is today?”

The girl turned red. “Well, this country’s size is based on mergers too, but . . . that was hundreds of years ago. Our success isn’t just based on mergers . . .”

“Wrong.” The teacher scanned the room, and extended her arm towards Iris. “Ms. Elder,” she said. “How have the mergers between countries helped the Sylvan economy?”

Iris bulged her eyes. The world around her swirled, and her head was dancing for an appropriate answer. Could she even think of a good answer? Even if she was sober, would she be smart enough to answer the question? She may have enrolled as an economics student, but she still had no idea what was going on most of the time.

She fought through her tipsiness, and talked as clearly as she could, slowing her speech to ensure every word would come out right. “I think, like, the last time we merged was a hundred years ago or something. We had a lot of open space and grass and stuff, and Gemma was rich and had lots of expensive jewels. The royals married and then . . . we started to put more farms here and everything.” She paused, overanalyzing what she had just said and added, “I don’t know, though”, as a safety net.

Professor Magnolia smiled. “Correct. Gemma and Sylva merged, and Gemma’s riches helped turn Sylva into an agricultural empire.”

Lucas gave Iris a thumbs up. “Nice,” he mouthed.

Iris smiled at him brightly, and made herself shift just a bit taller in her seat.

“Back to you, Ms. Willow,” the professor said. “You say mergers only matter with the biggest, most powerful countries, but what happens when over time, many small countries in an area become one? You say that this is the fifth time an ‘insignificant’ merger has occurred this month. If you count the most recent merger, there are currently 8,972 countries in the world. What happens if the merger rate stays consistent?”

“There would be a decrease in countries,” Willow answered. 

“And what if one day, continent number seven merged into one country?”

“Well, that would be a long time from now.”

“If you do the math, they could become one country in as little as forty years at least. It probably would be more, but it’s definitely possible. And if they did, who’s to say they wouldn’t be more powerful than Sylva? Or Edmund? Or even Novisland which itself, is a continent?”

“With all due respect, you’re just pulling at strings now.”

She shook her head. “It’s not nearly as bizarre as you’d think. I suggest you do your research before you condescend upon smaller countries, Ms. Willow.” She looked at Iris. “Or your classmates. Perhaps everyone else around you isn’t as insignificant as you think.”

Iris grinned. She turned to Willow, sticking her tongue out at her. The girl sank in her seat.

***

Cosmo and Delilah walked down the hall, over to meet with Prince Eden.

“I wonder what he wants,” Delilah said sarcastically. “It’s not as if he’d been asking me the same question for two years. How many times do I have to say no? I’m not marrying him.”

“He’s determined, princess,” Cosmo said. He admired her in small glances, the way her hair became so shimmery gold whenever they passed by sunlight. The grace in which she held herself. The bounce of her curls. “Though, I can’t say I blame him.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

He quickly turned away. “Nothing.”

Delilah smirked. “No way. Go on, tell me.” She held her gaze on him like a gun, and he couldn’t bear it.

“You’re a beautiful woman, is all,” Cosmo said, as stiff as he could. “And you have good character. You’re top of your class, and--”

“Yeah, yeah. All that generic s**t,” she interrupted. “That’s not why he wants to marry me. He doesn’t see me at all. He sees an opportunity. All of these royal assholes who’ll propose to me tonight see me as so. Besides which there’s no way I’d marry him after all his family has done to you. Don’t you feel the same way?”

Cosmo sighed. “It was a long time ago.”

“It still boils my blood.”

“Perhaps . . .” Cosmo choked. “Perhaps tonight you’ll receive a proposal from someone you like.”

She stopped walking for a moment, and Cosmo followed suit. She pierced his eyes with hers. “We both know that’s impossible.”

Cosmo broke away from her eyes and stared at the ground. 

They continued to the castle’s courtyard where prince Eden waited. He sat still on a bench, void of fidget or visible curiosity of the place around him.

“He’s quite stiff,” Cosmo said.

“He’s got a one-track mind,” Delilah responded. “He came here to propose, and will be distracted by nothing else.”

They approached Eden, and as soon as he laid his eyes on Delilah, he stood up and put on a warm persona that exchanged pleasantries with her, smiling. “Princess,” he said. He reached out to her hand and kissed it, though she exchanged uncomfortable glances with Cosmo in the process.

“Hello, Eden,” Delilah said. “To what do I owe this visitation?”

Prince Eden glanced at Cosmo, and scowled. “Would you mind giving the Princess and I a moment in private?” he asked.

“That’s not necessary, Cosmo,” Delilah said.

“I’d really like to discuss this matter in private.”

“He is my most trusted knight and bodyguard. Whatever you’d like to say to me, you can say in front of him.”

Prince Eden glared at him.

“Actually, I think I’d better go. I have other matters to attend to,” Cosmo lied.

“Don’t go,” Delilah pleaded, grabbing onto his arm.

“I’ll be just over there,” he whispered. “Don’t worry.” He broke away and walked to the other side of the courtyard, waiting for the conversation to be over.