Happily Ever After.....Maybe

Chapter Eighteen

The next morning I felt terrible. Not because I couldn't give Dylan the answer he wanted last night, but because my stomach was bouncing all over the place. Literally I felt like I vomit anytime I tried to get up.
So Tallulah bless her soul told me to stay in bed and rest while she took care of the Pub today.
I slept on and off most of the early morning. By afternoon though I was wide awake and restless. I had plenty of time of time to think about Dylan though; so that's what I did. I thought about how: a part of my heart did like Dylan and he really was a kind, charming young man with a lot of potential for his future as King. He wasn't cursed with the Curse of Love and I wouldn't have to worry about him dying when he told me he love me. But the other part of my heart missed Hayden and still belonged to him. We had a special connection, he made me feel like idk how to explain it because I only felt it once. Possibly happiness? If that what it even was. I haven't felt that yet with Dylan, and I didn't want to marry him when I still longed for Hayden.I didn't feel like that would be fair for him; but what if it was like Tallulah said yesterday? What if marrying Dylan was how I break my curse and what if he was a good distraction for until I do get over Hayden? I did want my curse to be broken so that I could finally feel what happiness feels like. It has caused so much destruction in my life. My mother and Hayden both dying. My father throwing me in jail for my mother's murder which he was really behind, only for him to tell me I'm adopted. Then my real mother never even caring about me at all. It was decided, I had to marry Dylan, I had to break my curse. Maybe once I did that then I could put Hayden behind me and love Dylan with my whole heart as we ruled Kalopsia side by side.
Peering out the small window of the upstairs bedroom that Tallulah and I shared I glanced at the sun. Soon it will be setting and it will be too late to tell him. But I had to tell him tonight how I felt and that I wanted to marry him. Of course I wouldn't tell him I still missed Hayden though, that would just complicate things.
Jumping out of bed I got dressed as fast as I could. I didn't feel nauseous for once and felt good. I wore my red dress with the light blue swirls that had strings that crisscrossed and tied down the front. It showed some of my bosom and brushed the ground when I walked. I carefully brushed my long blond hair till it looked silky and smooth falling off my shoulders like little waterfalls.
"Good afternoon, you must be feeling better." Tallulah remarked as I hurried down the narrow staircase and made my way across the busy Pub..
"Yes, and I must see him."
Tallulah placed the pitcher of rum down on the counter. "Woah, slow down. Who do you need to see?"
"Dylan." I said grabbing my red leather jacket in case it got chilly.
"Eeek!" Tallulah squealed in delight. She grabbed my arms and spun me around, "I'm so excited and happy for you!"
I laughed, "Easy, he might have changed his mind since last night."
She shook her head and smiled, "No, there's no way. That boy has no eyes for anyone except for you. Now go get him!" She urged practically pushing me out the swinging wooden doors.
I didn't have to be told twice smiling I gathered my dress up in my hands and ran towards Capricious's stable for Tobias. The stable boy brought Tobias out for me saddled and ready for the ride to Kalopsia. He helped me into the leather saddled and with a click of the reins we were off.
The wind blew through my hair as Tobias ran with each hoof print he made dust flew up around us. I looked around at the beautiful scenery the wild grass that was starting to look more golden than green as the days got colder. The tall mountains off in the distance seemed to be kissing the sunlight as the sun got closer and close to setting. I thought about Dylan and what I would say.
Tobias neared Kalopsia's city gates I brought him to a slow trot and we walked into the city. His hooves clicked and clacked on the cobblestone streets. I stared up at the castle that loomed ahead of us. It looked so different in the daylight than when I saw it during the ball. The whole castle was made of tan marble. The roof was red shingles and all around there were angel gargoyles to let the rain off the roof. The angels were carved out of gold and were really magnificent to look up at. It was almost like they were real angels looking down and protecting Kalopsia from harm.
I smiled and made my way up the double wide grand marble staircase where two guards dressed in matching light blue uniforms stood on either side the the large mahogany doors.
"What business do you have visiting Prince Dylan?" Asked the taller guard on the right.
"I'm Amaya, I'm here to speak with Dylan.... Prince Dylan about his proposal."
The shorter guard's eyes widened, "You're thee Amaya? The prince has told us all so much about you!"
My cheeks flushed red at his words.
"The Prince is out in the royal garden." The taller one chimed in pointing towards the right of the castle, "Will you like a servant to show you the way?" 
"That would be lovely." I smiled.
The two guards opened the tall mahogany doors for me to step into the spacious entrance that I remembered from the night of the ball. Big marble tile covered the floor with elegant walls with wood carvings alined with real gold. A giant crystal chandelier hung from the middle of the ceiling and to the left and right were two white marble staircase with velvet red carpets rolling from the top all the way to the bottom. The staircases curved slightly so if you stood at the bottom of one staircase and looked right across there was the other staircase. Both staircases led upstairs to a balcony and the double mahogany doors at the top were closed.
A tiny petite servant girl who had to be no older than thirteen smiled shyly at me as she approached. "The guards outside said you wished to see the Prince?"
My hands felt clammy and sweaty as anxious nerves took over my body. "Yes." I managed to say smoothing my hands out over my dress to hopefully cool them down.
"Follow me." The girl walked off down the right corridor which looked just as grand as the main entrance. The floor was made of the same marble tile and the walls had the same wooden carvings aligned with gold. We must have passed the royal kitchen at some point because the smell of food was heavenly. I wondered if once I'm queen the cooks will let me help them in the kitchen. Growing up in the palace I would always help Ziva our royal cook, she never mined. Hopefully the cooks here didn't mine as well; I would love to help out in the kitchen. We walked past so many closed doors I quickly became lost, but finally the girl led me out to a tinier balcony than the one Dylan proposed to me on. A single marble staircase went down right by the entrance the the royal garden. Picking up the edges of her black servant dress with her white apron the little girl quickly curtsied to me and left.
"Thank you so much." I quickly thanked her as she disappeared inside the humongous castle. I rested my hands on the cold marble railing of the small balcony and looked out towards the left at the royal garden. He must like roses for there was about every single color of rose bush, along with some tropical flowers, lilies, and other flowers. There were also different kinds of trees in the garden. Around the whole garden was a green hedge bush. I could see Dylan from where I stood, he was bent over smelling roses on a rose bush, but he couldn't see me.
Taking a deep breath to catch my crazy nerves before they ran away from me, I slowly picked up my dress and walked down the marble staircase as quietly as I could. I stared at the entrance to the garden. This was it, once I went in there was no going back. Was I really ready to be queen and live in a castle again? I would be giving up my whole life I've made outside in the world. Sure I could still see Tallulah, but it wouldn't be the same. No more serving rum to guys drunk as skunks at the Pub, no more living above the Pub in the tiny bedroom that Tallulah and I shared, and no more visiting Hayden in the Enchanted Forest of Death. Not that I could do that even if I wanted to, since he didn't want anything to do with me. 
M feet and running towards me he hugged me.
From spending too much time in the Enchanted Forest of Death I half expected his body to go right through mine like Hayden did. I smiled as our bodies touched and I was able to put my arms around somebody that was actually solid and not just part of the  air.
Dylan spun me around before setting me down on me feet, "You came." He said as he took my hands in his.
"I told you I'll give you an answer didn't I?" I said with a smile.
"Forgive me, but I half expected you not to come. Not that I'm having second doubts, because I do love you Amaya, and want to spend all eternity with you. That is if you'll marry me."
"Eternity, wow you make it seem like we're immortals." I gave a nervous laugh and looked down at our hands that were still touching. I looked back up at his blue eyes, they were so blue it put the blue sky to shame. "I do enjoy spending time with you Dylan,  I.... I guess what I'm trying to say is..." I sighed why was this so hard! I cleared my throat and smiled up at the guy who I'll be spending eternity with, "Yes. Yes I'll marry you."
The grin that lit up Dylan's face was wide enough I was sure you could stretch it out through the whole city of Kalopsia. He swooped me up in his arms and spun me around till I was dizzy. He sat me back down and laughing with joy he pressed his forehead against mine, "I love you, Amaya."
I froze in fear expecting him to grasp his heart and die right there in front of me. Relief flooded me as I realized he was still there his arms on me, and he wasn't going to leave me. I sighed letting go of the breath I hadn't realized I had been holding in.
Dylan's gorgeous blue eyes searched mine, "What is it?" He asked still holding my hand as we started walking the smooth cobblestone path in the garden.
"Nothing." I paused, "Well actually there is something. I'm still baffled that you're the prince."
He laughed, "Is it really that shocking?"
"Yes. I mean that night at the ball you even pointed out a guy dancing and claimed him as the prince. Why did you lie?"
"I had to make up an excuse, you were starting to ask questions wondering why I didn't know where the prince was if I was one of his knights. I guess I didn't want to tell you who I was right there in front of everybody." He smiled dreamily down at me, "I'm so glad you're going to be my queen."
"To be honest I'm terrified. I'm worried about this whole queen thing, what if I don't get right?"
Dylan chuckled, "You don't have to be scared, I have plenty of people that can help you learn the way of royalty. They'll also help us plan the wedding after all there is so much to do in three days."
I stopped Dylan and snatched his upper arm my eyes widening, "Did you say three days?!"
He laughed again, "Well of course. We must married right away to insure the kingdom remains in our hands. We'll marry in three days and then two days after that have the coronation."
"Wow." I laughed nervously, "That's really going to be here soon."
"Don't worry Amaya, I'll have the royal event planner start this evening and all my servants will help as well. You won't have to think of anything they can get the invitations sent out, do the flower decorations, the cake, drinks, and other foods, and whatever else needs done. All you need to do is pick out your wedding gown. Which reminds me I'll have an excellent lady come who is known well among kingdoms for making royal wedding gowns. She can make whatever you wish."
It seemed like Dylan had it all thought out, I bit my lip. I had always dreamed of using my mother's wedding gown, but since she passed away and with my father still having the warrant out for my treason there was no way I could go back to the Kingdom of Rollick. I smiled at my soon to be king, "It looks like I'm all in good hands then. There is one thing though, there's this amazing seamstress in Agog and I will really like her to make my wedding gown." If I couldn't wear my mother's gown at least I could have Madam Magdalena make my gown.
"Then it's settled." Dylan said leading me up the marble stairs to the same balcony he proposed to me at the night of the ball.
I stared off across the land as we made are way up the stairs. Pass the royal garden not much further really were two mountains that came close together and split right dow the middle. My eyes locked on the two mountains remembering the night before Hayden passed away he pointed out his home town Nyctophilia which laid between two mountains that split right down the middle. I was sure these two mountains were the exact same one, for the more I stared at the mountains the more I believed I could see a small dark town sitting between them. "Dylan, is that Nyctophilia over there between those two mountains that split?" I asked resting my arms on the cool marble railing.
Dylan quickly leaned on the railing as well and looked at me rather seriously, "Who told you about Nyctophilia?"
"I had a friend from there." I said slowly looking out at the mountains. "It's so dark over there." I murmured, "Is it because the mountains block out all the sun?"
"Not sure, legend has it that it wasn't always as dark and dangerous as it is now. It actually was a cute little town with plenty of sunshine."
I frown, "I never heard that one, I know my friend said people that go there don't come out. And that people that live there can't escape either."
"It's true Nyctophilia isn't a town to tour or visit. No one goes, no one leaves."
"My friend got out." I spoke up.
"Lucky him." Dylan declared heading towards the full length glass doors that led to the empty ball room.
I stared out at Nyctophilia and it's bleak dark figure wondering how it got to where it was. "What happened to it?" I turned to Dylan, "You said legend has it that it hasn't always been dark and dangerous, what happened to it?"
Dylan walked back to me, "Well story goes it was a lovely town. People came and went whenever they pleased. That is until the Great Wizard was born to a poor couple that lived there."
"You know the Great Wizard?" I asked surprised, "It's hard to imagine the Great Wizard being a regular baby. I thought he was immortal."
He smiled, "Well of course everyone has heard stories of the Great Wizard. He has seemed to always exist. Perhaps it's just a folk tale people tell for amusement." Dylan paused, "Anyways the day the Great Wizard darkened his soul is the day Nyctophilia became just has dark and dreadful." Dylan held open the glass door to the spacious ballroom, "Will you care to join me for dinner this evening, my soon to be queen?" He held out his arm for me to take.
With one final glance at the two mountains I slipped my arm through Dylan's and let him led me into the castle that I would soon call home.