Saving my Boyfriend from an Evil Villainess

The Friendship Episode

An icy chill had descended over the group after leaving that chaotic market. It was as if they weighed a thousand pounds, their sorrow and fear cleaving through like stones sinking into an endless lake. They trudge past village after village, forest after forest, field after field, silence following in their wake. Andrea could feel them drifting further away, she felt her bones shake each night as a chill gripped her. She knew this depression couldn't last long - without hope, this quest was doomed.

But Andrea couldn't bring herself to mend what was falling apart. She didn't know Juno or Etherea like she knew her knight, their bonds were flaking. They thought of her as a joke, she was weak and hopeless, a Princess in name only. Juno pulled through for his daughters, and Etherea for her promised reward. Without the incentive, they would be gone in an instant and Princess Andrea would be left alone.

She knew she would fail on her own.

They had buried Sir Jamathon in a nearby village, promising to leave his secret buried with him. But Princess Andrea couldn't leave his sword, unable to let that last part of him go. She wrapped it up in Jamathon's cloak and tied it to her back. She wasn't sure what to do with that heavy burden, Andrea couldn't bring herself to properly mourn Sir Jamathon- her Jam-Jam. It didn't feel real, on those long days and nights through the vast landscapes past Greencourt.

When dusk settled on each day that passed, Princess Andrea often let her mind wander. She imagined that Sir Jamathon was only a few paces behind her, stoic and silent as ever. She would even turn to face him when a pretty flower or ugly squirrel crossed the group's path, but then her eyes would focus. But he wasn't there - and it left her wracked with guilt.

Andrea knew it was her fault. She had put Sir Jamathon on this path, she was the careless one, the thoughtless one, and had forced him on this foolish quest. She was stupid to think she could succeed.

"I don't think I can do this," she whispered.

Etherea turned around quickly, "What was that?" she asked.

The Princess had spoken mindlessly, she shook her head, "It was nothing."

The fairy stopped abruptly, her eyes darkening.

"I think we should camp for the night, the further we move away from Greencourt the more perilous this quest becomes."

"Thank goodness, my hoof's are about to give out" Juno sighed. He had been quiet these past few days, the lack of insults throwing off the usual atmosphere

The group set up camp for the night by a stream. Etherea roasted mushrooms she'd collected during the day on a small fire, while Juno muttered under his breath. Andrea sat still staring into the flames, the wooden logs crackled, crumbling under the pressure.

"Just spit it out Andrea," Etherea sighed.

Andrea started, she looked up and caught the pity marking the fairy's beautiful face.

"What if this is a mistake? What if I can't save Prince William? What if I fail?.." she whispered.

Etherea edged closer to Andrea. "It can be tough, doing things on your own for the first time...".

She brushed Andrea's hair off of her face, "But everyone is faced with this challenge at some point in their lives. We have to overcome the odds and transform into our own person, our true self."

Andrea could feel herself sinking, "But what if my true self is this ugly and pathetic person on the inside that doesn't match the beauty on the outside."

The Princess's voice dropped, "What if this is all I'll ever be?". Tears slid down her cheek, she was a breath away from erupting.

"We choose who we want to be. We choose what battles we face and which ones we run away from, that's what determines our true selves. When we run, we're only really running from ourselves. Take your fate back princess, rise to meet it and everything will fall into place." Etherea spoke as if she was sure she was right, her words marked with the knowledge of a thousand years. Andrea couldn't help but feel like she had stumbled upon a goddess in that tiny spice shop.