The Princess: Stranded

4

I had hoped that the next day would bring us some sign of rescue, but there was nothing—no distant helicopter sounds, no ships on the horizon.

Dominique tirelessly recreated our SOS sign in the sand using twigs, sticks, and rocks, only to see it swept away by wind and waves repeatedly. Our knife was insufficient for cutting down a tree to make a sturdier marker, and after her third attempt, I urged her to conserve her energy.

I leaned against the luggage while our makeshift 'throne' baked in the sun. My companion collapsed onto the sand in front of me, visibly exhausted and irritable, clutching her lower abdomen. Guilt crept over me as I realized I was the only one doing absolutely nothing to help.

"Are you okay?" I asked, concerned. She nodded weakly, but her expression betrayed her true state, prompting me to press further.

"Are you tired?"

"No, Your Highness."

"Thirsty?"

"No, Your Highness."

I could have continued probing indefinitely. "Hungry?"

"No, Your Highness."

"Did your boyfriend break up with you?"

She shot me a look that clearly said, "What the heck?" before composing herself. "No, Your Highness."

I felt compelled to push further, my irritation mounting. "Then what is it? Are you on your period or something?"

Clearing her throat, she reluctantly admitted, "Yes, Your Highness."

Of all the times to have her period.

"Do you have a pad?" I asked, even though it was obvious we were far from civilization.

"Yes, Your Highness."

I was surprised she had one and asked where it was. She pointed to the luggage behind me. "Is this yours, Dominique?" I asked, and she nodded. "Yes, Your Highness."

"Why didn't you say so?" I chuckled, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation. I'd been stressing over this bag, only to find out it was hers all along.

"There's a code," I informed her.

"4-1-8," she replied. Inside the luggage, I found more useful items than I had expected—pads, toiletries, a flashlight. I wasn't sure why she had packed a flashlight for our trip, but it was a blessing, and fortunately, it still worked.

Dominique excused herself to put on a pad while I rummaged through the luggage to see what else we could use. Hidden under a pile of clothes, I discovered packs of ramen noodles. My stomach growled at the sight, and Dominique returned just in time to hear it.

"Let's cook it," she suggested.

"But we don't have a bowl," I remarked.

Dominique looked around, then, as if a light bulb had turned on, she said, "We could use the seat. It has a shallow surface."

"Good idea," I replied. She pulled the seat towards us and began examining how to remove the cushion. Using the knife, she tried to unscrew it, but pain showed on her face, and I remembered she had a cut on her arm.

"Let me do it," I said.

"No, Your Highness," she insisted.

"It's an order," I said in my serious tone.

She hesitated but finally handed me the knife. She guided me on what to remove, and I did my best to follow her instructions so she wouldn't worry and could rest a bit.

We successfully removed the cushion and started to cook the noodles. We decided to cook only one pack to save the rest for later. The smell of ramen filled my nostrils, and it was the best scent I'd encountered in a while.

Dominique handed me a plate with more noodles than hers. I tried to give some back, but she refused. Irritation crept over my face.

"You need more strength than I do, Dominique." It was true since she never let me do anything.

"I'm fine with this, Your Highness."

I was starting to get pissed. She wouldn't let me help unless I asserted myself, and now she was being overly dramatic with the food, making me feel like a burden.

"Can you stop calling me that?" I said, annoyed.

"Call you what, Your Highness?"

"That! 'Your Highness'! We're far from home, and who knows when or if they'll find us."

"Wha-"

"If you're going to be like this, I think it's better if I just leave so you can be whatever you want." I was frustrated. We were alone, and she had never told me what she wanted or didn't want to do. I wanted her to open up and close the gap between us that I didn't understand.

Did she ever like doing things for me because of my title? We were away from the palace, and I had no power here, nor did I ever assert any over her.

Ignoring the slight pain in my leg, I stood up and walked away. "Your Hi-" she began but cut herself off when I glared back at her.

I heard her chasing after me. She wanted to reach out but didn't know how. All her life, I had been 'Your Highness' to her.

Dominique stopped me in my tracks and scratched her head. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" I folded my arms, ready to leave her be.

"I don't know what else to call you."

"I have a name." 

She frowned, "I'm sorry, Princess. I can't."

"Then suit yourself." I passed her and entered the creepy forest. If this was how it was going to be, I'd prefer to be by myself and not worry about being a burden to somebody.