The Forbidden Princess [Paused]

Chapter 20: The Return (Charlotte's POV)

My bare feet began to ache as we continued to trudge on the trail that headed to the castle. My feet were also cut up from rocks and twigs, starting to bleed badly.

"Arthur?" I finally spoke up after about an hour of walking.

"Yes, my dear?" He was walking in front of me and stopped, turning around and smiled at me.

"Can you carry me? My feet hurt really bad," I said, trying to sound as pitiful as I could.

Arthur looked at me with a blank expression. "Of course!" he finally said. He snapped his fingers at Tristan. "Tristan! Carry my bride. The journey is hard for her."

"Yes, sir," Tristan said, bowing to Arthur before picking me up and carrying me.

I wrapped my arms around Tristan's neck. "Thank you, Tristan." I addressed him with a wide grin.

"No need to thank me, Your Majesty. Just trying to help you feel more comfortable."

I leaned back and enjoyed the walk back home. I thought about Jesse and why he fled away from me through the woods. I thought about Arthur's confusing explanation that made my head want to explode. And lastly I thought about my long lost friend that is now dead because of me.

"Are you alright, Princess?" Tristan asked me.

I shook my head, focusing on Tristan's face and saw him looking down at me very confused.

"Huh?"

"You're crying, miss. Is something wrong?"

I placed my hand on my face, wiping off a couple tears as I did. I didn't even realize I was crying.

"Yeah I'm fine," I answered.

"Alright, Your Highness." Tristan began to walk faster, trying to catch up with Arthur and the others.

We reached a clearing and decided to set up camp for the night. We could make it to the castle before tomorrow, but it would be dark by then so Arthur took charge and made his "minions" set up the tents and collect wood for the fire. I offered to help, but Arthur commanded me to sit beside the fire and stay warm, and that princesses should never be doing hard tasks such as those.

I wish Jesse was here, I thought. I need him here. I wish he wasn't a jerk and had left me.

Arthur sat down beside me and wrapped his arm around me. I wanted to badly to squirm away, to run away, but I knew that wouldn't be wise. So instead, I let him sit with me.

"Just think, darling," Arthur said. "We will be home soon. It will be as perfect as perfect can be."

He turned and smiled at me, looking from my eyes to my lips and slowly leaned in for a kiss...

What was I suppose to do? Push him away and get beat up because of it? No. But I couldn't let him just kiss me either. I had a plan.

Before he could actually kiss me I said, "Wait."

He backed away. "What?" he said looking confused.

I didn't turn my head away, but I looked around with my eyes. "It's not very private here," I whispered.

Arthur smiled. "And what do you suggest?"

I looked him straight in the eye, to show him that I meant what I was saying. "We should go somewhere more private. Just me and you."

"Yes. Let's go."

We set off in the woods until Arthur found a huge rock for us to sit on. We sat down on it, facing each other once again.

I had to make him believe that I wanted to kiss him.

Well, this is extremely hard...

Arthur placed his hand awkwardly on my cheek and began to lean in again. I also leaned in, until I could feel his breath on my face. I didn't want to do this. I didn't want to be with Arthur. But I reminded myself that I was doing this to save my country.

"That's what real heroes do," my mother would tell me. "Real heroes sacrifice for their loved ones and their country."

At that moment, I should have qualified to be a real hero.

"Charlotte?!"

Before we actually kissed, I turned my head to see who said my name. Standing as still as he possibly could was Jesse, a bow in his hand and a quiver of arrows strapped around his back.

He came back.

"Jesse!" I jumped off the rock and ran as fast as I could to him. He dropped the bow and I jumped into his arms and started to cry from happiness and relief.

"What were you doing?" he asked.

I released him and turned to look at Arthur, turning back to look at Jesse. "I was being forced to like him. That's that happened."

"Oh" is all Jesse said.

"Well, well, well," Arthur said slowly as he walked towards us, his hands clasped together behind his back. "It's Jesse, my good ole friend from the village." He looked around confused, then his eyes lit up like he had an idea. "Or should I call you, Arthur? Since that's you're real name."

Jesse loaded his bow, causing Arthur to back up and put his hands in the air. He kept it pointed towards Arthur. "Explain yourself, Arty."

"Actually," Arthur smirked. "You should be calling me Jesse since that's my real name. But whatever works for you is fine." He shrugged.

"Well, whoever you are, start explaining."

Arthur explained the entire story just like he explained it to me. After he was done, Jesse had lowered his bow and he had a stone face; he stared at the ground.

"So, Prince Arthur," Arthur said to Jesse. "Would you like to duel me for your title? Or let me keep it?"

Jesse looked up at Arthur, his expression as angry as it could ever be. "Yes. I will duel you....peasant."

I laughed at that even though I probably shouldn't have.

"Fine. In two hours. Here. We shall duel for royal title and hand in marriage to Charlotte?"

Jesse didn't hesitate. "Deal."