Not A Princess (Sequel to Princess Of The Underworld)

07| Date Disaster

    "Not bad, H." I mumbled to myself as I looked at the feast that I had prepared (more like spelled) with the spell book.

  I looked up towards the bridge where Ben was walking towards me, and just in time.

  "Hey." The King greeted, pulling me in for a quick kiss, before he turned to look at all the food, "You made this?"

   I smiled at him, placing a hand on his chest, "Don't sound so shocked." I teased before sitting down in a chair, Ben sitting across from me.

   I picked up a piece of food and held it out to Ben, "Would you like a hot hors d'oeuvres?" I asked in my best french accent.

   "Yes, please." The King said through his chuckles at my Lumiere impression, as I feed the food to him.

   "So?" I leaned on my hands, "What do you think?" I really hoped the magic had worked.

   "Mmm! This is the best thing that I've ever had." Ben told me as he chewed the food.

   I smiled, glad the spell did it's job, "So, you like it?"

    He smirked at me, "I more then like it." He leaned over the table, kissing my softly, "I really, really like it."

  I chuckled as he sat back down, and took a bite of the beef ragout.

  "Did I surprise you?" I asked, really wanting to know the answer. Ben had done so much for me over the past six months, and I really wanted to repay him.

  My boyfriend nodded, "Oh, yeah. This is every dish Mrs. Potts made for my parents. How did you do it?"

  Just a little magic, I thought to myself before clicking my tongue, "Don't even ask me. It's all like, a kitchen blur."

   We both laughed, Ben then reaching across the table and taking my cold hand in his own warm one. That feeling never failed to make my whole body fill with warmth.

  "Well," He traced patterns on the back of my hand as he spoke, "It really means a lot that you stopped and did this for me. Especially with all the stuff you've been put through. I really missed you."

  I leaned into his hand as he placed it on my cheek, it felt like we hadn't been together in a hundred years, "I missed you too."

  I then reached across the table, flicking a piece of pie and pudding on en flambé of the corner of his mouth.

    "You got a little..." I motioned to his face.

  He chuckled, "Is it obvious?"

  I laughed at how he quoted me when I had jelly doughnut smeared all over my face on our fist date.

   He wiped at his mouth, "Do you have-do you have a napkin or something?" I nodded at him.

"Yeah," I looked around the table for where I had placed the napkins, "They should be here somewhere..."

  "Found them." I then looked up to see Ben reaching into the basket, right where I had placed the spell-book.

   "I can get it!" I reached into the basket, but it was too late. Ben slowly pulled the book out, looking at it warily.

  "What's this?" He asked as he flipped through some of the pages.

  "Um..." I tried to play it off, "You know, Mal was worried it was gonna rain and she asked if she could just put it in there for safe keeping an-"

  He cut me off, looking up at me, "Cooking spell."

   Oh no.

  Ben looked at me, an expression I couldn't read on his face, "And I was giving you props for fitting in so well, for trying your best!"

  This was bad, think, Hadey, think!

  "Take back this moment that has passed," I recited the memory-taking spell, "Return it-reverse it." I put my hand over my mouth as I realized I had said the spell wrong.

  "Are you trying to spell me?" Ben excused as he jumped up from the table.

  I shook my head, this could not be happening right now, "Ben, it has been so hard for me these last six months!"

  Ben kicked the table leg, the food lightly shaking, "Yes! Some things are hard! Do you think learnings to be king has been easy for me?"

  I scoffed, he could not believe I would think that, I know how hard he's been working, "Of course not!"

   "I thought we were in this together!"

  I pushed my chair back, it scraping against the wood floor as I stood up, "Ben, we are in this together!"

  He shook his head, "But we're not, Hadey. You've been lying to me, and keeping secrets from me. What's next, huh? That's how relationships work, with honesty and trust. This isn't the Isle of The Lost!"

  I shook my head, scoffing, "Trust me, I know that!"

   "Then why are you doing this?" He motioned to the spell book.

  I let out a huff, trying to keep my cool, "I'm not who everyone expects me to be, Ben! I'm not a princess, I'm not a lady! I'm not who you want me to be, Ben! I'm just a villain kid."

  Ben looked at me, and I rolled my eyes, grabbing the spell-book from where he threw it down on the table.

  I flipped through the pages, "Take this feast, this scrumptious meal, turn it back to what is real. " I cast the spell, the plates of food instantly turning back into a regular sandwich and a glass of milk.

   "This is me, Ben." I told the boy, closing the book.

  Ben's face softened, reaching  out, "Hadey..."

  I dodged him, pushing past him, "Don't touch me."

  I ignored his calls for me as I walked back towards the school. Everything was getting way out of hand, I couldn't do this.

  I knew what I had to do.