Curious

Chapter 21: Small Steps

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: Small Steps

Despite his anger and quite frankly, annoyance towards a certain writer that I claim to have no relation to, Simon still continued his role as a guide. He knew that the quickest way to get rid of me was to do as I say and then hope I got bored enough to leave him alone. This frank acceptance and albeit reluctant obedience made this story quite boring. While I appreciated him believing that doing everything I say would please me and lessen my work for me the truth was that it made my work more difficult as now I had to find a way for him to be interesting and entertaining so my dear readers would actually dearly read the words I write so dearly for them. Perhaps I'll just go back in the second draft and make him rebel—that would be interesting.

Hmm. Just wait one moment while I write that down in my notes.

Simon continued to hint at the steps Sage had to take. He kept bringing up the matter to the point where he was pestering at the king's monthly afternoon tea. He passed on his worries to the king's personal assistant, whom he could trust to pester the king in Simon's absence. He also told one of the king's other assistants, the ones who were perhaps not as prestigious as the king's personal assistant but those whom were known to be huge gossips so he knew that the concerns surrounding Sage's status as a princess, not to mention her warrior like ways would be a topic of much discussion in the castle, then eventually the entire capital of Fantasia, and if it really took so much time for it to travel eventually throughout the kingdom. From his experience, gossip often travelled faster than sound. Give it two weeks, and even the farther reaches of the kingdom would have heard about the troubles in Alysanian royal family.

Sage, despite all the fuss, was still stubborn about it. She wants to pursue it as a career and does not care what others say no matter who they are or why they are saying what they are saying. She was being annoying persistent about it. She was understanding of only her fathers concerns but still refused to listen to his pleas. The king also as yet did not see any reason to pester her beyond an occasional warning.

Simon was still upset that I had burned his whole world down (it wasn't actually his world, to be fair, but the world of the story he was to play a part in), he was still unable to understand that my brain housed more than one character's world. Indeed, sometimes characters had more than one world. He does not know what to do about it or whether he could in essence even do anything because he is now totally aware of the things I am capable of doing, especially in an unstable position one is in when one is going through the difficult task of writing a novel.

God people watching is so much fun.

He thinks that I don't know but I'm also the person who knows him the best and I know the true extent of his hatred.

I just hope he doesn't take it overboard. Though of course, over board would be just the drama I am looking for. Hmm. Maybe I should push him harder. After all, this story needs some drama.

Everyone was talking about it. As Simon walked down the halls, it was obvious from the whispers what exactly was being discussed. Not only that but whenever Simon was feeling the least bit conversational—anyone he honored by speaking to would bring the topic up. They were calling it the biggest argument that the king and the princess had ever had.

The rumors were as follows: the king and the princess had a very public argument after a tournament after which they have not spoken since. It has been very tense. It has gotten to the point where its taking a physical toll on the king—who has been bedridden for days and has resigned from any public engagements because of it.

It was getting to the climax. And Simon couldn't wait to get to the top of the roller coaster. He couldn't wait for the thrill of the fall.

I might as well tell you know, dear reader, to go fetch your popcorn before you go on reading. Because further down these pages, a real drama is about to begin.