A Prince Charming Story

The trio -6

"So why are you two alone out here anyway?" Cindy asked curiously.

"What do you mean?"

"You're the crown prince. The future king? Right?"

"Mhm, yeah, last time I checked."

"Sooo, shouldn't you have a line of soldiers guarding your every move?"

I pondered her question for a while. It wasn't a stupid question or anything but I didn't know how to explain it to her, in a flattering way, that I hated people. Not all people, but big crowds and soldiers with their stuck up, superior attitudes. Gatherings and social interaction wasn't really my thing. I hated being forced to hold speeches, clearly I was typically antisocial. Not really king material. But I couldn't say that out loud so I just shrugged and pointed at Adam,"he's my guard."

Cindy raised a brow, "just him?"

"Careful! Don't offend the mightiest knight in the kingdom."

Adam rolled his eyes to my mockery, which wasn't meant like that at all. He was the mightiest, in my eyes at least.

"What Charming is trying to say is; we can handle ourselves."

"Yeah, that," I nodded and remembered my begging pleas to my father to let us ride alone. It wasn't until I mentioned it as a rite of passage. Like an adventure where I was to find manhood.  That poor thing of a speech had made his eyes sparkle with eagerness. Because we all knew he wished I would grow up to be a pinch more manly one day. I didn't want to break it to him just yet, but it was never going to happen. "Well, look at it this way," I continued, "we've got you now and you've proven you can handle a sword pretty well."

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. My future wife's a badass fighter, carrying a sword on her back and she's good at wielding it too. When she stepped out of her cottage wearing her traveling outfit, I immediately reacted by taking a step back, fearing my life was over. She looked like one of those viking warriors you read about in stories. Not very princess-like at all.

"How did you learn to fight? Adam asked curiously.

She sighed and muttered, "let's say I didn't have the best childhood and I got tired of my stepsisters always bullying me." That's all she ever mentioned about that. Ever. Clearly it was a touchy subject and none of us wanted to put her in a bad mood.

We were quite the odd trio. And it wasn't as bad as I'd thought having her around. She clearly didn't want me as a husband so that calmed me down. And she was quite funny after all. And easy to talk to.

"So what will happen when we come back to the castle?"

"My father will get pissed I'm sure, but he won't force you to marry me, I think."

"You think!!" Her squeal made the horses jumpy and I had to reach down to pat mine to calm him.

"He won't," Adam assured her, but by the look on her face she wasn't convinced.

"So we need to find you another bride," she muttered.

Wait, what? I stared at her and then looked at Adam with panicky eyes. Bitterness emerged through my body as I noticed how he was considering it.

"Well, our prince is looking for true love, it might take a while to find it."

Cindy shrugged, "I'd rather ride around the country looking for his future bride than marrying him though."

"I'm right here!" I muttered. But somehow I didn't mind the idea. Continuing the adventure felt tempting.

"Oh, sorry C," Adam apologised, "what's your thoughts on it?"

I peered at Adam, he did seem embarrassed and it made me feel slightly happier. "It won't be easy"

"Yeah, well it's better than riding back brideless to your father."

"I guess."

Cinderella, who was riding in the middle of the road with one of us on each side, peered at us back and forth, "so where do we start?"

Adam studied a map and pointed ahead, "we could travel to the town up ahead and have a look around."

"And then what?" I muttered, "place petitions on the walls asking unmarried girls on dates?"

"Why not?"

"It was a joke!"

"It's actually a good idea."

I couldn't believe them! I huffed and rode in silence as the other two made plans, planning my future. But I tried to tell myself it wouldn't be so bad, If I didn't fall for any of the girls we would move on to the next town. And we all know I wouldn't. And that would give me more time to figure out my life. Worst case scenario? We'd be on the road for years until my dad brings me home by force and I'd have to tell him my secret. And then he'd probably lock me up and force me to marry some pretty noble girl. "Long live the kingdom."