A Princess For Christmas (Of The Dreams We Seek)

Thirteen

Avni was very much afraid as the destination drew closer and closer. She was not afraid of going to a new place, but she was afraid of the old faces she was supposed to meet there. Specially one she had been longed to meet for so long. 

She played with the ring the Queen sent her as a proof of her word to Avni that she is now a part of the Royal family. She saw one on everyone's finger. The Queen, the Prince and the Princess. Now she has one too. She is part of something big. A royal, and it is something she never thought of doing in her life.

 "Lady Avni, if you look out now you will see the Kingdom of WinterDell down" She looked down and it was like she was transported into one of those perfect pieces of handcrafted paradise inside a globe of glass. The perfect winter land surrounded by pine trees, mountains and in middle of it was a castle rising to meet the mountains.

 "It is beautiful, something out of fairy tales." She commented. "Aren't you glad that it is real?" He asked. "Very much Thank you Philip" She said and he smiled.

The plane landed safely on the airport and there was a limo with royal flags was standing there to greet me. She half expected Callahan to jump out and yell Surprise Princess, see I can surprise you too, welcome to my Kingdom" But sadly that doesn't happen.

 It was just her and Philip. The ride took her through the roads of the kingdom that just snowed in. It was second of November, and it is already very cold. She saw the little kids playing on the streets, making snowman in the park. 

It was as she had imagined it to be a Winter Wonderland. "Look ahead Miss Avni the entrance to castle is coming up ahead." Avni looked ahead and saw a old style draw bridge was there, with the gates at the end The Castle was surrounded by high walls which now covered in snow. It looked so barren yet so beautiful at the same time.

"The wall protects us from attack and the drawbridge does not let anyone come inside, not without a deep dive into the frozen river that flows through the gorge." She nodded. "Does this place have a museum Philip?" Avni asked.

 "Yes, we do have a museum Lady Avni. Why do you ask?" Philip aske curiously. "It is a good place to know the history of this place, maybe I can find an interesting way of doing so?" She said sounding a bit unsure about it. 

"You know a very good historian lives in palace; Prince Callahan can tell you whatever you like to. He is good at this stuff. Better than me, and he can tell you all about it" Avni looked at him with a small smile.

 "Philip how do you know? Are you two friends?" She asked him. "Short off, see he is a Prince, a royal, and being a Prince mean I can be good for one thing only a servant, just that." Avni saw the gates opened and the car got in. And then it stopped. 

"We have reached My Lady" He informed. "Philip," He stopped and looked at her. "Friendships aren't based on title or status, If it does than that person is not really is your friend." Avni said. Philip get out of the car. And then moved to her side opening the door.

The royal palace was filled with hustle and bustle of people. Today someone very special was about to arrive there. A very special person indeed. Callahan was looking through the window of his study to see a car stopped in front driveway. Then he saw her Avni, the girl he left behind. He thought she was part of his past but no, she wasn't sadly. 

Then he found himself studying her, he cannot help but notice how she had lost so much weight and she looked paler. The weather wasn't doing justice with her and she keeps rubbing her hands in order to try and warm herself up. 

She needed thicker clothes, last thing he wanted her to be was sick in his care. He shall tell someone to bring the finest warm clothes one can find in this country. Someone cleared their throat as he looked towards the person. It was their Prime Minister. "Minister" He greeted. "Your Highness" He greeted back.