Chapter Twenty – Appearances
“So, you guys know each other, I still get my cut” The student insisted. Mark paid the student and the student, who was satisfied with his cut, went on his way.
“What are you doing here?” Mark asked the old man.
“I escaped the same as you.” The old man replied, “Isn’t it great here. If only we could have been born a century or two later. Imagine all the things that we missed, and we don’t have to worry about being overrun here. This is the most peaceful country on the planet.”
“We think we should give the princess back her memories. She’s remembering in her dreams; she might as well remember when she is awake.” Mark explained.
“Remembering in her dreams is a problem.” The old man answered, “She’s getting better at controlling them and if she figures out that everything in the dream is real, she could send us back.”
“That’s why she needs to wake up, so we can convince her to stay.” Mark continues.
“I don’t know.” The old man replies, “The only thing that will wake her up permanently is ‘true loves’ kiss.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.” Mark answered, “That is pretty cliché, don’t you think.”
“It’s cliché for a reason.” The old man answered, “true love is the most powerful magic there is.”
“We don’t even know who her true love is.” Mark went on, “It’s not Toby. We already tried that.”
“Even if she gets her memories back, there is no guarantee that you will be able to convince her and if you can’t do that, we’ll have to defeat her in battle.” The old man warned.
“Isn’t there anything you can do?” Mark begged.
“I do have a temporary solution.” The old man offered, “Get her to take a few sips of this and she will remember for a few hours.” The old man handed Mark an old plastic milk container that had a potion in it. Mark took the container.
“Thanks” Mark responded.
“Good luck and be careful” The old man warned. With that, the old man left Mark standing all by himself. Mark left for Carla’s house.
“You will never guess who I found?” Mark states after he gets to Carla’s house.
“Who?” Carla asks.
“The Wizard” Mark replies, “He’s here.”
“What?” Carla asks stunned.
“The Wizard is here.” Mark states again.
“I thought the Wizard just sent us here. I didn’t think he would also send himself.” Carla replied.
“He said he was escaping, like the rest of us.” Mark explained.
“We’ll, I guess that makes sense.” Carla thought,” But why did he send any of us here. Why didn’t he just come here himself. He didn’t have to bring us with him. He didn’t have to save the princess.”
“I don’t know” Mark answered.
“There’s something he’s not telling us.” Carla declared, “There’s some other reason we are all here.”
“He said that the princess can only get her memories back permanently with ‘true loves’ kiss.” Mark continues.
“Seriously?” Carla responded, “’true loves’ kiss? That’s what he told you.”
“Wait, you don’t think he’s lying, do you?” Mark replied.
“Of course he’s lying. He doesn’t want the princess to get her memories back. It could ruin everything.” Carla explains.
“If that’s true, why did he give me this.” Mark asked as he held up the container with the potion.
“What’s that?” Carla asked.
“It’s a potion that will temporarily give the princess her memories back. We just have to get her to drink it.” Mark stated.
“How are we going to do that, she doesn’t trust us anymore.” Carla shot back.
“We have to find some way to get her to take it.” Mark declared.
That night Mark had a dream.
Mark had been training his entire life to become a knight. He worked hard to build up his muscles to handle the heavy armor that knights wore and to hold up a heavy sword that was the knight’s primary weapon of choice.
Because Mark was young, he wasn’t a knight. He was a knight in training. That meant that he had to do whatever his mentor told him to do. His mentor worked him hard because when the time came to rely on him in battle, he had to be ready. Day after day it was the same grueling routine. He was up at the crack of dawn. He spent the day doing all manner of things and then he slept. It wasn’t exactly the life of hardship that the peasants enjoyed, but it was a life of hardship.
One day after Mark had completed a hard day, he laid down in his bed to get some well-earned rest, a man appeared to him. This man wore a cloak. Mark jumped up ready to battle this unexpected visitor.
“Calm down.” The visitor said, “I’m not your enemy.” Mark relaxed slightly.
“Who are you?” Mark asked.
“I am a powerful wizard. I know you are not a true knight, but I have seen your heart, and you have true courage. In three days, the kingdom will be attacked and overrun. The entire royal family will be put to death with the sword. I have foreseen it and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. The King has asked me to select someone brave and noble to escort his daughter to safety. I have selected you for this important task. I am going to use my magic to send you both somewhere safe. Will you serve your King by accepting this honor?” the wizard explained.
“I am honored to accept the task my King has chosen me for.” Mark responded. Mark worked hard and never complained. He knew what he had to do to become a knight. To be chosen for this important task while being so inexperienced made no sense to Mark but it wasn’t his place to question orders. It was his place to obey. So that is what he did.
Mark was told to wait in the shadows in the cave until he was needed. He watched while Carla brought the princess to the wizard. The princess was beautiful, but he had never seen anyone like Carla before. Carla’s resourcefulness impressed him. She was someone he wanted to get to know.
The princess was restrained but soon her restraint was gone. She didn’t look scared at all.
“You can come out Mark, I know you’re there.” It was the voice of the princess. Mark came out of the shadows. The princess was gaining confidence, gaining more control over the dream.
Marks armor and weapon disappeared, and Mark was now the one restrained. Carla and Toby were also restrained.
Gina casually walked toward the wizard, who still looked unconcerned at this turn of events. When she got close to the Wizard, who was now restrained himself, she held a dagger to his throat.
“Give me one good reason not to kill you right now?” she demanded.