A Summer Of Missing Princesses

Back in my own realm, safe and sound, I find a stranger with slightly ruffled orange hair standing near where I appeared from. He’s very tall and dressed in a white shirt and white pants.

“Whoa... I’m human again! I’m a human again!” the man cries out triumphantly.

His orange hair falls in front of his eyes and he has to push it aside.

“You saved my life!” he says to me.

At that moment, I realize he was the dog I promised to rescue. Princess Aleena wakes up, yawning and stretching in my arms.

“Morning already...?” Princess Aleena asks with a little smile.

“Hey! You’re back!” another voice calls out.

I look around, a bit confused. Princess Aleena makes me set her down, and so I do.

“Up here!” the voice calls.

I look up in the branches of one of the lone standing trees and see Rider in a hammock.

“Rider! What are you doing here, still?!” I ask.

“Well, Erik-James refused to let me leave without you... I’ve kind of been stuck here for a week,” Rider says.

“A WEEK!” I cry out.

For me, it had only been a few hours, so hearing that I’ve been missing from my own realm for a whole week shocks me.

“Hmm... I don’t think we’ve quite had a good introduction... My name is Ruadh,” the man who once was a dog says.

“My name is Selima,” I say.

“You can just call me Rider; I don’t mind that name too much,” Rider says, emerging from his tree.

Erik-James appears to make sure Rider isn’t leaving without me. When he sees me, he excitedly approaches and nuzzles me.

“Hah, Erik-James loves you a lot, Selima!” Rider says.

“Well... I’ve got to take Aleena back to her parents. I still have six other princesses to save! Clearly I don’t have forever to wait!” I say.

“How about you take Erik-James? It’ll be faster,” Rider says.

“Huh? But... I’ve never been in charge of a pony before!” I say.

“Nice pony! He nearly looks regal,” Princess Aleena says, squealing over Erik-James.

“Listen,” Rider says, before he speaks he approaches Erik-James and pets him lovingly, “Erik-James knows how to get to the castle. All you have to do is ask him and he’ll go.”

“Oh! But... How will you get him back?” I ask.

“He’ll come back to me on his own. All great ponies can find their masters on their own,” Rider says.

I get on a stump so I can mount the pony. Erik-James doesn’t even complain when I mess up and accidentally kick him as I am getting up. After I am fully on his back, Rider and Ruadh help me get Princess Aleena up. Princess Aleena squeals joyfully, excited to be so high off the ground.

“Hold onto my shoulders, Princess Aleena,” I say to her.

She can’t quite reach my shoulders so she just wraps her little arms around me.

“Okay, Erik-James. Take me to Fairwood Castle!” I say.

Erik-James takes off running through the field straight towards the castle. Riding on his back reminds me a bit of riding on Ruadh’s head when he was a dog and I was a mouse.

“Wheeeeee! Daddy should buy me a pony!” Princess Aleena squeals.

“Maybe he will, one day,” I say, smiling.

Erik-James comes screeching to a halt in front of the castle, nearly throwing both of us off his back.

“Whoa!” I cry out.

He lets out a neigh, deciding to start a conversation with the stable ponies that belong to a few of the knights. I dismount and help Princess Aleena down.

“Aw, man... This is the most fun I’ve had in my whole life! Being stuck in the castle can get boring!” Princess Aleena whines.

“Well, it’s safer for you to stay here,” I say.

I feel sorry for the little girl. She’s a child like any other, and yet she isn’t allowed the same privileges as the rest of us. Princess Aleena pouts as I lead her into the castle. One of the guards runs off to alert the king and queen that their daughter has been returned, at least, I figure that’s what he’s doing. Only moments later, The King of Fairwood comes running to the door of the castle. Right behind him comes his wife, holding her dress up a bit so she can run without tripping.

“Oh, Aleena! We were so afraid we had lost you for good!” the queen cries out.

“Mommy! Daddy!” Princess Aleena says.

“Thank you, Selima, for rescuing our daughter!” the king says.

I bow to the king respectfully.

“However, we all know your journey is far from over... The other princesses are still out there, somewhere... I advise you go to our neighbor kingdom first, Mycono Kingdom,” the king says.

Princess Aleena gasps, her eyes widen and fill with sparkles. All traces of her sleepiness vanish in an instant.

“Mom! Dad! I want to go to Mycono!” Princess Aleena says.

The king and queen are both taken aback by this request from their daughter.

“Please, Selima! Take me with you!” Princess Aleena cries out.

“I’m afraid it might be too dangerous to take you along... I don’t want you to get killed or kidnapped again...” I say.

The king fidgets nervously with a lock of his hair.

“Honey... Mycono is a dangerous place... There are many criminals on that island...murderers, even!” the queen says, trying to convince the princess to stay at home.

“Selima can handle them! She’ll keep an eye on me!” Princess Aleena says.

“I... I...” I say.

“Selima, do you want to take Aleena with you?” the king asks.

“Please, take me with you!” Princess Aleena says again, making a cute face.

“Alright, I’ll take Princess Aleena with me. I could use a companion, after all, seeing as how long of a trip this will be,” I say.

“Here, take this to the dock,” the king says.

He hands me a large sack filled with glittering stones and a few undying flowers from the woods. Next, he hands me a sack with bread in it.

“The gems and flowers can persuade the sailors to take you anywhere you need to go. The bread is in case you run into a situation where you cannot get any food otherwise,” the king says, “And don’t you let the princess out of your sight again.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty!” I say.

I bow again as Princess Aleena hugs her parents.

“We wish you well on your trip! Find the princesses and return them to their homes,” the king says.

“We’ll be here waiting for you to return,” the queen says.

With that, I take Princess Aleena’s hand and lead her out of the castle again.