The prince opens his eyes slowly and with a headache without knowing where he was. There was a welcoming air in that small wooden room. A large figure wearing the armor of the Wolf Brigade was looking at Hilbert. He had a wooden bowl of soup and handed it to the prince. The young man speaks to Hilbert in a soft, familiar voice:
“I always have to save your skin, don't I?” the young man gives a teasing laugh. “Good thing I was patrolling nearby, while I saw that flash, otherwise the guards would have found your royal body petrified. The maidens of the kingdom would be so devastated. Who would console them?” says the young man giving another laugh.
“Well, in that case, it would be a national holiday and you wouldn't have to rub yourself in the dirt, or sneak through the woods! Isn't that right, Gödel? Anyway, I think you would still do that the same day, after my funeral, I hope.” The prince replies to his friend while takes the soup with a grimace.
Gödel is the Vice Commander of the Wolf Brigade. His gray leather armor is partially adorned with gray wolf-like fur. He is taller than the prince and has a lean body, but with large, well-defined muscles as hard as a rock, his skin is light brown. His straight hair is brown, long, and tied by a gray ribbon.
He is a childhood friend of Hilbert; they have always trained together and have been in various battles since the days of cadets of the Royal Guard. They were in Gödel's hut, outside the palace walls, that he used as a post for observation, preparation and rest. It is a very camouflaged and discreet place.
“The soup is not good for your royal taste, Your delicacy?” Gödel laughs at the prince's disgusted face. “Hurry up and eat that soup, you pervert! It has rare herbs that I found. They are born over the decomposed corpse of a Basilisk. They are potent antidotes for petrification! There are already enough statues of you, one more would be a great acquisition, don't you think?
“Thank you! This fact just made the soup tastes better! I wonder what you eat around while you're on patrol. I'm sick enough to think about your brigade's menu.” The prince looks at Gödel trying to disguise the grimace, produced by the strong smell of the soup. “Thanks for saving my neck again Gödel, after that, you owe me three I think!” both laugh at the statement for different reasons.
“I think it's the other way around, isn't it? Did you forget those vampire-infested ruins, ruled by that odd vampire?” The Vice Commander looks at the prince with a defiant smile.
“But that was just one of our missions my dear friend! I will not discuss our scoreboard again until you stop using old wolf shit to camouflage yourself and wear the same armor every other day as well.” Hilbert laughed at his friend's face. Gödel was irritated with his friend's comments, although all of this was true.
“Hilbert, you ungrateful fool! Tell me what you were up against at the library and what in these lands have the speed to surpass your dexterity with the shield? You haven't been drinking again because of Charlotte, have you?” The Vice Commander questions Hilbert with a surprised face. Hilbert is silent for a moment and then replies.
“I never saw a creature like that before, it looked like a kind of specter with giant arms. Its eyes were like red spooky lights. When I attacked its chest, the sword seemed to have gone through nothing! It seemed to be looking for the entrance to the library, but there are protective enchantments all over that place. That must have confused the wraith, I suppose.”
“Whatever that creature was, now it is smoke. At least, I saw it vanish like smoke, while your promiscuous body almost fell to the floor.” Gödel replies looking out the window and continues. “This paralyzing venom is not very different from the venom of medusa snakes of the Edengard forest, luckily for you; it's just a slightly stronger variation. I wonder how this thing went unnoticed by the patrolmen, the brigadiers, and the Royal Guard.”
“Gödel, I'll get straight to the point.” The prince pauses and then begins to speak in a more serious tone.
“I have discovered that the elves of the Shadow Forest keep secrets about ancient scriptures and it might destroy our planet if they are found by cultists or any kind of creature with evil intentions. I feel a calling to that place like it is connected to my dreams somehow.”
“May they protect that secret, Hilbert. Nobody can find those damn elves anyway, and the Forest of Shadows is a very chaotic place even for the beasts, monsters, and the fauna that live there.”
“The elves are very powerful and arrogant, Gödel. I fear that if these cultists are wandering the kingdom, it will not be long before they explore the forest until they find the elves with the black magic they use. If there is a war against this hidden army of cultists, they would never ask the kingdoms for help before they are defeated. This would result in the loss of this information to our enemies. Damn proud elves!” says Hilbert looking hatefully at the soup, didn't know if it was anger at the soup or the elves, maybe both.
“So, the plan is a preventive measure? I see. But it will not be easy to explore that place beyond our mapping! The Wolf Brigade does not have all the mapping of that forest and you know it. It would be kind of like to shot an arrow in the darkness. And the latest report tells that beasts and monsters that live there have shown very aggressive and strange behavior by their standards. It would be very risky, even for those damned cultists.” States Gödel, turning to Hilbert.
“I need your help, Gödel. We have to go there without arousing suspicion! You know how my mother would react.” The prince had a fiery determination in his eyes.
“Let me see if I understand? Do you want us to explore a forest? Full of murderous beasts and possibly crazy cultists with strange powers, just to find a bunch of arrogant elves that hold a secret that can bring about the end of the world?” Gödel pauses briefly while looking at Hilbert excitedly. “Count me in!! When do we leave?
“Well, it is already morning so we will prepare everything for tomorrow, midnight to be more precise. I might need three more allies!” Hilbert realizes that Gödel seems strangely even more excited.
“That's a real challenge Hilbert! It has been a long time since we don’t go out to explore.”
Hilbert looks to the window and watches the dawn. His head was already full of plans. He looks back at his ecstatic friend and nods in disapproval, but with a smile on his face he says:
“You are crazy Gödel! Well, my leg is better. I will make preparations for our journey. I need you to find one more warrior because I already have two others in mind.”
“Okay! And who are they?” Gödel looks surprised.
“You will find out soon, my dear friend. When midnight comes, we will meet at the oak tree near your dog house.” The prince smiles with a mocking face.
“How many flattering words towards my palace, you royal jester! Get out of here you prick.” Gödel grimaced at Hilbert as he turned to his shelf, already arranging a few vials of potions.
“See you soon! And take a shower at least once a week,” says Hilbert, as he walks out the door. Gödel begins to make his preparations.
Hilbert had to worry about reinforcing the kingdom's security after the incident. The prince would meet the brigade Commanders in the afternoon, but now he was going to make up some story to convince Queen Helena that his disappearance for some time was just a simple mission from the Eagle Brigade in a quiet place southward, in the Southbridge region, where incidents involving cultists or uncontrolled monsters had not yet occurred.
Queen Helena was very concerned with the welfare of her two children and was always intruding on Hilbert's affairs, which irritated him deeply. After some time, Hilbert walked towards the vast palace made of ancient white polished stones of great resistance and density and headed for his room.
The Queen's daughter, Princess Marjorie Ygdrazz White, was a 15-year-old, arrogant, demure, and raised at the court. She has always been interested in magic, but her mother had forbidden her to practice it because considered it a very dangerous art for a lady of royal lineage, not that it had prevented the princess from practicing her magic spells when she found a breach.
Her hair was blond and long with very pale skin. Her eyes irises were gray, like her brother's, but they were much lighter, almost white. She was not full-bodied, but her beauty was unique. There were several nobles interested in the maiden, but she never showed interest in romance.
Her real interest was science books or magic books that she managed to hide from her mother and also practice magic somewhere that didn't attract too much attention.
The princess was always melancholic because her fate had already been sealed by her grandfather even before she was born. Her hand was promised to the king of Southstar, a nearby kingdom, southward of Whitecastle.
This union would bind the kingdoms, merging them, and that would result in the formation of an unbeatable empire, in terms of war and resources, as it has never been seen on the northern continent. The two kingdoms were at war for a long time until the princess's grandfather, King Albus, made a peace deal sealing the fate of two people who were not even born.
For Marjorie, this arranged marriage was nothing but the selfishness of archaic old men concerned with power. In Majorie's opinion, there were many other ways to resolve this conflict over lands that bordered both kingdoms and that neither belonged to Whitecastle nor Southstar, a land with many valuable ores, rivers, mountains, and trees.
Marjorie considered all this as a great injustice to the beings that used to live in those lands. These mountainous regions used to be the home of dwarves, but the war between the kingdoms had driven them out of that place. Nowadays, the dwarves of that region are an itinerant people, many live as blacksmiths, others as miners in the service of the human kingdoms. They are skilled professionals in the art of forging and mining.
Those who fled to other distant dwarven kingdoms hold an enormous grudge towards humans and their fellow kind who decided to stay in the region working for the kingdoms of men.
Marjorie is very cultured and studies every subject that interests her. For always living in a “glass bell jar” imposed by his mother, she saw in books the window to the unknown world.
The nobles, no matter how cultured they were, always seemed dull to the maiden, except for Jørgen Ir who was the only one that the young woman could rival in knowledge, except in linguistic matters, that was the only field that the maiden lost to the old lord.
That quiet morning, three knocks on the door interrupted the young lady's reading in her luxurious room. It was Hilbert.
“You may come in brother.” the princess answers the door and speaks in a soft-toned voice.
“These three knocks always introduce me, don't they?” Hilbert puts his hand on his neck while giving a half-hearted smile.
“Yes! You are so predictable that it makes me sleepy sometimes.” The princess turns her back on the prince while she sits on her bed and then turns back to her brother.
“What brings you to my containment chamber, Hilbert?” asks the girl that looks with interest, because she didn't think Hilbert was boring, on the contrary, but she always tried to conceal her emotion, for she thought her brother was a selfish man that never shared his feelings.
“Wow! Your mood is very good today, apparently. I came here, Marjorie, to ask you to spend some time as a guest in the Southstar Kingdom. There, they will treat you like a queen, which will be true, at least in a while.” Hilbert gives another half-hearted- smile.
“You think this is funny brother, don’t you? Although, it is not your testicles that are tied to any of these "noble ladies" that you court for one night stand and then leave.” Marjorie got really mad at his brother for the comment, although the idea of escaping that regime of restrictions didn't seem so bad.
“Tell me! Why should I go to that tacky kingdom and stay close to that stupid king that never read a book?”
“I was attacked yesterday!” the princess's astonished face was unmistakable. Hilbert was very direct. “Marjorie, it is no longer safe here, I fear. To be honest, Bruce changed a lot these years.”
“What happened? You are hurt? Who did this to you?” any type of mask that the princess could wear in front of her brother did not suit her at that moment, nor could she be able to hide her feelings anymore.
“I'm fine. It was just an oversight on my part. The problem was taking Gödel's soup.” Hilbert looked disgusted. “The enemy was a kind of specter or whatever the demon, but it was not of any kind that I had seen or read about. It didn't seem to come from the realm of the living.” at that moment, the prince looks at the window and contemplates the bluish morning sky.
“How did this creature get through all the guards and protection spells?” asks the maiden with a look of perplexity.
“Does it matter now?” Hilbert replies harshly. “Marjorie! Have you been practicing your magic spells and enchantments?” the prince seriously stares at the princess.
“Indeed, I have! I am managing to master several attack and defense spells. You and that savage are always concerned about my safety, but it was you the one attacked yesterday, weren't you? Do you think I could be the next target?” Marjorie seemed concerned.
“I'm still not sure if I was the target of the enemy, and until I determine what the intentions of that thing were, you’d better listen to my advice and leave with me. I'll come here before midnight. Take everything you think is necessary to travel. Can I count you in?” the air seemed heavy in that luxurious and delicate room as the siblings stared at each other.
“You always could. Have you talked to the imposing queen Helena?” Marjorie looks disgusted as she says that last sentence.
“She'll surely agree to that. She can't wait for you to turn sixteen, the age she married our dad, so you too can get married and give her lots of grandchildren. Who knows? Maybe she will stop worrying so much about our chores. I think that if our mother could advance the date of your marriage, she would jump out of joy.” The prince smiles with malice which makes Marjorie very angry for all these infamous comments.
“All right, you goofy pervert!” apparently calmer the princess smiles and proceed to speak again. “If the great strategist of Whitecastle says that it is safer to be away from here, then what are my counter-arguments? Needless to say, I do have a hundred on the tip of my tongue. Besides, it would be great to get out of this cage and see a little bit of the world outside.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“That's the spirit!” The prince seemed relieved by the answer. But Marjorie would not miss the opportunity to get back at Hilbert and says:
“Why don't, you, give her grandchildren? A few bastards to make the Queen’s life a pain would be an act of much better revenge, don't you think?” Hilbert looks embarrassed at his sister. “I heard that you are well skilled in these kinds of sordid things.” Marjorie gives a malicious smile that makes Hilbert blush with embarrassment.
“I would rather be an uncle than a father at this point, besides, our mother would castrate me.” Hilbert closes his eyes and looks pained thinking about the possibility.
“You have to stop listening to these gossipers. I'll be back later! Until then, have a good day my sister!” Hilbert says goodbye with a kiss on his sister’s forehead and leaves the room waving his hand.
“Hilbert,” exclaims the princess as the prince headed for the door. “Be careful or ...” Hilbert interrupts his sister.
“Spare these words, for I already know the answer! You wouldn't forgive me in the other world, isn’t it?” The prince looks tired with this old talk of another world. Marjorie continues what she would say.
“I was going to tell you to train more and be less confident! After all, I never heard of you being careless in combat. You spoke like an old man now. By the gods, Hilbert!” The princess laughs at her brother's face as he turned and shut the door.
Marjorie had mixed feelings, but she was excited to leave the palace for the first time. 'A trip… how it will be like?'
She thought of all sorts of things she could encounter about the world that she had read in the books and also that if the king approached her without her consent she would use magic so strong that it would disintegrate his entire body from the waist down.
She only met the king once, when they were children and immediately she hated him. At the time he was just an uneducated, spoiled, and pompous brat, but he was already the King of Southstar. She thought that time could have changed him too, but soon dismissed the hypothesis.
A few hours passed after Hilbert and Marjorie met. Prince White was now heading to the royal meeting room to speak to his mother, Queen Helena Ygdrazz White. She had some tax meetings in the morning and was busy dealing with routine matters of kingdom finance.
Dividing resources and organizing events for the nobles. Hilbert arrives at the conference hall and sees the young and beautiful Queen surrounded by bureaucrats and inspectors; it was not a very pleasant sight for the young warrior; too many formalities for his taste.
The meeting was over and Hilbert waited for all those noble gentlemen to leave. Hilbert nods to his mother and approaches her subtly. She responds to the nod with a smile.
“Son! How good it is to see your beautiful face after so many complaints and calculations!” says the Queen, getting up from the pompous chair and embracing her son with a sigh of relief.
“Thank you, my mother. It must be difficult to deal with this much information, right?” Hilbert looks around and sees that the room is empty now.
“My dear son, I am now going to my chambers to have some tea. By chance, I might be able to forget all of these complaints, and not so basic accounting. Would you like to accompany me?” the Queen walks away and heads towards her room. The prince proceeds to follow his mom.
In the Queen's room they have tea and talk a little about everyday life, nothing too profound. Hilbert gets a break from those trivia and starts talking about his plans.
“Mother, I need to investigate the Southbridge region. The Eagle Brigade post in Southbridge needs to undergo a structural assessment, it is necessary to reinforce that place as a precaution, and I prefer to do it personally. I'm leaving early probably in the morning.”
“You are the Commander of that brigade. Why do you ask permission from me?” the Queen asks without interest in the affairs of the brigade.
“Actually mom, I wish I could escort Marjorie to the Southstar realm, and, as Southbridge is not too far away, I would like you to allow Marjorie to accompany us. You know that the southern lands are peaceful these days.”
“What did your sister say about it?” the Queen is surprised by the fact that the girl wants to go to a place that she always said she wouldn't step on.
“She said she would like to enjoy the trip and, oddly enough, she is excited to meet her future husband.” Hilbert had to restrain himself from laughing.
“But that's great news, my dear! I always wanted your sister to spend some time on her fiancé's lands, because, after all, she must get used to the Queen's life that she will lead in that kingdom. You, more than anyone, can guarantee her safety on this trip. Tell me how long will your expeditions last?” the Queen's face looked sad at the separation news.
“About two and a half weeks. It would be a week and two days until Southstar. Some stops at a few inns, then another three days of inspection, following to the return to our lands.” the prince did the calculations while, in fact, thinking about the trip to the forest.
“Well then! I allow Marjorie to accompany you to the southern kingdom. Have you sent a messenger to let them know you would be going?” asks the Queen.
“Yes, I already sent one of my fastest messenger eagles in the morning, which has already returned with the answer, and they are waiting for Marjorie with festivities and a beautiful banquet!” indeed the prince had received this answer and from the king himself, by the way.
“I need one more favor to ask.” Hilbert gets up from the tea chair and continues to speak after receiving a positive nod from the Queen. “A royal letter from you summoning the Commanders of the four brigades this afternoon. I want to make sure that the security of the kingdom is reinforced during my absence.”
“I will summon them in the meeting room, but I am very tired of my royal affairs, my dear Commander. I think you can handle it!” the Queen yawns with certain drowsiness.
“Of course, mom. Rest now, for I shall take care of everything.”
Hilbert leaves the royal chambers with pain in his chest for having to omit about his real journey, but it was the only way to conclude his expedition, because even he, as a sworn knight, could not disobey the Queen's orders if she disapproved of his request.
What eased grief was the fact that he was doing his duty to the people of the kingdom. If his father were alive, King Hansen, things would be different, as the king was much less protective. He was a spirit who loved freedom, had no attachment, although he loved his children very much. The king died when Hilbert was a child.
A heart disease that the physicians, healers, and wizards were unable to treat in proper time. After the King's death, the Queen became much more protective of her children. Hilbert had to sacrifice a lot to reach the rank of Commander. The Queen always hindered the boy's tests so he wouldn't leave the Royal Guard, which is directly under her command.
Queen Helena is blond and a little taller than Marjorie, her body had voluptuous proportions, but her pompous and heavy ornate black widow dresses used to cover her stunning silhouette. Her skin was white but she had a light pinkish tone to it, unlike her children.
She was thirty-five years old and belonged to the Ygdrazz house, rich weapon and armor traders from the Whitecastle kingdom. The Ygdrazz family was responsible for most of the gears that were traded in four of the seven allied kingdoms. She has always been a strong woman who runs the kingdom affairs by herself and family business along with her parents and siblings, her only weakness being her children.
The prince was thinking of his father as he headed for the royal kitchen to eat something and try to forget Gödel's miraculous hideous soup. Arriving at the kitchen, he found Chef Pierre watching the cauldron while the helpers: Charlotte and Hilda; were busy chopping vegetables and meat and putting food to cook in those big pots.
Hilbert sits on a chair in the corner of that huge kitchen and starts a trivial conversation with Pierre, his eyes never stop looking at Charlotte, after all, there was no woman with a more beautiful body in the whole kingdom.
Her breasts were full but firm, her waist was thin and her legs were perfectly shaped. She was no less attractive even in her humble cook's clothes. Her freckles spread from her cheeks to the top of her large breasts. Her red lips were thick and had deep blue eyes that matched her pretty face.
Her copper-colored hair was very tidy, with light curls at the ends. She was of above-average height, being six inches shorter than the prince. Hilbert's gaze seemed to pierce the girl's soul, who was always amused by the prince's silly and not-so-subtle conversations and attempts of flirting.
“Hilbert,” Pierre takes off his apron holding his chef's hat and bows. “Feel free to eat whatever you want, soon lunch will be ready. I'll go to the warehouse to take some notes on our inventory.” Pierre turns to the kitchen girls and speaks firmly. “Serve the prince in my absence, girls.
“Yes Chef!” the girls answer in unison.
At that moment, Charlotte approaches Hilbert. The prince begins to blush. The girl speaks with a malicious sweet tone in her voice.
“How can I serve the noble warrior today?” and gives an “innocent” laugh as she leans towards Hilbert showing the cleavage and a little more. Hilda rolled her eyes and sighed because she was tired of always seeing that same scene.
“Oh ... I just came here, Charlotte, to get a little breast ... I mean bread !...” says the prince stuttering and looking at the voluptuous volume in front of him.
“Yeah, I don't think I'm that horn…hungry.” Hilbert swallows. “I have a taste of grotesque herb soup in my mouth and I would like to drink mead and eat some of these bres... I mean those breads that are over there on the table.”
Hilbert gets up and goes to the table trying to disguise the gaffe. Charlotte had lots of fun in embarrassing Hilbert.
“You've been so blushed lately, Hilbert. Don't you have a fever? Let me take your temperature.” Charlotte hugs the young prince from behind, listing her breasts on Hilbert's back while placing her hand on his forehead and then starts talking in a softer voice.
“Wow! You are very hot Hilbert; it looks like you are burning.” And the redhead complements the phrase in her thoughts; 'Burning with indecency.'
Hilbert is paralyzed like a statue and thinks that this would only make his "fever" worse.
“Calm down. I have good medicine for you!” replies the beautiful cook. Charlotte takes a basin of cold water and drops it on the prince's head.
“Now I think your freak fever will low, right, Hilbert?” Hilda looks at that scene with no expression on her face and moves towards the pot again, rolling her eyes again.
"Good," says Hilbert angrily, taking the bowl off his head and placing it on the table. “I think I deserved that, didn’t I?” the prince calms down a little and complements. “Why do you waste your time here annoying me Charlotte? There are many other good functions in the realm where your skills would be better used. You could achieve a lot more in life and I'm not just talking about gold, but really contributing to our people. Your life experience and your wit would help to give our kingdom a new perspective for the less fortunate.” the prince was calmer and more relaxed now, sometimes cold water is all that is needed to relieve any type of “fever”.
“I always answer the same thing to you Hilbert. I love to cook and our people are fine without me! Provoking you is just a bonus. Hilda is very quiet, almost a statue and the chef is a pain in the neck!” the beautiful girl laughs at the prince while handing a cloth to dry him.
“Besides, this is like meditation for me. My mind is so peaceful when I cook.” Charlotte thinks about her troubled past of poverty.
Hilbert, with a malicious smile, leaves for the cutlery while picking up a half dozen knives and hiding behind his back. Charlotte who was mopping the water on the floor speaks sighing in dismay.
“How many times are you still going to do that?”
The prince throws the knives at high speed towards Charlotte, who gets up and picks up five knives with just one hand and says:
“Your speed has increased a little bit, but I think you still can't hit me.” The confident smile on Charlotte's face made Hilbert angrier. But the prince was laughing and pointing at the wall.
“Really? Why don't you look back?” One of the knives had escaped the young woman's grasp. The knife was stuck in the kitchen wall directly over Pierre's head, to everyone's surprise. He had returned from the warehouse and entered the kitchen without warning.
The fat and short Chef was shaking and had wet his pants. With an air of fright, he tries to speak stuttering:
“You ... Your Ma ... sis!” the three look at the Chef terrified and proceed to help the chef who fell sitting on his own piss. “I think ... that you don't ... should play with knives in the kitchen.”
“I am very sorry Pierre,” Says Hilbert getting the chef up on his feet again. “I will give you a hundred gold coins for the inconvenient.” Hilbert analyzed the condition of the chef and realized he was not injured; it was pure luck that the knife did not hit Pierre.
They lift the shaky chef and sit him on a bench. The prince hands the coins to Pierre, which seems to have immediately animated the man's spirit. Now calmer the chef talks to Hilbert:
“You are very generous, my prince!” Pierre says that with a smile on his face while counting the coins. “Don't worry about it, Milord. I think I'll take a break for today. Girls! Take care of everything for me!” Pierre leaves the kitchen with a giant smile on his face and humming happy tunes.
“You are very irresponsible Hilbert, now Hilda and I will have to do everything!” Charlotte responds harshly and with a face of anger.
“We already do everything, Charlotte!” says Hilda. “The chef only complains about our seasoning and tastes the dishes. What's more, the chef will spend all that on mead and his boyfriends. I don't think he'll be back by tomorrow. Anyway, Hilbert only spared us boring complaints. Still, you were an irresponsible brat.” Hilda answers expressionlessly and then slaps the prince's head.
“Yeah, he just slows us down.” says the redhead scratching her head a little awkwardly. “Well Hilbert, you took me by surprise. Next time it won't be like this.”
“I hope not, because I need your help!” the prince restrains himself to the maximum so as not to be seduced by the redhead's charms again.
“What kind of help do you need? I didn't know that the "ladies" at court had gotten sick of your face. Or did they get tired of the “royal jewels”?” The girl turns to the pots with a mocking laugh and starts mixing the stew with a wooden spoon. “You think you buy me like you bought Pierre, but neither my heart nor my body is for sale!”
“Oh, come on! I don’t date a girl in ages! I never regarded you like that, and you know it, stop teasing.” Hilbert sighs. “I'm going on an expedition and I need someone who doesn't arouse suspicion. I need you to accompany my sister. Your skills as a warrior, as well as a cook, would come in handy. And don't you worry Hilda; I already got two substitutes for Charlotte.” Hilda looks at the prince with her expressionless face and nods with approval.
“So, let me see if I understand the situation! You come here at my job to ask me to babysit Marjorie. You even find some substitutes for me, without trying to consult me first! Do you think just because you are the prince should I accept it?” Charlotte turns and looks at the young prince angrily. “Hilbert, I am very grateful for the job you got me here in the kitchen, but you went overboard this time, take what you need and let me work.” Hilbert seemed to have withered from those words.
“You have known me for a long time, so there is no reason for me to hide the truth anymore.” Hilbert's tone of voice was a mixture of sadness and nostalgia. “Hilda always played with me and my friends when we were kids, at that time, I met you at the performance with the troupe of street artists. My heart raced like I had never felt before. I never thought that a girl could do so many tricks with a bow and arrow and also with knives. Everything you've done in the past as a criminal is left behind. By your own choice you have changed and work hard to support yourself. Your life has never been easy and I understand that you did everything you could to stay alive on the streets of the poor and violent alleys with your mother.” The prince pauses briefly, sighs, and then speaks again:
“I just wanted to say that I am leaving for the Forest of Shadows, and I am not sure if I will return alive from there. So here I am putting these words together with great difficulty to say that I trust you and that Marjorie could learn a lot from you. Many people pretend to be good when it suits them, but you are a person who does not wear masks. In the royal court, this is so difficult to happen, people like you are the real treasure in such a fake world.” Hilbert lowers his head and turns to leave the kitchen.
“I can't control what I feel for you Charlotte. I thought it was just a simple passion, but it lasted for so long. I would abandon everything I own in this world if I could have you by my side, but I know the world doesn't revolve around me. Maybe this is an awkward way of saying goodbye, Charlotte. I will miss our conversations after you calm me down with the water basins. See you another day, if luck permits and if it does not, I ask you not to forget about me. I love you and I always will.” says Hilbert who leaves the kitchen crestfallen.
Silence takes over the kitchen. Hilda looks at Charlotte who was stirring the cauldron. The scene that Hilda witnessed was unprecedented, which was able to surprise the expressionless cook.
Charlotte stirred the pan with the wooden spoon, but her face was red and many tears were streaming from her deep blue eyes. Charlotte stops stirring the pan and looks out at the peaceful midday blue sky. Hilda puts her hand on her friend’s shoulder and says to the girl:
“Isn't that what you always wanted, Charlotte? You said that you would accept his love if he was more honest, didn’t you? He just declared his love for you! Are you waiting for me to slap you as well?” Charlotte in tears hugs Hilda.