Picking up Yue, we step through Regius’s portal and appear in his room, I never really noticed but his room looks a lot like an art gallery. Random paintings and vases just put on display everywhere. Tugging Regius’s sleeve, I ask, “Can you introduce me to the other people in the palace now?” Thinking, he waves his hand in the air. Looking behind me, I turn back confused. There is no one behind me, so who is he waving at? Just when I open my mouth to question him, someone materializes next to me. Jumping away in fright, I watch as a figure in all white bends his waist and bows to Regius.
Turning, he also bends and bows to me. Copying him, I bow back. According to Wilbur, the proper etiquette between individuals is to reciprocate what the individual offers as respect back to them. Straightening my back, I smile at him to show I mean no harm. Moving like a broken toy, he slowly looks between Regius and then back at me. Waving it off, Regius asks, “Did you schedule a meeting with my parents?” Nodding, the figure uses a few hand signals and the bows again. Standing straight, he disappears.
Gaping, Regius closes my mouth for me. Pointing to where the figure was, I ask, “Can you do that?” Shaking his head in silent denial, I ask, “Can I learn to do that? I want to teleport too!” Shaking his head, Regius says, “He didn’t really teleport, his power is just invisibility with stealth. You could probably train in stealth but invisibility is his own skill. He’s probably just down the hall at this moment.”
Turning around, I stare at the door, “How did he leave? I never even heard the door open!” Chuckling, Regius says, “Amazing right? I’ve tried to catch him since I was small, but even with me watching the door the whole time, I never saw it move. Anyway, we have a few minutes before meeting my parents. You sure you want to do this?”
Puffing out my chest, I show him my confidence, “A good partner has to know everything about the other. I have to meet your family sooner or later right?” Turning around, Regius mutters, “I definitely wouldn’t meet them. They probably don’t even care.” Reaching the window he replies more audibly, “Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be ecstatic.”
Waiting a few more minutes, I help straighten his hair as well as his collar. I really don’t understand why he wears a collared shirt if he hates buttoning the collar up. Walking down a few hallways and up a grand set of stairs, I approach a large double door depicting the silhouette of a spider overlapping with a man. Walking forward, the door opens by itself as we walk down the red carpet, hand in hand.
Seeing a woman sitting on a massive seat all alone, I turn my face to the side and ask, “Do you only have one parent?” Chuckling, Regius says, “My father figure is my mother. The male that helped give birth to me is long dead. Its tradition, every few generations, the queen will make use of a strong wild dimensional spiders genes to strengthen the bloodline.”
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Audible swallowing, he pats my head, “Don’t worry. You’re just a princess, and I’m just a prince. The others can deal with tradition.” Walking to the lady I do my best to keep my feet straight. Wilbur had warned me that some of the Royals in the past had cut off people feet just because they walked funny. Taking a deep breath, I gently squeeze Regius’s hand and control my sweat glands. Wilbur also said something about sweaty servants and boiling pots of oil, but I can’t seem to remember the details.
Looking at me from my exposed toes to my loose hair, the queen of the kingdom gets off of her throne. Walking around me, she pokes my stomach and gropes my hips a few times. Stopping behind me, she lifts a portion of my hair and examines the roots as well as the volume. Nervously waiting, I glance at Regius, only to see him apathetic. Maybe, this isn’t a huge deal after all. Continuing around me, his mother grabs my face and checks my facial features thoroughly. Checking my teeth, pinching my cheeks, checking my nostrils, and examining my eyes very closely.
Sitting back on the chair, she waves a servant in. Bringing in small cups of tea, the servant quickly sets up a small and elegant table and leaves the tea on the tray. Gesturing towards the cups, the queen grabs the only closest to me. Tilting my head, I reciprocate slowly. Grabbing Regius’s cup, I bring it to my mouth. Blowing in the surface first, I look up to see the queen staring at me. Not daring to drink my tea, I stand there quietly, waiting for something to happen. Apathetically, Regius picks the remaining cup and swallows the contents without any ceremony.
Glancing at me, he coughs and says, “If your inspection is finished, Winowna and I will be retiring, mother.” Raising her eyebrows she motions for me to leave but keeps staring at Regius. Releasing my hand with a frown, he whispers for me to wait for him in his room.
Walking back, I see a maid coming out of the kitchens. She was one of the three identical looking maids that I met on the first day. Reaching out to tap her shoulder, I stop when I see a few strands of green fur on one of her shoulders. Is the nice werewolf also here? I need to ask him if I can have some of his fur. Just imagining a pillow made of his fur makes me shiver in excitement. Trying to tap her shoulder again, I miss and watch as the maid starts running away. Maybe she’s shy.
Pacing in Regius’s room, I wait quite a few minutes before Regius comes back. Sighing deeply, he slouches onto his bed. Worried, I waddle over to him. Who knew walking with a basketball between your knees would be so hard. Poking his face, I continue until he looks at me. Chuckling, I watch him. Smiling back he just lays on his bead. Not able to handle the suspense, I ask, “So? What did your mom say?” Sighing again, he says, “Nothing much, just that you are satisfactory and pass her standards.”
Puffing my cheeks out, I say, “Just satisfactory? I’m much better than that! I’m a future basketball legend!” Twirling the basketball on my finger, I lay on the bed next to Regius. Moving the hair out of my face, Regius says, “Don’t worry Winowna, you’re much less than satisfactory.
Throwing a questioning look at him, I watch as his face turns into one of panic. Stuttering, he quickly says, “I definitely meant that. Don’t get me wrong! You’re the ugliest person I’ve ever met!” Getting up, I scoot away. Something wrong. Looking shocked, Regius yells, “Go away! Get out!” Observing his agitated face with teary eyes, I run out of the room. Yelling after me, he screams, “Leave! I really don’t love you Winowna. Go! Get out!” Running through the halls, I look back to see his red eyes glaring at me and his hand reaching out as if trying to grab me.
Turning the corner, I see one of the maids calling me over. Sobbing while running to her, I throw a glance back to find Regius nowhere in sight. Entering a smaller room, I notice the maid is the same one that I had passed earlier. Pushing aside the dresser, she says, “Escape through here if you want to keep your little toes!” Does he want my toes? Wilbur was right! Royalty never changes. Not looking back again, I enter the dark tunnel.