‘I’m sorry’ The fan on Edmund's chest caused him to startle.

‘You look like a peasant, but why would someone who looks like you be here? Is this your home? looks like a warehouse.’ She pushed the young man aside and moved towards the building.

‘You are not allowed to enter or speak to me, is the king’s order’ Edmund turned around to face her back.

‘I’m not allowed? That is a good joke." She turned around, reached for his throat with her hand, and effortlessly lifted him.

‘wha… i can’t…’ He grabbed her hand with his two hands.

‘Hump, you survived? So your white hair is not fake.’ She grinned.

The young woman opened the door of the warehouse and entered while holding Edmund’s throat and releasing him. The boy got to his knees while grasping for air. He was surprised at how strong she was. He looked up and saw her smile before only her eyes were visible as she hid it with her fan. The two who were with her did not enter the house; instead, they just sighed in frustration.

‘I am sorry; I did not mean to be rude.’ Edmund protested as he gasped for air.

‘As long as you know your place, you will be fne, peasant. Now, what is that?’ She points at something shining on the table.

‘That is one of my inventions; if i may, could you tell me who you are?’ Edmund got up and walked to the table.

‘I am Ariadne Melech, the princess of the Kingdom of Lavan; remember that.’ Ariadne looked at Edmund with arrogance as she pointed her fan at him.

‘This is a magic lamp, your Majesty; I made it. It uses magic to turn the light on and off.’ Edmund got to one knee and showed the lamp to her.

‘How? show it to me, peasant.’ Ariadne was intrigued by the object.

Edmund got up and pushed the bottom to the side of the device, and the crystal lit it up, giving it a clean and strong light. He looked at her reaction, and it made him smile.

‘By the gods, this is incredible; you made it by yourself? Is the king aware of this?’ She closed the door behind her quickly, leaving her alone with Edmund.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

‘Well, the king thinks these are useless toys; he did not even give me a fair chance to show him what I was capable of.’ With a disappointed expression on his face, he flicked the light on and off.

‘So it is all mine now.’ Ariadne whispered as she opened her fan in front of her face.

Her smile was wide, revealing her white teeth, but the only thing she was showing were her red eyes, which were now shining like never before. The young lady looked at the lamp and imagined the power she could have with this device alone. She looked around and saw everything that did; this was the opportunity she was waiting for.

‘This one on the floor is called a train; just imagine you could go from her to the capital of the kingdom of Lavran in some hours instead of a month. The goods you could transport, just imagine." On one knee, Edmund flipped a switch next to the train, and it began moving.

‘This is fantastic.' The young lady exclaimed as she watched it move.

Her excitement was concealed by her fan, but her eyes betrayed her, completely focused. She imagined it passing fields, forests, and over bridges.

‘I’m honored, your Majesty; here, have some water.’ Edmund gave her the cup.

‘It is chilly!’ Ariadne took a sip.

‘This box here to my side can cool or even freeze water if you want to; maybe it could be used to preserve meat like people do in the winter.’ The boy taped the box with his finger.

Ariadne was taken aback by how chilly the water and cup were. After putting the cup on the table, she felt her hand still cold.

‘Just wait a little; i’m going to show you something crazy.’ The young man walked to the end of the warehouse.

Edmund picked up a cylinder on a stand, a little box, and an iron plate. He then put the iron plate on the wall he was next to, walked back to Ariadne, and placed the stand next to her, pointing the cylinder to the iron plate at the end of the warehouse.

‘What is this strange thing?’ The young lady tapped the cylinder.

‘Just wait a little bit more and you will see what this is; just get behind me and pay attention.’ He grabbed a little box that was on the ground.

He punched the little box on his hand, and right after that, an unexpected blue flash of light came from it, followed by a sound that reminded me of a whitle. It traveled to the warehouse, hitting the iron plate.

‘Princess? Is everything okay?’ The guards violently pounded on the door.

‘I am fine; there is no need to be concerned. Remain outside.’ Ariadne responded.

The young lady walked to the iron plate on the wall at the end of the warehouse. As Ariadne touched the hole in the iron plate, like before, her fan covered her broad grin.

‘Now, it belongs to me.’ Ariadne whispered to herself.

‘I have the designs here, but I need more materials to make it portable.’ The boy came closer to the young lady.

Edmund had picked up the tablet and began to show the princess some completed designs of the prototypes he had shown her. The tablet itself made her eyes gasp at the way the drawings showed up like magic on this piece of plate.

‘Oh my.’ Her eyes were mesmerized by the tablet.

‘I can show more if you have the time.’ Edmund smiled at her.

‘I have seen enough; you have talent; I will give you that.’ Ariadne lifted her chin and looked at the boy proudly.

The young lady approached the door, opened it, and, before leaving, looked at Edmund’s face. He felt like her eyes could engulf him, full of greed; it made him feel uncomfortable, like an object. She pierces him with her red eyes, feeling chains shackled to his arms, legs, and neck.

‘Rejoice, peasant; I will remember your name. What is it?’ Ariadne said with a grin.

‘My name is Edmund. Your Majesty.’ He stutters.

‘I believe we will be seeing each other soon. Edmund’ The young lady walked out.

As the door closed behind her and Edmund stood there alone in the warehouse, he came to the realization that a complete stranger had come into his house, and he had a real conversation with someone other than Ruppert. Happiness filled his chest as he remembered her reactions, but suddenly Edmund looked to the door.

‘Wait, did I just show everything I have to a complete stranger?’ Edmund thought to himself.