26 Chapter 26: Dimension Pt.1

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, the king and queen had a child. That child became the prince of the kingdom. Since birth, he had been raised to be royalty. Everything in his possession was made from the finest material and his food made of the best ingredients. He would be given nothing less, thus he expected nothing less. He grew up to be proud and arrogant. Nothing would please him. He belittled others around him.

"Where are my clothes, Xeresta?" The prince called out to his maid.

"I have it here, your Majesty…" She rushed to give him the clothes from the closet.

"You're so slow. Why is it that you are still here in the castle again?" He asked his maid without expecting an answer.

"It's because you—"

"Your Majesty!" A guard entered his room. "The King and Queen wish to meet you."

"What is it this early in the morning? And you, a mere guard, forgot to bow your head when you spoke to me."

"I-I'm sorry, your Majesty. Please forgive my rudeness." The guard knelt down on one knee and bowed his head.

"Know your place next time. I am someone who will rule this kingdom one day. You are lucky I will not have your head for your arrogance." The prince walked out of the room without waiting for a response.

"My sincerest gratitude on your benevolence, your Majesty." The guard spoke though the prince no longer heard it.

The prince entered the grand hall where the King and Queen were seated on their thrones.

"Ah, Kley, we have waited for you." The impatient King remarked.

"We have special news to tell you. I'm sure you will be delighted." The excited Queen told the prince. "Tomorrow, you will meet your bride, the next Queen of this kingdom."

"What?! No one has told me about this!" The prince was surprised at the news he received.

"You don't need to know about it. I am still King and I decide what you will do as crown prince."

"But, Father, I don't need a queen. I can lead this kingdom the way you have raised me."

"Nonsense! This is not up for debate." The King started to feel angry.

"Calm down, my love." The Queen tried to calm her angered husband. "Let us explain to Kley why this is the best for our kingdom of Grandia."

"I am the only one this kingdom needs." The prince would not back down.

"Listen, you are aware that we are currently at war with the neighboring smaller kingdom of Lustria, correct?" The King started to explain to his son.

"Yes, Father… But what has that got to do—"

"It has everything to do with this." The King was shaking his head in exasperation. "Our kingdom has already wasted too many resources on this war. I do not want to see any more bloodshed from our citizens."

"But it is their duty to protect and serve this kingdom! If their lives are needed to do so, then so be it."

"My son, as you will be King in the future, you must always be open to all solutions to any situation. And as King right now, this is the solution I have found. You will marry the princess of the Lustria kingdom, and both kingdoms will finally know peace."

Without wanting to hear any further complains from the prince, the King has ordered him to prepare for his meeting with the princess the next day.

---

The following day, the King and Queen, together with the prince, waited at the grand hall. The princess of the Lustria Kingdom arrived together with a large entourage. Before she exited her carriage, a red carpet was prepared by her staff starting from the carriage up to the grand hall of the palace. When she entered the hall, the princess greeted the King and Queen.

"Greetings, your Highness. I am Princess Anasperia of the Lustria Kingdom. It is my honor to meet you."

"Ah, yes. I am glad you have arrived safely to our kingdom. This is Prince Kley, our son." The King introduced his son to the princess, but the prince did not say anything to her.

"Please, make yourself at ease. This will be your new home and new kingdom." The Queen welcomed the princess with warmth usual from a mother.

"Thank you, my Queen."

"Well, I think it's time for you two to get to know each other better. Kley, accompany your bride-to-be to our garden so you can have a moment to talk."

"Yes, Mother." The prince went ahead to exit the grand hall without acknowledging the princess. The princess bowed to the King and Queen then followed the prince.

---

The prince and princess were standing at the door looking at the garden outside.

"What are you waiting for? Go to the garden like Mother has asked." The prince talked to the princess without looking at her.

"Are you serious? Me, walk out to that filthy place? My feet will get dirty. And these clothes I'm wearing will be sullied, as well."

"Stop complaining and do as you're told. You are lucky I haven't ordered you to be beheaded for your insolence towards me." The prince was still not looking at the direction of the princess.

"I am the princess of the Lustria Kingdom, and I do what I want. I do not take orders from you or from anyone. And especially not from a stupidly looking prince who doesn't have the manners to look at the beautiful princess in front of him."

"I find that funny because you are here in OUR kingdom to be married to me, and whose order is that? Oh, right! Your loving parents, of course. They sent their daughter to the enemy kingdom as a sacrificial lamb, because they are too weak to defend their own kingdom. Talk about pathetic." The prince finally made eye contact with the princess.

"My parents said my life here would be better than in our kingdom. I fail to see how that is going to happen. Who cares if the war continues? I'd rather go back than be with an arrogant jerk like you."

"You better leave, spoiled brat."

"S-spoiled? Who are you calling spoiled brat? Servants! Lead me to my quarters. I'm tired of talking with this eye sore." The princess left led by her servants.

"Xeresta!" The prince called for his maid.

"Yes, your Majesty?"

"I need to get out of this situation. Find a way, or I might have you thrown out of the castle, understand?"

"I understand, your Majesty. However, if I may, I believe that the princess is quite beautiful. I do not see the harm in you marrying—"

"Are you telling me that you have a better judgement than me when it comes to beauty? At the very least, you look much more beautiful than she does, and I have seen your face since we were young. Now, get going before I order the guards to throw you in the dungeon for your impudence.

"Yes, your Majesty…"

---

A few weeks have passed since the prince and princess have first met. Every day, they have argued at every little thing and thrown insults at each other. One day, the maid of the prince delivered good news to the prince while he was eating in the dining hall.

"What? There is somewhere in the kingdom that can grant any wish?" The prince shouted while the maid whispered to him the information she found. "When can I do it?"

"Tonight, your Majesty."

"Perfect. I don't have to deal with that spoiled princess anymore. Where do I need to make my wish?"

"At the lake where the sky and shooting stars are visible."

"I see. Xeresta, make sure they don't see me going out tonight. I will go to the lake."

"…Yes, your Majesty."

Little did the prince and his maid know that the princess heard what they were planning. That night, the prince and princess snuck out of the castle to go to the lake. What they did not know was that they would get to the lake at the same time.

"What are you doing here, you spoiled brat? Did you follow me?"

"Why would I follow you? I just heard about this lake that grants wishes. Do you think I will willingly walk through this muddy place just to follow you?"

"Where did you hear that? Were you eavesdropping on me earlier?"

"Well, no, but you were shouting so I heard it."

"That's still the same as eavesdropping."

"Whatever. I think for once we can agree on something and that is we both don't want to be married to each other."

"Obviously."

"More so for me, but that is besides my point."

"What is your point, anyway?"

"Let's just both make our own wish without bothering each other. You go there and I will go the other way. I don't want to see you, anyway."

"Fine, I'll go with your idea because it doesn't sound as stupid as you usually do."

"This maybe the last time I see your ugly face, so I will let that slide. Good riddance."

The prince and princess went to opposite sides of the lake. They did not know what the other would wish for. As time passed by, both of them thought of a wish that would prevent them from marrying the other person; of course, without losing all their riches and birthright as royalties. But, what they both don't know was that they came to the same conclusion as to what to wish for.

---

The princess woke up from her sleep in her bed. She stood up feeling as if she just had a very long dream. She dressed up with the clothes prepared by her servants. She went to the grand hall of the castle to greet her parents.

"Good morning, my princess." The King greeted the princess with a smile.

"Good morning, father." As the princess greeted her father, she wisphered to herself, "It worked."

"We have someone we want you to meet. As Queen of the kingdom of Grandia, I know that you will be a great queen in the future. Moreover, the prince of the Lustria kingdom is a fine man. He will help you in making our kingdom even greater."

"Wait, why am I still getting married? And prince of Lustria? Don't they have a princess, as well?"

"It seems you have slept too much and your head is not yet clear. We want to end the war with them. Thus as King, I have decided that their prince will marry into our kingdom since we are more powerful, after all."

"I see the prince has arrived. Let him inside the grand hall." The Queen ordered the guards to open the doors to the grand hall. "Let me introduce you. Princess Kleya, meet Prince Danasperio of Lustria."

"Why are you a boy?!" The ex-prince exclaimed in surprise.

"Why are you a girl?!" The ex-princess was shocked.

"Do you two know each other?" The King was surprised and confused at the same time.

"No, father! I was just taken aback by… his looks. I think we should start to get to know each other." The ex-prince took the hand of the ex-princess and left the grand hall to go to the garden.

---

"Do you know who I am?" The ex-prince asked the ex-princess.

"Are you Kley? But that means you also know who I am?"

"You're Anasperia… What did you wish for, anyway?"

"I thought that if I was a boy like you, then there is no way I'll get married to you."

"What kind of stupid idea is that?"

"Stupid? You thought of the same thing, didn't you? That's why you're a girl now."

"Right… Damn it, why did you have to think of the same thing as me?"

"I thought of it first. You should have just thought of something else. Why didn't you wish to be the king of your own kingdom or something?"

"This was a bright idea until you ruined it."

"This is all your fault. Now we still have to marry each other."

"Wait, there is still something we can do. Let's just make a different wish at the lake."

"You're right... I can't believe I said that."

---

The ex-prince and ex-princess waited for night to come. They went to the lake that night after sneaking outside.

"Well, this time make sure not to screw up." The ex-princess ordered the ex-prince.

"I will wish to return to normal. After that, I will wish that we don't meet under any circumstances.

"You took the words right out of my mouth. I hope we don't ever meet again."

They both wished at the same time at the lake.

Nothing happened.