Terms of Endearment: Princess
"Yes, Princess."
Princess
She hates that word, especially from his lips. It drips with the coldness of formality, reminding her painfully of the fact that her station in the world has changed. Her eyes seek his, but she can read nothing in those ice-blue pools. She waves her dismissal before sitting again at the desk in front of piles of papers.
It amazes her how so much can change in so little time. Surely it hasn't been that long since she was running through the Outer Zone with him as her friend. Regardless of the length of time, she has changed, and so has he. A tear slips down her cheek at the remembrance of that loathsome word and its chilly indifference.
"Excuse me, Princess."
Princess
There it is again, this time from the man that she thought she knew, but now is so different. Brown eyes now avoid her own. No one wants to be too familiar with the long-lost princess of the Outer Zone, not even her formerly close companions who helped to raise her as a figure head…not even the one who owes his physical restoration to her. She mourns the zipper that once held his head together, mourns the half-wit that used to smile at her so earnestly and innocently.
"Better, Princess?"
Princess
The headache is gone with his help, but the heartache remains. Even the wild man, descended from a line of tribal kings as she found later, can't keep the edge of ceremony from his voice. She looks into his amber orbs, seeing his own pain at the formality. At least the Viewer is hurting over it as much as she is.
Princess…Princess…Princess
She puts her head down on her pillows at night and lets more tears escape her eyes. This isn't who she wants to be. She just wants to be DG.
Disclaimer for the entire piece: Of course, I don't own it, silly!
Author's Notes: Reviews are always welcome.