"Princess! It is time for you to get up now!" Five years from the days that they both lived with Alex's parents and he was still the one who got her out of bed every morning.
"Mmph please just five more minuets Kuru..." I said in the most pathetic voice I could muster.
"Come on Princess… that may have worked when we were both sixteen, but now I know better than to fall for your act." Now that Kuru had graduated from the Elephant Boy to Chief Advisor, he had grown much more confident and seldom let their titles get in the way of their friendship.
"Fine." Said Alex through a sigh. "What is on the schedule for today?"
Kuru looked mockingly down at his hands pretending to flip through a book. "Hmm let's see... paperwork, paperwork and, well more paperwork your highness."
"Oh if only today was different from every other day." Alex replied sarcastically. "What did you people do without me?"
Kuru looked down at his princess with laughing eyes. "I would not know, I was too busy trying to convince you to be the princess in the first place." pausing he added "I will call in the maids to help get you ready, your highness."
"Why do you always call me that? It annoys me more than 'princess' does."
"For the same reason that I still call you 'princess', Princess." Kuru said over his shoulder a wide grin on his face.
"Four and a half years as queen and still no respect." Alex mumbled, of course she was only joking. Kuru was the most thoughtful, respectful person she knew. She couldn't have a more trustworthy friend as her Chief Advisor.
After the maids prepared her bath the princess sat in the rose scented water and just relaxed. Life as a princess certainly had its perks. One of these perks was the clothes. Today's dress was blue and green and Alex thought it accented her eyes nicely. The dresses were surprisingly comfortable and appropriate for Manjipoorean weather. Once they finished braiding her long brown hair, they sent her off with Kuru to start the day's work.
It wasn't until around lunch time that Kuru interrupted her paperwork.
"Hurry up and finish that document my Princess, I have a surprise for you." Kuru said as he rushed into the room clumsily, nearly knocking over the book of Enoch.
Typical Kuru, thought the queen as she attempted to suppress a laugh. "Kuru, what have you done?"
"You have to come with me to find out. Oh, and you have to close your eyes until we get there."
"No fair, you know I hate surprises. Just tell me already!"
"No you have to close them. Come on" Said Kuru as he pulled the queen up. Positioning himself behind her, he placed his hands gently over her eyes and guided her forward.
Alex could feel him behind her as they walked forward. Every so often he would tell her to take a step down or guide her to the left or right. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't tell where they were going. When he finally took away his hands it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the lighting. They were outside, in the gardens and to one side among the flowers stood a table filled with lunch foods. To the other stood Kuru. "You said you wished for something different to happen today, so here it is."
"Thank you so much Kuru! This is wonderful!" Alex walked over to the table and sat down. "Come and eat with me, you are the one who prepared all of this, you deserve to enjoy it too."
"Thank you your highness." Kuru said bowing slightly as he joined her at the table. Alex looked at Kuru, a boy... man now, who she loved like a brother. She thought she probably would have gone mad here without him. The two talked and ate until it was finally time to go back to work.
Later that evening as the queen was about ready to turn in to bed, Kuru approached her with a solemn look on his face. "Your highness the elders have brought it to my attention that it is about time you were married." Pausing Kuru looked down at his feet. "Alex, they are afraid that there will be no heir to Manjipoor's throne and no one of your magical bloodline. They have decided to choose a suitor for you out of the nobles of the palace."
"They expect me to marry a perfect stranger? They can't make me do this can they?"
"I am sorry princess, the last thing I want is for you to be married to some snobby nobleman. All I wish for is your happiness. It hurts me that I am the one to have to tell you all of this. But they insist that you be married within the week, in fact the selected gentleman is at the palace as we speak. They have requested that you to meet him tomorrow."
"Kuru, is there any way for me to have more time, to find someone? Someone that I can choose for myself to love?"
"I have already asked them, they said that if you can find someone within the week you can choose him over the selected nobleman. However, I am afraid that most of the men in Manjipoor would simply marry you for the title of king and the wealth that you would bestow upon them." Kuru paused then added; "My Princess, I don't want you to get hurt."
"Well then it looks like I have no choice, I have to get to know this stranger. I hate when they do this. They always get the last say." Alex turned away from Kuru tears in her eyes. "Wisdom over birthright. They still treat me like a child."
Kuru let out a breath of air and rigidly pulled Alex into a hug. "I know it is inappropriate, but you looked like you needed it."
Alex stared up at him in shock before finally uncrossing her arms and hugging him back. "So this is what it takes to get a hug from you. I wish I'd known sooner."
"You better get some sleep, you have a long day ahead of you." he said releasing her. "Goodnight your highness."
"Goodnight Kuru."
