Chapter 5

…

The King walked down the hall with a special joy in his step before knocking on a bedroom door. He opened it and stood with a loving smile as his most precious possession brushed her hair. He truly thought he would never see her again, yet here she was as beautiful as ever. The King slowly walked up to the girl, his smile never leaving his face as he approached her.

"Are you ready for the party tonight; it is in your honor?" He asked.

"It all feels so sudden, just a few days ago I was little orphan Kory, and now I'm Princess Koriand'r."

"But whether you're an orphan or a Princess, all you need to be is yourself." He told her before touching the necklace that hung around her neck. "This necklace has been-"

"In our family for generations." She finished.

"And it makes me so happy seeing you wearing it." He smiled before leaning down and kissing her forehead.

There was then a knock at the door before a guard entered, "Your majesty, mr. Grayson is waiting for you in your study."

Kory rolled her eyes, "Here to collect the reward I presume." She huffed.

"I will see you at the banquet." He told her before heading towards the door. "Oh, and I had something made for you to wear tonight." He said with a smile before leaving the room.

Koriand'r got up now noticing the box on her dresser and excitedly opened it to reveal a gown fit for a princess.

…

"What do you mean you don't want the reward?" The King questioned.

"I don't want your money, Sir." Richard said honestly. "Not anymore."

"Then what do you want?" The King asked suspiciously.

Richard sighed, "Nothing you can give me."

"You reunited me with my most prized possession, there has to be something I can give you." Richard was quiet. "Well I hope you will at least attend the banquet, your friend Victor happily accepted the all you can eat Tamarain buffet as his reward. Maybe you can find what you want there."

Richard thanked the King but had no intention to attend the party as he walked down the hall, away from the ballroom. What was important was that she found her family, and now that's all that mattered to him. But that didn't mean it didn't hurt leaving her. He thought as a door at the end of the hall opened and a beautiful Princess walked out in a sparkling purple gown.

"Oh it's you." She said harshly. "Did you collect your reward?"

"Goodbye Princess." He told her in response before walking down the long steps and towards the door. She might not be happy with him, but she will be happy.

Koriand'r glared at him before continuing walking down the hall. But the anger she felt faded to sadness as she watched him open the door and leave.

Koriand'r opened the door to the ballroom and smiled in amazement at the party before her. The music, the dancing, the food. She started getting flashbacks of her childhood, the happiest days of her life. But now as she stared at the party before her she found herself not feeling the happiness that she hoped for.

"What troubles you my dear?" The King asked as he slowly joined her.

"Nothing Father, nothing troubles me." She said quickly.

The king smiled. "Your nose still twitches when you lie." He told her tapping her snout. "Now do you want to tell me what's really bothering you?" He asked.

She let out a sigh, "I got my family back, I'm a princess, I have everything I could ever want…"

"And yet there's someone missing…" The King assumed.

"Yeah well, he took his money and is now off doing god knows what." Koriand'r huffed.

"Oh my dear." The King sighed, "He didn't take the money."

"What?" Koriand'r questioned.

"I guess the reward he seeks couldn't be given by me, but maybe by you." He hinted. Koriand'r suddenly found herself turning back and forth from the door to the party, her heart torn. "Don't feel like you need to pick one or the other my dear, for no matter what you choose, this will always be a part of you." He told her gesturing to the party in front of them.

Tears began to build in her eyes and Koriand'r jumped up and hugged her father tightly. "I love you daddy." She told him before running out the ballroom door and down the hall. As she picked up speed she lost her heels and her neatly pinned up hair fell loose as she ran down the many many steps before she yanked open the palace doors to surprisingly bump into Richard.

"Kory! I mean Princess Koriand'r." Richard quickly corrected as he gained his composure. "I was just…"

"Coming back." She said happily before jumping forward and kissing him. Richard's eyes widened before shutting as he slowly wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply.

…

And they lived happily ever after.