"I don't know, Kowl…there is something fishy about that princess. I just know it," said Madame Raz, her hand poised on her cheeks in deep thought as she floats about on her broom.

"So she doesn't like to drink water during dinner, doesn't mean she's a witch or a sorceress," explained Kowl, flapping his long ears to stay afloat beside the eccentric witch.

"Hmm… don't you know that a witch's disguise will disappear with a drop of water? I just don't believe someone can eat a whole dinner without as much as a sip of wine or coffee or anything for that matter, why you could easily choke on your meal."

"Perhaps she slices them into little tiny pieces so she wouldn't choke. Now, come, on Madame Raz. It's very late and the evening is so chilly. We need to get up early tomorrow," pointed Kowl as he went ahead inside the castle, Madame Raz shaking her head followed.

Unknown to them, Evil-Lyn disguised as the princess was lurking in the shadows, listening to their every word. Ooh, I hate that silly old witch. If only I could get my hands on her… I must make my move before they expose my deception.

Teela woke up the next day with the feeling of armed men pounding her head . Is this what they call a hangover? I don't remember drinking more than two glasses of vodka. Or was this the cause of the extra tablet of aspirin for my especially strong headache, heartache is more like it. Or could it be the dose of the sleeping tablet? She had never taken a sleeping pill. She felt she needed the vodka, the aspirin and the sleeping pill just to alleviate the shock and sorrow with what she overheard last night. She glanced at her bedside clock which read 9:00am.

Her eyes went wide as she sprung up in bed, only to feel the blood rush to her head, making her dizzy. She held the bedpost for support as she slowly sat back on the bed. Her father was going to be furious if he found out she wasn't up in time to escort the princess in her tour of Eternia.

What the heck, they may have left without me. No use rushing. If they needed me, they would have woken me up.

She groped her way to the bathroom for a shower, trying her best to fight the slight feeling of faint. Wrapped in her bathrobe after the warm shower, she sat on the bed, sipping a cup of Darjeeling tea from her dinette. Her mind gradually clearing up, she tried to recall the events of the previous evening.

She was feeling very drowsy after drinking the sleeping pill with her second glass of vodka that she lay her head on the pillow, hoping to just rest her aching head. She didn't want to sleep yet, not without taking off her robe nor taking off her slippers. When suddenly just when she was about to give in to oblivion in her very awkward sleeping position, she heard him call her name. First there was a knock, a soft but insistent one. She wanted to get up and open the door and tell him to leave her alone in her misery but her limbs felt heavy, then she heard him whisper her name and felt him approach the bed. He must have entered since she left the door unlocked.

"Teela, are you alright? I know it's improper to visit you in your chambers at night but you had me worried… Teela?"

Adam picked up the bottle of aspirin on the bedside table and examined it. Surely it was only natural to feel sleepy after medication… or should he panic? He noticed the gentle rise and fall of her chest in a peaceful slumber.

"Oh, my dear princess, I guess you're too deep in your sleep to listen to what I have to say," he uttered with a little laugh and a note of disappointment.

"I love you, Teela. I wish you could hear me," he said before lifting her a little for a more comfortable position in bed. Suddenly she was more awake than asleep but she still couldn't move her hands to touch his face, she could feel his breath on her cheek albeit her eyes remained close, she knew he was so close.

Teela felt Adam slip her robe off her shoulders before gently laying her comfortably on her bed. He brushed his fingers on a strand of red hair that fell across her face. Though her hair was already away from her face, spread on the pillow, she could still feel his fingers running through a couple of strands in a rhythmic soothing manner that was slowly helping her back to oblivion when she felt the gentle brush of his lips against hers. Her heart was singing, longing to shout out that she loved him too but the aspirin and the sleeping pill were against her, her limbs still felt too heavy to move and just when she was enjoying the deliciously gentle kiss, it was gone for a second, only to have it glide down just as gently down her throat until it was at the base where her pulse was surely pumping hard in anticipation she was afraid he could feel it.

Perhaps he did feel her pulse beat a bit faster at his touch for he gathered all his strength to stop and pull up the covers to tuck her in bed. "Forgive me, Teela, your beauty made me forget myself for a moment but I shall wait till we are wed this midsummer. Then when you truly are my princess, I shall love you every moment of our life together."

With his promise, he kissed her one last time on her brow before leaving the room.

With a cup of tea still in hand, Teela was pondering hard whether she dreamt the whole thing or not when Orco suddenly appeared beside her.

"Orco! What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Me? What are you still doing in bed, it's past ten in the morning. Your father has been wondering where you went since the princess and Prince Adam decided to go without you and the rest of the entourage," explained Orco.

Teela felt a pang of jealousy. "You mean Adam is alone with the princess?" she shrieked.

"Well, Prince Adam didn't want to wake you up. He visited your room this morning and found you still sleeping. He plucked a red rose from the garden and said he was giving it to you…"

Teela wondered where the rose could have gone and as if reading her mind, Orco pointed underneath the dinette table.

"Look, there it is."

Teela grabbed the red rose from under the table in excitement and noticed a missive tied to the rose with a red lace. She was about to read it to when she noticed Orco was eagerly watching her. She decided to postpone reading it.

"As I was saying, Adam didn't the want your father to know you forgot about escorting the princess around so he dismissed everyone in the entourage and told them they are free to resume their other duties while he takes the princess around. He figured with everyone scattered about..."

Orco noticed Teela fumbling the note while talking to him as though she couldn't wait to read it.

"Well, I better go now and leave you to your letter, I mean to your duties. Bye!"

In a puff Orco was gone and Teela eagerly unfolded the letter.

My Dear Teela,

Forgive me for visiting your chamber last night as I had something important I wish to discuss with you. Unfortunately, you were out like a log and left me no other choice but to write you instead.

I did not wish to rush you into things and that's why I have not openly discussed what I believe is a mutual affection between us until the need arose last night.

With the arrival of the Princess of Avalon my father implied that I must marry the princess to seal our alliance with their kingdom.

I do not wish to disobey my father the king without good reason and the only good reason I have to defy his wishes is you.

There is no other woman I would like to take as my future queen to rule Eternia but you. I need to talk to my father about this soon. And so before I ask your father for your hand in marriage, I ask you, would you do me the honor of being my queen?

If I had been sadly mistaken about your affection for me and do not wish to marry me, then despite my heart belonging to you, I shall do as my father bid and marry the Princess of Avalon.

Always,

Prince Adam