~ The Fairies' Plan A - Part 8 - The Return of Prince Phillip
King Hubert came racing out of the throne room. The herald had announced Prince Phillip. It had been sixteen years since he had last seen his son.
"Phillip, ho, Phillip." He called as Phillip raced by on his white horse.
"Hurry, boy, hurry. Change into something suitable. Can't meet your future bride looking like that." It was less than half an hour until sundown. Aurora was going to be here soon.
Phillip slid off of Samson and raced back to his father.
"Father, it is so good to see you." Phillip picked up his father in a hug and spun him around.
"It's good to see you too, my boy. I've missed you so much."
"I've missed you too." Phillip put King Hubert down.
"Where ever did you get so strong?" asked Hubert.
"I've sent a lot of the last 5 years wearing armor most of the day. Plus all the fighting training."
"Of course, of course. Come, boy, we must get you ready."
"Yes, father." Phillip and Hubert turned toward the entrance of the castle, as grooms took Samson in to be tended.
"Yes, yes. You even have a room here. So how have your travels been?" They walking into the castle and they were shown to Phillip's chambers.
"The last sixteen years haven't been travels. At least not like the other princes I've met do. I've been hiding from Maleficent and training with the best teachers we could find. Frankly, I don't know if I could travel like the other princes do. I'm not so much into the parties they throw. I've had more important concerns," chided Phillip.
"Well, it looks as though the disguises worked." Hubert said.
"Indeed, though I had to cut and ran many times, whenever odd things began happening around me. I couldn't afford to take any chances for Aurora's sake."
"No, no you couldn't. Just getting letters to you was hard with all the protections we put in place," said Hubert as they entered the rooms set aside for Phillip.
"It was easier for me. Sending a letter through one of your embassies that was far from where I was, worked," said Phillip as he began to take off his woodsman disguise, putting his red hat and cloak on a chair.
"Well, no problem now. I kept copies of everything so we can go through them in case anything was missed." King Hubert paused. "I'm proud of you. For all the hardship, you are still a remarkable young man."
Phillip paused as he he was pulling off his plain brown tunic and looked at his father. "Thank you. I know that was difficult for all of us. I missed you so much. The letters that I received from you were good but it was hard when it could be so long between them. So much of the time I had only a few things to anchor myself with. One of them was seeing Queen Leah on her throne clutching Aurora in her arms weeping like a broken hearted child after Maleficent left." Phillip was staring into the distance, he could still see that moment as clear as if it had just happened, even after sixteen years.
"I had to be the best I could be for her, I had to be ready to do everything in my power to bring Aurora back to Leah and to be a good husband to Aurora. You told me to train hard and stay clean. I trained with some of the best on the continent, I focused on being the best I could for Aurora. I saw how some of those other princes and knights dissipated themselves drinking and wenching. They lost so much of their capabilities, by doing those things. Aurora deserved better then that, you knew that. Thank you for that advice." Phillip said gratefully, then he sat to pull off his boots.
"No, thank you son, for listening and doing the right thing. I am proud of you, boy. I am happier now then when you finally rode up today. It's finally over." King Hubert was a little surprised and more then a little humbled. His son had listened to him and seen that the advice was good. He was a king and it seemed like so few of his subjects did what he asked sometimes.
Phillip looked out of the window, the sun was still partway above the horizon. "It's not over yet, father," said Phillip seriously. "It's close but not just yet. We have no idea what has happened to Aurora and the fairies. There's been no communications at all, as it had to be, but that leaves far too much open. I'll relax only after the sun sets." He pulled on his dark jacket with the red slashed shoulders and settled his knife in his belt.
"Of course, boy." said King Hubert as Phillip swung the red cape over his shoulders. He strode to the large chest sitting by the wall. He opened it, revealing his armor, which he had sent ahead.
Phillip pulled out his sword and moved to the wall away from the window to watch the sun set, not wanting to risk being seen from the window. Together they waited the last few minutes in silence as the sun slid below the horizon.
As the last bright glint of the sun vanished, they heard the herald cry, "The sun has set! Prepare to meet your princess!"
"Come father, let's go to the throne room. We don't want to upstage my future wife." Said Phillip, smiling and finally relaxing as the people cheered and fireworks lit up the sky.
