A night in the village

A festival was going on in the village when the princesses and their guards entered. The princesses looked around in wonder as they saw a parade with acrobats and dancers, all the lights and of course…

"Food!" Hay Lin giggled. "Look at all the food!"

Eric walked over and looked at all the food on the table. A server girl came up to him. "We just got some excellent ginger," She said.

Eric sighed happily. "Oh man ginger. What I wouldn't give for some dumplings to go with it."

"Did someone say dumplings?" Hay Lin laughed holding up a small basket of dumplings.

"How about some fresh Shensi?" The server girl asked.

Eric looked at Hay Lin with a grin. "That does go well with soy beans."

"Coming right up," Hay Lin laughed holding up package of soy beans.

Eric ate a bit before he hugged Hay Lin with one arm. When Hay Lin was looking he pumped his fist in triumph with the other arm. 'Who's the man?' He thought smugly.


Taranee and Nigel were walking around looking for something to do when Taranee saw a wrestling contest going on.

"Hey Nigel check it out," Taranee said stopping her guard.

They walked as a wrestler named Frost crushing his opponent before tossing him off the platform.

"That looked like it hurt," Taranee muttered.

"Who will be next to challenge the undefeated Frost?" A man asked.

Nigel raised an eyebrow looked at Taranee and smirked. Then he took off his shirt and handed it to Taranee. He pushed through the crowd toward the stage.

"Step aside next challenger coming through," He said.

"Nigel? Oh no!" Taranee said, afraid that he would get hurt.

"Good luck kid!" A man in the crowd called as Nigel and Frost got ready to fight.

Taranee watched in horror as Frost suddenly jumped on Nigel like he did with his other opponent. He laughed thinking he had won another easy fight. His laughter was stopped abruptly when Nigel lifted Frost above his head.

Taranee cheered loudly as the crowd clapped and Nigel smirked. "So where'd he go?" He laughed. Then he tossed Frost into a stack of barrels.

"Nigel you're my hero!" Taranee cried.

A few minutes later, the couple was standing a game booth. Nigel threw a ball and knocked down a stack of bottles.

"Pick a prize any prize," the man running the booth said. "Which one do you want sir?"

Nigel saw Taranee looking at a stuffed panda bear and grinned. "I'll take the panda for my lady friend here."

The man handed Nigel the panda and gave it to Taranee. The princess giggled and kissed Nigel on the cheek. Nigel smirked. 'This is a good day,' He thought.


Cornelia and Caleb were standing near a fire cracker booth and Caleb was trying to get Cornelia to laugh.

"Okay how about this one?" Caleb said. "What does Atilla say when he walks through the door? Hun I'm home!" Caleb burst out laughing while Cornelia covered her face with her fan and cringed.

Caleb stopped laughing sighed, leaning against the booth. "I give up. I guess I'm not as funny as I think."

A few fireflies settled on some fireworks setting it off. Caleb jumped being surrounded by fireworks. After it had calmed down, Caleb leaned against the booth with scratches and his clothes slightly torn.

Cornelia's eyes widened and she started to laugh hysterically. As she laughed she started snorting.

Caleb walked over to her. "What a cute laugh."

Cornelia shook her head covering her mouth. "Oh no, I hate my laugh."

"Are you kidding? It's adorable! And here I was thinking you didn't have a sense of humor."

Cornelia stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow. "No sense of humor?"

She walked to the booth and put to sticks in her nose and wiggled them. Caleb immediately recognized the joke and burst out laughing. He and Cornelia then walked off arm in arm laughing happily.

'This is the best night ever!' Caleb thought.


A few minutes later all three couples were standing on bridge looking at the moon's reflection in the water.

"It's the same moon we see from the palace," Cornelia said.

"No this is one is completely different," Hay Lin said hugging Eric.

"Yeah you're right," Cornelia said placing her head on Caleb's shoulder.

"I know I've never seen anything like it."

"Will!" The couples said in unison facing the redhead.

'I'm listening," Will said placing a hand on her hip.

"Well we…" Hay Lin tried.

"All of us…" Caleb started.

Will raised an eyebrow as she waited.

"Oh boy," Nigel muttered.

Taranee grinned. "Will it's love! Nigel and myself. Hay Lin and Eric."

"And myself and Caleb," Cornelia finished.

Will stared at them silently and then burst out cheering. She ran up and squealed happily with the princesses as they jumped up and down.

"Group hug!" Eric cried as everyone hugged.

"I'm so happy for all of you!" Will said.

Suddenly they heard a horse and all of them whipped around to see Matt riding up a very angry look on his face.

"That's not good," Nigel, Eric, and Caleb said going up to him as he reached them.

"I'm so sorry to break up your little party!" Matt snapped.

"Don't worry I'll handle this," Will assured the princesses. "Matt before you jump to conclusions let me explain the situation."

"Fine why don't we start with this?" Matt asked pulling out Taranee's letter.

"That's mine," Taranee said.

"All yours or did you have help?" Matt asked. Then he read the letter out loud. And so my dear sister, I cannot complete this mission. I have come to realize that my duty is to my heart." He glared at Will. "Now who does that sound like?"

"Tara never meant to send that letter," Hay Lin defended.

Matt walked over to them. "Your highnesses, you swore a vow to be married in Zambala. If Elyon saw you know, breaking that vow, what would she say?"

The princesses sighed and looked down.

Matt glared at Nigel, Eric, and Caleb as he walked over to them. "You three are to escort their highnesses back to their tents immediately. You are to guard them. You are not to speak to them! Not a word ever! Am I understood?"

"Yes sir!" The boys replied bowing.

The guards and the princesses looked at each other for a few seconds and then looked away with sighs before walking off.

Will turned to Matt and sighed. "Matt the problem isn't as bad as it seems."

"The problem Will is you!"

"Wh-what?" Will asked shocked.

"You place your own feelings above everything. Duty, obligation, tradition, it all means nothing to you!"

"It means everything to me! My heart tells me my duty and I follow it!"

Matt turned around with a sigh. Will placed her hand on his shoulder and he turned back around.

"You're a brilliant warrior Matt. You're brave and you're loyal, but you don't trust your heart." Will glared at him as she spoke her next words. "Sometimes I wonder if you even have one!"

Matt glared back at her. "This assignment has made it clear that we are very different people."

"Maybe too different," Will said.

"Fine," Matt said. Then he hopped back on his horse. "We have a mission to complete," He said riding off.

"Fine," Will muttered. Then the skies darkened and rain began to fall. Will hung her head sadly. She and Matt had officially broken up.

END OF CHAPTER