Hey everycreature! What's up!?
With the ending to the last chapter, it's now time for Flurry to get out from this situation and figure out a way to solve this before it's too late!
Also, a quick thank you to loonytunecrazy for the fav and follow!
With that, lets continue!
Chapter 4: Help Needed
"Your highness, are you okay?" Grace called out as she repeatedly knocked on Flurry's bedroom door. "You been in there since yesterday and you haven't come out at all." Grace noted as she didn't leave, worried for her princess as after a few minutes, the door slowly swung open…
"What is it Grace?" Flurry asked. "Have the Saddle Arabians left? Or are they still here?"
"First off, did you even sleep at all Flurry?" Grace noticed the princess' distressed state, with her mane all out of place and bags under her eyes, which were a little red. "And second, no, they're still here, I told them you didn't want to see them and ordered the guards to make sure they don't, but I don't know how much longer I can hold them back."
"Come in Grace…" Was all Flurry could reply as Grace obeyed her princess, even if it meant entering Flurry's private bedroom, which she never would unless asked to do so. "What went wrong? Everything was going so well until yesterday morning…" Flurry spoke as she recalled the events of yesterday and what happened since the Saddle Arabian king added that one surprising term to the deal…
Yesterday morning, in the throne room…
"An arranged wedding?" Flurry repeated the one request to the trade deal that would either seal or end it as Flurry tried her best to keep her calm. "Your majesty, this is very surprising and all of a sudden, what caused this change?"
"My son has told me in great detail about that walk you two took in the crystal gardens, said you two connected very well, had a good conversation and even laughed a little." The king spoke very confidently as Flurry knew that was all a lie as the prince would do so to get what he wanted.
"But, your majesty, I mean no offense, that didn't happened exactly…" Flurry not knowing what to say.
"Are you calling my son a liar?" The king raising an eye.
"Of course not, your majesty…" Flurry beginning to sweat as she felt like having a panic heart. "But, that is such a big piece to add to our original negotiations, it's going to take time to…"
"I don't think so." The king objected. "I think it's a rather simple request and if it's denied, than we shall return to our kingdom without the trade deal signed."
The king paused as Flurry could only hold her muzzle wide open in complete shock at this turn of things, the silence so evident that Flurry could clearly hear her heart beating very fast.
"We will stay here for as long as necessary and wait for your answer…" The king beginning to turn back around to head out of the throne room. "Hopefully it's the right answer." The king finished as Flurry knew what that meant.
As the king trotted out, quiet once more returned as Flurry was as still as a salute, the royal advisors she was meeting with having left to leave the princess to handle this problem. The crystal guards all looking at each other until one of them was brave enough to come up to the princess.
"Your highness, are you okay?" The guard asked, somewhat afraid of the reaction he would get as Flurry shook her head free from her current thoughts to pay attention to the question the guard asked.
"I'm going to my bedroom…" Flurry answered. "Please tell the captain to keep more guards posted outside my room, I need to be alone for a little."
"At once, your highness." The guard returned and went to carry out the order as Flurry silently left the throne room, making her way as quickly as possible to her private bedroom and once she got there, she went inside, locking the door and closing herself off…
Back to the Present…
"And it will be alright Flurry, I know you can handle this like anything else, but you're not going to solve it locked up in here." Grace pointed out.
"What do you suggest I do Grace?" Flurry asking for advice.
"Ask for a third party to come and join in, someone who can help provide another perspective into things and get the original terms back on the table." Grace replied as Flurry began thinking…
"Why didn't I think of that!?" Flurry then smiled as an imaginary lightbulb appeared over her head. "Grace, get the parchment, quill, and ink ready in the library for me while I refresh myself, I need to send a letter to someone right away."
"At once, your highness." Grace smiled back and bowed before going to fulfill the order as Flurry went to her bedroom mirror and fixed herself up, ready to hopefully solve her problem.
Once Flurry was ready, under guard escort to prevent the Saddle Arabians from getting through to her and disturbing her plan, Flurry made her way to the palace library, where, ready on one of the desks as Flurry instructed was a piece of parchment rolled out, a full pot of ink and a sharpened quill ready for writing. Taking a deep breath, Flurry sat down in front of the desk, dipping the quill into the ink as she began to hastily write the letter…
"Dear Uncle…" Flurry wrote.
The Next Day…
As morning came again, Flurry was now out of her room and in the throne room, waiting as the Saddle Arabians were currently out of the palace, spending their time touring the kingdom. Flurry patiently waited as well she didn't have to wait too long for the throne room doors opened to reveal a tall, mostly green colored coated Changeling and besides him a shorter, mostly dark cyan colored Changeling. The two visitors stepping on in as Flurry sat up tall and proud on the throne as the taller Changeling spoke.
"Excuse me, your highness, but I was looking for a little filly named Flurry Heart, do you know where I can find her?" The Changeling joked as Flurry playfully rolled her eyes at it and stepped off the throne and coming froward until she reached the two visitors.
"Very funny Uncle Thorax." Flurry finally said as Thorax chuckled before sharing a nice, big hug with the princess. "It's great to see you and you too Uncle Pharynx."
"I still can't believe how big you gotten, seems not too long you were so little." Thorax commented. "And look at you now. I was hoping to see your husband and little Cinnamon however."
"They're out of town for the next few days." Flurry answered. "I promise we'll visit you when we have the time Uncle, but right now, we got a very serious problem to deal with."
"So your letter has said, well, lets not keep standing here, lets get to work." Thorax returned as the three waited in the meeting room of the palace until the Saddle Arabians came back from their tour, to be escorted to the room and seeing the two Changelings.
"What is the king of the Changelings doing here, princess." The Saddle Arabian king demanded.
"King Thorax and his brother Pharynx are here to help provide an impartial third party to our negotiations and hopefully get them back on track." Flurry simply answered. "Is there a problem with that?"
"In fact, yes there is…" The Arabian king sharply replied. "It is well known that the Crystal Empire and the Changeling Kingdom have a very close relationship with each other, I doubt the Changeling king here will provide an "impartial" view on this."
"I understand your concerns, your majesty." Thorax quickly replied. "But I can assure you that despite my relationship with the Crystal Empire, I can tell you that the princess here is very reasonable and quite capable of leading by herself. I am just here to make sure both of the original parties can come to an agreement both sides can accept."
"The only term left to really discuss is the additional of marriage between my son and the princess, nothing more or less." The Arabian king declared. "I think it's very reasonable and in fact benefits both kingdoms greatly." The Arabian king standing his ground as Flurry and Thorax looked at each other.
"This is going to be tougher than I thought…" Flurry spoke softly as she turned back to the Arabian royal family. "Lets try and talk this out one more time…" Flurry suggested as she was in for another long day…
And by the time the day ended, no resolution came as the sun once again started to sink down over the horizon as Thorax and Pharynx were going to head on back home. The two Changeling brothers felt sorry they couldn't help Flurry as she escorted them to the front doors of the palace.
"I'm sorry we couldn't end this Flurry." Thorax apologized.
"Yeah, you were right, that Arabian prince was sure annoying, it took all my self control not to blow up at him." Pharynx added.
"Be thankful you didn't, the last thing I want is a war between Saddle Arabia and your home." Flurry chuckled to Pharynx's comment. "Safe travels back."
"Thanks Flurry." Thorax smiled. "And stay strong, you'll figure something out, you always do, good luck."
"Thank you Uncle Thorax." Flurry put on her best smile and after sharing a hug with each of the brothers, she said her goodbyes as Thorax and Pharynx left the palace and the Crystal Empire, flying their way back home to the Changeling Kingdom.
Meanwhile Flurry felt exhausted and at her limit, she didn't know any other way to solve this dispute peacefully without her having to marry a prince she didn't even know… Once more returning to her bedroom, under lock and guard as she tried to get whatever peaceful sleep she could, maybe the last peaceful sleep she would get for the rest of her life…
Well that failed… Looks like Flurry is running out of time and options, but there is one thing she didn't try yet… What is it? Well you're going to have to wait until next chapter!
Until than…
See everycreature later!