The next morning, Charlie was up early. She made her way through the forest, marveling at the nature that surrounded her. After spending sixteen years being isolated in that dreadful tower, the fresh air and the warm sunshine felt so wonderful. She had forgotten what a Summer morning outside felt like and she was determined to never forget it again and the princess was so happy about her new found freedom that she couldn't resist singing a little song to express her joy.
"La, ah, ahhh, la, la, la."
She had a very lovely voice. Singing a song was usually how she brightened her moments of depression within the tower.
Her vocals soon caught the attention of a bird who decided to sing along with her. Charlie happily agreed to share a duet with the bird, just like Princess Octavia would do all the time. Unfortunately, even though Charlie could sing very pretty-like, there was a slight dysfunction to her voice that would come and go.
"La, la, LAAAAAAA-"
She sang a high note, she released an involuntary, high-pitched, wail that could rival a banshee cry. Her pitchy howl was so extreme that it caused the bird to shake and convulse. Then came a loud pop as the bird exploded, leaving behind a bunch of feathers in the breeze.
"Oops." She said looking guilty.
"Still haven't learned to control your pipes I see."
Vaggie had awakened about ten minutes ago and followed the princess's footprints to this location. She took note of the recent bird-icide that her charge had committed.
"I didn't mean to make him explode." Charlie said.
"Well who's gonna mourn a bird anyway?" Vaggie asked.
"Did you sleep well last night Vaggie?"
"Yep. The best sleep I've had in years. One where I could actually rest my brain."
Guilt crossed Charlie's face again and she looked at the moth adze with remorse.
"I want you to know that I'm very sorry for what my father did to you." She apologized. "Believe me, if I had known that it was the collar that kept you in that state, I would have taken it off you myself long ago."
"Don't worry about it." Vaggie assured her. "You had no more say about what he did to me than what he did to you. I'm just sorry that I made your imprisonment so long."
"It wasn't your fault. Anyway it's all over now so we should just forget the past and move on."
"Funny you should mention that because I really can't remember much of anything before."
"You can't?"
"Well I remember you and I remember bringing you food and what you needed to survive. I remember being in that Godforsaken castle but everything else is either a complete blur or just comes back in flashes. Nothing is really clear."
"Maybe it's for the best that you don't remember that stuff clearly. I know I wouldn't want to remember all those years of not being in control of my own mind."
"What's really frustrating is that I can't remember, but I know what I did."
Vaggie trembled. She knew that she had killed countless innocent men who only wanted to free Charlie. She knew that she had taken their lives and drained them of blood. She knew that she was responsible for all those corpses and skeletons that littered the dark castle. True she had killed unwillingly but that didn't change the fact that those men were dead because of her.
Charlie embraced her, giving her a comforting touch that Vaggie had not known for so long. It made her feel much better and it caused her negative feelings to be ceased. At least for now.
"Thank you Charlie." She returned the embrace.
"No more sadness today. It's a new beginning for us." Charlie said. "Just think of it, we're free and even better, I'll be getting married in one week."
"Yeah about that-"
"Oh I can hardly wait. I'll wear a gown, we'll have a ball, and we'll dance to our heart's content."
"But you haven't even met the groom yet." Vaggie said. "And I think you're missing out on a great opportunity."
"How so?"
"Well you're out of that tower and the guy who made that happen doesn't want to marry you, not to mention he's still asleep, so why not run? Go live your own life? Why do you have to marry this Lord Vox?"
"Because he's my true love."
"But you don't know him. You don't even know what he looks like."
"He's the one who sent for me so he has to be my true love. Come on, Vaggie this is my dream. To fall in love and get married."
"But why limit yourself to that? There's a whole world out there that you've never seen. And you're a strong woman Charlie, you can learn to be independent. I could teach you. We could find work and establish lives of our own. You don't have to rely on a husband."
Charlie chuckled.
"Vaggie I'm not seeking a husband because I don't think I can take care of myself."
"But it is because your father basically programmed it into you."
"Not exactly. Yes he said that I would have to marry whoever rescued me but Vaggie, I'm getting married because I want to. I want to fall in love. I have spent years reading about princesses like myself finding true love and I want that."
"But getting married will just put you right back where you started. Restrained and contained. You won't be allowed to see the world that you've been barred from all your life."
"That won't happen. Not with true love. I may not know a lot about the world but I do know that my true love would never try to contain me. He'd let me see the world even after we were married. He'd encourage my hopes and dreams. He'd make me comfortable in my own skin. He'd make feel beautiful no matter what I look like. I don't think you would understand it Vaggie, but a true love would make me feel more free than ever."
"You're right, I don't understand that and I don't understand your wants but I can respect them and support them. But I have to ask, you want true love right? Real love? Pure, sincere, complete honest love?"
"Of course."
"Then you're gonna have to let your fiance know about, your evening look."
Charlie went stiff for a moment.
"No I don't."
"Charlie."
"I don't have to tell him about that."
"But how can his love be true if he doesn't know about that other part of you? If you ask me, that's the ultimate test of weather or not this guy really loves you."
"He wouldn't love me if he knew about that. No one in their right mind could possibly bring themselves to love me if they knew my secret and Vaggie, you are not to tell him or anyone else about that."
"Not even our so-called escorts?"
"No."
"But we'll be traveling with them for a week. They're going to see you at night sooner or later. Why not just rip off the band aid now?"
"Not one word Vaggie. I mean it." She commanded sternly. "As Princess of the Ninth Kingdom I order you not to tell anyone my secret. Ever."
"Very well." Vaggie obeyed. "But this will only make things harder for you."
"Agree to disagree and with that being said, I think we should try to find some breakfast. I'm so hungry I could eat the grass."
But thankfully she wouldn't have to eat grass because that bird she accidentally killed, had a nest full of eggs. Four eggs to be exact. She took those eggs and with Vaggie, they gathered up the proper materials needed to fix a suitable morning meal.
A little later, Alastor awoke to the wonderful smell of eggs frying on a rock skillet. He arose and saw that Charlie was the one cooking eggs over an open fire. Surprised and impressed, he nudged Angel to show him.
Angel was dreaming though.
"Yeah you know I like it that." He was saying. "Come on baby, climb up my saddle. I'll give you a ride."
Alastor and Vaggie both looked at him with disgust.
"Angel wake up." He said shaking him.
Angel sat bolt upright.
"Huh?! What?! I wasn't fondling myself Pop! I swear! Arackniss is a liar!"
He went red in the face when he noticed everyone looking at him awkwardly.
"Ummm...Good morning." He greeted in embarrassment.
"Good morning." Charlie replied, trying to change the mood of the scene. "How do you like your eggs?"
"What's all this about?" Alastor wanted to know.
"We got off to a bad start yesterday and I wanted to apologize for my behavior toward you. I was very cruel and inconsiderate. Also ungrateful, because after all you did rescue me and you even rescued Vaggie too. I don't think anyone else would have done that, you really are a true knight."
Alastor found himself momentarily speechless. The way she was smiling at him and looking at him with those bright eyes, it was unfamiliar. But not necessarily unwelcome.
She placed the sizzling eggs down on the makeshift plates she created, handed one to Alastor and one to Angel.
"Ah...Thank you." Alastor managed at last. "You...You cook?"
"Well in that tower I was the only one with thumbs so I had to learn to cook for myself." She explained. "Granted I'm no gourmet but I did my best."
Alastor took a bite of his egg.
"Not bad." He smiled.
"Really? They don't have any salt or pepper."
"Well where would you find salt and pepper in a forest? Still there is some flavor, what did you put on this?"
"Some basil and rosemary I found. I gathered some bring along with us to flavor future meals."
"Smart thinking. You're quite efficient for someone who's never lived outside."
"Well everything I need to know is right in here."
She opened up her suitcase and produced a book labeled; How to Live without Magic, Technology, and Servants.
Alastor and Angel exchanged looks of wonderment.
"Well you two eat your breakfast while Vaggie and I go wash up."
Charlie then put her book back into her suitcase and followed Vaggie to look for a place to bathe, leaving the gentlemen to dine.
"Something tells me that today is going to be very entertaining." Alastor thought.
