II

I yawned, and slowly got out of bed. It was a beautiful morning, and the birds were singing outside my window. I went to the mirror and started combing my hair. I had let my hair get long over the years, and it was now down to my shoulders. I liked it that way, actually. Once I had gotten it the way I wanted, I smiled and exited my chambers.

"Good morning, Princess Nina." Said the guard at my door.

"Good morning, Zack." I said with another yawn. I tightened my robe and walked slowly down the hallway to the Grand Hall of the castle.

"Well, well, well… Look who's up!" Said my father, the King, when I walked in. "Good morning, sleepyhead!"

"Good morning, daddy." I said, kissing his cheek.

"Ah, Nina, I'm so glad to see you each morning!"

"So am I!" I told him. "There was a time when I thought I'd never see you again, remember?"

My father scratched his beard. "Vaguely…"

"Father…the wizard? He poisoned you, remember?"

"Ah yes! Now I do! And what's-his-name saved my life… who was it… oh yeah, that boyfriend of yours."

I smiled. "You mean Ryu?"

Father snapped his fingers. "That's him."

I laughed. "Oh Dad, he wasn't my boyfriend! We were just traveling together!"

"I see. Too young for boys at that time, were we?"

"I guess."

"Ah, well… can't argue with that."

"Your Majesty…" said a servant, coming into the room, "The messenger from Auria has arrived."

"Ah, splendid!" He turned to me. "I must go for a while. Be good."

I smiled again. "Okay."

When my father and the servant left the Grand Hall, my smile disappeared. Why did he have to bring up Ryu? Now all my old feelings were returning. I returned to my room and picked up the portrait I had drawn of him after we parted.

What I had told my father was true… he wasn't my boyfriend, and we were just traveling together. But don't you think for a minute that I didn't want it to be otherwise.

Ryu was a brave man. I knew that the minute I saw him. Of course, I also knew it when he destroyed the wizard of Karma to rescue both my father and I, which was pretty much the same time. I had respect for him, so I joined him on his travels.

But as time passed, I began to have a feeling for him that I didn't want to identify at first. I'd let it fill my heart as I'd sit next to him around the fire, or fight alongside him. Finally one day, his gaze met mine and I knew it was love. I couldn't hide it anymore. I loved him.

But he apparently didn't feel the same. Don't get me wrong, he was really sweet with me, and he would hold my hand, and put his arm around me, but I think he was doing that just out of friendship. And oh, how I cried! I would spend nights crying, because I knew I could never have him. He'd never love me.

I had made a promise to myself to tell him my feelings before our journey ended, but as it is with anyone confessing their love, the element of fear was strong. So strong that I never told him, and then after defeating the goddess, we were separated forever.

I knelt at my bedside and cried once again. I needed Ryu… I needed to be near him. And now it would never happen. I missed my chance.

If only I could see him again, if only for a little while… just to tell him I loved him… that would be so wonderful. But again, it wasn't going to happen, and as I realized this, I wept harder.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Princess Nina?"

"What do you want?"

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but the King has requested your presence in the throne room."

"Tell him I'll be there in a few minutes." I said.

"As you wish."

I dried my eyes and left my room. I walked down the east steps to the basement, and quietly opened the back door to the garden.

Father's garden was beautiful. There were flowers of many colors, as well as birds, butterflies, bees, and every other creature you'd see in a garden. We also found that Slimes are good for the soil, so we have some of them too. And in the center of it all was our statue of the Dragon Lord. I got on my knees before it.

"Great Dragon Lord, savior of the world…" I whispered, "I come before you with a simple request." I of course received no reply, but I knew He could hear me. I continued. "There was once a man in my life named Ryu… he touched my heart, and made me love him. All I ask is to see him again, even if it's for only a short time. I pray to you, great Dragon Lord, to grant my request. Amen."

I stood and gazed up at the head of the tall statue, and sighed. I doubted that He would grant my wish, but I could hope with all my heart.

Finally, I returned to the castle and made my way towards the throne room.

"Why has the king requested my presence?" I inquired of the guard at the door.

"A visitor has come, wishing to speak to you."

"To me???" I wondered in curiosity. I opened the large door to the throne room and screamed. It was Ryu!!!! No, it couldn't be. I rubbed my eyes several times, and looked back, and it was! It was him!

I turned my head in the direction of the garden and whispered, "Holy shit, you're fast!"

Ryu smiled. "It's good to see you, too, Nina."

There he goes already with his charm! I found myself unable to speak. So he spoke again.

"Wow, look at you! You're beautiful! Damn…"

I was frozen in place.

"But then, you've always been beautiful…"

Something snapped, and I ran to him and threw my arms around him. I buried my face in his shoulder and cried.

He held me. "I've missed you." He said.

I stared into his eyes. "I've missed you so much, Ryu. I've never forgotten you."

He seemed surprised. "You haven't?"

"Of course not! After all we went through…how could I?"

"Ahem, ahem!" Coughed my father, interrupting the moment, "Boy, why don't you tell the princess exactly WHY you're here, hmm?"

"Well, see…" Ryu began, "I've been having nightmares… visions of the world being destroyed, and people dying everywehre."

"Really?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"Yes. And I had a vision of my sister, Sara…she said I'd need help in order to fight the coming evil. So…I've come here for help! Specifically, you."

My heart was going nuts as he said this. "Of course I'll help you." I said softly. "But, will you come to my room for a minute?"

He smiled. "Sure."

"Ahhhhh, planing something, are we?" asked Father with a grin. I shot him a dirty look.

"Fahter, please… no I'm not 'planning anything.'"

We walked in silence together back to my room.

"I honestly thought I'd never see you again." He said, sitting down in a chair. "That was probably the hardest part about completing our quest."

I was silent for several moments. "Same here." I said finally.

He noticed the portrait of himself on my dresser. "Seems you weren't too intent on forgetting me, either." He said with a chuckle.

I decided it was now or never. "Oh, Ryu, don't you understand? You're a Light Dragon! Can't you sense my feelings for you?"

He chuckled again. "Being a Light Dragon doesn't mean you have psychic powers."

"Ryu, I love you!" I blurted out.

Now it was his turn to be silent.

"And I never wanted to be without you! I wanted to be by your side forever!"

He was still silent, but he sat down on the bed next to me.

"Ryu…" I whispered, "Do you love me, too?"

Instead of answering, he leaned forward and placed his lips on mine in the first kiss we ever shared. I expected him to pull back after a few seconds, but he didn't. In fact, he pulled me closer and kissed me a bit deeper, holding me tight.

When he finally did pull back, there were stars in my eyes. "I'll take that as a yes." I said, with my heart in the clouds.

He smiled and said nothing. Something about his silence made me want him more, and I pulled his mouth back to mine and we kissed again. This time I was intent on making it last as long as possible. He seemed to share that sentiment, and he put his strong arms around my waist and squeezed gently. I sighed and continued to kiss him. I had been waiting for what seemed like forever for this moment, and it had finally come.

For ten minutes straight we kissed, until the grandfather clock in the hall chimed the hour. It was 6:00.

To my dismay, Ryu broke the kiss to look out the window. "I should go."

"No, you're not going anywhere." I said, and pulled him back to me.

"I'm just going to spend the night at the Inn here." He assured me. "I'll be back in the morning and then we'll be off, okay?"

I smiled. "Okay." I gave him one last kiss. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Nina." He said. "Sleep well."

After he left, I cried out in delight and threw myself on my bed. Not only had my prayer been answered and Ryu returned, but on the same day I got to make out with him! Talk about good fortune! I shut my eyes and fell asleep with happiness in my heart once again.