Serene distant chirping gently awakened me. I slowly opened my eyes and rubbed them carefully. My head was spinning, but that was nothing a good breakfast wouldn't fix. I fell asleep with a million thoughts running through my head, but now they felt so distant. As if they were behind me and wouldn't bother me again, but I knew that was false security. I dragged my feet to my vanity; the furnishing were carefully crafted to fine detail. I gently dragged my fingers along the design, thorns that didn't prick my fingers. I giggled, I knew they weren't thorns from a rose, rather some faux roses from a pine tree the vanity was carved from. Was it false security to not be injured by something that normally would? Or is this just the privilege of being a princess that I can have something lovely? I still remembered the day I wandered out in the country and slipped into the mud and was in tears. A monster girl around my age was nearby and took me to her home where she let me bathe and washed my dress and gave me a new dress. My dress was of silk woven from special silkworms my grandmother Skywynne had collected on her travels. The monster girl had carefully washed it and complimented me because she said I looked beautiful in it, that she was too ugly to wear it. I allowed her to keep the dress for her kindness and because I had hundreds at home, and frankly I felt like it would have looked better on her. That only happened because I had all those dresses back at home. I took a deep sigh as I glanced over to my closet, the door was partially opened, but I wasn't ready to go in. I felt terrible, I had so many things others couldn't have. I thought to Globgor and how I was asking him for so much. I went to the libraries these previous days and silently did research. I learned many things, like why a certain monster can live in certain environments. I didn't find much on shape shifting mewman eating monsters, just that they ate mewmans. If he agrees, can I continue to feel safe in our friendship? I don't even know how this would be affecting him. He had already gotten pretty thin from when I first met him.

A stern knocking at my door made me jolt as the door slowly opened, revealing my mother who was already dress in her armor. I smiled nervously as she said good morning.

"I'm going out for the day. I have political matters to attend to. I trust you'll be alright?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm just going to have another library day. You learn a lot of stuff, like recipes." I joked and she laughed.

"Don't get a papercut, darling." She boasted and closed the door quickly as I heard the faint clanking of her boots. I hope she doesn't suspect anything.

I took a deep sigh and touched the water in the bowl of my vanity. It was filled from rose petals, perhaps they flew in from the garden. It was always a refreshing touch to my morning freshen up. I gently splashed the water to my face and dried my face. As I opened my eyes, I touched my eyelids, I loved how they were outlined and how my eyelashes made them look better. I know for a fact I didn't get my lovely eyes from my mom's family. My father said they were similar to his mothers. It was nice to know I had the eyes of someone I wish I got to know. I felt a faint pain in my heart, that wasn't what I wanted. I wanted to be happy with someone. So when I have a daughter she doesn't have to say she sneaks out to get to meet her dad and his family. I had too many thoughts spinning through my head and held my temples. Stay calm, just handle one problem at a time.

"Are you okay?" asked a voice and I screamed, slipping, and dropping the bowl on my vanity as the water splashed all over the thorn furnishing. "Oh no. I'm so sorry I didn't mean to startle you." Added the voice and a small red monster began to expand, it was Globgor. He helped me up then ran for a towel and started to dry my vanity. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for your really nice vanity to get ruined."

"It's not ruined." I snarked and he glared at me.
"Do you not know how much vanities can go for? Especially with this detail to craftsman? Wood is so delicate and starts to expand when its soaked." He snapped as he continued to frantically dry the vanity.

"I can get a new one."

"That's not the point. You should really take care of your things." He said as he extended the towel on the towel rack, his back facing me. He was right, I shouldn't be so quick to discard things. I couldn't fathom why I gave off that attitude. Is this another nasty trait I got from being a princess?

"I'm sorry I said that." I began than paused. What was he doing in my room? Especially when I had been asleep.

"It's alright. I came to speak with you." He said as he walked to my closet and pulled out a basket, it was wrapped in a red cloth and had the embroidery of a spades aligned together. He handed it to me and asked me if I would look at it. I couldn't help but feel like it had a dead mouse in it. I would deserve it with how nasty I had been with him. Unfolding the cloth, I saw a small compact device, it was smooth and shined iridescent.

"What is this?" I asked as I picked up the object, it was cool to the touch.

"It belonged to my grandmother, it's a handheld mirror. It was crafted from a seashell a mermaid had brought my grandfather." He explained then laughed nervously. "I want you to keep it. I want you to use it, along with the other stuff in here." He added as he held the basket back up to me. I fiddled through it and retrieved tubes of lipstick with flower designs. Even some blush that had patterns of flowers.

"This is so lovely. I liked them." I said then felt a frown come to my face. "Why would you give me something so precious? This is practically a family heirloom."

"Because I think it's so beautiful. My grandfather had saved a mermaid from a mewman, and that was all the mermaid had to thank him with. He didn't know what to do with it, so he gave it to my grandma. She had better use for it anyways. That mirror would reflect back my grandmother, now I want you to look at it and reflect you back." He said then grinned nervously. "I want you to see what I see. I think you're beautiful. I like the way you're kind and how you care for everyone."

"That's so sweet." I answered and opened the compact, the mirror reflected my eyes and then it came to me. "It used to reflect your grandmother, now it'll be reflecting mine." I joked and he looked confused. "I got my eyes from my dad's mother."

"She must have been a lovely person, just like you." He said as he hugged me, he felt so small despite being taller than me. It's because he's gotten thin.

"I wanted to talk to you about something."

"Of course, but I'm not quite done talking about what I wanted to talk to you about." He revealed as he pulled out a necklace from the basket. "You didn't look at this." He said as he handed it to me. It had a dangly roped chain and held a red apple gem. "It's because you were gathering apples the other day and it made me realize something."

"Oh, a reminder of that." I grumbled, remembering exactly why I had been doing my research these past days.

"I'm sorry. Truly, I'm sorry I did that. I went home and realized I had to do something."

"And that is?"

"I want you in my life, and I don't want you to have to worry about the safety of others. I don't want others being scared of me. Especially you."

"I was actually going to talk to you about that." I chirped excitedly, so he must be wanting to change his diet too. We were on the same track.

"So you feel the same way?" he asked overjoyed. He smiled big, his teeth poking out and I giggled.

"Yes I do. We can experiment and find out what your new diet will be." I laughed and his smile disappeared.

"I was pouring my heart out to you." He whined out and I felt confused. What exactly? "I want you to be mine."

"Your mewman?"

"No, my girlfriend!" he roared, stamping his feet and the ground began to shake. The faint sounds of screams filled the air. "This was a mistake." He said as he shrank down and began to run. I quickly lunged for him, barely grasping him in my hands.

"Just hang on a minute."

"You don't even feel the same way." He groaned, looking away as he rolled his eyes. How exactly did I feel? I thought deep down. I did want him in my life. I cared for him, his wellbeing, but at the same time, I couldn't ignore the safety of others. I liked the sound of his laughter, the way we could joke around, and how he was there when I needed someone.

"Now what if I do?" I asked, I realized that I did. I cared for him and wanted him in my life.

"Don't I scare you? What if I go on a rampage?"

"You won't." I snapped and he looked up at me. "If you want this to work, you really have to make life changes. I can't be worrying if I'm dating someone who is going to compromise the safety of my people."

"How am I going to do that?"

"Well, a diet change? You cannot eat a single mewman if you want this to work."

"What will I eat?" he asked annoyed.

"I have a whole book up here." I pointed out as I walked with him in my hands I flipped through the pages as he stared confused. "We'll figure it out together." I teased as he looked up discouraged at me.

"Do you really want to be my girlfriend?"

"Of course I do. Only if you promise to never eat another mewman again and try out a new diet." I answered as he agreed. I hope this works. Later that day, we had gone to the market together. He stayed small in my basket as I collected supplies from the market. I heard the sounds of bleh coming from the basket but ignored them. If he really wanted this, he was going to have no problems eating potatoes and carrots.

"Doesn't a princess have an entire kitchen staff that prepares her meals for her?" asked a merchant confused as I selected groceries.

"It's poor manners to assume something about someone you don't know. I can always take my business elsewhere." I snapped as the merchant apologized. As I walked away I heard the sounds of giggling coming from my basket. I hushed Globgor as I made my way towards the outskirts of the kingdom. He peeped out the basket and waved to me. I smiled as I continued walking, hoping no one was following us. I had copied down a recipe I wanted to try, hopefully he likes it. We were making our way to his home; I really hope this works. I don't want to lose him.