I have more to gain than I have to lose. I can do this. It's the only way to fulfill my dreams...What choice do I have?
He stood in the kitchen, watching his chef prepare a delicious, impromptu meal for two. With his parents away at an appointment, it had been the perfect time to ask for a nice meal only he could eat; and not even in the comfort of the kingdom.
He had been back and forth for two days, wondering if he should, and telling himself he could. Finally, yesterday, in the cafeteria he had invited Princess Lillian to his house, and she had agreed; thus continued the moral dilemma of I love her, I love her not.
Today was the big day. He could do this. What choice did he have? It's the only way she'll ever love me. It's wrong...But it's the only way.
Thanking his chef, he took the meal out into the front yard, where he had asked to be assembled a table and two chairs. Setting the platter on the table, he took the potion from his pocket and read the label.
Matchmaker, it was called. And there was a little poem beneath it:
Bring together my love and I;
Together, till the day we die!
Make us one, my love and me,
Give our lives our love to be.
He uncapped the bottle and poured it into the drink across from his place at the table. Just as he put the bottle away, Princess Lillian rounded the corner, waving at him.
I'm going to betray the woman I love, he thought miserably. She won't even know what hit her...Will she remember the way it was before? What if it doesn't work? Maybe that would be for the best. But then I get nothing...
Maybe he could rotate the tray when she wasn't looking; then bump the poisoned drink off the table. And what if, since his happy ending wouldn't exist anyway, he brought Fairy Godmother's evil deed to the attention of the authorities...?
"Oh, everything looks so good!"
She's here. She's speaking. Sit up, smile, say something!
"I made it myself," he said, sounding a little strangled.
"Really?" She looked everything over. "I'm just going to go wash up," she said, and walked toward the house. Pausing, she turned and looked back. "Harold?"
He practically jumped out of his chair. "Yeah, yes? What?"
"Thanks for inviting me; it was sweet. You're my only friend."
And then she was gone.
Prince Harold turned back to the table, trying to make a choice about which drink she should consume. He turned the tray, then changed his mind and turned the tray back to its original placement.
Give her the potion. No, don't! He let out a miserable moan and sat on the bench.
Can I really betray my friend?
Well, if he didn't, if he chose the moral high ground, he would be left with nothing. He would have wasted his time, and the potion; and he wouldn't benefit at all.
But if he let her drink the brew, she would love him. He would have his queen, his bride, his princess.
But it would not be her will.
He turned the tray again, so the poisoned drink was nearest to him, and felt a cold wash of relief.
He did the right thing, he decided. He would just ignore the equal amount of sadness he felt upon his decision and they would enjoy their meal and part ways as friends, like always.
Princess Lillian walked out of the house and went to the empty chair, which instead of sitting upon, she suddenly lifted it and dragged it to sit next to him. Smiling, she turned the tray so the poisoned drink was right in front of her! A diversion. Yes, he needed to distract her and then switch them back.
"Sorry," she laughed, "But I'm a vegetarian!" She picked up the meatless sandwich.
"So am I," he murmured.
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing. I just...I like the...sky when it's...blue like that." He shook his head in disapproval at his foolishness and picked up the meaty sandwich, squinting far off into the leaves of the nearest tree. "Is that a cat up there?" He shifted his weight. "I hope it doesn't jump off and...and land in the food. Here, should we move?" He put his fingers on her glass.
"Nah, it's fine." She grabbed her glass, and without a choice, he extracted his hand. Suspecting nothing, she upended the glass and began to drink.