A young man in regal white and silver attire pushed open the doors leading outside, and his senses were immediately hit with things he didn't know.
The first and most obvious was the sound of waves, followed by the smell of salt water, and finally after his eyes had adjusted to the extremely bright sunlight, the sight of a long white sand beach stretching as far as the eye could see.
'This isn't Cornelia, that's for sure,' he thought. Jack Garland was a practical man, believing anything was possible so long as they was a plausible explanation for it. This wasn't one of those times. He didn't know how he got to this place, as the last he checked he was escorting someone through a forest before the light took him. The forest had been nowhere near a beach, but now he suddenly found himself at one. Not only that, but in a luxury building that didn't feel any more familiar to him, but its design seemed more inclined towards someone with a lot of money. Maybe a royal family?
That thought made him turn back towards the room he had woke up in. The walls and ceiling were pearl white and elegantly carved while the floor was covered in a crimson red carpet. A small circular wooden table and two chairs sat in the center of the room, but just beyond that was a bed with fluffy white covers and surrounded by white tapestry. As Jack walked back into the room, the only other person in room began to stir.
Lying on the bed was a beautiful young woman, no older than twenty, and dressed in a pale sage green dress and her blonde hair cascaded out like a pool on the pillow as she slept.
Not wanting to disturb such a pretty sight but knowing he had to, Jack gently placed a hand on the woman's shoulder and shook her. "Sarah. Wake up."
It took a moment or two but eventually she began to stir. She was groggy as she sat up and rubbed her eyes with one hand. Those same beautiful hazel eyes found Jack and were met with concern and some tinge of fear. "Jack? What happened? Where are we?"
Sensing her panic beginning to rise Jack put his hands up. "Easy, princess. I'm trying to figure that out, but it's safe to say we aren't in Cornelia anymore."
She asked what he meant, but all he did was pit a finger to his lips. Sarah didn't say a word, but instead listened. No doubt she heard the waves outside. That alone was enough of a clue that she wasn't in her kingdom.
"I remember we were riding on a carriage through a forest, but after a bright light engulfed us-"
"We woke up here, that's what happened." Jack sat down on the edge of the bed. "But don't worry, I don't think this place is dangerous."
"What makes you say that?"
With a confident grin, Jack answered. "I'm sure if we were meant to be harmed we wouldn't be chatting right now."
Sarah couldn't help but smile at that thought. But not only that. "But I also have you to protect me, so I am not worried."
The grin Jack wore grew slightly wider. "That's right. You have nothing to fear, princess."
With a deep breath Sarah did something Jack didn't expect her to do. She leaned forward and rested her head on his shoulder. She felt comfortable enough to do such a compassionate act. She believed that they were alone, and thus didn't have to put the charade of her personal protector just being that. Without her family or servants around she wasn't afraid to show her secret now.
The secret that she held secret feelings for Jack. Bonded through their constant companionship ever since he came to her castle. The attraction they had started out with ideals, with Jack sharing Sarah's compassion for her people, while Sarah admired his determination to do what was right. It pretty much went off from there, until Sarah gathered up the courage to confess her feelings for the knight. Her fear had been he would reject her on the grounds he was her servant and nothing more.
In the end, he reciprocated and embraced her feelings, on the condition she not share their relationship with the rest of the royal family. That promise had persisted for over a year and no one suspected the princess was romantically involved with the mysterious knight.
Sarah closed her eyes, and Jack felt her hand intertwine with his. He didn't want to pull away, and why should he? She was comfortable and at peace.
Yet life threw a surprise at them when they heard a door open from the far side of the room and before Jack could get to his feet, he saw a silver cart being pushed into the room by a little furry creature with purple bat wings and a pom-pom dangling from its head. What in the world...?
"Oh, hello, kupo! Glad to see you're up and about! How about some breakfast?"
Jack and Sarah exchanged looks of confusion and suspicion initially, but when the scent of warm and delicious food crossed their noses they both smiled.
It was the knight who made the choice. "Why don't we indulge ourselves?"
"Then we'll find out where we are?" Said Sarah.
Jack nodded. "Food first though."
That they both agreed on.