Twice Upon A Time (Unfinished Fairy Tales Book 2)

by Aya Ling

  “Downstairs, please.”

  “Let’s get you dressed.”

  As Amelie laces me into a new corset and gown with amazing efficiency, an uneasy thought enters my mind. If Amelie is concerned about my getting pregnant, then what’ll the king and queen say when we return to the palace? Am I going to be pressured to produce a son so that the royal family will have an heir?

  I really should get back as soon as possible.

  * * *

  Breakfast is like a full banquet, with strips of crispy bacon, flaky croissants, fluffy pancakes with a pat of butter and a pitcher of syrup, a hard-boiled egg sitting in a patterned egg cup, yogurt topped with freshly sliced strawberries, and steaming hot coffee served in expensive-looking silverware. Grudgingly, I admit there are perks of being a princess.

  I’ve just finished a pancake when the door opens and Edward comes in. His sleeves are rolled up to the elbows, and beads of water glisten on his neck, like he just washed his face.

  “Good morning,” he says, coming over to me. “Enjoying breakfast? I confess that seeing you makes me hungry again.” He swipes a piece of strawberry from my yogurt.

  “You’re just hungry from riding,” I say, but remembering that we have to pretend to be in love, I fork a piece of bacon and hold it out to him. “Here you are, darling.”

  My voice sounds fake, but it seems to be working. A maid dusting the furniture looks away, and one has her hand over her mouth, like she’s trying not to giggle.

  His eyes shining, Edward pulls out a chair next to me and takes my fork. Together, we finish the monstrous quantity of my breakfast. Doing my best to play the part of a loving wife, I try to act like I’ve known him a long time. It comes across easier than I expected when he’s such a willing participant, and we end up fighting over the last croissant. I’m still trying to grab his arm and make him give up when Bertram appears.

  “Pardon me, Your Highness, but the coachman is waiting.”

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  Edward breaks the croissant and hands me the larger piece while consuming the rest himself. “Would you like to travel back hundreds of years in time?”

  * * *

  I’m not really into ancient historic sites, but when I step off the carriage, a gasp of wonder escapes me involuntarily. Enrilth Castle—can’t they come up with a different name?—is just like the setting you see in big-budget historical and fantasy films. A vast structure of stone, complete with multiple towers and battlements, is surrounded by a deep, wide moat. It would be complete if the two men in front of the drawbridge were in shining armor and carried a lance or a sword. But no, they look just like the villagers waiting for us at the train station. Both are stout and ruddy-faced, and they wear checkered shirts and dark pants. Upon seeing us, they remove their caps and bow deeply.

  “Ah, it’s our bonny Prince Edward and the new princess!” The taller one says, grinning. “We have been waiting for you all morning long.”

  I glance at Edward. There’s a frown on his face. Guess he isn’t pleased at being called “bonny.” Ha.

  His companion elbows him. “Hold your tongue, Gil. It’s not every day that you get the prince and the new princess visiting.”

  For such an impressive castle, I’m surprised there aren’t more tourists, which is kind of puzzling. The train makes the place accessible, and the weather is lovely.

  “What are you looking for?” Edward asks.

  “Nothing…I thought this was supposed to be a popular tourist attraction, but there aren’t any people here.”

  “The castle is yours today, Princess Katriona.” Gil winks. “Everyone else must make way for you.”

  “Oh.” I feel a bit embarrassed. “But honestly, there is no need—”

  “Let me show you the castle, Kat. It will take a long time for the entire tour.” Edward puts a hand on my back and steers me forward. Leaning over to my ear, he whispers, “Trust me, you’d prefer touring the castle without a number of villagers following and staring at you.”

  Makes sense. But still, I’m not certain I like this privilege. If I were one of the tourists, I’d be annoyed that I have to avoid this particular day just because the monarch is visiting.

  Anyway, I’ll be going home as soon as I get the chance, so I focus on crossing the drawbridge. Wooden planks creak under our feet as we make our way to the entrance. I dart a glance at the moat. It is a deep sea-green with ducks floating on the water.

  “The castle was built nearly five hundred years ago.” Edward steadies me with his firm grip on my arm. “Our ancestors came from another country, Moryn, which lies to the west of Athelia. Enrilth happens to be near the port where they first landed.”

  I don’t remember The Ugly Stepsister mentioning anything about Moryn. Looks like this is another piece of info I must remember in order to play my part of the princess.

  “Were you different countries in the beginning, or did Athelia separate from Moryn later?

  “Originally, we were colonies under the great Moryn empire,” Edward says, leading me into what seems like a courtyard. Interestingly, there are a few knights astride horses made of stuffed sacks. This is certainly a tourist attraction. “We had our own leaders to run local affairs, but the Moryn king overruled us. For several decades, we lived in peace until the demands from them became more and more ridiculous. There was a tax law that allowed them to impose heavy taxes on everything, including both imported Moryn goods and Athelian local goods.”

  “And so you retaliated by dumping chests of tea into the harbor, and later went to war?” The words are out of my mouth before I can help it.

  Edward stares at me. “Tea?”

  “Never mind. Just pretend I didn’t say anything.”

  “Tea did not exist then, but the taxes did escalate tension between the two countries. Eventually, we declared war on Moryn, which sent troops across the sea. The most famous battle occurred here, right at this castle.”

  He leads me to a flight of steps, unevenly cut from stone, up to the castle wall.

  “The Moryns tried to enter the castle by climbing up the wall, but we shot them down using arrows that had explosives attached to the ends. Still, casualties amounting to thousands were recorded on both sides. Irrevocable damage was done to the city despite our eventual victory, so my ancestors decided to relocate to the second largest city, which is now the capital where we live.”

  I gaze at the great expanse of grass that stretches in front of me, ending in a thick forest. Hundreds of years ago, there must have been bloodied bodies lying all over the battlefield or floating on the moat. I shudder and turn away.

  “The war sounds awful, but it seems you did a good job patching up the damage. If you didn’t tell me about Moryn, I wouldn’t have known there was a war here.”

  “My grandfather decided to turn the castle into a sightseeing attraction, and he commanded to restore it to its original state. It took many years, but eventually, we succeeded. He was highly unpopular with the people, but there were a few things that he did right during his reign. This is one of them. Castle Enrilth has brought in much revenue from both Athelian and foreign visitors, and it has helped many people learn more about our history.”

  A while later, we start down the steps. Edward wants to show me the great mead hall where the ancient Athelians used to celebrate festivities—or in other words, occasions that gave them the excuse to get drunk.

  “So, what’s your relationship with Moryn now?”

  “Currently, we maintain pretty good relations with them. Our forefathers worked hard, establishing schools and offering handsome rewards to professionals. It was not long before steam technology was discovered, and that made a huge difference in our industries. In fact, we are arguably much stronger and more developed now. The Moryn Empire is still splendid, but no longer is it the most powerful nation in our world. They would never dare to initiate a war if the same tensions occurred again.”

  “I guess that Moryn still has
a monarchy?”

  “They certainly do. In fact, their monarchy retains a lot more executive authority than us. I suppose you know that for Athelia, it is the parliament, not the royal family, that wields political power?”

  I nod. The Ugly Stepsister had mentioned Katriona and Edward working together to pass a child labor law in the parliament.

  “Won’t your parents prefer that you marry a Moryn princess?”

  Edward laughs. “Their princess is currently five years old. Were she eligible, I will not deny that my parents would encourage the idea of a marriage alliance.” He regards me gravely. “However, it makes no difference. I would have chosen you, even if Moryn has a hundred princesses.”

  I have an urge to laugh and chide him at the same time. “Don’t be ridiculous, Edward. I’m just an ordinary girl, not one in a thousand.”

  “Ordinary?” He taps my temple lightly. “You’ve always fascinated me with your otherworldly ideas. But it wasn’t the same with you. I could not attract you the same way you attracted me. My position as the crown prince, I frankly admit, makes it unlikely for any unattached woman to reject me. But you are different. You see Athelia as undeveloped, oppressive, and even brutal. You didn't care that I was royal. No matter how I tried to get your attention, your priority remained with your family.” He stares at a large tapestry hanging on the wall, which depicts a group of people hunting a stag. No wonder there’s a stag’s head hanging on top of the mead hall. “How is your family now, by the way?”

  “Are you asking me about my family?” I ask, surprised.

  He nods. “Tell me.” I sense there is something that he isn't saying, but I don’t know how to ask.

  “Well, we’re doing fine. Better than several years ago, actually. Mom got a new job, and she is going out with this guy called Ryan. And Paige is going to Australia after she graduates.”

  “Australia? Is that the place that your school has an exchange program with?”

  “Yeah, but they discontinued it. Paige is going to study there as a full-time college student.” I lift my chin. “She wants to become a doctor.”

  “A doctor?” He gives me an incredulous stare, then shakes his head. “Ah, I should know that it is not uncommon for a woman to practice medicine in your world. How long will it take?”

  “Five to six years at school, two years of pre-vocational training, and then she gets to register as a medical practitioner. But she could need further training, depending on what she’ll specialize in. Why do you ask?”

  He seems to be turning over my information in his mind, and although his expression is not an open book, nevertheless, I can sense that my answer has relieved him. Maybe I should have lied. I’m sure he’d be more willing to let me go if Mom was still working herself crazy, or if Paige was still a kid. Or if I had already married Jason. But then, what if I’m stuck here forever? What if I have no chance of seeing the ones I love?

  I slip my hand out of Edward’s and sit down on one of the long benches. Suddenly, the fun of touring the castle has faded away. What if I never see my family again? What if Jason is still searching frantically for me, after I disappeared from his house?

  Someone makes an oomph sound, and Bertram enters the hall, rubbing his forehead. I guess he entered through the servant’s door, which is unfortunately smaller. I wonder if the size was constructed on purpose, or if the servants that lived in the past were, on average, shorter.

  “Your Highness! Forgive me for barging in, but the mayor of Enrilth is waiting. They have a welcome party for you.”

  8

  An alarmingly large group of villagers is waiting outside when we emerge from the castle. Cheers, whistling, and clapping echo in the air, and bunches of flowers are tossed over our carriage. It’s kind of sweet, honestly, and it shows that Edward is beloved by his people. He may be a tad domineering and possessive, at least for my standards, but I have to admit he seems a good ruler.

  When we arrive at the mayor’s house, Edward tells me what I should do when greeting them. “Don’t shake hands with anyone. Steeple your fingers together, place your hands on your stomach, and incline your head gracefully.”

  “Princesses are not supposed to do that?”

  “A lady does not shake hands. She curtsies when introduced, but since you are higher ranked than any of them, all you have to do is bow your head.”

  “Okay.” I practice what he tells me, but the head-inclining feels horribly pretentious. I don’t have years of royal training like him. “This is so hard to get right.”

  “Don’t worry. It is well known that you behave awkwardly when it comes to propriety and manners. Also, do not say ‘okay.’ That word does not exist in our vocabulary.”

  “Okay,” I say automatically, which causes both of us laugh. “Sorry.”

  This is going to be fun.

  * * *

  The mayor is an old man with white tufts of hair and a friendly smile. I nearly put out my hand, but I remember I’m a princess. “What an honor it is to have the prince and princess here for dinner. Come right in. You must be exhausted and hungry from touring the castle.”

  The mayor’s wife is a plump, rosy-cheeked woman who looks much younger than her husband. She appears rather nervous when we enter, wiping her hands on a big green apron now and then, and she keeps apologizing for her cooking.

  “Afraid that our country meals are too simple after what you’re used to at the palace,” she says, flustered.

  I had a full breakfast, but surprisingly, the homemade pasta topped with cheese and smoked bacon is so good that I finish my dish in mere minutes.

  “Simple is good,” I say earnestly. “I wouldn’t know what to do if I had more than one fork and one knife. Besides, this tastes like . . .” I clamp my mouth shut. I was going to say that the food tastes just like Jason’s homemade mac & cheese. “This tastes really good. May I have a second helping?”

  The mayor and mayor’s wife are both pleased and embarrassed.

  “You’re such a nice lady,” the mayor says. “We knew His Highness since he was a boy, and we couldn’t be happier when he found himself a bride.”

  Edward smiles, but it seems a bit strained. “I’m fortunate, indeed, to have found Kat.”

  I blush. Just at that moment, there comes a knock at the door, and a tall young man enters. He is about Edward’s age, I think, dressed simply in a white shirt and black pants.

  “Liam, m’ boy!” the mayor exclaims. “Was there too much traffic on the road? Anyhow, you’re just in time to meet our new princess.”

  The mayor’s wife hastens to ladle a dish while the mayor pulls out a chair.

  “This is indeed a wonderful surprise.” Edward gets up, and he and the young man clap each other on the shoulder. It looks like they are good friends, though The Ugly Stepsister never mentioned any of Edward’s friends other than Henry. “Let me introduce you to my bride. Kat, this is Liam, the mayor’s grandson.”

  The young man called Liam greets me with a spark of interest in his leaf green eyes. He’s about the same height as Edward, but he is much leaner, like a walking pole. He wouldn't look out of place with the guys in my computer science class. “An honor to meet you, Your Highness.”

  “Liam and I both grew up together. When we were twelve, however, I moved to the capital while he went to secondary school. He is now a university student, studying biology and sciences. Henry once took classes with him.”

  “Call me Kat,” I say, offering him a warm smile. “A friend of Edward’s is a friend of mine. And it’s so nice to meet someone who also went to college.”

  Confusion appears in Liam’s face. Immediately, I realize the error of my words.

  “What Kat meant is that she wishes to study in the university,” Edward quickly says. “She is very fond of books, you see. I had to install several bookshelves in our rooms, or she wouldn’t have accepted my proposal.”

  “Indeed,” Liam says, though he gives me a curious glance. “I assure you, Princess . .
. Kat, that you are not missing much.”

  Everyone laughs, and Edward explains to me, “For many, the university is more of a place to cultivate connections rather than to acquire serious knowledge.”

  “Well then, I doubt the princess shall have time for extra education, even if they let her in,” the mayor’s wife says, slicing more bread and placing the pieces on a plate. “Especially when she gives birth to an heir. She won’t have much time for anything.”

  I try very hard to keep a straight face. It’s going to be really troublesome if people keep expecting me to get pregnant.

  “Excuse me, Susan, but I believe the princess is one of a kind,” Liam says. “Not every noble lady can write articles on social issues, not to mention interviewing factory children and writing about them.”

  I remember that in The Ugly Stepsister, Katriona had published an article called The Curse of the Factory System. Or, should I say, I had published it. Come to think of it, it seems impossible that I could have done the task. Breaking into a factory and knocking out an adult male and interviewing child workers? I sound amazing, even to myself.

  “His Highness chose her from thousands of girls.” The mayor pokes Liam with a walking stick. “I only hope that you have the good fortune to meet someone half as remarkable as our princess.”

  “I doubt I would be so fortunate,” Liam says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Edward always has the best.”

  Am I imagining it, or is there a drop of jealousy or resentment in his tone?

  * * *

  Whenever I imagined what my honeymoon would be like, I had pictured somewhere sunny and relaxing. Possibly a Caribbean cruise. I fancy a glorious day reclining in a chair, sipping a margarita, and enjoying the hot, salty sea air. Jason would be next to me, spouting some obscure physics knowledge, and when I get bored, I’d shut him up with my lips. I didn’t expect that in reality, my honeymoon would consist of a crash course in royal knowledge.