Once upon a time...
One word: Jousting. The biggest, most popular sporting event. Even greater than the sword fights. Everyone attended. Something about the brutal beating and dismounting of knights on horses just got people excited! The jousting matches were always packed with people. There was no room for comfort, not even for a princess. Luckily though at this particular match featuring the best jousters in the land, I was placed uncomfortably next to a really really handsome guy. His name was Demetrius and the more uncomfortably close we got, the less uncomfortable I really was. I rather enjoyed it to be honest.
Demetrius had that confidence of a man who couldn't be knocked down. He could look danger in the face and laugh. He was fearless and strong. And tall, dark haired, and handsome. He was kind of reckless and had a bad boy feel to him. But hey he was handsome!
We didn't say much at the match and I actually forgot about him completely until I was on a walk a few weeks later and walked by him. "Princess Brailee!" He called in a voice as sexy as his looks. I smiled to myself and pretended not to hear him. I heard footsteps. "Princess Brailee," he repeated. I turned, putting on an innocent face, "Why hello!" I said. He bowed. "Do you remember me?" he asked. I didn't respond, but tried to look as innocently puzzled as possible. "We met at the jousting match a few weeks ago," he said. "Oh yes I do remember you! I rarely get that close to strangers," I responded, half teasingly. "I wish I felt bad about that Princess, but I'm glad I got to be that close to you" he said, then paused looking at me. I felt uncomfortable. "What?" I finally asked. "You are just so beautiful," he said. "Definitely the fairest in all the land." I blushed and tried to hide my smile. "Princess Brailee I would like to see you again," he said. "I'll think about it," I teased flirtatiously and turned and walked away.
Later that week, he called on me to take me out. I agreed. We joined some of his friends at a cottage. We all sat outside, just chatting and having a good time. Inside, some of Demetrius' older friends were having a jolley good time drinking rum with a group of people I didn't recognize. As long as they kept their distance, it was fine. But slowly the group began to trickle outside. I began to recognize their faces from wanted posters I'd seen around the land far far away. Demetrius hung out with a group of bandits? I started to feel afraid. "Demetrius, I'm not feeling well. I think I should go home," I told him. "Of course, I will take you home right away," he said.
Then one of the older friends came running outside whispering in an urgent tone, "They found us! The soldiers are here! RUN! HIDE! JUST GO!!!!"
Demetrius grabbed my hand and we took off running. My jewels were clanking together. "Princess take those off," Demetrius pleaded. I couldn't risk losing them by taking them off, so I held them hoping to muffle the noise. Some of Demetrius' friends jumped the fence surrounding the cottage. With my huge dress, there was no way I was going to make it. The last one of his friends jumped the fence. Now, standing there hopelessly, was just Demetrius and I. The two of us alone, who hadn't done anything wrong, were going to get caught.
I heard voices coming from the cottage. The soldiers were on their way out with a lantern. Demetrius grabbed me and pulled me to the ground behind a tree. All I could think was how I was going to be beheaded once they found me. My parents were going to be ashamed. My reputation would be ruined. I felt my eyes start watering. Demetrius pulled me close.
After what felt like hours, the voices and light faded. Demetrius helped me up and we quietly walked to the carriage and headed back to my castle.
We went in silence. And I kept my silence with him for days after. Finally, after being obnoxiously persistant, he got me to talk to him. Demetrius apologized repeatedly and promised nothing like that would happen again. I needed convincing, but eventually I forgave him and we began to go out again.
On our way home from a festival in our land, Demetrius asked if we could stop and say hello to his friends since it was on our way to the castle. I agreed of course. I quickly regretted my decision when I found myself sitting in the carriage, at an abandoned broken down barn in the middle of no where. Demetrius was already greeting his friends, who I soon recognized to be the same group of bandits. My stomach turned in knots. Not again. I was anxious to go.
What felt like ages passed, and finally Demetrius headed towards the carriage, when out of no where soldiers came running and grabbed him. They pushed him to the ground. Barely moments went by before the rest of the bandits met the same fate.
"No no no!" I cried. It was almost midnight. I HAD to be home before the clock struck twelve. I hopped out of the carriage. "I demand that you release him!" I cried at the soldier holding down Demetrius. "Princess, these are thieves, robbers..." the soldier began. "Not him. He was with me. We stopped to greet a friend, not realizing they were part of the group of bandits. We'd only been here a minute and were about to leave when you got here. He's guilty by association, but not by any other charge." The soldier didn't budge. Time was ticking. I took a deep breath. "By order of the princess, I demand you release him," I said as bravely as I could. The soldier hesitated and reluctantly let Demetrius go. "What about the others?" the soldier asked. "Oh, I don't care. They weren't with me!" I said carelessly already heading to the carriage.
Demetrius followed and climbed in the carriage and we headed to my castle. "Thank you Brailee. I'm sorry that you were in that situation," he said. "I'm a princess, Demetrius. And if you wish to court me, you better start treating me like it and stop putting me in situations that could harm the royal name," I snapped. "I know. I'm so sorry. It won't happen again," he said quietly.
By now, I knew his reputation. I knew what he was about. He was no prince charming, but he was one of these bandit types. A bad boy. A no good street rat. A rather handsome and amazingly good kissing street rat. I am a princess, but I am also human. And female. And secretly we all hope to be the one that makes the bad guy see the light and change his ways. So I gave him one more chance. I knew I couldn't risk another bad situation, but I just couldn't let him go.
After we had been dating for quite some time, my parents became anxious to meet this mysterious prince charming, so one day I decided it was time to invite him over. He came to the castle and was very confident and didn't seem the least bit intimidated to be meeting the king and queen. He handled himself just like prince charming would and I was quite pleased with how it was going. We began to play a board game with my parents, and not even an hour later he said it was getting late and he needed to be heading out. Thinking nothing of his quick exit, I walked him out, kissed him goodnight, and said I'd see him soon.
Except I never saw or spoke to him again. I guess bad boys don't like board games.
And we lived happily never after.
