Once upon a time...
I'm a firm believer in second chances. However, why this wanna be prince charming has a part three is definitely beyond my better judgement. (refer to chapter one and chapter eight for part one and two.)
Loneliness is a killer disease and Cedric had ALWAYS been there for me. One particular day I was feeling very lonely and down. Believe it or not, even with all of my gorgeous dresses, my amazing castle, as many servants as I could ask for, and the nonstop attention I get for being a princess, I still felt alone sometimes. My mother, the queen, was trying to do her best to help but was of no use. After failed efforts, she told me if I needed a friend, I should call upon Cedric. I hadn't even thought of it since we hadn't spoken in months, but she was right. He had always been there for me. And so I did what my mother said.
Cedric and I caught up as if time had never passed, just as we had in part two. We went on a ride on his horse to our usual spot on the bridge. We talked and talked and talked. I told him of my heartbreak. He told me of his happily never afters with Amita. I couldn't help but be pleased about that, however I offered him my condolences. He told me how she and him had ended things over twelve times. With all of my experience and wisdom, I told him that was ridiculous and if there's a reason to end things with someone, it's usually a good enough reason not to get back together with them.
It was kind of a hypocritical statement considering the fact I was standing there with an ex, but I shrugged it off. I was a princess. I could do what I want. Cedric and I decided that clearly love was not for either of us and that we should be best friends forever and never let love hurt us or come between us again.
When do things ever turn out how you say they're going to?
We began to hang out as friends. And slowly it turned to dates. We were seeing each other multiple times a week. We would laugh and tell each other everything. It was so relieving to yet again have him back in my life.
We were playing chess one day, a game we were both TERRIBLE at. Cedric's friend had bailed halfway through our double date to have some alone time with his lady, so there weren't many options of what Cedric and I could do. Thus, the game of chess. I kept making jokes out of it and trying to keep the competition level not very high in order to make it more fun. He noticed.
"You're really fun you know that Brails?" he said during the game.
It caught me offguard. "I like to think so!" I said. "Why do you say that though?" I asked. He paused, it was his turn to play, and looked at me. "Every time I'm with Amita, she gets mad at me. Either I say something, or do something, or wear something she doesn't approve of. She can't just have a good time. We always have to fight," he said. "Well that makes me feel even worse for all the times you've stopped talking to me because of her," I teased, half seriously. "It's your turn by the way." He didn't play still. "I'm really sorry about that. She just gets so mad. She feels like you're a threat," he explained. "A threat to your relationship?" I asked. He nodded. "Then why are you here Cedric? If she's going to get mad at you, why are you here?" He looked me in the eyes and smiled. "There's just something about you that keeps bringing me back." I laughed flirtatiously. "Oh really?" He nodded and took his turn.
"Checkmate," I said. "What!? I thought you said you were bad at this game!?" Cedric complained. "I usually am! I got lucky." We smiled at each other. "So, Cedric, if you were a piece of the game, what piece would you be?" He thought for a second. "Well you'd be queen of course, since you're already a princess," he started. I smiled and shrugged as if saying of course. "So I'd be the knight."
The knight? "Why wouldn't you want to be king?" I asked. "Not in a romantic way, but if you were king of another land, we could just run away to all the far away lands whenever we wished and could have all the money in the world to do whatever we want with!?" I asked enthusiastically. Knights were highly ranked, but everyone would rather be royalty. Even lions can't wait to be kings. "I'd be the knight so I could always protect you, to save you, to be there for you," he said touching my hand.
My stomach knotted. We were just friends. "Yup, you'd be a great knight! Until Amita decided to come around," I said winking at him and standing up. "I guess I deserve that," he said pulling me into a hug. "You bet Merlin's beard you do!"
We went out and talked every day for the next several months. I realized quickly that my Cedric from the previous chapters was not this Cedric. This Cedric was much more self absorbed, had a smaller attention span, and was not quite as genuine as he used to be. However I didn't look at him romantically this time, so I decided it was ok. Not ok for a prince charming, but it was ok for a friend.
Cedric was preparing to leave the land far far away for thirty days, and so we decided to spend his last day there together. We were cuddled up on my couch by the fire and he kept kissing my cheek and forehead. But then, the moment came and he kissed me on the lips. And then he pulled back. And then leaned in and kissed me on the lips again. He repeated this a few times. It was bizarre. Our very very first kiss when he didn't know how to kiss was FAR better than this one. He was kissing me like a woodpecker pecks a tree.
Finally Cedric stopped. "You kiss different than you used to," he said to me. I looked at him in surprise. "Yeah so do you," I said looking away trying to bite my tongue. He had cheated on me twice with Amita who was gorgeous, but clearly sucked at kissing. That made me happy.
We didn't kiss after that. Instead we talked about all the adventures we wanted to have when he got back. I also teased him more about how there would doubtfully be any more times we'd see each other since he always stopped talking to me because of Amita. He kept reassuring me that he was done with her.
We said good night about an hour later, only for me to realize he forgot his feathered hat. I ran outside and shouted at him. "You forgot your hat!" I yelled. He waved his hand in dismissal. "Keep it until I return, that way you know for a fact you'll be seeing me again!" I couldn't help it, I smiled and believed him.
I didn't hear from Cedric until about three weeks after he was due back in the land far far away. I was disappointed when I didn't hear from him right away, but I refused to contact him first. He was the one who promised I'd see him.
He didn't keep his promise. I didn't see him. I sent him a happy birthday letter and gift, with no response. I sent him another letter, with no response. Finally, I showed up at his house in tears. I had had a terrible week and was distraught. He was my knight and the only person I knew I could turn to, despite his silence towards me.
When he opened his door, he looked surprised to see me. "Princess Brailee," he said. "What are you doing here?" My eyes teared up a little. "I'm sorry, I just needed a friend desperately and you have always been there for me." He took a step towards me and placed his hand on my shoulder. "I've always had a soft spot for you." I am not sure why, but it hit me in the heart as if I was being stabbed with a sword. Rather than hugging me like he would have done before he left, he was treating me like an acquaintance.
I looked up at him and hardened my emotions. "Nevermind," I said. "Brailee, what's up?" So informal. I shook my head at him and turned around. I don't know why I thought he'd change. I don't know why I thought he'd care. But all I knew, was from that moment on, I no longer cared. Without a doubt there would be no part four.
And we lived happily never after.
