CHAPTER 8

CHAPTER 8

James was at the table. He was trying to pick up a cup that had been left on the table, just like royalty does. He stiffly lifted his little finger while holding the cup. He led the cup to hi slips and made a slurping sound, all while he had an eyebrow high lifted. This sight made Heara laugh. James jumped from his chair, surprised.

“Oh, I didn’t know you were there” he stuttered.

“It’s okay.” Heara giggled. “I won’t judge.”

There was silence.

“So” Heara started. “Did you get my message?”

“Yeah.”

“Even the part with the…”

“Yeah.”

There was another awkward silence.

“Listen, I’m sorry for putting you through all this. My crown fell off while I was running and…”

“It’s okay.” James said, kind of reassuringly.

“Then why are you still so… gloomy?” Heara asked.

“Oh, it has nothing to do with you!” James said quickly. “It’s just that, well, how could I have even thought that this might work out?”

“Don’t blame yourself. You didn’t know.”

“That’s exactly what my brothers said.”

Heara giggled.

“Maybe because it’s true.”

“Well, the thing is, I don’t know how to  behave with a princess.”

“Well, don’t.”

Heara put a hand on her tiara.

“Let’s make a deal” she said. “When I take this tiara off, I’m a normal girl, okay?”

“Okay.”

James was astonished. He couldn’t believe a princess was being so nice to him.

“Okay” She took her tiara off and threw it over her shoulder, without a moment of thought. Then she put her hands on her hips.

“Now I’m a normal girl. What do you suggest we do?”

“Well, maybe we could go for a walk?”

They walked out of the Card House and into the square. Suddenly James sprinted towards some boxes, climbed on them and onto the roof. Heara followed, but not quite as fast. James looked triumphantly down on her.

“Have you never climbed on a roof before, princess?”

“I’m not a princess, remember? And no, I haven’t.”

Fort he last part, which was a bit harder, James offered Heara his hands. With a strong heave, she was on the roof. They started walking along. The streetlamps were throwing a strong and golden light onto the street and roofs.

Heara was balancing on the very top, while James was walking more relaxed on the side. If Heara lost balance, James was there to catch her.

When they reached the market, James went closet o the edge of a market stand that was connected to the roof, sank to his knees, held on with his hands and dropped his head under the stand roof. Heara crawled towards him.

“What are you doing?”

“Looking for the flower I saw this afternoon… Aha!” he said, coming up. In his hand he held abeautiful pale pink rose, it’s edges drifting into other pale colours of the rainbow. James offered it to her. Of course, he hadn’t bought it. When he had gone to find the flower, it had literally just finding it. And the florist had stupidly left the flowers behind.

Heara blushed as she took it. They crawled back to the roofs and towards the tops. They leaned against a chimney and contemplated the moon.

Heara reached for James’ hand. He took it. They both felt better than they ever had before.

Everything was perfect.