We started to make our way back to the ballroom. We passed rows of flowery bushes and I followed after Margo like a duckling that followed its mom. The melody of crickets chirping filled the air. The wind made us feel cold, teasing us to hurry to get inside and I reminded myself that winter was coming soon. I wonder how much snow we would get. We stayed silent, neither one of us dared to talk as we kept walking until we made it to the entrance. The mingling of people could be heard inside and overpowered the crickets’ tune. The conversations blended together, only bits and pieces I could pick up and I couldn’t understand any of the conversations. 

“It’s so exciting,” one person said.

“Oh, I heard one is,” another said.

Most seemed to be about the excitement of the showing, and I am reminded that none of the Princes or Margo have been revealed to the public, only getting revealed once they come of age and get married. No one knows what they look like.

“It’s a bit overwhelming,” Margo said with stiffness to her voice as she looked up towards the night sky. While this wasn’t like her I couldn’t expect anything less. She was always headstrong, but this was different. Her entire future and life will change from this moment on. There was no going back. I looked up with her to see the sky littered with stars and a crescent moon hanging in the air.

“It’s supposed to be overwhelming.” I inspected every star that watched us from up above. I sometimes wondered if people were living on stars, even though I knew the answer was no but I always liked make-believe. When we were younger, Margo and I would make up worlds where people lived on stars.

“Do you remember, Blubby?” I asked her. She nodded and her posture softened.

“Yes, of course. I remember Blubby,” she laughed, “I haven’t thought of him in a long time.”

Blubby the astronaut, was the first person we came up with. Blubby was a man that was made entirely of slime and goo. He traveled from star to star, making friends and teaching people about the ways of goo. Most people found him nasty, but once they got to know him they learned that his goo could heal any wound, heartbreak, and anxiety. He was a dream person, Margo would explain. She could spend hours talking about Blubby and what made him great, but we grew up and he became a memory.

Margo shook her head, “Do you think he is watching us now?” She laughed.

I nod, “Of course, he likes to look out into the void of the unexplored stars and imagine what lives there. Do you think he is watching?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Margo answered looking back in front of her and with a long sigh she added, “Thanks. I needed that.” Her voice was no longer stiff and her shoulders seemed to drop. I looked towards her as she took a determined nod and walked back into the ballroom. 

Everything went silent as she entered. Eyes darted at her as people watched her every move desperate to see just a glimpse of royalty falling in love. I think I hate this kind of silence. The silence of judgment and staring, all eyes on Margo none knowing her but having high expectations for her. But just as quickly everyone went back to their conversation.

“Welcome back Princess Margo,” said the Fox Prince with a hearty voice. Margo curtseyed in response. The Fox Prince held a wine glass in his left hand. He stood in front of the other Princes as if he was the leader of this pack. As if he was one of the stronger ones among the Princes. I could imagine him forcing himself into every conversation, hoping for a chance to stand out. He nodded his head politely back at her.

“I heard the garden is very beautiful. Is that true?” He asked as he moved closer to her, he froze in the middle of another step as if he expected Margo to move back. Margo nodded and maintained her ground, refusing to move back. She allowed him to get close. I wondered if this was a tactic the Fox Prince was told about. It was a common trope in dramas, where men would push a girl up against a wall, his hand would be above her head and they would make eye contact. Margo hated it.

“Yes, it is. Father likes the garden to be kept. Since I spend most of my time out there.” Margo replied as she turned her head. 

The Fox Prince nodded, “Is it safe to assume you like the outdoors then?”

Margo and I would spend a lot of time in the garden. It was the only outside world Margo knew and could freely explore. She spent her time researching plants, trees, and fruits. She would watch as we planted flowers and fruit trees. We would spend a lot of time out in the garden as children. All of us would play games and enjoy lemonade after a day of playing. 

“Yes, it can be very pretty outside and I often find myself getting lost in thought out there,” Margo answered, looking away from the Prince. 

The Fox Prince nodded, “Pragis doesn’t have much to look at, so I don’t frequent the outdoors often. You should show me around the garden sometime.” He said this with a somber note and looked down towards the ground. He let out a long drawn-out sigh.

“Maybe sometime soon,” she replied as she started to make her way through the crowd leaving the Pragis prince behind. I followed after her, uncomfortable with being left alone with the Prince. He seemed nice, but a part of me screamed that I shouldn’t like him. Maybe it was just because Margo was too good for him. As I walked, I could feel him staring at us as if he was examining every detail of my body. As if he had to remember every detail of the two of us. I wondered if he really was looking at us or if it was just me disliking him. Nevertheless, it sent shivers up my spine and the hairs on my neck stood straight. But, he did nothing wrong and was just doing what tonight was meant to be about. Make an impression. He needed Margo to remember him. Nathan Pragis wouldn’t allow anyone to forget him. Out of everyone here, he needed this the most.

~~~~~

Pragis was a strong district that had a strong economic hold on the forgery of metal things like guns, knives, and swords. The land around Pragis was very poor and they are soon to run out of these resources. I could imagine the air feeling dirty from all the pollutants that Pragis caused from their most prized resources. The area probably felt gray, muggy, and dark. Taken over by dark clouds and the area smelled of rotten eggs. 

Many of the districts requested Pragis to find a new resource to trade. The environment was important and Pragis was only causing more damage that was soon to be irreversible. Pragis then argued that they didn’t have much to trade. Only their weapons, but the other districts disagreed. “Knowledge is worth a lot,” the King would tell Margo during their ice cream get-togethers. Pragis, while not having plenty of resources, knew plenty of tactics in defense, weapons, and war. They had a strong army since most of the population was required to serve at least two years. Many stayed in the army since the pay and benefits were nice. Pragis was strong in that regard and had the largest military out of all of the districts.  

But, I sometimes could hear the King late at night in his office grumbling to the head maid about how much aid Pragis was requesting lately. I thought it was strange. Pragis had what they needed besides materials. 

“It’s happening again, Nora. My inbox is blowing up with these stupid emails. When will Pragis learn no means no?” He would say in between drinks of rich red wine.

“What do you expect,” she would say with a breath, “They need help. What do they need?”

The King would give a long sigh and take another draw from his glass before he placed it gently on his desk. I could imagine him looking the head maid straight in the eyes. 

“You wouldn’t understand.” He would say, “Can you get me another bottle of wine?”

The head maid would catch me listening in when she exited the room. Her cold eyes stared at me and a frown on her face. She would never say anything to me and make her way to the kitchen.

We hadn’t talked one on one for a while. Not since the fire. Ever since the fire she requested that I stopped calling her by her name and only referred to her as the head maid or ma’am. The head maid lost a lot in the fire, just like the King and Margo. She too lost her family. Her husband worked for the castle like her and ran back into the cabin to try to save Charles. Margo’s only cousin and the heir to the throne. 

We lost a lot of good people that night.

~~~~~

Margo made her way to a table and sat down, as the Princes followed after her. She sat up tall and straight like she was taught to do. Her head stared in the direction of the Princes who stood awkwardly at her side. They huddled together in a group and stared at each other than Margo. 

“Do you want something to drink,” I asked her. She looked over at me and nodded.

“Yes, that would be lovely. A water would be perfect right about now,” Margo answered.

I heard a loud scoff come from the Wolf Prince’s and looked over to see him shaking his head. He took a step forward.

“So Suki can’t get me a drink, but she can get you one?”

Margo groaned in response and looked over at me. I could imagine her tired eyes. I didn’t understand why Harold was acting this way as if he didn’t want in on any part of this. Margo looked back over at Harold and crossed her arms.

“If you don’t want to be here you can go home,” she said standing up.

Harold shook his head and held his hands up in the air as if he was giving up or surrendering.

“I was just saying, you can’t have double standards for us. But for your offer of me going home, I will pass. Father would be angry if I came home this early again.” he said as he continued to walk, “I’m going to bed. Goodnight Princess.”

I could only watch him as he walked out of the room. His butler ran after him.

“I am so sorry that happened,” Nathan said with a loud gasp, “I can get you that water. You should rest.” He said in Margo’s direction. Margo sat back down as Nathan ran off to get her some water. I could only watch Nathan fetch the water. The task that was delegated to me was stolen by him. 

~~~~~

 Margo huffed as she plopped down onto her bed and started to kick off her shoes that wouldn’t budge. After a few attempts, she gave up and lay down on the bed. We’d been at the event for hours and it was almost midnight. Most people started to leave around ten, but the Princes kept talking to Margo and they would keep the conversation going whenever it was nearing its end. 

“I never want to talk again,” Margo said as she rolled over, placing her face on her bed.

“I don’t know how you will manage that,” I replied as I took a seat next to her. She shuffled and pushed herself up and made eye contact with me. It looked like bags were developing under her eyes.

She slowly sat up and her eyes never left me, “Are you alright?”

I didn’t know how to answer. A part of me was nervous for her. The unknown was scary and no one felt good enough for her. I wanted her to have someone who would help take care of her. Someone who would be willing to stay up late at night and talk with her and who knew her favorite snacks. It felt at times that I just wanted another me to be with her. Another me who could cuddle with her. Another me who she could truly love. Someone who could be her partner in life and death, but she deserved more than a second me. She deserves someone who would give her the world. Something I would never be able to afford or obtain. 

“Yeah,” I answered with a nod slowly standing up, “Are you?”

Margo took a moment. She looked me up and down. She shook her head.

“Yeah.”

I wanted to say something. Anything to help her, but I couldn’t find the words. Her words said she was fine but her body language and expression told a different story. I watched her bite her lip and she looked down towards the ground.

“What do you think Charles would have told me?”

I took a breath. We rarely talked about Charles. He participated in one of the showings a few months before the cabin trip and promised Margo that he would tell her more. It never happened though. He died in the cabin fire and thus there were no Princes to take over Akamore, but now that duty would go to some other Prince that Margo would marry.

“I wish I knew,” I answered, taking a seat next to her. I desperately wanted an answer, but I didn’t know what Charles would have said. He could have said a plethora of things like keep going or stories from his show. With so many options I couldn’t decide on just one.

Margo sighed and laid back down and rolled onto her side to face me. She curled up a bit and went into a fetal position. 

“Maybe he would have told me how stressful it is,” Margo said with a yawn.

I nodded at her response. Charles would have told her things like this. He had more experience than us and would have been helpful to have. I could see him and Margo sitting on her bed, talking about what happened tonight. He would go on about his first night and give her a different point of view. She would talk about how stressful it was to have to decide which Prince would stay. He probably would have told her that the choice would come naturally, that when she found the one she would know. The two of us remained silent, though. Neither of us dared to talk about what could have been. Neither of us wanted to talk about the past or the future. Silence can be comforting at times and this was the kind of silence I sometimes enjoyed. This silence was one of fondness and memories. The silence must have been nice because Margo soon fell asleep.

I sometimes watched Margo sleep. I would just stare and wonder what made her so great. Her lips would be parted and she would let out soft breaths. Her brown hair would slowly turn into a mess as she rolled in her sleep. Her face was so beautiful and I would find new beauties with it every time. The way her freckles where specked on her cheeks as if they were stars or the way her eyelashes were lushious. The way her lips parted that made it look like she smiled. After watching, I would cover her gently with a cover. She looked peaceful and happy. She would be gone to the world and dreamed of worlds far beyond ours and I would just stare, waiting for a chance to be as great as her.