Project Jack

Chapter Nine: Dean

      I didn't see Celia at all yesterday. Jed and I did a lap around the palace grounds, and the entire time I was trying to figure out where she might be, but I didn't find her. I hope I didn't offend her by asking about planes at dinner the other night. She didn't seem offended at first, but the rest of dinner was quiet and sullen compared to what it was before I asked. I guess I just shouldn't mention it again.
      I'm starting to become incredibly bored here. I want to explore the country. I want to go on a nice drive through the countryside or go on a walk through a town, but this isn't Stettonberg, it's Ardella. I hope that maybe someday it will be safe enough here to leave the palace.
      I hear a knock at the door. I'm assuming it's Jed or Harry bringing my dinner because nothing eventful enough for an Ardellan guard to collect me happens here. I open the door and find Jed smiling at me.
      "Hey man, I come bearing gifts." He places an envelope in my hands. I immediately recognize it as a letter from Stettonberg. My dad sends all of his letters in this ridiculously fancy stationery. I carefully open it, and extract a letter in my dad's handwriting.

                  Dean,
     I'm incredibly proud of you, son. I know this is not what you wanted for your future, but you did this for your country. Soon enough, Ardella will belong to us, to Stettonberg. I know we will do big things together in the future. Please write soon. We have much to discuss.
                                Best regards,
                     King Jordan III of Stettonberg

      "Oh, no no no." I gasp.
      "What is it, Dean?" Jed asks, clearly nervous about whatever I just read.
      "I should've known! My father didn't send me here to just make me a king. He sent me here to expand Stettonberg!" I'm so angry I don't even hear what Jed says next. I certainly won't be writing him back. I feel used. This room is filled with my anger. I need to escape, but I can't leave. It's claustrophobic here. I just to go home where I am a nobody in my own family, where I am not used.
      I leave the room without making sure Jed is behind me. I don't want him to follow me. I push open the doors that lead to the palace garden. It's the closest I can get to leaving. I must look visibly upset, because I hear a voice behind me ask if I'm okay.
      I turn around and Celia is staring at me. I'm sure I look insane.
      "I asked if you were okay, Dean. Do you need me to get someone to help you?"
      "No, no I'm okay. I should go, I'm sorry you saw me like this.
      "Dean, what happened?" she asks.
      "Nothing, I'm fine." I start to leave before this can get any more embarrassing, but she stops me.
      "You don't look fine. If you don't want to talk about it that is okay but you at least have to come with me." She grabs my hand. I nod and follow her lead. We go back inside, hand-in-hand. She leads me through a hallway and just her hand in mine begins to soothe me. What would she do if she knew I was here to steal her country?
We arrive at a set of large doors that are not as fancy as the doors to the meeting room. A guard opens the door for us and we go in. She lets go of my hand.
       "Princess!" an older man says, "you brought someone with you."
       "Sorry Julius. I hope it's okay that I brought Dean."
      "It is perfectly fine. I have a two seater that can be ready to fly in about ten minutes." She thanks him.
      Celia is a confusing girl. After dinner last night, I would've assumed she didn't fly anymore, but she brought me here.
      Oh my, I'm going to fly and she is going to be my pilot. I'm not sure if it's the letter or the upcoming flight that is absolutely wrecking my nerves.
      Even though I am not a huge fan of flights, I climb onto the small jet. I avoid flying as much as possible. Before my flight here I had only flown a handful of times. I don't like heights and speed, and I especially don't like it when the two are combined. Celia climbs in after me, and hands me a headset.
      "Put this on," she says. I carefully place it on my head, trying not to mess up my hair. She clicks a button and so I can hear her. "Is it working?" I nod, starting to get a little nervous.
Celia flips so many buttons. It roars to life and she moves the plane out of a large opening in the wall. I can tell we are on the runway now. I don't know what I was expecting, but when she began to accelerate, it was much faster than I anticipated. She must have noticed I was a little nervous, because she gives me a reassuring look.
We are in the air now. She looks so happy. "Why didn't your dad let you answer my question at dinner on my first night?"
      She glances at me. "He thinks this is a childish hobby."
      "I can tell you love it," I tell her. She smiles. Her smile makes me smile. She was right about bringing me up here. It has really taken my mind off of things.
      "Do you feel better?" she asks.
      "Yes, thank you Celia, for taking me with you."
      "It is no problem. I never get to fly with a copilot and I was going to come anyway." She pauses. "Do you want to talk about whatever is bothering you?"
      I want to tell her. I don't want to hide my father's insane ideas from her, but she doesn't trust me yet. I don't want her to send me home because of something I don't want any part of. "It's just hard to be away from home," I lie.
      "I find that my problems aren't real up here. It's like I'm not Princess Celia, I'm an entirely different person." The lights of the cockpit shine on her face, illuminating her features. Her hair looks so soft. I have to fight the urge to touch it. "This might sound silly, but when I first started flying on my own, I'd pretend I was just a normal girl that loved planes. I actually referred to myself as Emma. I've never told anyone that. It's a little embarrassing when I say it outloud. Forget I said it."
      "It's not embarrassing," I say. "I envy that you've found something you're this passionate about." I try to think of something I have that rivals this, some sort of spark, but I can't think of anything. I've always been a man of many hobbies, but no specific thing.
      Celia looks like something is on the tip of her tongue. I hope she tells me what she's thinking about.
      "Dean," she says, pausing, "I think you and I are going to be good friends."
      I really hope so.
      Flying is not as scary as I thought it was. Celia pointed out a town called Peiore, and I haven't been able to take my eyes off of it since. Something about seeing a town so different from the ones back home interests me. The streets are lit up and people are walking about them. It is still pretty bright outside, but the sun is starting to set and the people are just watching it. It's poetic. Celia doesn't seem to see what I do. She has been staring at the ground the entire time we've been flying over Peiore, almost as if she's looking for something. If she is, she won't find it. There is nothing but trees, grass, and dirt down there.
      "Do you see the people watching the sunset?"
She looks up from whatever she was staring at. She must notice the beauty in it too, because she doesn't answer, she just watches exactly how I was. Eventually, she tells me she's going to start heading back and I nod. It's been such a nice night up here with her. I hope she thinks it was too.
      Back in the hanger, I climb out of the plane first and extend a hand to help her get down. The same man that met us at the door is leaning up against a smaller plane.
      "How was your flight?"
      "It was amazing!" Celia says.
      The man turns towards me. "She's a spectacular pilot, isn't she?"
      "She really is," I reply.
      Celia shows me how to fuel the plane up. I don't comprehend a word because I can't stop marveling over her. The girls I knew at home would die if they had to do any sort of labor like this, and they weren't even princesses. I hope she knows how special she is.
      Celia leads me back to my rooms and I realize how sad I am that the night is over.
      "I can't thank you enough, tonight was really incredible."
      She smiles. "I had a lot of fun too. I'll see you tomorrow?"
      I nod. "I'll see you tomorrow."