The Princess Needs A Prince

[Chapter Thirty-One]

Right when I was about to stand up, a girl comes beside me. Her eyes are bright now. Beside her is Prisha. But even though they're two years apart Prisha's barely taller than Kyra. Prisha being 13 and Kyra being 11. Ess and Afreen look at me with smiles. Then my eyes look down at an even smaller girl. She holds Kyra's hand. In her other hand are some flowers.

"Oh look at this! You've found them Geslsi!" I exclaim. The small girl giggles.

"Pincess," she holds her arms up. I pick her up and settle her on my lap. Then she picks one flower and hesitates. I smile. "Can I put on?" She asks just before. I nod and she does, tucking it behind my ear. Her smile grows impossibly larger. I notice the other girls. In their hands are flowers too.

"Well this isn't a job for one now, is it?" I ask. They smile and rush to my hair. I search for a pin in my tangled mess. When I find it, I grab it and pull it out. My hair falls. The strips tickle my shoulders and back but it still manages to caress my skin softly.

The girls take no time to start their masterpiece. Prisha gets the honor of braiding while the others layer my hair in flowers. Geslsi sits contently on my lap and sticks a bunch of flowers in the same spot.

My body sits patiently while my eyes look around. I find that most of the Princes are looking at me. They all cluster in a group with the other young princes. Unintentionally, my cheeks become warm when my eyes meet one of them. However I quickly avert them, placing them on a nearby boy.

Oro is clapped on the back by Xavier. He looks up and smiles at his elder brother. Oro points his chin up and grins at Cepos. Aala smiles as Oro says something. Then the boys burst in a roaring laughter. When they do, us, the princesses look at them. I catch most of the princes' eyes.

They quiet down when they see us staring. We only shrug and continue our business. "Princess, we're done!" They exclaim. Turning around, I laugh as Ess nearly falls from her chair. My hands instinctively reach out for her. Her small body reaches a balanced state, and then jumps from the chair.

Unable to see the top of my head, I take my braid and drape it along my shoulder. The woven strands are tangled together beautifully with flowers, even if they were from the table.

"Oh girls! You princesses are magic workers! This is beautiful," I breath. Surely even Rose would be impressed. They giggle in response.

"You should show the princes," Kyra says. I smile.

"I should, shouldn't I," I reply, glancing once more at the men that seem to be waiting. "The band is about to play a fast speed dance. You'll switch partners quickly. Be ready!" I inform them. They nod and start practicing with their new friends. "And thank you."

Their innocent eyes meet mine. "Your welcome, Princess Nayla." Kyra says.

"It was fun, Princess Nayla," Prisha smiles. The other younger girls nod and Geslsi squeezes my hands. The girls then continue their small practice lesson.

Just before leaving I smile then turn. I walk until I'm facing the Princes. Somehow, my mind can't stop calculating. Aala with his shy self. In-Su playful and sweet. Jae-Hwa who's smart and kind. Cepos and his adorable gestures. Hoshang and his mysterious history. Then Xavier, so sly and mischievous.

"So, how is it?" I gesture to my hair.

Xavier speaks first. "Only you could pull that off. Just think, if I stuck a bunch of leaves in my hair. People would think I'm insane!" His remark sends a laughing fit from me and the others.

"Thank you?" I reply.

"Why of course, Nayla," he smirks. Before anyone's else can say anything, music starts to play. It has a lively upbeat melody. To be honest, it's child's play but once in awhile will do no harm. My smile widens.

"Hurry! Let's go!" I exclaim. Before I know it a small pair of hands have latched to my wrist. Then we rush to the dance floor. We jump right in with the twirling young princesses. When I face my partner, I see that it's Oro.

"Hi again Princess!" He says.

"Well hello there. How have you been enjoying yourself?" I ask as we quickly move our footing and while our palms meet.

"It's been great! Quite fun," he says. The lyrics of the traditional children's song enters, signaling a partner change.

I hum the rhythmic melody. When we dance to this song, we don't know who our next partner is. This is because we're twirled around once then when we turn back our old partner has moved on to the next.

In the morning,
Be a darling.
Fetch me a heart,
In a cart.
Then at night,
Oh please sleep tight.
But for me,
I'll drink some tea.
And wonder if
It is your gift.

When I twirl around, I meet with Jae-Hwa. Our dance is that of  elegance. He wraps his hand around my waist. And we somehow manage to move swiftly, as if this weren't a traditional child's song. We don't speak for a long while. 

But when he does, it's too late. "I've been meaning to tell you," he says softly.

"Yes?"

Then the lyrics change and he takes my hand above my head and twirls me and mouths later. I quickly turn around but he's already gone, replaced with a smiling In-Su.

"Nayla, your hair looks splendid."

"Huh? Oh thank you!"

He pauses. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, of course. Apologies."

My head thinks back to Jae-Hwa but I quickly swipe it away for later.

"I'll see you around." In-Su says with concerned eyes.

Before I know it, I'm spun around and faced with another. Xavier. His smirk stretches, but he doesn't say anything. I don't know if he knows my head is thumping, but I'm grateful that there's some silence. When the lyrics are about to change again, he comes close to my face. For a moment I'm unable to move. He leans close and whispers.

"Don't push yourself."

The last thing I see is a winking Xavier as I'm spun and it's the first time I wanted to stay just a little longer.

***
Thanks for reading. ;)