The World Of Sally

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Comfort Zone

THEY finished eating breakfast. Sally tidied everything and decided to go get firewood, however, he can’t leave the two in the house by themselves.

“Pardon me for asking but, are you not busy?”

The two raised their heads. They were reading the books the crown prince bought for Sally. At first, she was reluctant to accept them but after knowing that the books were about medicines and herbs, she accepted them.

‘How did he know I like that type of book?’ She wondered.

“I have paperwork but it’s not urgent.” The crown prince answered.

“So as I.” Felix replied as well.

Sally sighed and took the cloak hanging near the door.

“Unfortunately, I can’t accompany you here. It would be best for you to go home for now and finish your work.”

“Where are you going?” The crown prince asked her.

“I’m going to get some firewood, your highness.” She replied.

‘I might as well get some mushrooms and berries too.’

“Ms. Esther, are you going out without wearing any gloves? You might get frostbite.”

“No need to worry, Mr. Robia. I am quite immune to the cold.”

“Here, take mine.” Felix offered but Sally refused.

“Thank you for the offer but I can’t accept it. It might get dirty and it will only be a bother in my work.” She said directly. She took a bow and arrows and put them on her back.

“You’re hunting?” The crown prince asked who had a hint of surprise on his face.

“Yes.”

“I’m coming with you.” The crown prince muttered and stood up from the couch.

“Excuse me?”

“I’m coming too,” Felix uttered too.

“What? Please wait a minute, you don’t have to accompany me.”

“I wanted to look around in this place. In addition, you should take responsibility for your visitors. Am I correct?” The crown prince grinned at her. Sally forced a smile and replied to him.

“Well, if that is the case, grandma can be with you here. I’m sure she’ll be happy being with you.”

‘So shameless! For someone who didn’t notify me before coming here.’ She uttered inwardly in annoyance.

“The old lady is asleep. We can return before luncheon.” Felix suggested while smiling. Sally stared at Grandma Rena and sighed.

“… Alright.”

The three of them went out of the house. Everything is covered in snow. She walks ahead of them and started picking firewood.

“Do you live alone with your grandmother ever since you were a child?” The crown prince asked following her.

“No. I live with my sister but she’s gone now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Felix muttered in a sad tone. Sally shook her head and smiled at them.

“It’s alright.”

“How about your parents?” The crown prince inquired further.

“I don’t know. They died when I was still a baby.” She answered indifferently. Helios quieted and looked at her. The snow started falling again.

“We should hurry. I’m afraid it will turn into a blizzard.”

“Yes, that is true.” Felix agreed.

The crown prince stared at the two while picking woods. He started picking as well. Sally saw him and told him he can wait but he ignores her and continued picking the lumber on the ground. Sally felt embarrassed but since he ignored her she didn’t try to stop him again.

“These are enough. Your highness and Mr. Robia can go back now.” Sally said holding the firewood in her arms. Felix was about to get the firewood but the crown prince is faster than him.

“No, it’s alright, your highness.”

“Don’t be stubborn. You looked like someone who will break if I didn’t get these lumber.” The crown prince insisted. Sally gave up and give him the lumber she’s carrying.

“You can return to my house and get yourselves warm. There’s something I need to get. I’ll be back.”

“Is it dangerous for you to walk in this forest alone?” Felix muttered out of worry. “What if a bear appeared?”

“Your concern is not necessary, Mr. Robia. I walked in this forest for all of my life.”

“Are you not considering that it may happen?” The crown prince butted in. His voice is stern and cold just like the winter.

“You are wrong, your highness. I consider every possibility in my life. They may enter and leave as they wish, however, whether they’re good or bad, it will not stop me from doing what I wanted to do.” She firmly answered. “Now, if you will excuse me. I must leave.”

---

Fortunately, they let Sally walk by herself in the forest. She looked around, all she can see are white and tall trees. She stopped walking and took the yellowfoot chanterelles (a kind of mushroom that can be found during winter.) It had plenty of them so her bag immediately became full and heavy. She walked a little further and spotted frozen berries. She bends down and picked some of it. Then she saw a deer. Her eyes twinkled and she slowly picked her bow and arrow.

‘It would be nice to have meat for tonight’s dinner.’

She pointed the arrow to the deer. As she was about to shoot, a fawn appeared beside it. She halted and her eyes trembled. The deer saw her and run away. She sighed and stared blankly at the place where she saw the deer.

‘It got away.’

“How unfortunate…” She mumbled and slowly walked away. She needs to go home now since she needs to prepare lunch for them. “Seriously, they’re such a headache…” She uttered and sighed. She never thought that both the crown prince and Mr. Robia happened were in her house. She arrived and knocked on the door before coming in. Instead of the two, she saw Sarah with Grandma Rena.

“Sarah, you’re here.”

“Yes. Unfortunately, the two went home because there’s something urgent they need to do.”

“I see.” She hanged her cloak and put the bag full of mushrooms and berries on the table.

“Seriously, Sally, those two were very handsome! Who among those two are you going to choose?” Sarah asked in enthusiasm.

“What kind of question is that?” She laughed awkwardly while wearing the apron and started preparing the ingredients for lunch.

“The crown prince or that blond?”

“Please, cut it out, and haven’t I told you that I won’t marry anyone.”

“But you will be lonely if you do that.”

She paused for a while then resumed cutting the ingredients.

“It’s too sad to be lonely and I know you don’t like that. That’s why I and Grandma Rena are here, right?”

“Look, Sarah, loneliness is not something you will feel only when no one is around you. It can even be felt when you are surrounded by people. Comparing the two, the latter is worse.”

Sarah became silent and watched Sally’s back. She felt blue for her dear friend after listening to her words.

“You should stay here and eat lunch with us.”

“When love comes, I am certain that the way you think about life will change,” Sarah said and flipped the page of the book she’s reading. Sally chuckled.

“Well, perhaps it can?”

---

The crown prince returned to his palace displeased.

“Your highness, what happened to your clothes?”

Anthony asked as he saw the crown prince’s clothes dirty. It’s the first time he saw the royal prince filthy.

“Pay no mind to my clothes. What is it that needs my attention this instant?”

“Ah, yes. His majesty requested your presence at the main palace.”

Helios had a guess why the king asked for his presence. A devilish grin appeared on his face.

“Anthony, prepare new clothes for me.”

“Yes, your highness.”

After changing his clothes, the crown prince went out of his palace and headed to the main palace where the king is residing. His red cape flowed gracefully with every step he takes. The nobles who happened to see him were astonished and intimidated by his presence. He is indeed an embodiment of royalty. The big door of the audience hall opened and he saw the king sitting on his throne with a stern expression on his face.

“I greet his majesty, the sun of,”

“You insolent bastard!”

Helios closed his mouth and coldly stared at the man on the throne. His golden eyes were glowing dangerously with fury.

“Do you know what you did to the queen, your mother?!”

“I do not follow you, your majesty.”

“Don’t act like you don’t know what you did! If I had not visited the queen, I wouldn’t learn your impudence towards the queen of this land!”

“I did not say anything disrespectful to the queen, your majesty. I simply say what I believe on a personal matter. I believe it was I who was disrespected between us.” He explained calmly however his eyes were burning with anger as well.

“You, you!”

“Her majesty is not my mother. My mother, the former queen died a long time ago. She was just a woman my father married for political benefit.”

“How dare you speak like that to me!?”

The king hit the armrest of the throne and his angry voice echoed throughout the whole audience room. Helios remained silent however his temper is starting to boil. He is not someone who controls his anger however, if he berserk, the kingdom will face its doom.

“… I apologize, your majesty.”

The king sighed and massage his temple. He knew well that the man in front of him is bad at handling his patience.

“Starting today, you are forbidden to set foot outside without my permission. Leave.”

“Blessings upon the sun of the kingdom.”

Helios turned his back and left the audience hall with a grim face. He wasn’t angry because the king punished him without listening to his side first but because the queen used the king, his father, to ridicule him. He returned to his palace and informed his butler about his punishment. Anthony felt sorry but he can’t help the crown prince regarding his predicament.

“Don’t feel sorry over me, Anthony. No one can confine me in a room.”

“Your highness, I hope you won’t make the king angry any further. This old man is worried for your highness.”

The crown prince didn’t answer him, instead, he walked upstairs towards his room. He lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling for a moment. What happened earlier made him feel betrayed and the injustice burned his throat.

‘Is this what you felt when I made that choice?’ He thought as the face of a familiar woman came into his mind. He sits on the bed and took his cloak and wore it. Mana surrounds him and in a blink of an eye, he left his room and arrived in front of a house in the woods. It’s snowing heavily. He knocked on the door. Sally opened the door. Her eyes widen at the sight of the crown prince outside of her door.

“Your highness? What are you, please come in.”

The crown prince entered. Sally closed the door and locked it.

“Please sit down, I’ll get you a cup of coffee.”

“You’re hospitability touched me.”

“… Was that sarcasm, your highness?”

“Did it sounded like sarcasm?”

Sally shrugged her shoulders and continue preparing the coffee.

“Where’s your grandmother?”

“Grandma is sleeping in her room.” She walked towards him and handed him a cup of coffee. She sits on the chair near the fireplace to keep herself warm. “What brings you here, your highness? Is the palace stuffy?” She joked.

“I can’t deny your joke, besides, that place is always stuffy.”

“Would it be better if you went to Mr. Robia’s place?”

“Nah. This place is good, even the coffee.”

Her cheeks flushed red and smiled shyly.

“Thank you, your highness. Though it’s just an ordinary coffee.”

The crown prince didn’t reply. He took a sip of the coffee again and it was, indeed, tasted well. In contrast to what she said, it was unique for him.

“Pardon me for asking but did something happen, your highness?”

“There’s a lot of surprises in the palace and it gives me headaches.”

“I can see it, your highness. If my home will bring peace in your mind, then feel free to come, however, please inform me beforehand.”

“Hm, aside from the surprises in the palace, yours is quite entertaining.”

“Was it? It was just a cheap offer from someone low-level.”

“I disagree because I like the offer and the things I like aren’t cheap.”

Sally stared at him for a while and raised her shoulder lightly.

“The books, are they to your liking?”

“Yes, thank you, your highness. However, those are advanced books. If I’m correct, they were expensive so please, take it back because I can’t repay your highness.”

“I am not asking to be paid, so take it with ease.”

“… Thank you, your highness.” She smiled brightly at him. A small smile appeared on his face as he leans on the couch comfortably. Surprisingly, he’s relaxed at someone’s house. Perhaps it was because he knew that the woman sitting in front of him is not a bad person.

“Do you like reading?”

“Yes, I do.”

“I find it boring though.”

“Well, maybe it’s because you haven’t find the right book to read yet.”

“It is boring unless it’s your journal.”

“I don’t find my life interesting though, your highness taste in books is unique.”

“My, I can feel the mockery in your words.”

“Of course not, your highness. I am a woman of sincere words.”

Their conversation brought comfort to the crown prince. It made him forgot about his trouble for a while.

“I suggest you shouldn’t drink too much coffee, your highness. Too much caffeine can cause anxiety.”

“You sounded like a mother…”

Sally noticed the sadness in the latter. She heard that the former queen died due to assassination.

“What emotion did you felt, when someone important to you disappeared?” The crown prince asked.

“… I was heartbroken,” Sally answered. “A feeling that I was pulled deep in the water, drowning from too much sadness. Did you feel that too, your highness?”

“… I do.”

“Everything in here is temporary. There are times that we must say goodbye to someone we hold of great importance in our hearts.”

“I hate goodbyes.” The crown prince said.

‘It makes me feel empty.’ He thought.

“According to the saying, there is good in goodbyes, maybe because something good will come along the way.” She uttered with slight confidence. “Everything can happen, simple or not, it creates something new in us. Eventually, without realizing, we will be in that bright light.”

“You’re quite philosophical.”

“Just from books.” She laughed. The comfortable atmosphere vanished when they heard loud bangs on the door. Sally stood up in surprise and horror came in her.

***