“So what is she like?” echoed a voice through the hall.
Taylor had not heard the question. He was reading the parchment over and over again. He could not believe his eyes as the words seem to sink into him slowly.
“You know, it is not as if the words are going to change or disappear in that parchment. Quit reading it over and over again. You are making me dizzy”
Taylor slowly glanced to see his friend applying some lotion on the injured rabbit. It seemed like Mugal was the one, who seemed to be engrossed in what he was doing. If it was not for the fact that he had known Mugal all his life, Taylor would have presumed that he was hearing voices.
Mugal had begun bandaging the rabbit’s leg, slowly moving the leg in a rotational manner so as to ensure that the rabbit did not feel any form of discomfort. Taylor often wondered how he and Mugal became friends when they were so different in character. Despite being born in a noble family, Mugal was always the more reserved one. As a child when everyone was into hunting and sword fighting, one would find Mugal seating under an oak tree with a book or working with some portion in the kitchen. He was an excellent swordsman but only chose to perform when the opportunity was right. Even as a teenager he was a quiet and polite child and rarely interested in girls. He did have a few girlfriends but seem to lose interest in them easily. Unlike Taylor, who was ever popular with the opposite sex because of his charm, Mugal was plain looking chap. Mugal was enchanted with women who were witty and bold. Taylor never cared for witty women nor bold ones, not until a few years ago when he met Aaratrika.
“You still have not answered my question, so what is she like?” Mugal asked again. His eyes still focused on his task at hand. Taylor put the parchment down and slowly walked towards his friend.
“As I have said before, she is no ordinary girl. She is bold and mischievous and very much innocent... in fact...”
“ Bold, that I can see, but she does not sound innocent at all from what I have read.” Mugal looked up and stared at his friend who has stopped momentarily. He knew that his friend was hiding something from him. Taylor caught his eyes blink.
“Look, I am not hiding anything from you” he butted in before Mugal proceeded. “Now this was the Princess I knew when I met her just a year ago. I have no idea how she could have transformed herself to be a powerful warrior, equal to a man. When I met her she was still playing childish games with her dragon friend and running around with her huge skirts. Now look here, Mugal... don’t you dare give me that dirty piercing look. I swear I am not hiding anything from you. Man, this was the girl you were supposed to marry and I went to see her on your behalf. I say, why in the King’s name would I lie to you?” Taylor was near the table and looked down to see the rabbit stir. Mugal had done a great job with bandage.
Mugal still had his eyes on his friend. He knew Taylor was not lying but at the same time something had happened a year ago. His friend seemed to be at lost since the moment he had received the parchment. The look on his face and the confusion in his eyes, told Mugal that this princess who had called off the wedding was no ordinary princess and she had stirred curiosity in Mugal’s mind. He could not wait to meet her tonight.
“Alright Taylor, I believe you. So what time is she arriving?”
Taylor was gone in a split second. He was re-living the year when he met Aaratrika. He never mentioned this to anyone, but this encounter had left him empty . He had never met a girl like her and honestly for the first time, something stirred in his heart. A playboy who took life as it went, for once wanted to settle down with this enchanting girl. He could not explain but there seems to be a connection beyond his imagination. But how much have changed since he last saw her? What had happened to have caused this change?
Mugal watched his friend.
“She will be here in the evening”
