Chapter 5

Princess Eleanor existed for sixteen long years.

Rob remembers the tight dresses. The long hair. And the mirror, the big mirror in the ballroom.

This is not me.

This is not me.

At first, people tried to tell Rob he was not real. He was just imagination, just a delusion of a teenage princess.

It wasn't. His name was Rob, he would say, looking at the mirror.

My name is Rob. I am real.

Soon, the queen couldn't stop Rob from being there anymore. Not when the boy would cut his own hair, torn his own dresses. He refused to eat, refused to sleep.

And he wouldn't answer anyone who called "Eleanor".

It was a cold night when his father came to his chambers. It was a surprise because the king was never around. Anywhere, never.

Rob was lying on the bed, ready to sleep. Father sat on the bed, his eyes like two black stones.

"If you keep doing that," he said, simply, "you won't be my daughter anymore".

Rob fixed his eyes on his father.

"I am Rob," he said.

Because that was the truth

...

A branch hurt Rob on the face. He cursed and broke it in two smaller parts. He laughed and cursed even louder.

Now that he had the Sun, Rob knew this was the beginning of his second day walking with no direction in the big forest. He couldn't sleep a bit, afraid of wolves and whatever else there is in a forest. Even with his magic circle of fire, he did not feel safe.

Turns out the fire circle was just that, a circle of fire. It was useful, probably the most useful thing he could ask for, but it didn't help with food or water. Rob was cold, hungry and incredibly tired.

"I could eat a wolf". He smiled. Well, At Least a wolf couldn't eat him. Not with magic protection. Not with Rob moving restlessly all night.

He hoped that following the same direction always would take him somewhere. A village, a city. Anything. He would still be in the Rainy Kingdom, of course, but Rob doubted anyone would be expecting him to be alive. They were still thinking he was a murderer.

He stopped by a big tree and looked at the sky, sitting down on the grass, his clothes smelling like woods and sweat.

Someone was guilty, and it was not him.

That person must still be in the castle. That person could be killing someone right now. It wouldn't be Rob's fault, but he felt somewhat responsible. They did everything on their power to kill him, and he wasn't even the right person.

He felt his fists clenching, making the blood in his hands move slowly. There was a bottle. That bottle which liquid Rob didn't know what was. Someone framed him. Someone out there committed murder and made the blame fall on Rob. When did they put the bottle inside his pockets? When did they plan it all out? Why Rob?

It also did not make sense. Rob represented nothing, why have someone being against him?

Not just that, but the King. The king believed so easily Rob was the murderer when he knew he had no magic, no strength, no reason to do so. Was it the king who framed him? But why accept him in the palace only to have him dead? Maybe to keep the alliance without having another king on his way. But Rob didn't interfere a thing on the politics, so why have him out of the way in such a drastic manner?

It made no sense, but he felt anger anyway. A new kind of anger, a new type of feeling.

He was framed, arrested, beaten up, exiled. Not even his family wanted him back.

He curled his lips on a smile. They could go to hell. Every single one of them could disappear from the face of the earth.

Well, not all of them.

He looked at the circle of fire.

Both with the guards and the forest, there was one person who saved him. One person that saw his innocence. The unknown man.

He got himself on his feet again. After so much happening to him, he finally had some time to think, and that was good. Still, he couldn't just sit and think. He had to find somewhere to stay.

He walked for what looked like hours - and it probably was, since the Sun was high on the sky when he finished, before giving up to exhaustion. He lay on the floor, looking around. There was no sign of any animal around. Maybe he could sleep a little.

"Maybe you could sleep a little," said a small, small voice.

Rob sat down the fastest he could. The voice was calm and high pitched, like a quiet child. He looked around. There was nobody.

"There was nobody," said the small voice again.

And Rob saw. Almost transparent, small and shining. A little human, sitting on the grass, looking at him.

There was a series of things Rob could do at the moment. Scream. Run. Talk.

Instead, he just watched.

The little person got up, staring at Rob.

"You just watch"

Rob looked at her in the eyes, almost impossible to see, being translucent and small.

"I was just… I was…" his voice didn't sound brave at all. Rob was afraid, and it showed.

"And now you talk." they looked around, "Are you going to the Wizard's?"

"The wizard's?"

"You can't go there. It's protected".

"I…"

A memory shined on his mind. The king, his crooked smile, the unknown man.

Sir WIzard told us, had said the King.

Was the unknown man Sir Wizard? The person who protected Rob all along?

"I need to go to the Wizard's. It's important"

The creature shook their head.

"Impossible. It's protected. Maybe if you were a fairy," they made a pause, "But you aren't".

"Can you take me at least close to there? Maybe I can find the Wizard on my own".

In the forest, exiled, Rob was free. But he was also hungry and tired. The perspective of food made his chest beat faster.

There was a moment of silence.

"You won't find food. The Wizard doesn't open doors to anyone"

Rob imagined a big house, surrounded by a big wall. He imagined himself knocking on the door. The man had saved him before, why not now?

"I think the wizard will open the door for me".

"He won't"

"He will".

Rob was stuck in a bad situation, and he had to do what was necessary to get out of it. In fact, he couldn't stand one more second in that forest. He wanted a bath. New clothes. Food. A bed.

Well, at least food.

"You won't get a bath, new clothes, food or bed there"

"How are you so sure the Wizard won't open doors for me?"

"Because we're already here''.

Rob thought he didn't understand what the small fairy was saying.

"You don't understand because you know no magic. We are here. The wizard's house is right there," they pointed to their left.

Rob looked. There were some trees, some bushes, some birds.

There was a forest.

"I'm serious, take me there"

"I told you, the house is protected. You can't get in if the Wizard doesn't allow it"

"Well, the wizard will sure allow me in".

"The wizard is in the castle. He will take days, weeks," Rob could see a smile on the translucent face, "Unless you plan on waiting".

He felt tears going down his face. He had no hope before, and now there was even less. What would he do? Starve to death? Trust a circle of fire to save his life over and over, while he waited for help that might not come?

He was so tired. So, so tired.

Even in crying, Rob laughed.

"What are you laughing at?".

"I don't know", he said without air, "I don't know"

The conversation faded to an uncomfortable silence. Rob needed something to say, even though it was clear the fairy could read his mind.

I need food, he thought the louder he could.

"I know you need"

"Can you help me?"

They shook their head.

"fairies eat sunlight. I can't help you with food"

Then, Rob had an idea.

"What about the closest village? Could you point me the direction?"

"Go south, for half a day. You will find a small one. I know nothing about it except there are humans"

"Where's south?"

The fairy pointed to the right.

"South"

Rob smiled.

"Thank you, thank you. What's your name again? I'm Rob"

"I know, your majesty. But you shouldn't give your name to a fairy."

Rob had read about it, of course. One should never offer their name to a magical creature. He thought it was just a made-up thing.

Well, there's a real fairy close to you now.

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be. Have a good day"

And they vanished, leaving Rob alone.

For whole minutes, he couldn't get himself on his feet. His vision was blurry and he couldn't hear sounds very well. Did he need to sleep that badly?

Definitely.

Rob took a deep breath. He needed to do that. He needed to get up.

And head south.