45 Unexpected Visitor

One month had passed, since the Engagement of Flynn and Avery, I am so thankful, that I was able to avoid their group at all cost, of course with the help of my friends, especially Nick, he never left me alone again. It is now customary for us to eat our lunch together, at the gazebo in the academy's main garden. Declan has been always with us, I am so glad that they also get along with Declan.

    There are moments, I found Flynn looking at me differently, but I always look away, unlike before, even though I know he hates me, I still want to look at him. Right now, I don't want to give him another chance to hurt me. I know it takes time to forget him, but I needed to control myself, I am aware that, the moment I will gaze into his eyes, I will get lost, over and over again. For the whole month, I focus my time and attention to my training with my aunt and Serpentina.

The moment we get into our classroom, for our first class, my classmates are talking excitedly again, my heart gets nervous, it was like this, when I heard about the engagement of Flynn and Avery, I was wondering what is the commotion all about. Could it be the announcement of their wedding date? My chest tightens, I don't want to know about it, I am not interested to hear it. I wanted to run outside the classroom and hide forever, from everyone, from all the fairy in whole Erthesia Land, especially from Flynn. As, if Freda can read my mind.

     "Well, you have been busy with your training for one month now, all the students are preparing for the Annual Deity Festival, in honor of the Goddess who are protecting the magical forest, for one week we will be wearing gowns, we don't need to wear our uniforms, then on the last day of the festival, when the moon is full, the most awaited part of the festival is the academy ball." Freda explained to me.

I felt my body relax, I am so glad that it is not about Flynn and Avery. I smiled at her sweetly, I thought I was over Flynn, but I was very wrong. The instance I think about him getting married to her, I thought my world was going to collapse.

"Wow! That is good news Freda, when will that be? I am excited about it." I asked innocently, the truth is I am happy, that Flynn is still single, even though he is engaged, he is still not married, it is the only solace I have for now.

"It will be on next week." She said happily. Of course, I remember there will be a full moon next week. I am curious, what is it with the moon, why they always do their parties or events during full moon.

      "The most exciting part is, this year the goddess will talk to all the students and professors of the academy, it only happens once in every decade. We are so lucky Malia, they said her voice alone can mend a broken heart, can take away all the pains and sorrows. This is good for you, trust me." Freda said, looking so thrilled like our fellow students, I will definitely ask my aunt regarding this matter.

    "I think you will be chosen as the Festival Queen this year." She said confidently."

     "What? You mean like Prom Queen?"

     "It is different here, no voting required from the students or professors, at exactly midnight during the Festival ball, the Festival Queen and King will be joined by the magical love cord made of gold, their bodies will be tied by the cord, they said the goddess herself, or the love cord is the one responsible for the choosing of eligible candidates." Freda's eyes are sparkling with enthusiasm.

    "According to history the magical cord is one of the oldest artifacts that can be found in the Magical Forest, which is in the possession of the deity herself." Freda is animated while telling me the story about the magical cord.

"Wow! That is unbelievable."

"That is true Malia, do you know what is more surprising? The power of the love cord can determine two persons who are in love with each other, that is why everyone is waiting for this moment, it is like knowing your destiny. They said the cord chooses two fairies whose love for each other is eternal." Intervened Declan who is listening to my conversations with Freda.

    My mouth hangs open upon knowing the real ability of the love cord. It is indeed a very powerful object, I wonder what it looks like.

    "If that is the case Freda, you are wrong, I will never be chosen as the Festival Queen you know who I am in love with."

    "You can never tell Malia, life is full of surprises, sometimes we are in love with the wrong person, there are times we thought we are in love with the right one."

    "Yes! Malia, we don't know exactly who is in his heart, only the love cord knows." Said Declan winking at me, I guess Declan still hopes, that I will get together with his cousin again, he is the only one who believes that Flynn is in love with me. He told me, he is the only one who knows his cousin inside out. I never let my hopes up again, so I told him last time to drop the issue, about me and Flynn, because I am doing my best to forget him, and find another love interest.

The morning passed quickly, then during our afternoon first subject, I did my best to avoid looking on Flynn and his fiancee's direction.

    Declan entered the room more handsome than ever, then he looked at me with excitement in his eyes.

     "Malia, my dear!" He said in a loud yet charismatic voice, that made all our fellow students who are engaged in talking about the upcoming festival change their attention onto us.

     "Yes! Prince Declan?" I asked him addled.

      "May I have the honor to ask you to be my date this coming Annual Deity Festival Ball? He said, offering his hands to me, he took me by surprise, I smiled at him, then I stand up and lifted my head to look at his attractive face, I don't have any idea that it requires a date to attend the said festival.

     I am wondering why Declan is asking me now to be his date, when Flynn is inside the room, he didn't ask me this morning during history class, this is the only subject that we are with Flynn. He must be doing this on purpose. Nick is looking at me with indecipherable manner, while I can see that Freda and Hale are as surprised as I am. Then I see the bad-tempered expression on Flynn's face.

"I don't want to disappoint you Prince Declan, it would be an honor to be asked, to be the date of Katharos Crown Prince, but you are a little too late, I already accepted Nick's invitation to be his date to the ball."

    "Well, I should have asked you the last time we were together, what am I thinking, of course a fairy as beautiful as you for sure had been asked already, maybe next time Nick will allow me to have a chance to have a date with you." He said seriously.

     "Not a chance buddy." Said Nick, who is now standing beside me, and he put his arm around my shoulder, it seems like he is marking his territory, they are now both face to face with each other, I know that they are doing this both for my sake. They know that I only have eyes for Flynn, and they are trying their best to protect me from further humiliation and pain.

    "Of course Prince Declan, next time I will be honored to be your date." I said smiling at him.

    "Thank you, Malia! You heard that Prince Nick as long as Malia is single, she still has the freedom to choose who she wants to be with." He said, smirking at Nick, then he went to his chair, and seated gracefully.

    I heard the oohs and other reactions of our classmates.

    "Wow! She got to be lucky to be asked by the two gorgeous royal of the academy, can you see the looked of prince Hale? I think he wants to ask her too." I overheard Celine talking to her cousin Ameline. They are the two female cousins of Flynn from her mother's side, I always avoided them knowing that they are friends of Avery is enough for me to keep my distance.

   "Well, we can't deny the fact that she is one of a kind, maybe the rumors are true, I went to the archive yesterday with Avery, and I saw it with my own eyes, she really looks like Queen Thalassa, Avery was not happy about it, she is afraid to lose Flynn." Replied Ameline.

Avery is not done with her schemes yet, I think there is something off with her. I avoided her all the time, still she is planning to do something to me. What should I do to make her stop. I can't believe she has gone too far by looking at my mother's pictures.

    The whole room keeps quiet the moment Professor Knight gets inside our classroom. My mind is not in the lecture anymore, I am pondering about my true identity, sooner or later I have to show my true self, I am sure that Lucian is preparing for his upcoming raid, the dark forces will not stop until they have me in their kingdom, maybe I should come with them, so that I can save my parents, I am still hoping that they keep my real parents alive.

The moment we get outside from the classroom, I can hear the giggles and screams of all the female students at the academy looking at someone admiringly. They surround him, I can only see his back. I see Flynn and Avery stop on their tracks, and look at the newcomer.

"Oh My God! He looks so cute and handsome, I heard about him being the only rival of Flynn, now that Flynn is engaged, he is the only one left as the most handsome fairy in Erthesia, who is single and available." I heard Princess Ameline tittered.

"Actually, during the engagement party, I wanted to introduce myself to him, but he was smitten by Malia." Said Princess Celine.

I saw Prince Flynn's face turned red, when the handsome boy face in our direction, then I am left motionless, standing in front of the whole crowd, is no other than Prince Gregory. His face lights up, the moment he sees me, then he smiles at me widely, showing his seductive dimples. I can see the envy on my female classmates.

     "I am so happy to finally see, the only girl I am looking for." He said, without taking his eyes from me. Then he takes my hand and kiss it.

    "You left me without saying goodbye, I spend so many nights just thinking of your alluring face, you are the reason of my sleepless nights Malia, that is why I came all the way here just to see you." Prince Gregory said, I can feel the blush that creeps on my whole face. His words make me alive and excited.

    "Happy to see you too Prince Gregory, but I am afraid, I can't talk to you right now, since I still have three classes to attend to." I said, then curtsied before him.

"I will be right here waiting for you Malia, I want to take you to dinner. You can bring your friends if you want to. I know my little brother won't allow you to go alone with me, I have to convince him, that I am serious about courting you." He said, I can feel butterflies in my chest. Gregory really makes me nervous every time he is near me. I know about my feelings for Flynn will never fade, it will not hurt me to know Gregory, he came all the way here to invite me for dinner, I don't have the heart to turn him down.

"Okay, dinner it is, see you later Prince Gregory." I said, smiling at him. Then he left, going in the direction of the archive. My smile fades away, the moment I met Flynn's eyes, he is looking at me angrily, I can see his face flushed with annoyance. What is his deal? Why is he angry now? I am wondering why he lingered listening my conversations with Gregory.

    Avery left him a while ago, he looked at me one more time, with irritated glare, before he finally goes to his next class.

    "Like what I have said, Malia, Flynn will never get over you." Declared Prince Declan, then he winks at me.

    "Stop it Declan." I said, then shake my head, and I walk to our next class. I never thought after one month of peace, my mind and heart will be befuddled once again.