being himself.”
“How
did you meet your king?” an old woman asked with a big smile.
“It
was love at first sight, but he did kidnap me, throw me in a dungeon, and force
me to marry him,” I said in the most dramatic voice I could muster.
The
woman’s brow shot up. “He did what?”
“I
most certainly did not force her,” Victor said. “She was after an
ancient piece of jewelry.”
“A
thief!” someone shouted.
“No,
I planned to return it. I just needed to borrow it.”
“Borrow
what?” a woman with a long ponytail asked.
I
held up my hand. “This ring. I duped him out of it and ran.”
The
blonde woman couldn’t stop staring. “It looks so real.”
“Nah,
it’s just costume jewelry,” somebody mumbled.
“How
did you get away with the ring?” another asked.
“I
devised a plan, then escaped from our wedding reception,” I said.
“I
chased her because I wanted her, but also because my enemy wished to kill her.”
“He
literally saved my life,” I said, meeting his gaze, “and although I fought him
the entire time, he never gave up one me.”
Victor
squeezed my hand. “The two of us grew close while running from a common enemy
who wished to destroy us. We were poisoned and left to die, but through a
series of, uh...chance events, we survived. I knew then that Queen Sarah was the
love of my life.” He kissed my lips. “I knew by the look in her eyes that she
loved me just as much as I loved her.”
“So,
Queen Sarah, you forgave him for kidnapping you?” a thin woman asked.
I
lovingly looped my arm through his. “I did. Who could say no to such a handsome
king?” Victor sweetly kissed my lips before I continued, “I had always been a
hopeless romantic and dreamt of becoming a princess. Imagine my surprise when I
actually became a queen! And now our storybook romance is complete. We are
living happily ever after,” I declared.
“I
love you with all my heart, my beautiful Queen,” Victor said.
Emotion
poured from my voice. “I love you, too, My King.”
“Ooh!”
and “Ah!” erupted from the crowd.
“They’re
not reading the script,” the producer whispered to the owner.
“Don’t
worry about it. This is entertainment, and the people are loving them!” she
said.
“There
they are!” a young man shouted. “That’s them!”
As
I turned to meet his gaze, I smiled. It was the same guy we’d met when we came
through the portal, the one who gave us a ride to town in his pickup. They
found it odd that we were in medieval clothing, so we told them we were
practicing for a theater production. Now, being there only confirmed our fib.
“Hey!
It’s them!” the girl said.
The
young man nudged her. “They’re so good!”
I
smiled at the irony.
“Is
it true you only bathe once a year,” a teen girl asked, “if at all?”
“Does
it take a chisel to get the layers of dirt off?” another yelled.
“That’s
only a myth,” I answered. “We use soap made from animal fats, so getting clean
is easy. For those who aren’t fortunate enough to have a tub in their home, we
provide bathhouses that are open to all. In the warmer months, some people
bathe in the lakes and rivers nearby. Some people bathe weekly, some daily, but
it takes a lot of time and labor to fill a tub. Personally, I opt to bathe
every night, as I’ve got no wish to stink to high heaven.”
The
crowd chuckled.
“We
don’t have modern plumbing, but we do use hot water. We just have to heat it up
ourselves,” Victor said.
I
shot him a look. “ We ? Dear, don’t you mean your servants?”
More
chuckles erupted.
“King
Victor, do people cover their meats in sauces to hide the rotten stench?” a man
asked.
“Would
you?” Victor asked.
“Not
a chance.”
“Then
neither would we. We have means to keep our meat edible. It is salted, dried,
pickled, and smoked.”
“We
also preserve all kinds of vegetables and fruits,” I added, “and we eat and
enjoy many fresh meats
“How
did you meet your king?” an old woman asked with a big smile.
“It
was love at first sight, but he did kidnap me, throw me in a dungeon, and force
me to marry him,” I said in the most dramatic voice I could muster.
The
woman’s brow shot up. “He did what?”
“I
most certainly did not force her,” Victor said. “She was after an
ancient piece of jewelry.”
“A
thief!” someone shouted.
“No,
I planned to return it. I just needed to borrow it.”
“Borrow
what?” a woman with a long ponytail asked.
I
held up my hand. “This ring. I duped him out of it and ran.”
The
blonde woman couldn’t stop staring. “It looks so real.”
“Nah,
it’s just costume jewelry,” somebody mumbled.
“How
did you get away with the ring?” another asked.
“I
devised a plan, then escaped from our wedding reception,” I said.
“I
chased her because I wanted her, but also because my enemy wished to kill her.”
“He
literally saved my life,” I said, meeting his gaze, “and although I fought him
the entire time, he never gave up one me.”
Victor
squeezed my hand. “The two of us grew close while running from a common enemy
who wished to destroy us. We were poisoned and left to die, but through a
series of, uh...chance events, we survived. I knew then that Queen Sarah was the
love of my life.” He kissed my lips. “I knew by the look in her eyes that she
loved me just as much as I loved her.”
“So,
Queen Sarah, you forgave him for kidnapping you?” a thin woman asked.
I
lovingly looped my arm through his. “I did. Who could say no to such a handsome
king?” Victor sweetly kissed my lips before I continued, “I had always been a
hopeless romantic and dreamt of becoming a princess. Imagine my surprise when I
actually became a queen! And now our storybook romance is complete. We are
living happily ever after,” I declared.
“I
love you with all my heart, my beautiful Queen,” Victor said.
Emotion
poured from my voice. “I love you, too, My King.”
“Ooh!”
and “Ah!” erupted from the crowd.
“They’re
not reading the script,” the producer whispered to the owner.
“Don’t
worry about it. This is entertainment, and the people are loving them!” she
said.
“There
they are!” a young man shouted. “That’s them!”
As
I turned to meet his gaze, I smiled. It was the same guy we’d met when we came
through the portal, the one who gave us a ride to town in his pickup. They
found it odd that we were in medieval clothing, so we told them we were
practicing for a theater production. Now, being there only confirmed our fib.
“Hey!
It’s them!” the girl said.
The
young man nudged her. “They’re so good!”
I
smiled at the irony.
“Is
it true you only bathe once a year,” a teen girl asked, “if at all?”
“Does
it take a chisel to get the layers of dirt off?” another yelled.
“That’s
only a myth,” I answered. “We use soap made from animal fats, so getting clean
is easy. For those who aren’t fortunate enough to have a tub in their home, we
provide bathhouses that are open to all. In the warmer months, some people
bathe in the lakes and rivers nearby. Some people bathe weekly, some daily, but
it takes a lot of time and labor to fill a tub. Personally, I opt to bathe
every night, as I’ve got no wish to stink to high heaven.”
The
crowd chuckled.
“We
don’t have modern plumbing, but we do use hot water. We just have to heat it up
ourselves,” Victor said.
I
shot him a look. “ We ? Dear, don’t you mean your servants?”
More
chuckles erupted.
“King
Victor, do people cover their meats in sauces to hide the rotten stench?” a man
asked.
“Would
you?” Victor asked.
“Not
a chance.”
“Then
neither would we. We have means to keep our meat edible. It is salted, dried,
pickled, and smoked.”
“We
also preserve all kinds of vegetables and fruits,” I added, “and we eat and
enjoy many fresh meats
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