did. But there was another part of the curse. I was to be wak- ened
by true loves first kiss. That kiss was Jacks. Therefore, he must be my true love, even
though he seems rather lazy and unpleasant, and I wonder how he could have gotten through
the wood to the kingdom. He does not seem to appreciate the great opportunity he has been
given, mar- riage to one gifted by the fairies with beauty and grace and musical talent
and intelligence. I must make him realize it. I must make him my true love, if I am going
to fulfill my destiny.
Well, I say, in any case, you must join us for supper. Okay, he says. Suppers okay. Marriagenot so much.
I pretend to agree, but I know that I must make him fall in love with me, whether he wants
to or not.
A Kiss in Time
Chapter 2:
I
m wearing something halfway between pants and tights, a red jacket, a ruffly shirt, and
boots, all too small. At least they dont wear kilts in this country.
I crack the door (which is ten feet tall) open and look into the hallway.
A guard rushes toward me. May I help you, sir? Um, is there any food around here? The guy
looks down. I shall check, sir. He doesnt move.
I close the door, my stomach growling like an ATV pulling through mud. Its been four hours
since I kissed the princess. I know that from checking my cell phone, which is now useful
only as a clock. I turn it off again to save the battery. Its not like theres any place to
recharge it.
Of course, Travis took the sandwiches with him when he ditched me to go to the hotel. Bet he doesnt come back. I kept the beer, but its
probably not a good idea to drink it on an empty stomach. I wonder if this is just a
really fancy dungeon.
I go to the window for about the tenth time. Theres no chance of escaping out the door.
The hallway is crowded with people waiting to do my bidding. But no one wants to help me
escape (and, really, where could I go in these pants?). The windows not much better. Its
at least four stories up and made of this thick glass like in churches. No, my best bet is
to have dinner, then sneak out when they all go back to sleep.
Of course, after three hundred years, theyre probably pretty well rested.
I should have stayed with the tour group. Sure, the museums were boring, but at least the
people were from this century.
Someone knocks at the door. Come in! They knock again. The doors so thick they cant even hear through it. I walk across the room and open it. What?
Begging your pardon, sir. Its some servant guy in an outfit that isI need to mentionway
less froufrou than what they gave me to wear. His Majesty apologizes for the delay in
getting supper. There have been . . . difficulties.
My stomach growls loudly. Im scared to find out what these people eat. My moms a real freak about germs and salmonella, and this doesnt seem like the type of place that
has sanitary cooking facili- ties or even a decent oven. Didnt people used to die at,
like, age thirty-five in the 1700s, or even younger? And didnt they have plagues with rats
and stuff?
If I have to die, I hope I dont die in tights.
What were having for dinner is meat. Lots of meat and mushrooms and strawberries.
Talias parents are there. Her fatherthe kingis a skinny guy with red hair, and he actually
looks sort of like the Burger King, only the Burger King looks a lot friendlier and happy
about burgers and stuff.
I apologize for the fare, hes telling the group. Besides Talia and me, theres Pudding
Face, the queen (an older version of Talia), and a bunch of other people introduced as
lords and ladies. There are also two women Talia says are fairies, but I must have heard
her wrong. But, you see, all our crops died when my daughter put us to sleep for three
hundred years, and the food we had has long since spoiled.
Talia looks away, but I can see her hands are trembling.
She looks great, though, especially in that dress shes wearing, a
by true loves first kiss. That kiss was Jacks. Therefore, he must be my true love, even
though he seems rather lazy and unpleasant, and I wonder how he could have gotten through
the wood to the kingdom. He does not seem to appreciate the great opportunity he has been
given, mar- riage to one gifted by the fairies with beauty and grace and musical talent
and intelligence. I must make him realize it. I must make him my true love, if I am going
to fulfill my destiny.
Well, I say, in any case, you must join us for supper. Okay, he says. Suppers okay. Marriagenot so much.
I pretend to agree, but I know that I must make him fall in love with me, whether he wants
to or not.
A Kiss in Time
Chapter 2:
I
m wearing something halfway between pants and tights, a red jacket, a ruffly shirt, and
boots, all too small. At least they dont wear kilts in this country.
I crack the door (which is ten feet tall) open and look into the hallway.
A guard rushes toward me. May I help you, sir? Um, is there any food around here? The guy
looks down. I shall check, sir. He doesnt move.
I close the door, my stomach growling like an ATV pulling through mud. Its been four hours
since I kissed the princess. I know that from checking my cell phone, which is now useful
only as a clock. I turn it off again to save the battery. Its not like theres any place to
recharge it.
Of course, Travis took the sandwiches with him when he ditched me to go to the hotel. Bet he doesnt come back. I kept the beer, but its
probably not a good idea to drink it on an empty stomach. I wonder if this is just a
really fancy dungeon.
I go to the window for about the tenth time. Theres no chance of escaping out the door.
The hallway is crowded with people waiting to do my bidding. But no one wants to help me
escape (and, really, where could I go in these pants?). The windows not much better. Its
at least four stories up and made of this thick glass like in churches. No, my best bet is
to have dinner, then sneak out when they all go back to sleep.
Of course, after three hundred years, theyre probably pretty well rested.
I should have stayed with the tour group. Sure, the museums were boring, but at least the
people were from this century.
Someone knocks at the door. Come in! They knock again. The doors so thick they cant even hear through it. I walk across the room and open it. What?
Begging your pardon, sir. Its some servant guy in an outfit that isI need to mentionway
less froufrou than what they gave me to wear. His Majesty apologizes for the delay in
getting supper. There have been . . . difficulties.
My stomach growls loudly. Im scared to find out what these people eat. My moms a real freak about germs and salmonella, and this doesnt seem like the type of place that
has sanitary cooking facili- ties or even a decent oven. Didnt people used to die at,
like, age thirty-five in the 1700s, or even younger? And didnt they have plagues with rats
and stuff?
If I have to die, I hope I dont die in tights.
What were having for dinner is meat. Lots of meat and mushrooms and strawberries.
Talias parents are there. Her fatherthe kingis a skinny guy with red hair, and he actually
looks sort of like the Burger King, only the Burger King looks a lot friendlier and happy
about burgers and stuff.
I apologize for the fare, hes telling the group. Besides Talia and me, theres Pudding
Face, the queen (an older version of Talia), and a bunch of other people introduced as
lords and ladies. There are also two women Talia says are fairies, but I must have heard
her wrong. But, you see, all our crops died when my daughter put us to sleep for three
hundred years, and the food we had has long since spoiled.
Talia looks away, but I can see her hands are trembling.
She looks great, though, especially in that dress shes wearing, a
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