Total pages in book: 27
Estimated words: 26177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 131(@200wpm)___ 105(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Christmas music sounded then, so loud I wanted to scream louder, I didn’t want to lose my fight.
It was warm, whatever place they brought me.
I was told to stand.
So I stood, I would fight later, when I had more energy. I was in a building, obviously, since no snow was falling.
I was told by a strange voice it was normal, that this happened from time to time when someone took the throne.
“Kidnapping?” I yelled.
People chuckled around me.
“It’s not funny! My fiancé is the King! Give him your price! He’ll come for me!”
“We’ll see.” A familiar voice that sounded eerily like Frederick hit.
I paused as goosebumps rolled over my skin. “Frederick?”
Silence.
It was around an hour later, when a breeze hit me in the face and I heard Zautland yell, “GIVE ME MY FIANCE!”
“Whoa, whoa.” Another familiar voice sounded. “I mean, no need to yell, you do, in fact, have one final clue.”
“Clue?” I asked. “What the hell is going on?”
My blindfold was removed and Zautland’s face was full of concern and anger. His bow tie had been tugged free, he had his jacket removed, his sleeves up like he was about to do hard work and his hair was a messy wreck all over his head like he’d ran his hands through it over and over again. His gaze never left mine. “It was a Christmas search, to find my bride on our engagement night, and I had to, I had to, solve…” His eyes filled with tears. “I had to find you, and I wasn’t fast enough. I should have been here sooner.”
A hot tear streamed down my cheek at his crazed hair, half ripped tuxedo and panicked look. “You were right on time.”
The cabin was filled when I looked around, with half our staff, the other two kings, and a small leather journal on the table. “What? I don’t understand?”
Fredrick stepped forward. “To be the King of the three countries, you have to prove the way his father did, do you deserve, do you care, do you know your people? It always happens at Christmas, many have tried since the coup, me included, to become the King of the three Kingdoms, to rule and prove ourselves, all have failed until now.”
Zautland stumbled forward toward me, his eyes met mine. “I think I have one final clue.”
He pulled a piece of journal paper from my chair and stared it down, only to shake his head and laugh. “This, this is my proposal? This is what everyone failed to answer? Correctly?”
Everyone around us went silent.
A tear ran down his cheek as he looked up at me and asked, “What’s the name of the sandwich my parents created that was their favorite?”
I burst into tears, I couldn’t even speak, I just cried while Zautland started untying me, then launched myself into his arms once the ropes were free. “Cheese. It’s a cheese sandwich, two turtledoves.”
Everyone around us started to clap, and then Zautland pulled a ring from his pocket and pulled it out, pressing it against my left finger. “Will you marry me? My queen? Despite my inability to be the best?”
“The worst.” I nodded. “You were the worst.”
“Christmas miracle?”
He opened his mouth to speak when suddenly a priest stepped forward. “Now, if everyone is ready, let us begin.”
I slowly stood in Zautland’s arms. “What?”
The priest cleared his throat again. “This is the will of the last King. That his son would take the three Kingdoms, that he would find his bride, and he would marry away from the fanfare on the eve of his engagement and before Christmas, privately in the place that meant the most.”
Zautland started tearing up.
I grabbed his arm harder. “It’s where I fell in love with him.”
“Took you two years,” Arthur said under his breath.
Frederick shot him a glare.
“What?” he murmured. “It’s true.”
I laughed with everyone else.
“So here we gather, now, Zautland, would you like to see the last clue, the rest are saved for the next few Christmases, but this last one, in his will, was this.”
He handed over a piece of paper.
Slowly, Zautland took it into his hand and unfolded it, a small key fell out, I grasped it as he read the letter.
Son,
I gave you my best. We tried our hardest. I hoped for this moment. Please, turn around and be happy, but before that, know we loved you, we did what was best to save the Kingdoms but also to save our son. I know you look like me, I pray for it, I know you’ll rule like me, the same way you’ve probably read my journals, the same way you’re most likely standing in the cabin, trust me we have more secrets for you but for now… enjoy your life with your new bride and please, live well. Make the sandwich in the kitchen. Love your wife. Make mistakes. Make decisions. Don’t make work your life. In the end, make life your work. Make LIFE work. Keep her by your side. You always need a person there, doing all the things we idiots can’t do. We are so proud of you. Proud of your cousins. You will rule well with them by your side. And if you ever need a little help, I have a few more journals for you. I do like words and games. Merry Christmas my boy, oh and give this to my grandbaby, whoever they may be, they might need this for the cabin one day too, we can’t let traditions die. Let them know what they are born of and what we keep. I love you. And never forget to make sandwiches.”