Lizzy sat by the large window in their cozy dining room, her blood-red hair a wild, untamed mess as always. Strands stuck out in every direction, refusing to behave. Her eyes were a deep, piercing crimson with pupils that only dilated noticeably when someone got close enough. She had an oval face, a small nose, and full lips that hid sharp white teeth — teeth she rarely showed around strangers. Her pale skin seemed to glow under the soft moonlight streaming in. She wore a simple loose nightdress that clung lightly to her figure after her bath. For the third time that night, she stared out at the star-filled sky, not bothering to tidy her stubborn hair. No matter how many times she tried, it always sprang back into its chaotic glory.
The little wooden house sat hidden deep in a quiet forest clearing, surrounded by tall ancient trees whose leaves whispered in the night breeze. Fireflies danced outside the window, and the distant sound of a stream added a gentle rhythm to the peaceful dark.
She heard the front door creak open but didn't turn around. Only a handful of people knew this hidden spot, and tonight she already knew exactly who it was.
"Why are you looking at the stars like that?" Arthur asked as he stepped into the dining room, his voice warm with teasing. "They aren't snacks, you know."
Lizzy turned to face him, flashing a mischievous grin that revealed her sharp teeth. "Well, if I can't have them," she said, "I'll just have to settle for you then. Maybe you'll be tasty."
Arthur gulped, eyes widening in mock horror.
"You're still as humorous as ever," he chuckled, grabbing a chair and sitting close. His jet-black hair reached his cheeks, tied back in a neat ponytail with a few strands falling over his face. A short, even beard framed his strong jaw. His deep golden eyes sparkled with affection. Tall and powerfully built like a warrior, he wore black clothes laced with red accents, a long cape draped over his shoulders that hugged his frame. "I won't deny it — the night sky is gorgeous tonight. But it pales in comparison to you."
Lizzy looked at him sideways. "Did you get that line from Flynn?" she scoffed, barely holding in her laughter. Arthur flushed.
"Well, that's a pretty good line," she admitted with a grin. "If I were a normal girl, I'd definitely have fallen for it." She paused, touching her chest dramatically. "Well, I'll be damned… I think it did have an effect on me." She sighed softly, her voice turning serious. "I've been having the same dream again. How long do we have to keep this up? If the dragons find out, there will be war." Her gaze drifted back to the star-filled sky outside.
"It'll work out," Arthur said, smiling gently. He stood, towering over her, then pulled her into a warm hug and kissed the top of her messy red hair. Lizzy trembled slightly in his arms.
"I don't want to lose the little peace we have," she whispered, staring into the dark forest beyond the window.
After a moment, she suddenly broke free and stood up so fast that her head bumped hard into Arthur's chin. He stumbled backward with a grunt.
"Would you look at that — the King of the Humans stumbling over a chin bump," she teased, smiling brightly. Her sharp teeth showed, but on her they looked more charming than menacing. Arthur couldn't help admiring her.
"Where's Dan?" he asked, rubbing his chin.
"He went to bed about two hours ago," Lizzy replied, absentmindedly trying to tame her wild hair again.
"Lizzy…" Arthur began.
"Yeah, I know," she interrupted. "Maybe it's best if we move to the capital. Dan will be safer there… at least better than being alone out here." She shrugged. "But on one condition — I'm not doing any queenly duties unless I want to. Understood?" She flashed that same bright, worrying smile.
"There's something about that smile that always worries me," Arthur thought. "I understand," he replied. "No one requests your queenly duties anyway — all you do is cause trouble," he teased.
"I do not!" Lizzy said defensively.
"Oh, you so do," Arthur laughed. "Flynn almost snapped when you accidentally set the kingdom's archives on fire. And remember the time you thought Flynn's secret guards were enemies attacking and you did a number on them? Also—"
"Enough! Enough!" she yelled, face turning red with embarrassment. She covered her face with both hands. "I agree, I'm not cut out for royal duties, so don't remind me of my painful past." She sighed. "Well, we have an early start tomorrow. What do you say about sleeping sometime tonight?" She headed toward the bedroom door with graceful steps.
Arthur stared after her, watching the way her nightdress swayed as she moved.
"Well?" Lizzy called from the doorway, turning back with a hiss. "Do I have to spell it out for you? You're needed in the room too. How else am I supposed to keep warm? Or do I have to call the knights for that?" She grinned wickedly.
"Well, I can't win against you, can I?" Arthur said, following her. "This time I'll make you beg for mercy," he added seriously.
She darted back, grabbed his arm, and started dragging him. "You wish. Not even if you train in the mountains of chastity for a thousand years." She pulled him along. "Once again, I'll be victorious over you."
It was the crack of dawn. Soft golden light filtered through the forest canopy, birds just beginning to sing. Lizzy got up quickly, pulling on her nightgown in a hurry. She poked Arthur in the gut. "Come on, get up," she hissed, trying not to be too loud. "Dan will be here soon."
"Let me be… just twelve more hours," Arthur groaned, rolling over and yanking the blanket over his head.
"Dan recently developed a habit of bursting into our room every morning," Lizzy whispered, ears pricked for footsteps. "And if you don't want your son seeing you in all your glory, you better get dressed."
Arthur muttered something she couldn't make out. She tossed the blanket higher over him and tried to look presentable. A quick glance in the wall mirror showed her messy red hair still in full tornado mode, but it was slightly better than when she woke. She started nudging his ribs again. "Get up! We're supposed to go to the castle today. If you don't, Flynn will come drag you himself."
"How can you be so low on stami—" She stopped mid-sentence as she heard footsteps. With lightning reflexes she covered Arthur completely just as the door burst open.
Dan stood there, eight years old, with jet-black hair streaked with visible red strands sticking out wildly. His reddish-orange eyes sparkled with energy. Fair-skinned and cheerful, he wore a ridiculous mix: a bright red shirt, black jacket, blue pants that stopped at his knees, and bright green boots. The whole outfit clashed horribly. Lizzy covered her eyes in mortification.
"It would seem he got your sense of fashion," Arthur laughed from under the blanket.
"Oh, shut up," Lizzy frowned. "Dan? Why are you dressed like that?"
"Does it really matter what I wear?" Dan said, looking down at himself. "It's not like I'll get arrested for it."
"Oh crap, now he really sounds like me," Lizzy thought. "Come on, let's get you something that matches," she said, taking his arm. "And let's leave your lazy father be for now. He's too low on energy to get out of bed."
"As if it's not your fault!" Arthur yelled after them as they left the room.
Dan sat at the table facing the kitchen, a thick book in his small hands. Lizzy watched him fondly while preparing breakfast. At eight, he hadn't had a proper teacher like other kids — everything he knew came from his parents, especially Lizzy. Yet he was a genius, picking up reading and writing in just a month of her messy teaching. He had even started correcting her. Sometimes she shuddered thinking one day he might tutor her. During his quiet time alone, he had already finished most of the books in their small forest library and needed more.
Arthur emerged five minutes later, dressed in a crisp white royal shirt under a flowing white robe that perfectly suited his black hair. He looked every bit the king. He sneaked up behind Lizzy while she fiddled with the stove, grabbed her waist, and tried to kiss her forehead.
She turned away, pushing him gently. "Those weaker than me don't get to kiss me," she said, focused on the flame.
Arthur flushed and turned away. Suddenly Lizzy grabbed his collar, pulled him close, and kissed him properly on the mouth. He looked mortified.
"Now that's how you do it," she said with a sly grin.
"You couldn't have picked another time? Right in front of the lad?" Arthur complained, nodding toward Dan.
Lizzy followed his gaze and met her son's curious eyes. She flushed bright red and quickly turned back to adjusting the stove.
"What are you reading?" Arthur asked, leaning over Dan.
"It's a book about the elves and their god," Dan replied, flipping pages to an old painting of a pointed-eared human and another figure descending from the sky with similar features. "It's in the language of the elves."
"I'll be damned," Arthur said, astonished. "I only learned their language after inheriting the throne and I still can't read or speak it fluently. Yet here you are, reading a complex book in their tongue." He turned slowly to Lizzy. "What have you been teaching him?"
"Just the basics," Lizzy interrupted with a shrug, finally satisfied with the stove's heat. "I taught him languages of many species, but only a little. I told him the books wasting away in our room would be enough if he wanted more." She placed a pan on the fire, added oil, and dipped a roughly cut piece of meat straight into it without waiting.
"Hey, don't do that!" Arthur dashed over, grabbed the oil-drenched meat, and set it on the chopping block. "Please rest up. I don't feel like eating trash today."
Lizzy looked offended and turned away.
"There are a lot of men in the capital who appreciate my cooking," she said, feigning a tear.
"I doubt that," Arthur muttered from the kitchen as he properly washed the dirty meat. "No man would endure your cooking… maybe except Dan."
After breakfast, Lizzy asked, "Dan, how do you fancy going to the capital?"
His reddish-orange eyes lit up instantly with pure excitement. "Isn't that where Dad works? There are supposed to be lots of people! I wanna go to the market, make a friend, see the dungeon!" He rattled on nonstop.
Lizzy walked over to Arthur. "Well, he's sold on the idea. So when are we leaving? It's almost noon. And how are we gonna transport our belongings?"
"It's simple," Arthur said while doing the dishes (since Lizzy was terrible at it). "We'll teleport."
"Teleport?!" Lizzy yelped, grabbing his collar in horror. "You know how I take that! I'm not good with teleportations. Don't make me join one of your human spells. I'd rather fly there myself!" She shook him so hard his vision spun.
"It's not gonna kill you," Arthur laughed. "You'll just feel sick for a couple of minutes."
"A couple of minutes!" Lizzy mimicked, breathless. "Do you know how I feel? Like my insides are being torn apart, the world spins, things pop into my head. I can't handle it and I have no intention of teleporting again!" She huffed.
"You're strong, Lizzy," Arthur smiled. "You'll handle it just fine." Lizzy paled.
He turned to Dan. "Hey Dan, how do you feel about teleporting to the capital?"
"That'll be so cool! When will I be able to do that? Will it hurt like Mum says?"
"Nah, your mum's just an exception. For most people it's fun and the common way to travel in the capital. So if you're ready, get dressed. We'll leave in an hour."
Dan dashed to his room, nearly tripping over a stool in his excitement.
"It's already past noon, Lizzy!" Arthur yelled from outside the house. "When are you gonna be done?"
"Just a sec!" she called back.
In front of the mirror, Lizzy wore a dark fitted shirt with no cleavage, white pants that sat high on her waist fastened with a matching white belt, and black knee-high boots. She hated skirts or gowns — too inefficient, she always said. She tried taming her wild red hair for the sixth time, frowning hard in concentration, but it refused to cooperate. Arthur and Dan's impatient calls finally made her give up.
"Wow, all that time and your hair is still a red tornado," Arthur teased when she finally stepped out.
"It can't be helped," Lizzy muttered, still pushing a stubborn lock from her face.
"Oh, I think I know what she's doing," Dan blurted. "She's trying to get out of teleporting."
It finally clicked for Arthur. "So that's what this is, huh? You were hoping I'd get irritated and leave you behind?" An evil grin spread across his face. "Well, sucks to be you. You're not getting out of this."
Lizzy turned bright red, embarrassed her plan had failed. "W-we can't teleport… our things are here and it's a lot to move even by magic. We need a carriage," she stuttered, shifting nervously.
"Don't worry your pretty little head," Arthur said. "Flynn will send someone to collect them later. For now, all we need is ourselves at the castle." He held out his hand. "Lizzy, give me your hand. You too, Dan."
Lizzy stepped back horrified — her plan had completely failed.
"Don't worry, Mum. I'm sure it'll be fine," Dan reassured her, then teased, "So you're scared of teleporting and you've been giving me grief about worms?"
"Come on, don't tell me you'll chicken out in front of your son," Arthur grinned wickedly.
Lizzy looked like she might cry. She shuffled closer but still didn't take his hand.
"Don't pout, Lizzy. It'll be over in a jiffy." Arthur patted her head gently, feeling her tremble. "Dan, take my hand. Now that we're all ready… let's be off."
There was a bright flash and a loud bang — and they were gone.