Second chances

Princess Zania woke up on the forest floor and frowned before sitting up. She looked younger and felt different. It was as if her mind had advanced while her body remained. The warm sunrays and chipping of the birds prompted her to get on her feet and rub her eyes. She knew exactly where she was, but how was that possible?

It was the day her father died, and her life turned for the worst. Did she dream all of that? Did she maybe hit her head and all of that was a dream?

She ran her hand over her curly hair and did not feel any bump or injury that could explain what was happening. Twirling around, her favourite blue gown opened up like a beautiful umbrella. She let out a laugh when she realized that she had been given a second chance to do things better. To protect her people and her beloved animals better.

“Princess Zania! Princess Zania!” her friend called. It was the most beautiful sound in her ears. She remembered everything that was to happen very well. Lady Celia was going to tell her that her father was injured in the battle and wanted to see her.

She could not help but embrace and kiss her cheeks, with tears freely flowing down. Lady Celia was killed to punish her the last time. She will die first before she let that happen again.

“What is it, Celia?” she still asked her friend, who looked stunned by her gesture.

“It’s your father. He…He…”

“He is dying,” she completed the sentence. Lady Celia frowned, sensing something different with her friend, but there was no time to explore that. Their king was about to die, and the tribe was in mourning.

“He wants to see you, come urgently,” she urged instead.

Princess Zania quietly ran alongside her friend to the battle ground where several bodies lay dead, some injured and the rest on their knees with their heads respectively bowed to honour the injured kings. She noticed the two kings sitting alongside each other, facing the battle ground. The spears sticking out from their bodies were the cause of their impending deaths.

She saw all that previously. The difference was Prince Maxwell, who was kneeling in front of his father. Princess Zania got to the kings first the previous time. He had arrived a few minutes after her and hailed insults, accusations and threats before even hearing what happened. Outside forces benefitted from their civil war. An agent of those forces had sneaked into the battle and shot those lethal spears to kill the two kings. The tribes were meant to clash and continue fighting, except the two kings had finally figured it out.

“I promise to protect and treasure the princess with all my heart,” the prince vowed to the dying kings while Princess Zania ran to her fathers’ arms. She was really taken aback by his vow because he strongly objected to their marriage previously. She completely ignored the prince and his dying father and focused all her attention to her own father. Seeing him again, even though he was about to be taken away from her yet again, was everything.

“You have served with honor and dedication. I am so proud of you, daddy. I promise to protect our people to my death bed too,” she murmured a vow and impatiently wiped away her tears.

Her father held her hand and looked tenderly at her. “So beautiful, like your mother,” he said with a warm smile.

“I am dying, child. This war between our tribes was fruitless. It is not good for our people. It is terrible for the environment. We fight each other while vultures steal our resources. It ends now,” King William stated while taking deep breaths, an act that took everything of him.

Princess Zania listened, knowing exactly what was to follow. A coalition between the tribes. Having one nation under one rule. It all sounded reasonable the last time. No forces will try to incite the war again. Marriage between Prince Maxwell and her would end the war. She agreed to everything and kept her end of bargain, but he didn’t.

“I was naïve back then, not anymore,” she told herself as she patiently listened to her father’s dying wishes.

“Prince Maxwell and I will have talks to end this war. Marrying him, I am afraid, I will not,” she said decisively.

Her father smiled. He raised her to always speak her mind, and was very proud of her.

“You are the heir and pride of your tribe, Angel. Our people will never accept another ruler beside you.”

Princess Zania knew that too well. Many of her people were executed for their loyalty to her. Declining the marriage proposal was her saving her people as well. It was her saving her beloved game reserve, but her father did not know that. Her father did not know the power-hungry, cruel man he was proposing she weds.

“I will get the people to accept Prince Maxwell’s rule, as long as I get a decree that our people will not be victimized, and our game reserve shall remain protected land. The rest can be negotiated. I and fifty percent of our tribe elders will serve under his rule as elders,” she counter suggested an alternative where the war would end without her having to marry the prince. It would be hard, but she was certain that she could get her people to agree to this.

“You would rather forfeit your royal rights than wed me?” Prince Maxwell asked with a lump in his throat.

She nodded her head decisively, while he shook his.

“No, I will forfeit mine and you can rule,” he countered.

“What?” she asked in disbelief. The prince she knew would never forfeit his rightful place like that. He loved power and used it to oppress her. It had to be a trick.

“Marry me and we can lead our people together,” he suggested when he noticed her bewildered expression.

She frantically shook her head and quickly moved away her hand he had covered with his.

“Take your time to grieve and think things over. My tribe will not attack you, nor bother you during your two months of mourning. You have my word,” he promised, shocking her more. His tribe only mourned for three weeks. He had disregarded her mourning period the last time.

She narrowed her eyes at him as he instructed his men to transport both the fallen kings to their respectable castles. She could not help noticing that something was completely different with him. He was still the most handsome man she ever laid her eyes on, but he seemed sad and more considerate than the man she knew.

“Still, I will not wed that man,” she told herself.

Unfortunately, for Princess Zania, despite her and Prince Maxwell trying to calm down their people, war was inevitable. The people on both sides wanted to avenge their fallen kings. The people did not believe that there were outside forces involved in their war. They believed that their rulers were grieving and not thinking straight. Both sides were ready to take matters into their own hands.

“I am afraid marrying him is the only way to honor your father,” Lady Celia told her adamant friend. “The elders also think so,” she added, while her friend frantically shook her head.

“There must be another way,” the princess insisted. She refused to believe that she was given a second chance only to wed the same man who led to her pain and death.

“I don’t see any. We have been having intensive discussions with Prince Maxwell’s tribe. More people are dying. Our resources are getting looted out of the island, while we fight each other. It is fruitless,” Lady Celia urged, while Princess Zania let out a sigh. She knew deep down that the marriage she dreaded was inevitable.