"Your Highness,” Dohyun tentatively began as he turned towards JR. “I do not understand how they were able to penetrate our Lady’s humble abode. The charms we had placed upon the area should have kept us safe.”

“They should have, but they did not,” JR simply replied, clearly deep in thought.
“How could the goblins penetrate your charms, Your Highness?” Dohyun asked, more flummoxed by this anomaly than the rest of you.
“I do not know…” JR seemed to be deep in thought and you were unsure as to what exactly he was deep in thought about.
“…I can’t go back there, can I?” You intervened.  
“No, my Lady,” Dohyun replied, neither him nor JR able to say anything more to you.

            It was by some sort of miracle that you had found some money in your pocket, enough to afford to buy everyone drinks in the small café you were all sitting in, whilst trying to come up with a plan of action. Dohyun had sensed the tension between JR and you and despite not knowing what had caused it, he had tried his best to keep conversation strictly professional, should we say. Silence was everyone’s friend as you all sat there, replaying in your minds the attack you had all just endured.
            You were potentially homeless now, but pushing that to one side, it was quite obvious just how your harsh words had upset JR. Part of you was feeling incredibly guilty, however you weren’t about to give in and let him win this time round. He needed to be made aware of the extent of what had just happened, of how all of this was affecting you because up until now, it had seemed like some sort of game to him. What had he thought? That he could just appear in this world and expect you to just take his hand in marriage? The idea seemed ridiculous, but not as ridiculous as the existence of goblins who wanted to kill you. Then again, everything was ridiculous!
            You glanced over towards Dohyun and wondered how he had come to be the King’s advisor, whether he enjoyed his job, whether he was enjoying being here right now. Then your eyes shifted to JR.

            You watched as the Elf King sat quietly, staring at the small T.V. screen in the corner of the café behind you. It occurred to you then that this must be the first time he had ever seen a T.V., as it was probably not something in existence in Aranthi. Your guess was confirmed as Dohyun asked, “My lady, what is this contraption?”
“It’s called a television, or T.V. for short. You can watch all kinds of things on it.”
“Are these ‘things’-real?” He asked tentatively.
“Urm…it depends…”
“Is this real?” He asked, pointing towards the screen. You turned around to see what was currently airing and smiled to yourself.
“That-is not real. It’s called anime. This one is called ‘Digimon’.”
“What is that orange creature?” JR asked suddenly. You paused momentarily before answering him, “That is a character called Agumon. He’s a digital monster.” You stopped yourself from delving into the depths of Digimon at that point.
“Agumon…” JR repeated out loud. “His voice…don’t you think it sounds a little like mine?” Dohyun chuckled whilst you stared at JR with a perplexed look. Was he being serious? It was only when he began mimicking the character’s voice did you realise just how serious he was being!
            Dohyun’s laughter was echoing loudly throughout the café, making you feel a little uneasy as the barista’s eyes fell on your table. At a time like this though, you couldn't quite grasp how the Elf King was sat making jokes about something so ridiculous and as much as you wanted to scoff at him for enjoying himself like this, you couldn't help but feel your heart warm and a smile dance upon your lips at the sound of his laughter.

            Before you realised what was happening, JR had reached out to you and taken your hand into his. It was such a sudden forward move, but as you looked at him in surprise, you noticed his flushed cheeks and his bashful expression, his gaze shying away from yours.
            "Your smiling face, it's beautiful," he told you quietly. "I feel relieved when I see it," he raised his head, your eyes meeting. "Your smile helps ease all my burdens, all my strife. Thank you," he told you, kissing the back of your hand lightly and then releasing it. “We will get through this. We will form a plan and we will defeat the Goblin Prince.” Before you had a chance to say anything in reply, he had pushed his chair out and left the table to use the bathroom.
            There was an echoing silence which resonated between the words left lingering in the air. You mulled over what JR had just said whilst trying to tame your pounding heart and convince yourself that you were still annoyed at him.

            "My lady, if I may...?" Dohyun carefully began.
"Sure, yes," you absentmindedly replied.
"My lady, we understand that this situation is difficult and incredibly inconvenient for you, but I fear you have overlooked the magnitude of it."
"Huh?" Breaking out of your thoughts you looked across at Dohyun. "Overlooked what?"
"My lady, we are asking a lot from you, but also-our King, he is risking his life being here-"
"He can return at any time to his lands," you flippantly told Dohyun, "I'm not keeping him here."
"My lady, I'm not quite sure you understand..."
"Understand what?" You half snapped at him then regretted it instantly. He opened his mouth to say something more but then quickly closed it again, shaking the thoughts off.
            It hadn't occurred to you before but it suddenly felt like you weren't being told the entire truth. Was there more to this fairy tale story than was being revealed to you? And if so, why?

            You were just about to ask Dohyun directly but at that moment, JR returned to the table, sat down and asked Dohyun, “Is it possible, Dohyun, for you to return to Aranthi?” Dohyun’s eyes widened in shock.
“Return to Aranthi? But-Your Highness, how could I possibly leave you in this situation and return to Aranthi?”
“We barely managed to fight those twenty goblins just now, and you were injured in the process. What would have happened if I had not been able to heal your injuries?” JR looked at Dohyun with a stern expression. “I would have been left here. I would have been alone.” The word ‘alone’ seemed to pierce your heart in that moment and you pondered as to why it had made such an impact on you.
“But if I return to Aranthi-”
“I want you to return to Aranthi, and I want you to gather warriors. I want you to come back here, to this Earth with no less than ten of them. There is no doubt that Grinkel will return with more goblins. You and I both know of his nature.” You glanced across at Dohyun who wore a grim expression.
“I do, Your Highness.”
“Right, that is settled then,” JR smiled, picked up his mug and finished off his drink. “You will return to Aranthi, immediately.”

 

            It was a few minutes before the conversation which had just taken place between JR and Dohyun really sank into your mind, but by that time, Dohyun had bid you both farewell, with a promise to return and had left the café. It was just JR and you now. For how long this arrangement would be for, you did not know. Taking a deep breath, you decided it was best to at least try and make an effort, after all, he was trying to help keep you safe.
            “This ‘Grinkel’, I guess he’s the leader of these-goblins,” you asked, trying to casually make conversation.
“He is the Goblin Prince,” JR stated.
“Oh…” you trailed off, unsure of how to ease the tense atmosphere.
“So, Dohyun is coming back from your land with more-elves to fight these-goblins?” You asked JR, whose eyes were well and truly glued to the T.V. screen.
“Yes,” JR replied, twitching his mouth to one side. Silence ensued momentarily before you broke it with, “Should you not have gone with him?”
If you were trying to ease the moment, your question served only to do the opposite. At that moment JR turned and looked at you, a mixture of grief and pain reflecting in his eyes.
            “Why do you disapprove so much of my being here?” he asked you, his hurt conveyed openly through the tone of his voice as well as his words. “I know I have brought danger into your life, but do you not understand? You were always destined for this! I am not here to bring sorrow to your life, I am here to bring you joy!”
“That’s just it though! All this talk about destiny, all this talk about how I am ‘meant’ to be with you in your world, how I am meant to be your Queen-it’s frightening!” He looked a little taken aback by your answer, but you continued, unable to stop yourself. “It’s not so much your being here that I disapprove of, it’s just-everything you’re asking of me!” You replied honestly, feeling a little relieved having told him your feelings sincerely. “It’s such a huge decision to make in such a short amount of time. How can I just-choose?” He watched you for a moment, his expression still pained.
“What is your heart telling you?” You furrowed your eyebrows.
“My-heart?”
“All of your fears exist because you are thinking far too much with your head. If you listened to your heart, all those fears would disappear,” he leant forward, a little closer than you were happy with, his eyes boring right into your own and immediately that familiar, unwanted feeling in the pit of your stomach returned. “Have you never followed your heart?” His question hung in the air for a very long time and you felt unable to answer.
            Eventually, he tore his gaze away from you, sat back in his seat and continued staring absentmindedly at the T.V. screen.

            There you sat with the Elf King, together, yet both feeling frightfully alone.