Chapter Twenty-Five Princess no more
Gina walked toward her place of refuge with Toby’s arm wrapped around her. She looked at the destruction. The enemy, whose victory had been decisive, had already started repairing the damage. Common people had been summoned to commence in the effort to make everything normal again. She didn’t see the looting and pillaging that normally accompanied a military victory. The enemy didn’t just come to destroy, they have a purpose, and they are organized. If the lives of common people improved under this new power, why would they want to go back to how things were before. Toby was right, she had to learn how to be ‘normal’ because her old life was gone.
Toby was happy. He wasn’t happy because the Kingdom had just been defeated in humiliating fashion but because he was finally with the girl of his dreams. The one person he had longed for but could never have. That was before, now that she was normal, he could have her. They were free to live a life together. Of course, he knew she hadn’t fallen for him yet, but now that she was in his sphere of influence, it was only a matter of time. Her choices would be severely limited and unlike the future, a single woman doesn’t last long here.
“We’re almost there.” Toby announced quietly. He had been trying to shield her so that people wouldn’t recognize her. It would be easier if her clothing represented a common person but while she was dressed in nice things, it would be a problem. Fortunately, there were a lot of distractions to keep people from noticing. Life was far from normal now and people had a lot to deal with.
They reached Toby’s humble dwelling, and he showed her around. There really wasn’t much to see as it was basically one room that changed identities depending on what use was needed. There was a bedroll on the floor, there was a small table with a single chair and there was a small stove that wasn’t really a stove but resembled more of something you might have at a campfire. He also had a small chest that contained his change of clothing. He was simple. He didn’t need anything else. He spent his days working hard in the fields and every so often he would treat himself to a meal at the pub. Gina looked around. She had no idea that people lived like this. Her own room in the castle was larger and warmer and she didn’t have to use her room for EVERYTHING.
“Stay here and don’t go anywhere.” Toby ordered, “I’ll be right back.” Toby left and Gina was all alone. She had been by herself many times, but she never felt alone, this time she did. The uncertainty of the future and what she was supposed to do with herself made her feel alone. She was lucky to have Toby to give her a place to sleep. With the realization of her circumstances hitting her, she felt gratitude for one of the first times in her life.
Toby didn’t have to give her shelter. He didn’t have to be afraid of reprisals for not obeying her every whim. She felt for the first time that Toby liked her. She isn’t the monster that everyone thinks she is. She realized that the time she had spent in the future changed her. In the future she was normal and if she could be normal there, she could be normal here.
Toby returned with some clothing. “Here, I got some clothes for you. It will be better for you to blend in with everyone if you look the part.” Toby explained, “I’ll step outside while you change.” Without further conversation, Toby steps outside to allow Gina to change in private.
Toby looks over the relief efforts. Common people and enemy combatants are working together to return things to normal. This is not the way enemies usually behave after a victory, Toby thought. It was strange. There was something not right about it. No one does that. When an enemy conquers, the victor takes the spoils. They don’t reinvest it into the place they just conquered. Toby didn’t see anyone who belonged to the King’s army. Toby guessed that they were captured and taken somewhere. While he was thinking this thought, he saw men, who he recognized as soldiers, walk into town from somewhere. Overcome with curiosity, Toby stopped one such man.
“They let you go?” Toby asked.
“Yes,” The man replied, looking like he had just suffered from PTSD.
“Why?” toby followed up.
“The man told us we could either join his army or go back home and live in peace.” The man answered, “So I’m going home.” That was weird, just letting enemy soldiers go home.
“Did anyone stay?” Toby asked.
“Yeah, a lot of men stayed.” The man answered again.
“That is really strange.” Toby said, thinking out loud.
“They plan to conquer the entire world” The man said, “and I think they can do it.”
“The whole world?” Toby asked, “The whole world is too big.”
“They can try all they want; I don’t care as long as I don’t have to fight.” The man said.
Toby allowed the man to continue his way. Toby didn’t get it. A lot of things were not adding up. Toby was sure that the old man could have stopped Gina from killing him. He was a powerful wizard. He must have let Gina kill him. Toby couldn’t think of any good reason why the wizard would commit suicide like that but there had to be one. The old man wasn’t just powerful, but he was also wise. He saw things that other people had no chance of seeing. Toby tried to think of what that reason could possibly be but couldn’t think of one.
Gina poked her head outside for a moment to let Toby know he could come back inside. Once inside, when Toby laid eyes on her, even though she was dressed plainly, she still took his breath away. Toby made a place on the floor as comfortable as he could for Gina to sleep and then he laid himself on the hard floor beside her. Gina was a bit cold. She wished there was a fire to warm them up. Before long, she felt warmer and drifted off to sleep. Toby felt warmer too. He looked and noticed that there was a fire on the stove heating the entire room but no wood to fuel it. Now where did that come from? He thought to himself.