The Queen told Ajo to study romance, and he attacked those lessons as ferociously as any other.

More.

He studied Galeia.

As she wandered the woods, as she swam, as she spent time with Isolam, as she practiced, albeit poorly, spells and incantations.

Winning Galeia's heart became a military campaign, and the Queen was his General, supplying him with strategy and encouraging his advancement.

He took notes with the same meticulous devotion he gave to history and etiquette and politics. When the Queen surprised him with his own book in which to write his thoughts, he quickly filled page after page. He drew pictures of Galeia, in those rare moments when he managed to catch her sitting still. When he grew brave enough, he began to write poetry.

It became a tome devoted entirely to Galeia. Between its pages were thousands of thoughts and musings on the way she held a fork, or the song of her laughter, and various other attributes deemed precious in his heart.

Ajo even sought advice from others, including the human squire, who'd been promoted to the position of Queen's guard. He'd grown a long white beard that reached his chest and sported small flowers in the spring season. The seed the Queen had given him truly was enchanted, for the man, whatever he was now, had long outlived a mortal's useful years, and despite his white hair and deep wrinkles there was a youthful twinkle in his eyes, and a spryness that would have been impossible for a human his age. He'd become an unlikely favorite of the Queen, and seen as a symbol of the impossible becoming reality; a human who had proven his worth to the woods. He was not yet a knight, but it was rumored that the distinction was coming in a few short decades. 

His duties kept him happily busy, but he always made time for Galeia, the "little princess", as he affectionately called her, when she sought his company. It was due to this friendship that Ajo esteemed the guard as one of the most valuable sources of information on Galeia. He hadn't grown as close to the man as Galeia had, but there was a thread of understanding and respect between them.

Ajo had been the one who attempted to save his life when Galeia tried to end it.

He delighted the prince with tales of unfortunate and successful love, but there was one piece of advice Ajo clung to most:

"A heart like Galeia's can't be swayed in the traditional way. Charm and smiles won't go an inch to winning her affection. Whatever captivates her, it's special."

"Tell me what to do."

The guard chuckled. "I can tell ye what not to do, and that's tryin' to force somethin' a'fore it's time."

"It's not force," Ajo argued. "It's destiny. I am meant to protect her, to save her even."

"Save Galeia? From what?"

"Herself. From the darkness inside of her."

"Seems to me that sort o' savin' should come from within, not ou'side."

"Mother gave me the duty herself."

"Well then, what can I say 'gainst that?"

The guard told Ajo of a woman he loved in the towns. She was fierce, similar in nature to Galeia, and he had imagined she was the only one for him. His wooing was awkward, and all the flowery words and tender looks did nothing to entice her. In the end, she married a soldier with broad shoulders and a menacing brow. At first, the woman's choice perplexed the guard, for the husband she had chosen seemed a reckless brute, but he gleaned that it was the bold and surprising nature that won her over, because it was different from every other suitor's approach.

Other women may have swooned over gifts and romantic attention, but not her.

Not her, and not Galeia.

They were the kind of souls who did not seek coddling or protection, but wanted a companion who surprised them, who kept a passionate fire burning within them. Anything less than that and their attention could dim or light upon another.

Most important of all, the guard explained, was that love could not be calculated. You could not measure its journey as you would a potion or spell, adding all the right ingredients until you stirred the correct dose. You could not learn it from a book, for it was not a lesson, but an experience.

Some things helped it, but there were never any guarantees.

It came down to two people and the feelings they shared for each other.

Love was as much a stroke of luck and timing as anything else.

"An' for better or worse, ye must accept the outcome fate decides. I wanted that girl to be what I dreamed of. But she wasn't, and I had to find terms with that, and understand we would have made a poor pair. So I didn't wallow or torment myself with ifs. I moved on, for the better, too."

Ajo smiled at the man. His story would not end with Galeia rejecting his love, but he respected the man's counsel.

"Be bold," the guard concluded. "And hope for a bit o' luck."

Ajo spent less time devoted to his usual lessons and stole more hours to follow Galeia.

He watched her grow into a young woman who was as beautiful as a fall morning.

He paid no attention to himself, and didn't recognize that he had grown with her, into a handsome young man with dark eyes and a perpetual pout on his lips.

The Queen sometimes arranged for them to dine alone, an exception that became more and more routine. Ajo tried to pepper in romantic gestures, though they often came out clumsy. Galeia laughed but was never cruel about his awkwardness, and in his book Ajo wrote that these moments were the ones he treasured most, for making Galeia happy was his deepest ambition.

As promised, Ajo continued to spend time with the Gretch, but their meetings were growing fewer and were hardly ever spent in play. Instead, they engaged in long conversations about their dreams and futures. They were interested in the sort of people they were growing into and what the world had in store for them. Ajo spoke more freely about his love for Galeia, and his dream of having her by his side. The Gretch listened to her friend, but rarely commented or asked for more detail.

It was her dream, she told Ajo, to roam the woods as she did now, for the rest of her existence, and have nothing but adventures and freedom.

It came to pass that Ajo thought about Galeia more than anything else. He was always searching, and waiting, for a spark to ignite within her, to see the change that would signal her desire and passion for him.

***

Ajo was alone in the study, having finished his lesson with the Queen, but instead of burying his nose in a book he used magic to conjure a vision of Galeia, which was currently sitting on the table before him.

He reached out to touch her face but his fingers slipped through the vision like mist, touching empty air. The vision scattered at his touch but instantly reformed, and when the false Galeia returned his touch with her own he felt nothing but a slight coolness on his skin.

Ajo began to draft another poem in his book, while the vision watched and kept him company. It was a comfort to have her there, and he stole more than a few glances at her as he wrote.

"You keep me from my work," he said playfully.

The door opened, and Galeia—the real Galeia—poked her head in.

"Ajo?"

He jumped from his seat and the conjured Galeia disappeared.

His heart raced, and he prayed his vision had not been seen.

If she'd spotted it, Galeia gave no indication, but slipped into the room and moved to join him at the table.

"You're always writing in that book," she mused.

Ajo looked down at the page, where he'd been writing an ode to her smile. He slammed the book shut and Galeia raised an eyebrow.

"Does mother force you to keep one of those silly things, too?" she asked.

"What?"

"Mine is purple. She gave it to me years ago and told me to write my thoughts and feelings. She thought it would help...with my..."

Darkness was the implied ending of her sentence.

"Does it help?" Ajo asked.

Galeia shrugged.

"Do you still write in it?"

"Yes, I do." She grinned at him. "No, you cannot steal a peek."

"I wouldn't dare," he lied and Galeia laughed.

"I wrote in it this morning, actually."

"Oh?"

His heart fluttered at the thought of Galeia writing something about him, but his hope deflated when she explained, "I'm writing instructions about enemies. Galeia's Guide to Besting Enemies."

"Shouldn't it be 'beating' enemies instead of 'besting'?"

"No," Galeia said simply. "I like it the way I wrote it."

"You don't have any enemies."

Galeia winked. "Not yet."

"You sound like you want to."

"I think it would be interesting to have at least one, don't you?"

"Why would I want someone to think ill of me? Or want to harm me?"

"I used to dream of battling monsters. I imagined it would be the greatest fun I could have. I wanted more enemies than anyone else, so I would never be bored..."

Her voice trailed off as she lost herself in the memory of childhood.

"What if your enemy is not a monster?" Ajo posed. "What if your enemy is more complicated?"

"How?"

His imagination sparked by his own question, Ajo's mind turned.

"What if...your enemy is someone you know? Someone you thought was a friend?"

"A friend cannot be an enemy, Ajo."

"They can, believe me. I've read many books about friends turning against each other. You'd be surprised how many wars have been waged between people who were once allies."

"So...even you and I could become enemies?"

Ajo laughed. "Never, but...it is an interesting thought. How would you go about besting me?"

Galeia mulled over the question.

"I'd trick you," she said.

"You're not good at tricks."

Galeia's smile was full of mischief. "I could do it if I had to."

"Go on, tell me how."

"I would...I would make you feel relaxed first—and then I'd attack."

"But how could you make feel relaxed now that I know your true intentions?"

"I don't know, Ajo...I just would." She paused. "Maybe you could help me with my guide. There are a few bits I'm having trouble with. But I don't have my book with me. Unlike you, I don't carry it everywhere, like I'm protecting some great secret."

She playfully reached for his book but Ajo pulled it away, a little too quickly.

"What's in there?" Galeia asked.

"It's about ruling and politics. It would bore you."

"It might." She glanced at the piles of scrolls on the table. "How long is it before you are king?"

"Three years, mother says."

"I think you will be a good king. You'll certainly be wise enough." Ajo blushed at her compliment. "Do you remember when I wanted to be your Captain of the guard?"

"To protect me."

"Yes."

"I'll certainly have enemies as king. Do you still want to be my Captain?"

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"I'm not suited for fighting anymore."

"I think you're suited for anything you wish to be."

Galeia chuckled. "That's kind. Wrong, but kind."

She pulled an empty chair from the table and sat down.

"What do you want to be then?" Ajo asked.

Her expression turned grim and he feared she was about to say something unpleasant.

"I'm sorry, Ajo."

"Sorry—for what?"

"For always teasing you. In the past I was a bit...mean. I made fun of you for always reading. While I did whatever I pleased. It couldn't have been easy for you when we were little."

"It's all right."

"But we're not little anymore, and I know it wasn't right for me to say those things. Sometimes I think you resent me because of it."

"No! Never!"

"I'm glad. You're a better person than I am, to take so much teasing and not grow hateful for it. If our roles were reversed I may have punched you in the nose."

"I would never hurt you."

"I know. You were always gentle." She winced. "Truly, Ajo. I'm sorry."

He desperately wanted to touch her face, as he tried to with the vision.

"Apology accepted."

"I'll leave you to it, then. No more teasing from me." Galeia stood from her chair. "Soon you will be king, and I'll have to curtsy and address you properly."

She went to the door but turned back to him.

"I love you." She winked and added, "My king."

She left the room, taking the air from Ajo's lungs with her.

***

"This one's about a knight and a dragon."

A strand of Ajo's hair fell over his eye and Galeia reached up to smooth it away.

It was a mild spring day and they were reclining against the tree in the field, the one Galeia raced Isolam to a thousand times in their childhood.

Galeia's days with the buck were growing fewer, and he had left Galeia on her own at the moment, offering a hasty explanation about a doe that made little sense.

The guard was tending to his post, and the younger animals were only interested in wrestling and biting each other in play, which left Ajo as Galeia's option for companionship.

Galeia didn't mind, for he had a soothing voice and was not as serious as when they were children. While he was still frequently locked inside for lessons, he didn't turn every conversation into a lecture on history or rules. She understood the heavy task ahead of the prince, and no longer held it against him for spending hours pursuing wisdom.

"I like dragons," Galeia murmured.

"I know you do."

"Will you continue to read to me when you're king?"

Ajo looked at her. His coronation was less than two years away, a fact that made his heart flutter.

"Whenever you want me to."

"You may not have the time."

"I'll make time."

"You'll be devoted to the woods. You'll have to settle disputes and make peace. You'll see. When you take the throne, these moments will fade away—"

Ajo sat up and pulled Galeia with him.

"I'll never be too busy for you, Galeia. I promise."

He wanted to tell her that he was excited, for in less than two years the announcement of their betrothal would be made. Moments like this would not fade away as Galeia feared, but would grow into endless days of love and companionship.

Galeia watched his eyes leave hers and settle on her lips. She shifted under his stare.

"Tell me the story about the dragon and the knight," she said.

She turned and leaned against him, and he stroked her hair with one hand while the other held the book.

"I thought you didn't like reading," he said.

"That was the past Galeia. She found it boring."

"And now?"

"It's not so bad if you're reading to me."

He smiled and turned to the book.

"There once was a knight who loved a lady very much, and she loved him."

"Why did he love her?"

Ajo blinked. "I don't know. Perhaps she was beautiful."

"Is that all?"

"N-no, he also admired her strength."

"Was she a fighter?"

"I'm sure she was. A beautiful fighter."

"Was she smart, too?"

"Would you like to read the story?"

"No. Go on, I'll be quiet."

"And she loved him. But there was another, a warlock of noble birth, whose station was higher than the knight. He too wanted the lady's love, but he could not turn her affection from the knight."

"Poor warlock."

"Don't feel so bad for him."

"This is not poetry, is it?"

"No.

The warlock grew jealous, and when he saw the lady accept a rose from the knight he went to her and demanded her love be returned to him alone. The lady refused, so he used his magic to transform her into a terrible dragon, and blew a great wind to throw the knight across the world. 'You will not love me,' the warlock said to the lady, 'so you'll become a beast. Now you will not have the love of anyone.' The lady, now a dragon, flew to a cave and wept for the loss of her beauty and knight."

"That's an odd thing to do."

"What is?"

"Why would she fly to a cave and not to her knight?"

"He was lost."

"Why didn't she look for him?"

"She was sad. And she was scared that he wouldn't love her anymore, because the warlock turned her into a beast."

"That doesn't make any sense. If the knight truly loves her, he would still love her as a dragon."

"Would you fly then, to meet your knight as a dragon?"

"I would. If I loved someone I would never stop."

"What if they had been turned into a dragon?"

"I'd love them. I'd ride on their back far away."

"How would you make a home?"

"I don't know. I'd build a nest or something. We'd figure it out."

"And if he wanted to kiss you? With his great big fangs and fire breath?"

Galeia wrinkled her nose. "I didn't think of kissing. I'd find a spell to turn him back."

Ajo set down the book. "You've no appetite for reading at all, do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You've gone and told almost the whole story."

"I have?"

"The knight eventually finds his love in a cave. He rides on the dragon's back to seek a witch who helps break the curse."

"Oh. What happens to the warlock?"

"He gets thrown into a pit of fire. The end."

Galeia laughed. "And now you've told the whole story. What should we do now?"

"We could talk."

"About what?"

"About...what kind of king you would like me to be."

"A good one."

"Anything else?"

Galeia sat up and studied him.

"I don't know." She touched his cheek, then his hair. She pulled on his ears. "You don't look like a king to me, Ajo."

"Really?"

"No. With your black hair and pensive eyes...you look...you look like..."

"A knight?"

"No."

He frowned. "What do I look like then?"

"You're too wise to be a knight."

"What does that leave? A warlock?"

Galeia giggled. "You're Ajo. Nothing more, nothing less. Just Ajo."

" 'Just Ajo'? Is that a compliment?" Galeia shook her head. "An insult?"

"It's a fact."

Ajo's jaw clenched, and a playful quarrel rose within him. He grabbed her hand and squeezed.

"Do not disrespect your king."

"You're not king yet."

She slapped his cheek as a tease, the same way she had many times when they were children, but with a restraint she had never used before.

"Right now you're just Ajo."

He pounced on her, and they rolled around on the ground, looking very much like silly ferrets.

"You dare threaten me?" Ajo mockingly snarled. "I am your king!"

With a strength he had never shown before he pushed Galeia onto her back. He grinned at her, pinning her hands to the ground while she struggled and cursed at him through laughter.

"Get off," she demanded but Ajo held her there.

"What should I do with this traitor? Should I imprison her? Or should I be merciful?"

"Mercy! Mercy!"

"Ask nicely."

"Mercy, please!"

"Ah-ah. Address me properly."

"Mercy, my king, please!"

"That's better."

An amusing thought came to him.

"Tell me: Who's the best in the woods?"

"What?"

"Say who's the best in the woods."

Galeia looked at him, realization blooming into her face.

"You little brat!"

"We'll stay like this until you say it."

Galeia struggled again, then fell back with a grunt.

"You're the best in the woods," she mumbled.

He lowered his ear to her lips.

"Didn't quite hear that. One more time."

"Ajo's the best in the woods."

"Who's the bravest and strongest—"

He went silent when a small shock of pain went through him.

Galeia had his ear between her teeth.

"Ow! Galeia—let go!"

"Who's the best," she hissed. She bit down firmly and Ajo yelped. "Come on, say the name."

"Galeia's the best."

"Good." She released him and he let go of her hands to rub his ear.

"Ow."

"Serves you right," Galeia huffed in mock umbrage. "King or not, I'll always best you."

A wicked grin spread across Ajo's lips and he attacked.

With the speed of a snake he pulled both of Galeia's wrists into one of his hands and held them above her head. Galeia cursed and he laughed, holding her down with his weight.

He watched her struggle with smug satisfaction.

"Let's try this again," he said and leaned in close to her face, not giving her an ear to latch onto, but touching their noses together.

His free hand moved to her cheek, but instead of caressing it, he gave it a playful pat.

"I'm going to spit on you," Galeia growled.

"I'll spit back. And every time you say or do something I don't like, I'll have to discipline you."

"You wouldn't dare—"

He answered with a harmless slap against her cheek. He knew it didn't hurt her physically—but it stung her pride, which was worse.

"If you were in my position you'd do the same."

" 'Course I would," Galeia snapped. She bucked against him in an attempt to throw him off.

"Come on, it's not difficult. Say it: Who's the bravest, most handsome king in the woods?"

"Handsome?"

Ajo stilled.

That word—handsome—changed the energy.

When Galeia moved under him, Ajo felt something awaken within. His grip on her wrists relaxed, and his eyes searched hers for the secret locked in her head.

"Ajo," she whispered. Her lips were so close they brushed against his when they moved.

He wasn't sure what to say or do.

The game they were playing had ended. It had become something different.

Ajo became aware of the chill around them, and the heat of Galeia's body beneath him.

He closed his eyes, intent on ending the distance between them, the dream of touching his lips to hers within reach—

"I'll listen to the story," Galeia whispered. "Even though I already know it. I think—I'd like to hear it anyway."

He lifted himself off of her and she sat up and rubbed her wrists. There was a moment of silence as they collected their thoughts.

"You really want to hear it?" Ajo asked.

"I won't interrupt this time, I promise."

They repositioned themselves against the tree, and Galeia chose to sit behind him, resting her chin on his shoulder to look at the page as he read.

True to her word, she did not interrupt him again.

***

"I felt it from her! She looked at me and I saw love in her eyes."

"That's wonderful news," the Queen said.

"I can't stop shaking—"

"Do you have the book of poetry I gave you? It may be time to use some of those words now that Galeia is open to your attention."

Ajo brought forth a book with green covers. He touched the silver dragon on its face, the one he'd spent days meticulously tracing and painting until the image was perfect.

Galeia loved dragons.

"I don't need your book anymore, mother. I have words of my own."