As quick as he pulled it out he launched at me, toppling me to the floor.

“Give me your finger!”

He barely asked as he grabbed my bleeding finger and pressed it on the jewel in the middle. It glowed brighter and I felt something slide into my wound. My eyes widened in fear and I tried to swipe my hand away and the prince held it still as the necklaces nettle retracted, then split something on my finger, my wound healed in seconds.

“Ha! I told you I wasn’t crazy!!! The Witch’s Grandchild is still alive!”

“Your highness,”

A strict woman stepped forward, her hands folded in front of her. Her strict platinum blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her eyes were closed gracefully, almost like they were hiding the color behind them on purpose.

“I did not say he didn’t exist, I said there's a high chance he would have died by now. Not many cities would take one of his kind in. I’m guessing you got lucky here, Alex?”

She opens her eyes, a bright violet accusing me of owning that name. The Prince’s eyes pop out at ‘he.’

“Wait, you're a guy? Hold on let me see those horns.”

He grabs the cloth and pulls it off, revealing my weakness and hearth of sadness. I try to suck up my tears before they fall, terrified of what might happen next.

“Hmm, yeah they are real. Why are you dressed like a girl though?”

“Umm, your majesty could you not…”

Mr. Reed hesitates.

“What? I’m not doing anything…”

“Ummm, i’m fine now, i’ll just make those sandwiches and go home…”

I stand up shaky, my legs shivering. Mr. Reed looks at me concerned, I start to walk to the back but a rough arm grabs me and pulls me back. Her eyes stare me down like a predator would.

“You didn’t answer him Alex.”

There is venom in the woman's voice, digging a hole in my head.

“I-I…”

I couldn't take it, I ripped my arm out of her grip and ran out of the shop, ditching the apron on the ground. I run down the streets by memory, desperate to escape. I ran into someone, I fell to the ground and Martin was also planted on his butt. His eyes widen and his friends laugh but then look at my tear plagued face.

“What!? Lina are you okay!?”

Martin jumps up and immediately starts to comfort me. He strokes my back and hugs me. I let his warmth slowly soothe me as the knights approach, with the Prince in tow.

“You realize what you just did was a crime! Stupid ram!”

The boys around me circle to the front, blocking my view. Martin just held me, allowing me to cry on his shoulder.

“Lina is no criminal! She is the sweetest lady we have met!”

“She may be called a weird lady around her but she's the most innocent thing here. I don’t know who you are, but you are blind!”

“You brats! Move! Unless you want to be arrested as well!?”

“Shut up! I decide who gets arrested around here! Don’t let the title of commander get in your head woman!”

She goes silent.

“Now, I would like my question answered but I understand now it's something better in private. I would appreciate talking with you in a private setting Lina, if that would be better for you?”

I hear the boys part, Martin still holds me close.

“How can I be sure you aren’t going to try anything.”

Martin's voice came out harsh, almost like a father protecting his daughter from a rebellious boy.

“You can’t.”

I felt Martin tense, he stood up and let me ease off of him slowly.

“Well then, what can I trust you with?”

Martin helps me stand up, his hands ruff from hard work.

“I’m not going to hurt her, okay so go haystack.”

Pfffttt

His friends crack up from the nickname, a few of the guards other than the commander. I couldn’t help but giggle. Martin looked around at the laughing group, then looked up at me.

“HEY! NOT YOU TOO LINA!”

I giggled more from his puffed up cheeks, holding a slight tinge of pink. One of his friends spoke up, erupting another round of laughter.

“Haystack!- that fits your hair too well!”

Martin’s arms came to his side and he stomped over to his pack of friends, and the prince came up to me with an apologetic look.

“I’m sorry about all the trouble I've caused, would you mind if we go to your house to talk?”

I nod slightly.

“Thank you, hey, you guys can finish your meals at the bakery. I’ll be back when I’m done talking to Lina here. Also Commander, this incident will be reported to the Kingsmen.”

The Commander throws a dirty look over her shoulder and stalks off, leading the way back to the bakery. The Prince throws his arm over my shoulders, pulling me close to his side as we start down the street.

“So where's your house?”

“Uhh-it's on the outskirts of town….”

“Hmmm, would it happen to be that stone cottage I saw coming in?”

“Most likely.”

“Then I know where to go here.”

We continued down the road, walking at a comfortable pace. The street was quiet, devoid of the usual cheery crowd of maidens. He held my close, his strong arms keeping me warm from the chill in the air. My cottage appeared in the distance, standing strong in the cold. We walked up to it and he let me go, allowing me to unlock the door. He walked in behind me and closed the door behind him. I go over to my bed and sit down at the end, my bed the only place to really sit. He sits beside me tucking his shirt beneath his butt.

“So...nice cottage…”

“Ahh, thank you…”

There was an awkward silence in the room as I twiddled my nervous thumbs. He leaned back onto his hands and yawned.

“So...can you answer my question now…?”

“Yeah I can, but, could you keep this to yourself?”

“I think I can.”

I look at him hesitant, hoping he would actually not say anything.

“Well, I am technically a ram but...my mind is different. My personality, my spirit, everything that isn’t my physical body is female. It’s hard to explain...but basically it feels like your soul was switched at birth. I was meant to be a beautiful sheep, fawned on by all the men in the land. But instead I'm one of those burly men. My body feels forean and I almost don’t want to be alive in it. I want to have kids like a woman, but I can’t. I want to have a loving husband but no good man wants me. It’s like a curse was put on me, not allowing me even an ounce of happiness…”

“Hmmm, I think I get it…to be honest your village caught the attention of the head of Kingsmen after you guys chased those corrupt Kingsmen out.”

“How…?”

A slight spike of worry poked up, poking at my heart injecting fear into it. The Prince re-adjusted, resting his arms on his lap.

“Well, the rebellion was one, traitorous, and two, unexpected. Your small village has always been cooperative with anything the Kingsmen ask of you. But all the sudden you chased a Sector out of town severely wounded. They investigated and found the corruption, so actually your town is being sent a reward for your bravery and undying loyalty. They also saw the state of the town and transferred some abandoned material in Lethan to your little town here. Which actually, I looked, doesn’t have a name for some reason. That's one reason this place went unnoticed until now I guess.”

“Now that I think about it I haven’t heard anyone call it by a specific name or anything.”

“Yeah, I find that quite interesting. But anyway, you also are the Witch's Grandchild...I was hoping I could marry you actually.”

“Huh!?”

I attach to the ceiling from how random that was. One second he's talking about the town's no-name issue then hits me with a proposal.

“Well this necklace said you were a perfect person for me.”

He holds up the necklace attached to his neck, still glowing a dull red.

“That's my Grandma’s necklace…”

“Yeah.”

“She was a witch.”

“Yeah.”

“...and that was her necklace…”

“Yeah.”

I stared at him deadpan, realizing this guy had no knowledge of Witches accessories.

“You realize that it was trying to drive you to ride off a cliff.”

“Huh?”

“Whenever someone that isn’t a Witch possesses an accessory of a Witch, they’re sense of awareness will slowly be eaten away. If they never come in contact with another Witch the jewelry usually drives then off a cliff to make it look like suicide.”

“Oh...well I meant you so it stopped right?”

“Well I guess I am technically a Witch...just give me that, can’t have my grandma killing you.”

He takes it off carefully and hands it over to me.

“My awareness will come back right…?”

“Yeah, it should come back as long as the necklace was worn, so a few days.”

“I wore it for a month.”

“...”

“What?”

“That explains your attitude.”

“You saying something?”

“Yeah, I am. Now thank you for my necklace back, I lost it when I was leaving there.”

“If you were leaving how would you forget this?”

“Let’s just say I didn’t have time to pack.”

“You got chased out?”

“...”

“Hmmm, I guess they got karma for it.”

“That's true…”

A comfortable silence fell, warming me up slightly. When the feeling wanes I realize it's freezing in the cottage. I get up and rush over to the fireplace and start a fire.

“It is a bit chilly in here…”

“It usually does on these colder days.”

“Hmm, well back to the marriage topic...I haven’t changed my mind.”

“Why do you want to marry me…”

I stare at the fire, trying to determine his intentions from his voice.

Did he just need a wife or does he genuinely want to be with me…?

“Well, you are beautiful for one…”

I still don’t turn around.

“You are stubborn but soft hearted…”

I poke at the growing fire, it seemed to be poking right back at me. His voice softened and relaxed as he continued.

“I honestly think it was love at first mention...I heard a tale of a Witch who ran for her life but still made it, hiding from the judgmental world…”

“I had no choice.”

“But you made the choice to live only as yourself, leaving any place that didn’t accept you as one of their own. Unlike me, who can only fake who I am...You're a person who can also be trusted, no one trusts me because I’m the Prince…I just can’t help but admire you Lina.”

I finally looked back at him, his face had a small smile and his head was facing the ground, tears falling down. He rubbed his eyes with his sleeve and raised his eyes to meet mine. His other hand that was pushing back his raven hair dropped back into his lap. His horns gently glowed in the flame, showing their gentle ripples. His shining dark eyes almost could embrace me by themselves with the warmth they had. The flame crackled as we sat there, lost in our own world.

Wrapping us up and keeping us enraptured in each other's eyes. It slowly pushed us closer, putting our hands together. It urged me to get closer and closer, still bewitched by the Prince’s deep eyes. He seemed to be entranced in whatever I was as well.

Warmth blossomed in my chest, I closed my eyes. My lips were trapped on his, the kiss felt like it was a promise. A contract binding us together heart and soul. I never felt so sure about any other promise before. The feeling faded and we parted, the Prince looked into my eyes with joy and hope. Asking the question again, with a sparkle in his eyes.

“Will you marry me Lina?”