The end of the world where my dreams begin.....

"The clock has struck twelve. Prince Felix was staring at the parchment Liana has given him before her journey to the Haldiva, her kingdom. The entire village was sleeping calmly. Felix tried to shoo away the blood-sucking beetles around him. Liana crossed his thoughts. What she is doing this night? Do they give her a mattress? She never used to sleep on the floor, and she always used the softest of the pillows. Will, she....". Riya looked at Aida, who was snoring. Vimmy was concentrating on her homework, and Zen and Ron were watching something on the phone. It offended Riya, it was not the first time her friends ignoring her favorite plot.

She was about to leave when suddenly Zen talked. "I am sorry, it really bored us. I told you to tell us the plot. But".

"No, all of you hate romances and I am fine with that".

"Don't say that. I like love stories, but this one you read, it is stupid." Aida said a yawn interrupted her.

"How could you say that? They locked Princess Liana in a fort and Prince Felix has to cross a sea in a bewitched boat, a mountain with a beast, an invisible forest, a valley of ghosts, a village of cannibals, and the worst he has to fight with the strongest wizard ever lived to get her back".

"That prince is damn serious about her dude." Ron teased, and the group laughed.

Vimmy was serious. "Whatever, I don't care about your book or anything. It has been a week since the project has completed, and you did nothing. Four of us went to the field, and we had a hard time, while you read that dumb book, comfortably in your home. And you promised us you will make the report and you have not even started it".

"Vimmy, please, five more chapters remaining and that is it. I will write the report, sure".

"Everyone has submitted the report except five of us, and we are busy. I have my science exhibition coming. Vimmy's mom is sick. Zen is practicing for the football tournament day and night and Ron".

"I won't do that, that's all. It's your job." Ron interrupted.

Riya closed her book, tucked it inside her bag, and started leaving.

"I am serious. Friday, I will tell the staff you did nothing, and Ms. Diana is looking for a reason to give you trouble".

Riya was thinking about Prince Felix. Will the villagers recognize him? Will they kill him?

On a beautiful October morning, she walked through the street listening to the chirping of birds and the cheerful noises of kids playing in the street. The flowers have fallen on the footpath. She remembered Prince Felix. He first saw Liana on a day like this. Liana was collecting flowers for her vase. Suddenly one of her servants stepped on a fallen flower and crushed it. Liana shouted at her and ordered her not to crush a fallen flower again. Prince was hunting in the forest and he heard her. He fell in love with Liana from that moment. Riya tried not to step on any flowers as she felt a prince is spying her.

She focussed on the flowers more and bumped into a signboard. She screamed and wiped the blood. Zen and Ron rushed to her.

"Riya, what is with you? People are laughing at you. Come out of your dream world." Ron talked and Zen wiped the blood with a kerchief.

"I am fine".

Riya went straight back home, Prince Felix had a similar incident by falling from a horse when Liana saw him. An accidental smile crossed Riya's face.

"What happened to your head and why are you smiling?" Her confused dad asked.

"Oh, I am home? I am sorry, dad".

Riya ran to her room. "Blinded in love", she took the book and opened the thirty-sixth chapter. Prince Felix was in the valley of ghosts.

"And she is my life and soul. You can take what I have with me now, but it is nothing without my beloved. I will give you my kingdom and all I have with me, but just let me see her and feel that beautiful scent of her. Let me fill it in my memories and you can take me with those". A tear fell down from the ghost's pale eyes. It made a river, and the ghost made a boat from the willow tree and asked prince Felix to draw the boat towards the north. Riya watched the orange sky through the windows. Felix is close. He will reach Liana soon. She imagined Liana waiting for him with her eyes fixed on the only window in the fort.

"Riya, still you are reading. Come out of the room. Your friend called you thrice today. You have not even started the work." Her dad standing in the doorway reminded her of the wizard, stopping Liana from dreaming of her prince.

"One more chapter, Dad". She opened the book again and dad left mumbling.

Days passed. Riya was in her room. Wet tissues filled her dust bin. It confused her dad.

One day when she woke up, Zain was standing before her. "Are you okay? Why are you not coming to school?"

"O God, today is Friday. I am sorry. And how was your match?"

"I didn't go. But I have completed the report and talked to Vimmy, she is okay. Get ready and come to school".

Riya broke off. "Liana, she was cheating him. She married that cruel wizard".

"O, is it? What happened to the prince?"

"They killed him. The wall fort had enchanted walls, and he got blind when he peeped through a hole and it was easy for the wizard to defeat him".

"So the wizard killed him".

Riya wiped her eyes. "No, Liana said she won't go with him, and she took the offer of the wizard and.... and Felix jumped from the fort and".

"Fine, I got it. But this all stupid, right? If he is intelligent enough, he must have hired someone, some better wizards, or someone like that. He had a kingdom to take care of and he killed himself for a girl? I mean, what kind of prince does that? O I am sorry. But I admit he took a lot of trouble for the princess".

"She was blind to real love".

"Most of the girls are. So shall we go now".

Riya nodded. "But that match, you practiced really hard. I am sorry".

"Forget it. Get ready now. Our friends are waiting". Zain left.

Riya took the book again and once again looked at the picture of Felix and Liana riding on a white horse. She threw it in the bin and dressed for school.