The Immeasureable Distance

As we trampled through the middle of the fields and plains of my kingdom, Freddy made himself useful by reading aloud a classic and rather interesting piece of literature.

"The bachelorettes of the many kingdoms and beyond," he read the title and Kadin stopped in his tracks.

"Why are you even thinking about going through with this quest?" he asked me as he snorted out a puff of smoke. "it's not like you're going to kill me and complete it."

"Kadin my dear dragon, let me teach you something of politics." I told him and he trotted along beside me. "See, the piece of thread from the demon spider Arachne promises to bring healing to the kingdom that it resides in."

"Our kingdom needs healing more than anything," Freddy chimed in.

"The legendary set of Ruby daggers are said to bring victory to the warriors whose hands control them." I continued.

"And our kingdom needs victory almost as much as healing," Freddy added.

"Finally a princess for a betrothal will bring us an alliance with another kingdom and heirs to make our throne stronger." I said to Kadin, hoping he would understand. "See, if I bring back everything but your head, they will still welcome me in with open arms because they will need the treasures I bear."

"Speaking of that last treasure, can we get on with the reading?" Freddy asked, flipping the pages of the large volume. 

Kadin stopped again and turned his large head to the side. "They made a directory of all the single princesses in the area?" he asked, and I couldn't tell if he was astonished or disgusted.

"Well of course," Freddy said pushing his glasses up his nose and stopping at a page with a portrait of a beautiful brunette. "This is Claudette, princess of Dominga." 

I looked at her smiling face in the mini portrait. "She was married a month ago," I informed him wishing it wasn't true.

"Well! They ought to keep these directories up to date," he flipped the page. "Oh look Oliver! Do you like her?" He asked, pointing to a dark skinned beauty with dazzling green eyes. "This is Leona of Montergro. I'm fairly certain she would fit the bill of beautiful princess." 

"Yes, but look at how old she is," I said, pointing to her birthdate. 

Freddy gasped from disproval. "thirty-two? Wow, she aged magnificently. But I suppose you're right, a little too old for you. Hey, how about her?" he said, flipping to the very next page where found myself staring at what had to be the love of my life.

"Princess Annette," I sighed as I said her name. I took the book from him and continued to take in the beautiful portrait of the brown haired girl with the shining blue eyes. I couldn't also help but notice how well the painter had accented her curves and made her cherry red lips shine. "Kadin, Freddy, this is the princess for me."

Both of them looked over my shoulder as I read the rest of her page. "Outgoing, bubbly and only lacking when it comes to brains, Princess Anette of Gulaga will make the perfect bride for any rich king to be."

"Well, then, off to Gulaga?" Kadin asked, his boredom apparent. 

"This is actually a decent plan. The giant demon spiders and the legendary ruby daggers just happen to be along the way to Gulaga." Freddy said excitedly, for the first time showing enthusiasm for the trip.

"Oh yes, we can just 'swing by' and pick them up, is that what you were thinking human?" Kadin asked sarcastically, "that we can just stop by and ask for the items and the princess and they will be granted to us."

"Kadin, please try and be civil to Freddy, it isn't his fault he's slow," I told my dragon, then turning to a forlorn Freddy I said, "he's right, you know. We are going to need a clever and cunning plan to get what we what. Except the princess, of course. For that I shall use my charm and dashing looks."

"Don't get ahead of yourself there," Kadin nudged me into walking again. "Remember, we need to get there first."

"Right, back on the quest!" I cried to my companions and the wind. "Hey Freddy, here, take the book back."

He waved a hand at me. "My bag is full, can you keep it for now Oliver?" he asked, and sighing, I swung my pack around to out the book of fair princesses into it. 

However, while I was doing this, something curious happened. The book, as if of it's own accord, flipped to q page beyond that of Annette. To a page with out a portrait, with out much of anything on it at all.

"Hey Freddy, have you every heard of a Princess Penelope?" I called to him.

Without turning towards me, he shouted, "nope. Why?"

"It's says here she ran away from her kingdom and hasn't been seen since. How interesting." I muttered, slightly intrigued.

"Hmm, a girl version of you, huh? Just couldn't stay home." Freddy said, shrugging. "Why are you so interested?"

"No reason," I said snapping the book shut and putting it in my pack. Then, after reshouldering it and adjusting the straps, I ran ahead to catch up with my dragon and servant. "No reason at all," I repeated to myself, instantly putting the strange Princess Penelope out of my mind.

It wasn't as though she would ever be in my life beyond the pages of the book that knew nothing about her. It wasn't as though I would ever meet her.