“Nari dear! Come down! Time for breakfast!” Marilla called up to Nari’s room. Nari sat up and looked outside. She gazed out at the cherry blossom that was playing with the ocean breeze. She smiled to herself as she remembered that it was the last week of school. She’d been counting every Monday as another step toward summer vacation. She rushed downstairs still dressing. She ate breakfast and gave Marilla a quick peck on her cheek while she ran out the door.

At school, Nari’s history teacher, Mr. Barbour, repeated his stupid speech of how once upon a time, Placenia was ruled by the brilliant Placenian rulers but now we have to obey the laws of the stupid, stupid Naplisan troops that govern what is now a part of the Naplisan Empire, and bla bla bla, excetera, excetera. When he reached the middle of his lecture, right before he told his favorite part, a hand shot up. He was irritated, really irritated, you could tell. Mr. Barbour glared at the hand’s owner.

“Well, Mr. Phineas, what was so important to you that you couldn’t wait until I was done?” Mr. Barbour boomed in a voice he reserved for such occasions.

“Ah ... well...um...well you see sir, you promised that you would tell us about the lost princess and since you were at the part, well, um ... I just thought that it um...wouldn't hurt to ask.” Samuel  Phineas said as he turned bright red.

Mr. Barbour sighed. ‘Well, I did promise, and it is fitting to tell it now when they’re listening.’ He thought. 

“Oh, if I must.” He said out loud. “About seven years ago, after our beloved queen died, we all experienced the great invasion of our country, as you all should know, They did kill the king, like cowards, in his sleep but rumors have it that the princess survived. Carted off to some foreign land, not dead but lost. Yet no one knows for sure.”

“And what happened to her?” Michel asked.

“Gone. Lost. Off the map. Don’t you all know what lost is? You should.”

“Yes, but how do you know if he’s lost not dead?”

“Mike, the princess is a she not a he.” Nari corrected.

“So?”

The classroom burst into a gabbling chorus. It sounded like a zoo full of baboons. This Mr. Barbour did not appreciate.

“Enough!” Mr. Barbour shouted. “ I will not tolerate this nonsense. Michel, Nari is correct and you wrong. Also, your question was not on topic, it is not your business what I know or what I think. So I advise you, all of you to drop this conversation, and not bring it up for the rest of the lesson! So shut up, and get on with your work!” He paused, scanning the classroom for a single challenger. He found none of course.

“If any of you have any appropriate questions, come to me after your classes.” With that he shook himself as if to fill himself with confidence and proceeded with his lesson.

When the final bell finally rang, Nari made a beeline for Mr. Barbour’s office. She didn’t wait for permission to enter, she just barged in.

“Siridooevereetheincess?”

“I beg you pardon?”

“I’m sorry. Did you ever see the princess?” Nari repeated. 

After Mr. Barbour got over her dramatic entrance, he answered, “Yes, I have.”

“Wow, you have? In person?”

“Yes.”

“Did she really disappear when the Naplis invaded?”

“Yes, she did.” He looked sad, lost in thought.

“Sir, is something bothering you?”

“Oh no. I was just remembering better times. Sixty-three is an awfully old age, you know.”

“Oh no I didn’t. I’m sorry I asked.”

“Don’t be. Most of the time I am grateful for being so old. Hey, did you know that I am King Edward’s fourth cousin marriage once removed by?”Mr. Barbour told Nari with a playful grin.

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

“Thank you for saying so.”

“So, you mean...like... you lived with him?”

“Ah no, no, no! Just because I was his cousin doesn’t mean that I lived with him.”

“Hmm... I just thought...”

“You thought that I saw him? Of course I saw him! He and I were playmates since ever. I was invited over and over to the palace on his request. We were friends until he turned thirteen!”Mr. Barbour spat bitterly.

“What happened then?”

“He started to realize who he was and how important he was in society.” He sneered, towering to his full height of six foot five inches, he continued, “When he turned thirteen, he started thinking he was to good for me, that I was just a little boy, but oh no! He was the most important one of all. When he turned thirteen, he was busy doing royal stuff, doing noble deeds, he was too busy to spend time with his little cousin Lukus!” Mr. Barbour panted trying to catch his breath.

“Sir, can you please calm down! Are you feeling alright?”

“Yes, yes, I’m fine, thank you, it’s just that I don’t speak of my cousin anymore so I kind of get frustrated when I do.” Mr. Barbour told her when he calmed down. He glanced at his grandfather clock. “Good Heavens! Look at the time!” It was nearly five in the evening. “Well, Nari, I’ll see you tomorrow at classes. Good Night. I’m sorry you had to witness one of my horribly awful temper tantrums.”



When Nari approached the cottage, Nari saw Marilla in the garden weeding.

“Good Afternoon Marilla!” Nari hugged Marilla as she straightened up. Marilla however, didn’t hug back.

“It’s more like evening don’t you think?”

“Oh yeah...about that...”

“About what? What exactly is that? Huh? What time do you come out of school, may I ask?” Marilla cut across Nari’s words.

“At three-thirty, mother.” Nari replied quietly.

“And what time is it now?”

“Five fifteen, mother.”

“So where in the world were you?”

“I was at school with Mr, Barbour, my history teacher, dis...”

“Oh now you’ve got yourself landed into detention! Oh no miss, you’ve gone too far in my book.” Marilla roared, breathing hard onto Nari’s head.

“Mother! You’re not listening!”

Marilla stopped and blinked, “Oh...ah...I’m sorry dear.”

“What I was saying, was Mr.Barbour and I were discussing the lost princess.”

“Really?”

“Yes, Marilla.”

“I remember that. When she disappeared after the invasion.”

“That must have been horrible.”

“Yes, it was.”

The garden was bathed in a golden shower as the sun sent its last warming rays upon the little house. Nari and Marilla just stood there breathing in the delicious air.