Magic simply continued weeping at the foot of the king's chamber door, the king himself unable to grasp the behavior of the eccentric princess. He questioned her words, yet her mannerisms caused him much annoyance and now even great doubt. Perhaps it was necessary to get to know her a bit better before making her the mother to his heir and thus the queen of Fontana, lest she be a complete madwoman.
The king waited for the princess to stop crying, which took about an hour, then he opened the door and requested that the ladies of the court, who remained outside the royal chamber, escort his bride to her quarters, decreeing she was not to leave until he commanded it.
The princess had swollen eyes from crying so much, feeling deeply ashamed, the imprint of the king's hands still visible on her arms from when he had seized her fiercely to throw her onto the bed, leaving her hair tousled in the struggle to escape her husband's grip at that moment. She walked slowly to her quarters, her body feeling as if it weighed four times more; those who saw her presumed it was the consequence of becoming the king's wife and that the experience hadn't been pleasant for her; far from it, she didn't even understand what being married meant.
Upon entering her quarters, the door was locked from the outside, and the young princess threw herself onto her bed, wrapping her petite frame with a blanket to weep once more, her tears only ceasing as she finally fell asleep.
The next morning, the naive princess looked in the mirror and told herself she had to endure and continue living. She had promised her mother, the last time she saw her, that she would "fight to survive" and she was determined to fulfill that promise. She went to the washroom to tidy up, managed to wash as best she could and ensured her teeth were clean; she tied her hair back in a ponytail and rummaged through the wardrobe for clothing, finding all the dresses quite plain, but to her they seemed beautiful; she chose one in sea green. Once ready, she went to look out the window, her spirits lifted by the singing of the birds.
Meanwhile, the king in his office was signing orders for the commencement of the reconstruction of schools and hospitals that had been destroyed during the war.
"There have been comments that the princess had a rather rough night. I'm glad you heeded my advice and that the marriage has been consummated," said Tesko.
The king no longer wished to hear more advice about the princess, allowing the royal advisor to assume that he had taken Majic as his wife, although it reminded him again of the young princess's tears and made him question once more whether she might have been sincere.
The butler knocked at the door, informing him that breakfast was ready, so he ordered that his wife be summoned.
"Her majesty must have pleased you since you're now calling her to breakfast," commented Tesko with a look that irked the king, who preferred to remain silent.
Majic was enjoying the birds' song when she heard the lock of her room being opened. Standing immediately, it was a couple of the court ladies telling her the king was waiting for her at breakfast; still nervous, she followed them, knowing she had to eat to live, regardless of her fear of seeing the king.
The princess approached the table and was astonished by the variety of dishes served. The king pulled out a chair for her, but unfamiliar with the protocols, she remained standing and started eating the food with her hands, devouring it hastily. If her life in the tower had taught her anything, it was that the only certain meal was the one she received in the present; tomorrow guaranteed nothing.
The king was taken aback by the princess's behavior; it was implausible that a well-bred princess, no matter how pertinacious, would act in such a manner. Although he found it annoying, he allowed the princess to eat her fill and then arranged for the necessary utensils so she could wash up.
"Bring a coat for my wife; we are going out," said the king, taking everyone by surprise.
The Royal Advisor, hearing the news, hurried to catch up with the king before they boarded the carriage.
Majic looked out from the carriage, wary of the advisor's gaze, which, for some reason, frightened her considerably more than that of the king, as it seemed murky and strangely desirous towards her; thus, she fixed her gaze on her own feet.
"Are you taking the princess for a stroll, your majesty?" inquired Tesko, not taking his eyes off the princess.
"I need to inspect the reconstruction work; I want her to see what her father has done. Is there a problem, Tesko?" the king asked.
"I fear that after becoming intimate, you may develop feelings for her. Remember who her father is," said the Royal Advisor.
"It didn't slip my mind last night, and it won't ever slip my mind. Stop worrying, Tesko," said Fortem, placing his hand on his friend's shoulder.
The king boarded the carriage, and during the journey, he observed his wife's expressions carefully as the young princess looked along the path, resembling a confined puppy warily surveying the unknown. Upon arriving at the first school being reconstructed, he assisted the young princess out of the carriage. After the previous night's events, Majic felt highly uncomfortable being touched by his majesty.
The king closely supervised the work while noting his wife stood motionless beside the carriage, simply looking around. After several hours, he brought her water to drink, which the young princess gratefully accepted, not daring to do anything that might displease her husband.
"The war with your father caused much damage to our kingdom; that's why this peace treaty is important. I apologize for being overly harsh with you last night," the king said.
It was the first time anyone had apologized to her, and she didn't know what to say; she was like a wounded bird, too frightened to fly.
"Please, be honest with me. What does it mean that you were a forgotten princess?" the king asked, for the first time not looking at her sternly.
The myriad attitudes of the king confused the girl greatly. He was severe and yet kind to her, able to say hurtful words but also offering comfort. He could be hateful when he touched her like the night before in the room or make her feel something special like when he danced with her; everything was new, and she had no idea how to act in response to it all.
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