Cristo, You're No Fun Anymore
By Benjamin J. Maniquis

        Princess Alena was angry with him again.  It was happening more and more often, but 
Cristo couldn't get used to it.  He made his way down the hall and into the courtyard.  She 
wasn't there either.  He hated it when she did this.  She'd get angry, yell at him, maybe 
even throw a punch or two.  Then she'd run off and disappear, leaving him to wonder what 
he'd done wrong.  He walked around the castle pondering why he was even trying to find her.  
If she was as angry as she was when she'd stormed off, it would be like sticking your hand 
into an open flame.  He entered the garden next to the main portals of Santeem Castle, but 
she wasn't there either.  He cursed and began to leave.
        Before he made his exit a voice called to him.  "I'm right here Cristo."
        "Alena is that you?" Cristo turned around.  The voice was coming from behind some 
plants.
        "No, it's another princess who you ratted out."
        "Alena, come out of there, this is ridiculous."
        "Go to hell, Cristo."  She sounded like she had been crying or was about to start, 
but Cristo had only seen the princess cry once before.  They were children then.  They'd 
been play-fighting, and Cristo had pretended that Alena had killed him.  "And I'm not 
crying." She added.
        "But why are you hiding in a bush?" Cristo demanded.
        "Because I'd rather be in here than out there with you."
        "Oh come on!  What did I do wrong?" Cristo finally exploded.  "I was worried about you, 
alright?"  He moved up to the bushes where Alena was hiding and sat down next to them.  "And 
now I have a responsibility..."
        "There you go again!" Alena suddenly emerged from the bushes.  She walked through them 
to where Cristo was sitting.  "Always talking about you're stupid responsibility and your 
duties.  I don't know what my father and Brey have done to you, but ever since they announced 
you were going to be the new chancellor, you've changed."
        "How have I changed?"
        "You Cristo, are no fun anymore."
        Cristo stood up.  "What do you mean?"
        "Just what I said.  You're no fun.  I don't think you even want to be my friend 
anymore."
        "I am the same person you've known for years."  He was getting angry.  "It's just that 
now, being the chancellor, I can't let you just sneak out whenever you want and keep quiet 
about it.  Your father himself made it clear to me.  And of course I still want to be your 
friend!  What are you saying?"
        "Then why do you listen to Brey and my father but not me?  You don't even talk to me 
anymore."
        "Well Brey made a good point that it would be more dangerous for you now."
        "Why?"
        "Well let's face it.  You're a pretty girl and he says since you're almost a woman now, 
someone might try to take advantage of..."
        "What?!" Alena got right in Cristo's face.
        Oh god, thought Cristo.  What did I say?  Then he realized it.
        "Almost a woman?"  Alena was really mad now.  "When do I become an entire woman?"
        "I'm just saying what Brey said.  You know I didn't mean it that way!"  Cristo made 
a mental note to never quote that old geezer again.
        "For the past couple of months, you have been building up this high-and-mighty 
attitude, and I've had enough!" With that she slapped him across the face.  He staggered 
back.
        "What do you want from me?" Cristo was really frustrated.  "You're the princess.  No 
matter what you do, your father can't fire you.  If I slip up, I'll probably have to live 
with my parents in Branca.  This is my chance to be someone important!"
        "Oh, so you weren't really worried about me?"
        "I was!  Why are you trying to make me into such a jerk?" Cristo was at the end of 
his rope.  "You talk about how I've been acting lately.  What about you?  This entire week, 
you've been acting like a royal bitch!" He clapped his hand over his mouth, realizing what 
had just come out of it.
        "Oh my god." Alena was dumbfounded.
        "Oh god." Cristo couldn't believe he'd said it himself.  "Alena, I'm sorry.  I..."
        Alena suddenly ran forward and tackled him.  They rolled around for a while before 
Cristo managed to push her off.  "What the hell are you doing?" Cristo demanded, getting up.  
"And why are you laughing?"  He looked around to make sure no one had seen.
        Alena was indeed laughing.   She had a wide smile on her face.  "What happened to us 
Cristo?" She lay down on the grass and chuckled.  Cristo watched her with a puzzled look on 
his face.
        "I remember when you first arrived at this castle.  How old were you?  Lie down, 
Cristo don't hover above me like that."  Cristo obliged.  He lay down a moderate distance 
from her.  "See?" She cried seeing his position.  "Why in the name of Rubis are you lying 
all the way over there?  That's what I'm talking about.  It's not just that you told my 
father that I snuck out, but you don't like to get near me anymore.  Do you think I have a 
disease or something?" She gazed at the sky dreamily.  "Why can't it be like it was before?"
        "Well it's different now." Cristo said.  "We aren't children anymore."
        "Then why do people always treat me like one?  You used to be the only one who spoke 
to me like a friend.  Like I wasn't a stupid little kid.  Recently, you've been talking to 
me the way everyone else does.  Like I can't decide anything for myself." She sighed.  "Be 
my friend again.  I don't want to lose you Cristo."  She said it sincerely, it wasn't just 
one of those things she said when she was having one of the mood swings that seemed to occur 
more and more often.
        This was a sort of revelation to him.  Cristo had been so absorbed with his new title 
of Chancellor he hadn't noticed how he was changing and what it was doing to him.  He had 
also apparently forgotten that she was his best friend and not his "responsibility".  "I 
don't want to lose you either Alena." He stated after a moment of silence.
        She looked at him.  "Then why don't you lie next to me?  I'm two years younger than 
you, why do you have to act like you're so much more mature than me?"  He got up and sat down 
right next to her.  She grabbed his hand.  "Ah, human contact." She laughed.  "It's been a 
while.  Why are you so tense still?  And what do you mean things are different now?"  
Suddenly it hit her.  She let go of his hand and stood up.  He sat up, wondering what was 
going to happen now.
        "Is it because of these?" She asked sticking her chest out.
        Cristo's eyes became as wide as dinner plates.  "What are you doing?  Stop that!"  He 
got to his feet quickly and looked around to make sure no one was watching.  Alena doubled 
over with laughter.
        "I knew it!" She cried.  "Why does this make you uncomfortable?  You've seen me naked 
before!"
        "Shhhh!" Cristo's face was turning bright red.
        "Is that why you don't get close to me anymore?  Are you afraid you're going to 
inadvertantly touch my...BREASTS?" She said it loud.  Cristo was practically dying of 
humiliation even though there was no one there.
        "Will you be quiet?" Cristo grabbed her and clamped his hand over her mouth.  "Look, 
it isn't just your uh...breasts.  Do you remember the last time we went out?  At the end of 
spring?"
        "Mmm hmm?" she mumbled.
        "When we went swimming?"
        "Mmm hmm?" She pulled his hand off her mouth.  "Of course I remember.  It was the first 
time we'd gone swimming together in...oh."
        Cristo nodded his head.  "The first time in about five years.  I never noticed until 
then that you had uh...grown up.  I guess you didn't give it a second thought, because you 
just whipped your clothes right off.  I didn't know what to do when I looked at you and 
instead of seeing my friend the Princess Alena, I saw...a naked woman.  Then, you started 
getting all moody."
        "Cristo, this is so funny."
        "How is it funny?" Cristo demanded, but he was starting to see it himself.
        "Everything that's happened today.  I may never look at you the same way again."
        "Then you'll know how I feel." Cristo looked drained.
        A voice called from inside the castle.  "Alena, it's time for your science lesson!"
"Brey.  Ick!" Alena started to walk away.  "Meet me here tonight Cristo.  I have something 
really important to talk to you about.  Among other things."
        "ALENA!"
        "I'm coming you old goat!"
        "Old goat?!" Brey cried indignantly.  Alena ran through the doorway.  Then a second 
later, she stuck her head back through.
        "By the way.  I noticed you too.  I'm not oblivious Cris, I just don't see why you make 
such a big deal out of everything."  She ducked back inside, leaving Cristo to have some time 
with his thoughts.

        That night, Cristo sat in the garden again.  After a few minutes, Alena appeared.  She 
had a serious look on her face.  "Alena?" Cristo walked to meet her.  She put her arms around 
him and held him for few moments.
        "What was that for?" He asked.
        "Nothing, really.  I just feel kind of strange." For the first time, Cristo noticed that 
she was dressed for travel.
        "Alena what..." She interrupted him.
        "I'm leaving Cris.  Not just to Surene, I'm going far away this time.  Tonight."
        "What?  You can't!" He'd thought that the troubles were at least partially resolved 
after all that had happened the last morning.  "I'm not saying this to save my position or 
anything!  I really don't want you to get hurt."
        "Please Cris." Alena looked at him.  "If I don't get out of here now, I'll be stuck in 
this castle forever.  I'll never get a chance to prove that I can take care of myself.  I'll 
never be able to do something on my own." She couldn't tell what Cristo was going to say.  He 
had a look of sadness on his face, and there appeared to be a struggle going on within his own 
mind.  "Why do you think I've been acting so strange lately?  I'm at the end of my rope."
        "Where will you go?" He asked finally.
        "Everywhere," she said quickly.  "I plan on going up north through the mountains first.  
There's a town called Tempe up there."
        "Why did you tell me?  After all, I did tell your father where you went last time." 
Cristo already knew the answer though, and he also knew he'd never be able to tell her father 
this time.
        "Because I wanted to say goodbye to you.  My father has Brey waiting at my door to make 
sure I go to sleep, so I'm going to sneak out through there." She hugged him again.  "I'm so 
nervous right now," she said.  I wish you could go with me, it's going to be so exciting!"  
Then she ran off.  Cristo stood in silence, once again wondering what to do.

        "Cristo, are you alright?" The King of Santeem walked into the library where the 
chancellor was sitting.  "Chancellors tend to hold their positions for a long time.  I hope 
you aren't sick of it already."
        "Your majesty, I'm not sure if I can accept your offer." Cristo stated painfully.
        "Why not?"
        "Because, I don't think I could serve you honestly."
        "Is it because of her?" The king pointed out the window.  In the distance, Alena was 
running towards the town of Surene.  "You know my daughter better than anyone Cristo.  Go with 
her."
        "What?" Cristo couldn't believe what he was hearing.  "What do you mean."
        "Go with her.  I know she's planning to travel farther than she has ever gone before."  
He looked out the window sadly.  "I worry about her, but I know now that there is no way I 
will ever keep her here.  Brey is waiting downstairs for you."
        "You knew what she was planning?"
        "I am not as oblivious as she thinks I am.  Go to her.  Accompany her and even though 
she may not want you to, take care of her." Alena was now just a small speck in the moonlit 
distance.  "But remember that she is your leader, and let her choose her path.  It is what 
she wants and if she doesn't get it...  The world has gotten more dangerous.  I've had
dreams...  Never mind, Cristo.  She has a destiny she must fufill, and I must allow her to
do it.  But not alone."

        Alena was making good time when she heard horses approaching her.  She turned around 
to see Brey and Cristo galloping towards her.  They both stopped next to her.  She looked up 
at them angrily, and saw that they were leading a third horse.  "Get on." Cristo said, 
smiling weakly.
        The smile caught her off guard.  "You aren't going to try and take me back?"
        "No," Cristo said.  "He's decided to let you go.  Within the borders of the kingdom 
at least."
        "We've been sent to accompany you." Brey said. 
        "And," Cristo began quickly, seeing Alena was about to refuse.  "He says under all 
circumstances, you are the leader.  You are in charge.  We won't treat you like a child or 
anything.  You said you wished I could go with you."
        "Well let's go then."  Alena said finally.  "Let's go then!"  She mounted the horse.  
After taking a few steps, she suddenly turned towards Santeem Castle and shouted. "Thank you 
father!  Then she punched Brey in the arm.  He glared at her sternly.
        "C'mon Brey!  Smile, we're going on an adventure!"
        He shook his head, but couldn't supress the smile that was visible even through his 
long beard.  Alena hadn't been this genuinely happy in a long time, Brey was glad at that.  
Their relationship had been more than a bit strained as of late.
        "Cris," Alena leaned towards him.  "If my father hadn't known, would you have told 
him?"
        "No." Cristo said.  "But I would've followed you anyway.  I couldn't just let you go 
off by yourself."
        "Why do you worry about me so much?  I may end up protecting you."
        "Oh really?"
        "I could beat you up Cris." She grinned at him.  "You've never been a better fighter 
than me."
        "I was holding back," Cristo returned.  "I could beat you."
        "I'm sorry I said you weren't any fun anymore."
        "I'm not any fun." He laughed.  "You were right."  Brey sighed as he listened to this 
conversation.  He'd hoped Cristo would be a second voice of reason on this trip.  Now it 
appeared he'd be the only one taking thing's seriously.
        "Look at Brey," Alena said, noticing his expression.
        "Brey," Stated Cristo, turning towards him.  "You are no fun anymore."