Hot Wings and Champagne – A Special Scene with Nikos from The Five Princes
“How have you never been ice skating before?” Nikos asked, laughing at me as I tried to put on the ice skates.
I frowned at him. “I’m from California, dude. This is not one of our pastimes.”
I stood, trying to get steady on my feet. It didn’t work. I fell face flat in the snow, the bitter snow biting my lips and nose as Nikos stood over me and laughed.
“Quite dignified, Princess,” he said above me.
I spit out snow. “You’re not exactly acting like Prince Charming, you know.”
He shook his head at me as I sat up and brushed the snow off my clothes.
“I took the day off from being Prince Charming,” he said. “I’m allowed three annual sick days, per my contract.”
“Shut up and help me up,” I replied.
He laughed and helped me to my feet, carefully bringing me out onto the frozen lake.
I didn’t think Aujina would get this cold in the winter, but I was pleasantly surprised at the thick layer of snow covering the castle. Nikos had surprised me in his royal jet and whisked me away from princess duties in my own kingdom for a surprise date. I was sure he was going to take me somewhere flashy and expensive, but I was touched when he brought me back to his castle to teach me to skate.
It was too bad that I was a terrible student.
“How many times have you fallen now?” he asked, after two hours of lessons.
“I lost count after twenty,” I moaned, laying on the ice. “I’ve fallen so many times that my butt is completely numb.”
He popped his eyebrow. “Do you want me to help–”
“I will cut you open with this ice skate if you finish that sentence.”
I tried to come back up to my feet, nearly falling on my face again. Nikos grabbed me before I fell, but I had already reached out and grabbed his shirt and was hanging onto it for dear life. He looked down at me and laughed.
“You look stupid,” he said.
“You act stupid.”
He grabbed me by the elbows, pulling me up to face him eye to eye. His laugh was both a mix of entertainment and irritation as he shook his head at me.
“I can’t believe you’re older than me,” he muttered. “You’re such a child in so many ways.”
“You’re not much better,” I returned.
He gave a wry smile. “Maybe that’s why we’re so good together.”
He gave me a peck on the nose, making me shiver in surprise.
“You seem cold,” he said. “Let’s get off the ice and go someplace warm.”
He took my hand and we came off the lake, untying our skates and walking towards the newly built gazebo at the edge of the lake. Warmth flooded my body instantly as we walked in, the heated lamps turning the entire closed space into a mini-tropical oasis. There was a large stone fireplace across from the entrance, a few red and black wicker couches and a coffee table for entertaining guests.
“This place turned out great,” I said.
Nikos nodded. “If you need any construction done at your castle, I can recommend the builder.”
I nodded. I had barely spent any time at my own castle, if I was honest. I was more comfortable in Nikos’s castle. There were more familiar faces here, and it didn’t feel as demanding here as it did in my new home.
Nikos poked my forehead. “Earth to Princess Marina?”
I sighed. He dropped his hand to mine, squeezing it tight.
“You’re still having a hard time adjusting, aren’t you?” he asked.
I nodded. “I knew accepting the role of princess would be difficult… but… I didn’t realize how uncomfortable I’d be all the time. Everyone expecting something from you, everyone wanting something from you, everyone watching you…”
He squeezed my hand again, this time sympathetically. “I know the feeling. Remember what I said? I’ll help you with anything you need. I meant that.”
I smiled at him. It was times like this that he suddenly felt older and wiser than me, even though I was nearly five years older than him.
He nodded behind us. “I have a gift for you. Maybe it will cheer you up.”
He took me to the other side of the gazebo, where there was a dining table filled with an assortment of foods.
“Is that hot wings?” I asked, almost jumping up and down.
“Your favorite right? I had the caterer put together —”
I grabbed his face and kissed him hard on the mouth before he could finish the sentence. He grunted in surprise, pulling back with wide eyes.
“Is that all it takes for you to be all over me?” he asked. “Chicken covered in hot sauce?”
I laughed and kissed him again, and he returned it with vigor, wrapping an arm around my waist and holding me tight.
After a few more stolen moments, we sat at the table and ate together.
“There’s no dignified way to eat these, is there?” Nikos asked, looking at the sauce all over his fingers.
“Nope. You just have to act like the rest of the commoners, Mr. World’s Prince.”
“Oh my god, I can see the internet memes now. Some chicken company would ask me to do a commercial and my respect as a prince would go down the drain.”
“You’d be an adorable chicken spokesmodel.”
“Keep disgusting opinions like that to yourself.”
We ate our fill of hot wings and french fries, accompanied by mugs of hot apple cider. The sun was setting, but neither of us were really bothered by the time passing by. That’s how it was when I was with Nikos. Always leisurely. Always playful. Always memorable.
“Do you remember this?” Nikos asked.
He turned around and picked up a large bottle, holding it up for me to look at the label. I smiled.
“It’s our champagne,” I said with a smile.
He nodded, bringing out two glasses and a corkscrew.
“The same champagne we drank the first time we came to this lake together,” he said, popping the cork. “Our first date.”
My heart warmed as he poured the glass, remembering the summer afternoon we spent on the lake last year. It was the first time we were alone together. The first time I got to see his true personality.
“I’ve become a better swimmer since that day,” I said.
He chuckled. “Good. I can’t save you every time, you know.”
He handed me the champagne flute. I nodded.
“But you saved me when I fell overboard that day,” I replied. “That was when I realized what a good guy you were.”
“It took you that long? You should have known that the moment we met.”
“You were a jerk when we met.”
He smirked and raised his glass, and I met it in a toast. He took a sip from his glass first, eyeing me for a moment before swallowing.
“You were always beautiful,” he said bluntly. “And you always saw through the act I put on for everyone else. That’s what made me love you.”
I couldn’t hold back my smile, looking down into my glass out of pure embarrassment.
“Ah, such a great confession,” Nikos said, applauding himself. “You’re lucky to have a man as romantic as me.”
I put my glass on the table, leaning forward to peck him once more on the cheek. I wasn’t going to tease him this time. I’d let him have this one.
“You’re right,” I said with a warm heart. “I’m lucky to have you, Nikos.”
“Don’t you forget it.”
“You wouldn’t let me.”
He smiled and ran his fingers through my hair.
“Don’t worry,” he said, his fingers warming me up more than the fireplace or heating lanterns ever could. “I remember every day how lucky I am to have you, too, Marina. And I have no intentions to forget.”