It was clear as day that the birds were dying from the frog infestation, and that somethinghadto be done. Ezra sent out his troops every night to hunt the frogs, and he even went out himself, but the birds were dying of starvation. The balance on the land was not right.
The frogs are eating all the insects.Insects and bugs that the birds once relied on… I could sense the discouragement that the birds felt. They were losing in this frog battle, and if they were losing, the kingdom and island were losing. Ezra was losing.
But what if I could help?
I thought of this as I watched the coronation.
Crowned King of Kaiora, Ezra looked magnificent. The newly crowned king stood before his people, his expression stoic, green eyes somber, crown sparkling.
"I hereby declare you, Ezra Keoki Kanahele, as the Sovereign King of Kaiora, Keeper of the songbirds, and Protector of the ‘Aina." People threw flowers into the air, filling it with rich floral scents.
And despite being in the crowd with Kalei, I thought Ezra wouldn’t see us. But his eyes searched until he found me, and a smile gently touched his lips. My heart burst as I clapped my hands.
I wished I could cheer with the others.
Festivities began almost immediately after, and while Kalei ran off to try the food, I stood by a pillar, watching Ezra. He was a perfect king. The perfect person to rule Kaiora, especially.
He must have felt my eyes on him because, when he finally had a moment, he stole away behind the pillar. A confusing mix of excitement and sadness swirled inside of me, a whirlpool that seemed to sink right into the depths of my heart: Excitement because he was finally king, but sadness because, well, I was going to have to leave at some point…
And I’ll never see him again.I brushed the thought away as he hurried towards me, extending his arms. I threw my arms around his neck, and he spun us around, his own arms around my back. It was magical, and I wished we could stay in this dazzling, warm, protective embrace forever.
You did it, Ezra! You are king!I squeezed him extra tight, taking in his fresh scent that was like rain and cedarwood and musky earth.
I couldn’t have done it without you!Ezra wasn’t one to exclaim things, but the happiness that came from his mind to mine was light, like buoyant foam on the surface of the sea.
All I can say is congratulations, my frog prince–now king!I laughed at that.
As he set me down, he kept his hands on my waist, and my hands slipped onto his hard, warm chest. The pillar, large foliage, and ferns hid us well, and I deeply wanted to kiss him.
Aulani! Oh,kelpme, I was falling for him!What a forbidden thought!
His eyes sparkled as they looked into mine, and from the color on his cheeks, I wondered if he thought the same thing.
A smile crossed my lips, and he returned the favor, the air charged between us. I looked at his lips, remembering the last two times we kissed. He wasperfectfor me…
I knew I shouldn’t, especially since I would not be in this realm forever, but I leaned in. He leaned in too, a silence before a storm, knowing that this safety and calm would not last forever, but we had to enjoy while we could…
Just as his lips were about to touch mine, his warm breath on my skin…
“Ezra, where did you–”
We jumped apart at the sound of Ho‘ohuli’s voice. He blushed, having seen us in our intimate position, our faces close together. We all blushed, actually, and Ezra rubbed the back of his neck. His cheeks bloomed like coral under moonlight.
Ho‘ohuli gave the king a look, and I had the briefest notion that they had discussed me. It was almost a warning look, but one that was also full of sympathy: even Ho‘ohuli knew I couldn’t stay here.
“Ezra, Lord and Lady Kawai’ae’a are leaving soon and wished to bid you congratulations before their departure.”
The king nodded, regaining his composure quickly, while I stood there feeling dejected and disappointed.Perfect timing, Ho‘ohuli…
Instead, I turned to Ezra and nodded encouragingly.You have so many people to talk to. I’m truly happy for you, Ezra. You are going to be the best king this kingdom has ever had.It was as if he wanted to saysomuch more, but instead, he nodded.
Thank you, Aulani.With that, he bowed, turned on his heels, and followed Ho‘ohuli, leaving me alone.
“I saw that.” I jumped to find Kalei approaching, a plate of food in her hands. We watched her cousin as he talked to his people, a kind smile on his face, as if he had put a certain distraction out of his mind. His wandering eyes betrayed him though, and when he saw us watching him, his lip twitched and looked away quickly. My heart skipped a beat.
“He doesn’t want to lose you,” Kalei said softly. “But he will… he has to. You’re not from our world, and if you don’t get back to yoursandyour prince, you’ll die.”
I sighed, and, for the first time since I’d arrived, I realized I didnotwant to go back to my world. What if I stayed? What if things worked out between Ezra and me? The more time I spent with him, the more Iwantedit all to work out.
