“Hello again!”

Bryce did not immediately hear these words, it was the shadow of the wonderfully buff Tyler that alerted her to his presence.

His distorted physique temporarily obscured the words she was reading and she furrowed her brow in frustration.

Bryce had eagerly made her way to the coffee shop so she could read more of the epic fantasy story. The chapter she was presently on involved The Bursteads.

They ruled the South side of Earthykinda. The current ruler used to share ownership with his twin brother. Their father unable to choose between them and with no one able to remember who came out their Mother’s vagina first (there were not medical records in fake olden days) he decreed that on his death both shall rule.

However siblings do quarrel, Bryce certainly knew that as she always used to argue with her sister. It therefore became untenable for them to rule the land together.

To avoid a civil war a solution was found. The land would be split in two and one brother ruled the left side and the other the right.

Internal peace ensued and the inhabitants of the South would either be a Left or Right.

Then one day, without any warning whatsoever, one of the brothers died. Poison was suspected and suspicion fell upon the families who ruled the other regions.

This unexpected event did of course mean that the surviving brother took full control over the south. From what Bryce could work out he was a Right Burstead and his name was Tultell.

Tultell Burstead had two children, a son and a daughter, named Campleat and Ullter respectively. They were now fully grown adults and Bryce had just read that they ‘love each other’ when Tyler had once again interrupted her.

She thought it was sweet that these two siblings loved each other. Bryce could not remember once such a declaration of affection from her sister. When they were growing up it was more ‘I’m telling mum’ and ‘You’re a skank’

Bryce looked forward to reading more about how loving and respectful two siblings can be towards each other.

However, she was acutely aware that would not be happening during this lunch break, on account of Tyler’s persistent chattering.

She looked up from her tablet and smiled at him as he begun to regale her of tales of sports and gym.

Having abandoned any hope of reading any more of the book she rested her hand on her chin and listened, staring intently into those dark, dreamy eyes.

Yet her mind was still very much in Earthykinda and as Tyler told of the latest battle on the football pitch she imagined him on the field, knee deep in mud slaying hordes of an advancing army.

A detailed account of his gym session was replaced with images of him bare chested, training with gladiators. His muscles rippling as his hefty sword crashed down on to a sturdy shield.

Her brain conjured a further vivid image of him walking towards her, beads of sweat glistening of his chiselled body which bore the scars of many battles won.

When he noticed her a broad smile appeared on his face as he drew closer. What would he do when he reached her? Kiss her? Wrap those muscular arms round her petite body to bring her closer into him.

Bryce instinctively ran her fingers across the bottom of her lip. The chatter in the coffee shop had become mere background noise.

She looked up at Tyler whose lips were moving indicating that he was still talking. In her mind, Knight Tyler drew closer to her.

He was inexplicably walking in slow motion – this was her fantasy, could her brain not speed things up? Hurry up! Get to that triumphant moment when the Knight would kiss her.

He was only inches away, Bryce could almost reach out and touch him. Then she felt him…It was not Knight Tyler taking her in his arms but Real Tyler placing his hand on hers.

“Hey, are you okay?”

His words and his touch transported her out of Earthykinda and back to the monotonous reality of a coffee shop during lunchtime.

His hand was still on hers and she nervously retracted it.

“You seem to disappear for a moment there.” Tyler said with a laugh.

Slightly embarrassed, Bryce giggled and replied “Sorry! Daydreaming!”

“Nothing wrong with dreaming” he responded “What were you daydreaming about?”

Bryce lowered her head in embarrassment and could feel her cheeks go red “Nothing” she said into her lap “Just silly stuff”.

“Well, maybe you can tell me one day” he said, rising from his seat “I got to go. I’ll see you around.”

Bryce watched him as he walked out of the coffee shop. She shook her head in embarrassment before noticing him looking at her through the window.

She gave him a nervous wave and in the back of her mind a voice called out “See you soon my Knight”.