Waking up the following morning was surreal. Rolling over in my oversized mattress, I stare at the empty section beside me. Feeling mixed emotions, I contemplate what all of this could mean for my future. While I am happy to maintain my virtue for a bit longer, not consummating the marriage could put the alliance at risk. Is the Prince doing this on purpose? Does he want out of this marriage?

A soft knock at my bed-chamber door rises my body forward. Mira enters with some tea and her same kind smile. “Good Morning, my Lady.” My handmaid’s eyes leer over at the empty bedside. I have never felt more embarrassed, and thankful all at the same time. Sleeping alone on the wedding night maybe be disastrous for some, but my soul leaps for joy knowing that I did not lose my virginity to the selfish Prince.

“How did you sleep?” Mira asks.

Clearing my throat I reply. “Well, thank you.” Watching closely at my morning tea, Mira places it on the table beside me. Slowly I raise the delicate cup to my lips, softly taking my first sip. The aroma of Jasmine and green tea flood my senses with calm.

“I have a message from his Majesty, Prince Galleren.” Mira’s voice breaks my temporary calm. Just hearing the Prince’s name gives me anxiety.

Taking another drink of tea, I look to Mira for any sign or indication of what his message may be. “Go on.” I order.

“Prince Galleren would like you to join him for breakfast this morning. Everything has been prepared in the private dining hall.”

The Prince wants to have breakfast with me? I don’t know if I should be flattered or terrified. Either way, this is my chance to show the Prince who I am, and what I have to offer to this marriage. I pray to the Earth that it will be enough.

“Thank you, Mira. I will change my clothes, and meet his Majesty at once.”

Mira raises her brow slightly confused. “Do you not wish for me to stay and assist you?” She almost sounds disappointed, as if she thinks she has displeased me.

“The servants at home were few and far between, so I am accustomed to changing on my own. Please let the Prince know I will be there soon.”

Before leaving to relay my message, Mira reaches into her pocket and pulls out a gold compass. Carefully she places it in my hand. “What is this?” I ask.

“It is an enchanted compass, my Lady. It will lead you to any person you desire. When you are ready, simply think of the Prince, and the compass will guide you to the private dining hall. I am sure his Majesty will be most pleased to see you.”

Another enchanted item to catalog in my brain. This land is full of surprises. “Thank you, Mira. You are dismissed.”

When my handmaid leaves, I shuffle through my wardrobe armoire admiring all of the dresses I brought with me from Theora. An emerald green dress catches my attention; simple, elegant, and comfortable.

“This will do nicely,” I whisper to myself. Tossing my nightgown aside, I throw the green gown over my head, carefully slipping my arms into the sleeves. Admiring myself in the mirror, the dress fits me like a glove. The smooth stain drapes down my figure effortlessly.

Moving to my vanity, I take out my small jewelry box and pull out my pendant. Holding the brass relic, I press it softly to my lips. Please give me strength...

After placing the necklace on, I shuffle through my enchanted combs. Curious as to what the other styles are, I take the comb with a wave pattern on the handle. As I combed through my dry hair, I watched in the mirror as my golden loches turned to beautiful waves. My hair has never looked better. My mother would love these combs. I remember we would always struggle with our hair, especially during the hot summer days. If only she could see me now; she would be green with envy.

Pinching my cheeks for good measure, I take one last look in the mirror before leaving my chambers. If I had a little more time I could present myself better, but I don’t want to keep the Prince waiting.

Closing my door behind me, I hold the golden compass and do as Mira said. Think of the Prince… Think of the Prince…

Soon after sending my thoughts to the object, the needle starts to spin pointing in my desired direction.

Taking the compass’s lead I walk through the halls of the palace, till I reach a large oak door with golden details around the frame. The arrow was pointing straight forward, which must mean that the prince is just beyond this barrier. Taking a deep breath I knock politely, just in case the compass did not lead me where I wanted.

As the door opens, a palace servant appears. “Your highness, Princess Ariella has arrived.” As the servant holds the door open, I walk inside to see a small dining table set for two. The sight of plates covered in fruits, bread, and meats makes my mouth water. I must be more hungry then I thought. When I enter the room, the Prince rises from his chair.

“Good Morning Princess. Thank you for joining me.” With poise, I curtsey for the Prince’s acknowledgment. “Good Morning Prince Galleren. It is my pleasure to accept your invitation.”

Motioning to the empty seat across from him, I take my place at the breakfast table. “I trust you slept well?” The Prince asks politely.

In a pleasant tone, I reply. “Yes your Grace.”

A wide smirk paints across Prince Galleren’s face. “Come now... There is no need to lie, my Lady. You must be disappointed to spend your wedding night alone?” He is toying with me. I can tell he is enjoying this far too much for comfort, but I will not take the bait.

“It is kind of you to think of me so, but I assure you I have no ill will about our wedding night. All I wish is for your Highness’s happiness.”

“Ha!” The Prince laughs. “Aren’t you just the perfect little Princess.” Snapping his fingers, the Prince calls over one of his servants holding a jug of wine. As the servant proceeds to fill our glasses, I interject my thoughts. “I am far from perfect your Grace.”

Sipping from his glass, the Prince continues. “Agreed…” His attention moves to the necklace around my neck. “What is that pendant you are wearing?”

Looking down at my chest, I hold the sacred brass symbol in my hand. “It is the symbol for Earth, my Lord. I brought it from Theora.”

Taking a small piece of bread, Prince Galleren continues to engage in conversation. “Is that your God?” His sarcastic tone alerts me to tread lightly. The Xosta Kingdom’s do not follow any religious practices and tend to mock others that do.

“No your Highness. We don’t follow any God, but pay homage for the Earth and all its beauty, and the bounty it provides.”

Starring toward me, the Prince stays silent and continues to eat off the table. Feeling the pressure of his gaze, I sink my teeth into the food and wine in front of me.

“Tell me, Princess… With your faith background. What were your impressions of our baron lands? We have not seen even a blade of grass for longer than I have been alive. Why does the Earth not provide us, these fertile lands that you speak of?”

How do I respond to that? At the core of our beliefs, we believe that goodwill towards others and care for the Earth are the keys to prosperous soil. From what I have observed thus far, Xosta does not do either of those things… I will answer his question with a question.

“When is the last time you tended your fields or gardens?”

The Prince snaps, “We don’t bother. Nothing will grow. The King would rather put the laborers to better uses.”

“Perhaps your Grace would consider hiring a few extra workers for the palace gardens. With enough work and care, I am sure that you would be blessed with greenery.”

The Prince’s body language is withdrawn. He doesn’t think it will work. I can’t blame him. It is difficult to believe in something you have never seen.

Leaning over the table, the Prince says. “Do you really think it could work?”

“Yes my Lord. With all my heart.” Gently patting his napkin to his mouth the Prince cleans his face of any leftover morsels from his meal.

“Then you are a bigger fool than I thought. Sir Esteve! Please escort the lady back to her chambers. We are finished here.” Before I had a moment to defend myself, Sir Esteve waltzed in like an obedient guard dog waiting to escort me from the Prince’s presence.

Standing tall, I bow softly taking my forced exit gracefully. As the dark Knight walked me back to my room, I notice that he is more quiet than usual. My inner empathy for the people of Xosta pulls at my heartstrings. I can’t help myself when I see someone in need.

“Does something trouble you Sir Esteve?” The Knight proceeded with his silence. I should have known better to get an answer.

I expected to enter my bed-chamber alone, but to my surprise, Sir Esteve followed. Closing the door behind him, he broke his silence. “Galleren doesn’t take you for a fool.”

The Knights’ words were unexpected. “What do you mean Sir Esteve?”

“The hunger in Xosta has grown significantly worse over these past few years. With Theora regulating most of the local trade, it has been a challenge to acquire the supplies we need. It is an issue very close to his Majesty’s heart. This has been one of the more heated arguments toward the two Kingdoms.”

Prince Galleren must blame my family for the poor trade to his Kingdom. This is why he is so bitter with me. “I will write to my Father. Surely now that we are allies, we can share our produce.”

The Knight shakes his head. “I am afraid it is not that easy, my Lady. For the issue is not your Father, but of the individual traders who are refusing their services.”

“Then farming your own resources is Xosta’s best option…” If I could somehow improve the Kingdom’s food resources, perhaps it will allow the Prince to have me in his good graces.

“Sir Esteve, please ask the Prince if he would allow me some flower seeds, and a small garden area in the Palace. I would like to take up gardening as a leisure activity.”

With a bow, the Knight says to me, “As you wish, my Lady.”

🜃

Not long after my request, Mira informed me that the Prince has granted me a garden in the palace, along with a variety of seeds to plant. I am overjoyed as I riffle through all the different flowers to choose from.

Putting on my gardening dress Mira and I head to the garden to begin our work. The garden is small, but all great things must start from somewhere. The soil looks like the rest of the Kingdom; dry, and dead. Picking up the dirt with my fingers, the granules slip through my fingers like sand. The drought in Xosta has left their lands in the dryest condition I have ever seen. This will take a lot of work, and thankfully Mira is here to help me.

Hoeing and plowing the area is time-consuming. Cutting into the ground was like trying to cut rock. My muscles ache, crying out for me to stop, but I am determined to do this. I would rather try as hard as I can, then not try at all.

As the sun beats down on us, the heat begins to drain our energy. Beads of sweat drip down my back, warning me to quit while I am ahead.

“My Lady…” Mira whizzes. “We have been at this for hours. You should rest. We can pick up where we left more tomorrow.”

As Mira’s words ring in my ear, my limbs tremble as if shaking me to listen to her. Looking at what we have accomplished, the garden is almost prepped and ready to plant. With my current fatigued state, I fear if I do much more it will not be done as well as I would want.

“I agree. Let’s stop here for today. We will continue our work tomorrow.” My handmaid sighed with relief.

Carefully we set our tools aside, placing them upright. Feeling the sweat on my forehead, I use my sleeve to wipe away the tiny droplets of discomfort. When I raise my arm, I become suddenly aware of my odor. I wrinkle my nose, nauseated that I was able to produce such a smell.

Mira sees my reaction and giggles. “Bath, my Lady?” She asks.

I nod. “Please.”

On our way back to my bed-chamber, Mira leaves me for a moment to prepare my bath. With some free time, plan to take a moment and consider what I wish to plant first. Roses? Lilies? The possibilities are endless!

I want to have a beautiful garden where I can go to, relax, reflect, and be with nature. The Theora Castle gardens gave me so much comfort at home. I want to recreate that here.

Closing my bedroom door sent a surge of exhaustion through my bones. Perhaps I did overdo it today. I haven’t worked like that in a long time. The breeze from my open wind hits the sweat on my skin. The cool water now calming down the fire in my pores.

“What a mess.” I am surprised by the Prince’s voice coming from the corner. There he was, sitting patiently at my writing desk.

“Y-your Highness! I was not expecting you. I-” Standing up, Prince Galleren stops my rambling. “Relax. I just came to see the hardworking Princess for myself…” He glances over my dirty exterior with judging eyes. “Some say that a true Lady would never break a sweat, but rather send someone to sweat for her.”

With the combination of his sarcasm and my exhaustion, I feel the urge to speak out of turn. “If you truly want something done right, you should do it yourself. I am not one to shy away from hard work.”

“Interesting concept,” he adds. “Does that apply to everything you do Princess?” As Prince Galleren moves closer to me, I instinctively walk backward to keep my distance. The cool feel of the stone wall hits my back, stopping me from any further motion.

Clearing my throat, I attempt to keep my composure. “Yes, your Majesty.” Just a few inches from me, Prince Galleren caresses my cheek. Softly he trails his fingers to my chin, lifting my face to his. “How hard are you willing to work for me?”

All of the tension in my body rushes to my face. Without warning the Prince leans in and kisses me for the second time. The impact of his lips on mine pushed my heart into overdrive. This is different than before, but that familiar spark remains. My mind flashes to the first time we kissed at the alter. Like before, my nerves had overcome me, but when our lips touch, all of it fades into the distance. Normally I would be thinking about if I was presentable enough, or about his true intentions; but as we held each other, my self-conscious tendencies flew out into the breeze, as I leaned into his deep and tender kiss.