Anita was quite positive that no human besides Alex walked with such a hasty pace. The stroll through the garden was supposed to have been peaceful, yet Alex was making it seem like an army training camp. Alex kept pace ahead of her, not slowing down or looking behind himself to see Anita struggling to keep up. Secretly, Anita cursed the impractical creation that was the gown, but she pushed forward anyway, determined to keep up. The monotony began to set in, however, after they passed a certain rose bush for the third time. Anita determined that they had been walking for ten minutes, without the slightest hint of conversation. Sighing to herself, she realized it was too much to hope that Alex would be as kind to her as he had been. She stopped near a bench and wiped the leave off of it with a swish of her hand, and sat. It was only then that Alex looked back.
“Princess Anita, tired already?”
Anita looked up and glared at her gleeful tormentor.
“If I had known you agreed to do this just to torture me, I would not have come.” Anita said. Ignoring her etiquette training, she slouched back on the bench and let out a dramatic sigh. Alex grinned and walked over to her.
“So I take it that you are done, then?” Alex questioned.
“Why are like this? For a brief moment I thought you actually liked me as a human being. Yet, here we are.” Anita said.
Alex sat next to her on the bench and leaned back too, his gaze concentrated on a bird perched on an apple tree among several colorful blossoms. Anita looked at him from the corner of her eye. As usual, he was ignoring her. But then he
spoke.
“I can’t say I don’t like you, Anita. It’s just that I really don’t know what to think of you, that’s all.”
Anita turned and faced him. He was looking her in the eyes, his jaw set and his brow furrowed in thought. She remembered being this close to him earlier, and a small blush crawled up her cheeks. Alex caught her expression and smiled.
“I see that you like me, huh?”
Anita gasped and drew back from him.
“That’s not true! It’s just that I find you…interesting. That is all.” Anita said in the calmest tone she could manage.
“Interesting? Well, princess, I suppose I find you “interesting”, too.” Alex said.
“Is that a compliment?” Anita asked.
“Maybe.” Alex leaned towards her to the point were Anita could hear him breathing. She turned around to meet his eyes, which were closer than she had ever seen them. Looking closely, they were as blue as the springs that she had back home. Alex drew closer, their noses were touching now. Anita’s eyes widened. She had read of moments like these in her books. She felt her face turn red, but she didn’t look away.
“Alex, are you…” she began, but then Alex simply ruffled her hair and drew away, holding something green in his hand.
“You had a leaf in your hair,” Alex said casually, “It was stuck in there pretty good.” He blew the leaf off of his hand and it fluttered onto Anita’s nose. She thought the leaf might ignite into flames, her face was so hot.
“Oh. Thank you.” she only said, ignoring the pangs of confusion in her heart. She grabbed the leaf and held it in her palm and looked at it, her head down and to the side so Alex couldn’t see her expression. She heard Alex sigh and scoot to the far side of the bench.
“Anita, I think it’s time that I told you something,” Alex began.
Anita turned to him, hoping that her face wasn’t so red now.
“What is it?” she said.
He faced her quickly, his expression urgent.
“It has to do with-“
The sound of a trumpet filled the air. It was a catchy sound, but incredibly loud. The birds that had been watching Anita
and Alex in the trees flew away in a startled fashion. The couple both jumped and Alex looked towards the castle wall.
“The guest call? Maritha certainly hasn’t been expecting anyone.” Alex said.
“Who do you think it could be?” Anita asked.
Alex’s eyes narrowed.
“No one good.”
It was only a moment later when a servant rushed over to them, his face flushed with the exertion of running so far. He straightened himself and said,
“Your highness, your presence is required in the meeting room.”
Alex stood up and quickly walked with the servant, then paused and looked at Anita.
“We’ll talk about this later, okay?” Alex said.
Anita wanted to ask what they were talking about in the first place, but she only nodded her head and smiled.
“Okay.” she said.
When Alex was gone Anita let out an exasperated sigh and lay down on the bench, her eyes closed. When Alex had gotten close to her, her heart had sped up so quickly she was quite sure it would explode. She pondered for a moment then let
out a groan.
“He wasn’t going to…kiss me, was he?” Anita said.
And regretfully, as she said the words out loud, she realized that she had wanted him to. She sat up with a start and put her hand to her heart. Shaking her head, she gazed over to where Alex had left, and she felt something come over her.
Something strange, but she didn’t know what.
She got up and followed Alex’s direction. She walked through the ornate halls, but soon lost track of Alex’s direction. Then she heard the sound of someone whistling. She peered around a stand of knight’s armor and saw Jean walking towards her. His eyes lightened in surprise.
“Oh, your highness! I was just on the way to the meeting hall.”
Anita smiled and brushed her hair out of her face.
“The meeting hall? Why, I was going there to! Could you take me?”
These things are dreadfully dull, but I would welcome you in if only I were allowed”
Anita picked at her gown and looked away.
“It’s just that, I wanted to-um, say something to Alex. So I thought I would wait for him.”
Appearently that was just the right thing to say, because Jean perked up and nearly jumped in excitement.
“The meeting hall is that way,” he said, pointing, “It might be a long wait though.”
“That’s fine! Thank you!” Anita said. She scurried down the hall, and Jean walked briskly behind her.
The meeting hall door was huge and made of thick wood. Anita was awed just by looking at it. Jean pushed against them and winked at her.
“You can’t follow, but please wait for us, okay?”
Anita nodded. After Jean left, she looked around to find somewhere to sit, but shortly after she did she heard the sound of giggling. She followed the sound to a small dark passage that seemed to be a less used way to the meeting hall itself. She caught a group of girls pressing their ears against the wall and laughing hysterically.
“Hush, I can’t hear a thing!” one girl said.
“What are you doing?” Anita asked.
One girl looked at Anita and jumped back in surprise.
“Princess Anita! Oh my, we must appear to be fools, don’t we?” the girl said.
“Please don’t mind us. We are only eavesdropping!” a giggling girl said.
“Molly! Hush!”
“Well it’s true! The walls here are very old, and though made of stone, there are some loose spots in the wall where you can hear everything!” Molly said.
“It’s mostly boring,” said a girl with blond hair, “but sometimes they talk about giving gifts to the servants, which I appreciate.”
“Sometimes they give us sweet rolls!” Molly said excitedly.
Anita raised an eyebrow and smiled.
“Mind if I listen, too?”
~ ~ ~
Alex, as he walked briskly through the corridors of the castle, thought most fervently that he was going insane. He had almost kissed her! And quite frankly he would have done it if not for the sudden image of girl standing near a lake popped into his mind. The same one that always appeared in his dreams. That had stopped him dead in his tracks. He was glad he was fortunate enough for a leaf to have fallen in her hair so he had an excuse for his actions.
A lame excuse, he thought to himself.
“Um, your highness, the meeting room is this way. That way leads to the stables.” the man that had fetched him said.
Alex snapped out of his angry thoughts and smiled at the man.
“Of course. I was just testing you of your knowledge of the castle. You passed. Good job!” Alex said, giving the man a thumbs up. The man only shook his head at continued walking.
That’s right, Alex thought to himself, we have someone new here at the castle.
He furrowed his brow and pondered who on earth the visitor could be. He nearly walked into the giant wooden doors in his concentration. He looked up at the man to his side.
“We are here, sir.” the man said. He left Alex.
Alex pressed against the giant wooden doors and into the meeting hall. The hall was giant by most peoples standards, with high reaching stone walls that lead up to a vaulted ceiling. The only furniture in the room, however, was the giant table in the center, and the fifty something chairs that encircled it. A large fireplace burned ferociously to the back of the room. Alex was surprised to realize that there were only four people in the room besides he. He saw the coy look of Prince Robert, the desolate look of his father, and a man that had not been yet seated, his face hidden from view. He was happy to see the relaxed face of Jean, who had just walked in behind him.
“Ah, my son,” King Alexander said, “it is good to see you. We have had the honor to be visited by the General Heinrich of Ciel.”
The King, who generally had a happy demeanor, had a look of sheer weariness about him. His eyes were droopy and his mouth was turned down into a grimace. The man, who Alex took to be the general, turned to face Alex.
“Prince Alex, heir to Maritha. It is a pleasure to see that you do well.” the man’s deep voice rumbled.The man ran a large, tanned hand through his sparse brown hair. Alex saw that this was a person that he would never want to cross. It wasn’t just Heinrich’s size that was intimidating, it was his air. It was the air of someone who had seen more battles than no man should, and he had a long, thick scar through his left eye to prove it.
“It is an honor to meet you too, General.” Alex said, shocked at how small his voice sounded.
They all sat down, and a silence fell over them like an iron sheet. The general folded his hands on the table and looked around, making eye contact with everyone in the room. When he felt satisfied, he opened his mouth to speak.
“Let’s get down to business, shall we?”
King Alexander frowned, but nodded his head.
“As you know, your highness, the world is at war. You have been doing your best to hide it from your country, but now it is banging at your doorstep.”
“The concerns of your country have nothing to do with mine, general. Maritha is neutral and it plans to stay that way.” King Alexander said.
Heinrich grimaced, but continued anyway, his hands raised up in defense.
“You have not even heard my proposition. Maritha has been on the neutral ground for a long time, and Ciel respects you for this. But the Katanians are getting desperate. They are sending out fire squads and anything they can do to kill as many as they can.”
“The Katanians have never had an issue with us; we have no issue with them either.”
The general slammed his hands down, sending a loud bang resonating through the room.
“They are blood thirsty creatures!” he spat, “you dare say you have not issue with them? They are killing innocents
everyday, pillaging any city they can just to get resources!”
The king’s eyes lit up and he leaned across the table, regarding Heinrich calmly.
“Have you behaved any differently?”
Heinrich’s face turned a deep red, but he took a deep breath and calmed down slightly.
“It sounds that you have a liking for them, your highness.”
“I only have a liking for peace, general. I do not believe siding with you or anyone is the best way for the peace that I envision.”
“But your natural resources are tremendous! Have you know idea that you sit on a trade route that would give us a straight shot the Katanians? Your army is strong and ready. You could help Ciel, the whole world if you just listen to my offer!”
The king smiled, but it was not a happy one.
“I’ve listened to General Black’s offer. I’ve listened to General Kilik’s offer. Tell me, is your offer any different?”
Alex drew back, surprised. He was aware that there was a war outside the Marithan borders, but he had not known that his own father had even talked with the Cielian generals before. He gave a look to Jean, and Jean responded with a shrug which meant he knew nothing either.
Heinrich drew back and smiled darkly, he let his gaze fall to Robert.
“Prince Robert of Corin. I’m certain that your father has considered my offer for an alliance with your country? I am sure it is an offer that you can’t refuse.”
Robert pursed his lips and closed his eyes for a moment.
“We have been working for an alliance with Maritha, but it seems that will not be likely, judging by the limited success of the matchmaking,” Robert said, eying Alex with a bemused expression. “My father has considered that an alliance with
Ciel might be beneficial.”
Heinrich grinned and leaned back in his seat, his narrowed eyes focused on the king.
“Excellent, excellent. Of course, by denying Cielian access to your borders, King Alexander, you are now no longer a friend to Ciel. And by the looks of it, no longer a friend of Corin. I am sorry that it had to be this way. Please do contact me if you change your stubborn mind.” The general said. He stood up from his seat and walked smugly to the exit. He paused and looked at Alex with a bemused expression, just like Robert. “The only heir, huh? The only heir…” He left.
No sooner had the door slammed then Alex pounded the table with his fist.
“You’ve agreed to an alliance with Ciel, Robert? We have been resisting them for years! You traitorous little-“
Robert stood up and looked at Alex, his expression blank.
“As far as I’m concerned, you became the traitor when you refused to bind Maritha and Corin through marriage with my sister. This isn’t about you, or love, or anything of the like. This is politics. Good day.”
“Wait!” King Alexander said.
Robert turned and looked at the king.
“Yes?”
“Would an alliance to Maritha be preferable to one to Ciel, your highness?”
“In my father’s eyes, yes.”
Alexander turned to his only son.
“Alex, you know what you have to do.” Alexander said.
Alex drew back, his had shaking back and forth.
“No! Father, you must understand-“
“This is no longer about you!” the king roared.
“But I can’t! Elise wouldn’t want-“
King Alexander had already gotten to where Alex was standing. He grabbed his son by the shoulder and shook him with
such a force that Alex’s head began to hurt.
“This isn’t about Elise! Elise is dead and gone, and she isn’t coming back!”
Alexander’s voice softened and he pulled his son close to him.
“But you are still here, Alex. You must realize that you are here for a reason. You know what you have to do. I’ll give you
till sunset, but then you must propose to Princess Anita. Understand.”
Alex stepped away from his father and stood rigid before his father.
“I understand.”
~ ~ ~
Anita drew back from the wall, eyes distant. The girls had already gone, after discovering that today’s talk wasn’t about sweet rolls. She was getting married, she thought, so why did she feel so awful? Soon she would be the queen of Maritha,
but she did not care in the least.
Oh, I know why, Anita thought, It’s because I love him, isn’t it.
And he doesn’t love me.
She pulled herself into a ball and pushed herself against the wall and held back the tears that were coming to her eyes. She was going to enter a loveless marriage, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Why did she have to become so attached to Alex? He was arrogant and sly, but he was also kind hearted and considerate. And he hated her. She shook her head and stood up.
“No, no! I’ve come too far for this! I just need to blow off some steam!”
She wiped the tears from her eyes and swallowed her fears. She walked out of the castle and away from the gardens,
each step heavy for her.
She was going to the lake.
_____________________________________
(Reviews are appreciated!
)
