Following Hearts

A Walk in the Gardens

"I'll leave you to it." Ferdinand walked back into the castle, leaving Rose alone with her suitor. Rose's face burned red with embarrassment as she looked at the prince. Here he was, dressed to the nines in his deep violet blazer and silver tipped shoes, ready to greet the eloquent, respectable young princess he had heard about from his mother. And here she was, in her mud-covered day gown, with twigs sticking out of her hair. She must look like an idiot.

    Balthazar kissed the back of her palm and she awkwardly curtsied in return.

    "So, Prince Balthazar," she began, trying to find a way to finish her question and take the attention away from herself. "How was your trip?"

    "I am fine, and it was lovely. Adaia's countryside is quite beautiful, I've never seen so many sunflowers in one place before. Nevani is too cold during the winter for anything like that to grow." He smiled and offered Rose a seat on the bench. She graciously took it. "If you don't mind me asking, why exactly are you covered in mud?"

    Rose looked down at her dirt-stained clothes, unsure how to his question without giving too much away.

    "It's... difficult to explain." Rose sharply breathed in and prayed that Balthazar wouldn't ask any further. Balthazar sensed her hesitance.

    "Or is this just the latest style in Adaia?" Rose laughed and felt herself relax.

    "Yes, mud is the latest craze here, Nevani's really got to catch up." Now Balthazar began to laugh.

    "Oh, yes, unfortunately back in Nevani we're not quite as fashion forward."

    "Well, then you'd better prepare your citizens: I will be wearing a mud-covered wedding dress."

    "I wouldn't have it any other way." They shared a brief smile before Rose remembered the true reason her clothes were mud-stained: Felix. She shouldn't be here, laughing with some far-off prince when her heart was invested in another. The grin faded from her face and she turned her head from Balthazar to the ground. "So besides sporting the latest fashion trends, what do you like to do, Rose?"

    "Well," Rose pondered, thinking. "I've always loved horseback riding."

    "Really?"

    "I know it's old fashioned, but I've always enjoyed it. The wind blowing through your hair, the sound of the wind whistling through your ears, the freedom- there's nothing like it."

    Balthazar nodded in agreement.

"I've always wanted to learn, but the stable-hand back home was never a particularly good teacher."

    "Oh, I got lessons from our stable-boy. He's an incredible teacher." Rose felt the smile return to her face as she discussed her beloved. "He's patient, kind, handso-" She stopped herself. "Handy. If you wanted, he could probably give you lessons."

    "That would be lovely." They shared a smile. She watched Balthazar begin to look deeply into her eyes, the smile fading off of his face as the moment became much more intimate than she had anticipated. Rose tried to think of something else to ask, desperate to fill the silence.

    "What about you? What are your hobbies?" Rose cleared her throat and looked down at her hands.

    "I adore music. Listening, composing, performing: I love it all."

    "My brother loves music too. He's never been very good at it, mind you, but he loves it all the same."

    "Does he play?"

    "No." Rose laughed, finding herself more at ease when talking about her family rather than herself. "My father got him a clarinet for his thirteenth birthday, but the only sound Ferdinand could make on it was a high-pitched squeal. Since then, he's kind of given up on the idea of playing music and has become more keen on the idea of listening to it."

Balthazar chuckled.

"Would you like to walk the gardens?" Rose stood, her eyebrows raised questioningly.

"I'd love to."

◈    ◈    ◈

"and that's why Amelia's afraid of balloons." The couple laughed together in the moonlight. They had been walking the gardens for close to an hour and found themselves now strolling down the trail leading back to the palace. While exchanging hilarious childhood stories, Rose's anxieties about meeting the far-off Prince melted away. True, she didn't feel anything romantic for the prince, but he was not anything like she expected. He was gentle, witty, and endearing, which only made her uncertainty grow. If Balthazar was cruel and controlling, it would be easier to defy her sister's wishes and choose Felix. But Balthazar was anything but malicious, and Rose could see herself married to him. While she could never imagine loving anyone but Felix, she could picture a pleasant life with Balthazar: a contentful and uncomplicated life.

"I can't imagine your sister, the future Queen, being afraid of anything. I almost feel like I know her kryptonite," Balthazar joked as they continued down the cobblestone path. In the light of the castle doorway, Rose saw a figure approaching. The silhouette appeared to be that of a man's, toned and tall. The figure's curly hair bounced as he strode down the palace steps. Rose nearly stopped dead in her tracks when she realized the shadowed figure approaching her and Balthazar was none other but her lover: Felix.

"Why don't we go back to the gardens?" Rose tugged at Balthazar's arm, pulling him down the path back towards the garden.

"But we're already-"

"Rose?" Felix halted before the couple. When Rose saw her beloved's piercing eyes, she felt herself unwillingly melt.

"Felix," she uttered, then quickly remembered Balthazar's presence. "Balthazar, meet Felix, our palace stable hand."

"Pleased to meet you, Felix." Balthazar nodded his head towards the blonde haired boy.

Felix glared at Rose and reluctantly bowed toward the prince.

"It's an honor to meet you, Your Highness," Felix muttered through gritted teeth.

"Just Balthazar is fine." Balthazar replied in his typical charming fashion.

Rose returned Felix's unforgiving stare with a helpless glance. What was she supposed to do?

"Actually Felix," Felix turned his attention away from Rose to Balthazar. "Rose has told me about how much you've helped her with her riding."

"You could say that," Felix mumbled under his breath.

"I was wondering if you could perhaps help me in the same respect."

"I know you're busy," Rose began. "So if you don't have the time or-"

"Of course," Felix interrupted and gazed back at Rose. "I'd love to help you Balthazar."

"Fantastic." Balthazar smiled at the curly-haired boy.

"We should get back inside." Rose pulled Balthazar in the direction of the castle and threw one last glance back at her lover. Felix had already turned away.

    Rose was more confused than anything. Felix had been so angry, but he had no reason to be. He knew he was the only one Rose loved, the only one she ever loved. Didn't he?

When the prince and princess arrived back inside the palace's interior, Balthazar took Rose's hand and placed a kiss on it.

"I've had a lovely time tonight, and I look forward to getting to know you even better." Balthazar released her hand and began to make his way up the grand staircase. "Who knows? Maybe I'll even get the real story behind your mud-covered clothes."

Rose smiled, but she knew that would be a secret she'd take to her grave.