Waltzing Love

What a Wonder

"What a wonder you are to me..." I began to sing the lullaby my mother sang to me when I was a child, "The art of Imagination..." I continued, "You're so gentle, oh, you're so sweet-" I paused as I heard rustling in the bushes that grew in the soil, which was carefully laid by the goddesses, in my deceased mother's garden. My head jerked in the direction the noise came from, nervous that someone heard me singing.

Withered statues of goddesses towered around the garden, as kudzu climbed the pillars. A brown, and an off-white bunny made a beeline out of the bush towards the bench I was sitting on. A sigh of relief escaped my lips. As the two bunnies began to lay down in a patch of grass near me, my mother's favorite bird, a Splendid Fairy Wren, soared out of the clouds down to the bird bath that sat a few feet away from me. I felt a pain in my chest, I missed my mother so much. "Are you all here to listen?" I asked the critters that surrounded me. "The greatest gift of creation..."

I finished up and slipped away from the garden, which my father doesn't know about, only my mother and I do. Well, I only know about it. It was sundown, as I walked through the castle's Rose Garden when a new guard, that was guarding the door to the west wing of the castle, said sternly, "Your father wishes to see you in the Throne room." He opened the grand door, "Okay, thank you." I smiled at him and made a journey to the room where my father awaited me.

"Daughter!" My father let out a manly chuckle, "Come sit with me." He smiled. As I walked through the tall area, I couldn't help but think about my mother and me moseying through the throne room. I couldn't get her out of my mind, for some reason. Carefully, I stepped up the stairs in my somewhat big off-white dress with puffy sleeves, looked at my father, grinned, and sat down in my seat. There are three thrones but one of them has been empty for exactly 5 months now.

"You wanted me, father?" I questioned while I clinked the tips of my shoes together, nervous that he was going to tell me more suitors were on their way. He stood up and began to pace around.

"As you know, it is now the season for Royal Balls to be held," he paused and looked at me to make sure I was listening, "Ahem?" He cleared his throat. My head snapped up from looking at my shoes to his serious eyes.

"Sorry, father." I apologized.

A small wave of silence filled the room as he stared at me, "Anyways," He continued, "You were invited to a ball, hosted by Prince Dion. The castle tailors will be making your dress, so quickly now, go upstairs so they can get your measurements." He looked at me and smiled.

"Of course, father, I'll be on my way then," I stood up and hugged my father as he kissed my forehead. I held the skirt of my dress up to walk down the small flight of stairs. I looked up at the ceiling in awe, it was very detailed. Naked angels were smiling and waving at the goddesses while sitting in their little clouds up in the blue sky.

Quietly, I walked through the east wing halls when suddenly, one of the maids looked at me and smiled as she dusted the painting of my grandfather. Her hair was a bright fire orange with a little streak of black, and the dress she wore was the same color black as the black in her hair if that makes sense. Usually, the maids wash their dresses every night, but her dress had years of dust and stains on it, and her skin was ghostly pale. I've never seen anyone like her...

I looked at her, smiled, and continued walking until I was a couple of feet away from her. I looked back only to see nobody in sight.

"What the?" I whispered to myself. My eyes snapped left to right trying to seek out the women, but no one was there.