Collide

Chapter 1

I sat in my garden, toying with a pen in my hand. I stepped around, crushing the grass beneath my feet.

I looked up at the sunset, the pink and orange colors filled the sky, the clouds turned pink in the distance where the sky was blue.

" Matthew!" Andrea, my maid, yelled. " Dinner is in two hours!" She waved her handkerchief in the air, on the top of the stairs.

I walked down the path, in between the Willow trees, them drooping above my head, their long strands of pollen bending down like streamers floating on a bar.

I unhooked the gate and entered my secret garden, I had kept it since I was a child.

I kept it well kept, and made sure it was still green and colorful. In the middle was a pond. A pond that was clear with blue water, that showed your reflection the way it was, I was so scared of what I might see, I didn't ever dare stare into it.

I sat down next to it and I threw a couple rocks. I checked the time and I started to pick at the flowers, making sure they were healthy.

I walked back, to my well, castle and my parents say at the table, waiting for the food, discussing the feud between our opposite kingdom Noléa.

" They have taken it too far, I'm beginning to wonder if I should start a war." My father raised his voice, and slammed his fist against the table.

" Fredrick, don't dare say such things." My mother said, gasping.

I sat at the table and my father calmed, he sighed and took my mother's hand, looking her in the eye. How I longed for a love like theirs.

I know, a man longing for love, crazy. But when you are deprived of all the love a parent could give you, and everyone else, you long for it.

My mother turned to me, acknowledging my presence, she smiled with a warm smile and I gave her a twitch of a smile back.

" Matthew, I yearn to see you smile." My mother said and I smiled, half heartedly.

" Your mother is right, a life without a smile is a life without any sign of happiness." My father said and I gave them a small smile.

My father leaned back, looking defeated, but he managed a smile.

" Such a handsome boy. Right Andrea?" My father asked turning to Andrea.

Andrea looked up and nodded frantically. " Very handsome, could be a king." Andrea said giving me a friendly wink.

My mother beckoned me to sit closer, and I did so, sitting to the left of my father, him as the head of the table.

I looked across the table to my mother and she smiled at me, I looked down at my silver wear and stared at my exaggerated reflection in the spoon.

I have never found myself to be as attractive as people say. Even if I was attractive, I'm not very personable, I'm too blunt and too, well hard cut. I can't even talk to my parents without sounding too, serious. I chose to say as little as possible.

" Matthew, would you say grace?" My mother asked grabbing my fathers hand, him grabbing mine with his free hand.

" yes." I said and they shut their eyes. " Dear Lord, thank you for this meal, and the privileges we have. Amen." I ended it as soon as I could and when I opened my eyes, they were setting up my parents plates.

" Noléa owes us potatoes still." My father said and my mother sighed.

" Would you not bring this up." She said cutting into her meat.

" How can I not, they are my only worry, other then that our kingdom is safe and efficient." He said sounding proud.

" Fredrick." My mother said giving him a deathly stare. " I want to have one nice dinner, without talk about anything but our family." She said and then turned to me, cutting my roast. " Our son is basically a mute." My mother said throwing her face in her hands.

I looked up startled and my father smacked the back of my head.

" Ma, I'm not mute." I said and she looked up crying.

" I know, but we never spend time together, all you do is train train train and we don't get time together." She said and I smiled at her, cheering her up a bit.

" Ma, I don't have much to say." I said and she nodded.

" You have lots of things to say." She argued and I sighed.

" what would I say?" I asked and she shifted, thinking of what i would say. " How was your day?" I asked my mother and she grinned.

" It was magnificent!" She exclaimed. " Your father and I entered the kingdom today to talk to our subjects, they are the sweetest. Everything looks great, a handful of people have money troubles but that can be easily fixed!" My mother said excited. " Fredrick, how was your day?" My mother said turning to my father who had a mouthful of pork roast.

" Good, Matthew did you train today?" My father asked and I nodded.

He nodded and throughout the rest of dinner, was my mother and father talking, and me silently stuffing my face with food.

When I was finished I stood with my plate in hand.

" Matthew, wash up, the ball is tomorrow." My mother said, not merely interested in me at the moment, but swooning over my fathers battle stories.

I nodded and grabbed their empty plates as well and set foot to the kitchen.

Andrea greeted me with a smile and grabbed the plates firm my hands.

" How was dinner?" She asked and I nodded.

" Very good." I said with a small smile and she patted my arm.

" Do you expect to meet a lady tomorrow?" Andrea asked and I shook my head. " why on earth not?" She asked setting the plates down and putting her hands on her hips, looking upset.

" I just don't expect to." I said and I walked to the door.

" Hey, goodnight." She said tapping her cheek.

" Goodnight." I said leaning down and kissing her cheek.