Short Stories <3

Garden of Wisdom

The day always started with the birds chirping, followed by Amara waking up and getting ready for her day. By the time she started making breakfast, her husband will wake up and begin his morning routine. Like usual, she saved away at the stove to make a scrumptious breakfast for the man, only for him to have a few bites before running off to work.

Every time, she'd bid him a loving farewell. Every time, she'd watch his receding figure with eyes of sorrow. Every time, the ache in her heart got worse. But not once did she complain. Not once did she speak up. No, she kept it all locked away and foolishly believed that it'd get better. Every day, she'd lie to herself and say, "That's okay. Tomorrow will be different." And every day, the cycle repeated.

Miraculously, that wasn't enough to break her. At least, not yet. As she cleaned the house or tended to the gardens, she'd fantasise about romantic scenarios with her beloved. If not that, then memories of when they were young and stupidly in love flooded her mind. Those memories were so dear to her - so close to her heart - but should she ever ask her husband about it, he'd repeat the same response as before: "Oh, really? We did that? That sounds nice." Amara would always feel a small crack in her heart when those words were uttered. But what was she to do if not try? Why shouldn't she try for the man she loved? Shouldn't she try to make this marriage work?

Naturally, she vented to her friends about her relationship problems. Her heart cracked once more when the only advice they gave her was,"I'm sure he cares for you. Don't let these little things bother you, all relationships are like this at our age. Why, even our King and Queen have a dying relationship!" It was a lie - a horrible, heartbreaking lie. Sure, the King and Queen had a failing marriage, but the circumstances are different. It must be! She was just a lowly commoner while they lived lavish lifestyles in the Royal Palace. Though, she will admit that her friends' words also awoke something in her. She hadn't a clue what, but it was burning and her mind was brimming with ways to distract herself from these negative emotions.

She immediately got to work. She still greeted her husband cheerfully, but it stopped at that. There wasn't much love in her voice or eyes anymore, but it's not like her husband noticed. While he was at work, she'd treat herself. Jotting down recipes in a small notebook, thinking of ways to make her garden look even more stunning and even sipping a hot cup of tea on the porch. It wasn't much, but it worked. There were days she'd visit town for no reason and just enjoy being out and about. She'd talk to strangers - lovely people, excluding the one or two grumpy passersby - and smile more than she has in years.

She kept up this routine smoothly. Even when her husband returned home later than usual or reeked of alcohol or had lipstick marking his skin, she never batted an eye. He saw that as a sign to continue whereas she saw this as a sign to, perhaps, leave. Thoughts of leaving this loveless marriage and living on her own plagued her mind, but every time she mustered enough courage to finally leave, she ended up staying. No amount of planning or reassurance could change this. So, she let the thoughts remain as they are: mere thoughts.

Until she met a rather mysterious individual.

The first thing she noticed was his eyes. It was a striking green that gleamed like jewels under the sun but still held a calculative glint behind its gaze. Oddly enough, it looked...familiar. She quickly told herself she was wrong; only the King has green eyes. His smile was broad and rivalled the sun, even when he was merely greeting a passerby. There was a pep in his step as he scanned his surroundings; his eyes eventually landed on Amara. She immediately tensed with a flush coating her cheeks - embarrassed that she was caught staring - before whirling around and going back to organising her porch for teatime. Unbeknownst to her, something momentarily flickered in the man's eyes before he approached her with his most charming smile.

"Good day, Miss," his words were coated with honey and his voice may as well have been velvet, "Pardon my intrusion, but may I ask what you're doing?" 'This is the first commoner I've seen without their partner...' he couldn't ignore the intrigue that ensnared his mind.

Amara jumped with a loud gasp, spinning around with a hand on her heart. For nothing longer than a moment, she sputtered like a fish out of water. Her manners kicked in like second nature - leading her to curtsy politely and apologise for her actions.

"It's nothing to concern yourself with," the man chuckled. Her mannerisms were quite charming—surely her spouse was at work, right?

"Well then, to answer your earlier question, I was organising my porch so that I can have tea. Would you like to join me?" A polite smile stretched across Amara's lips.

"I don't see why not," the stranger's eyes crinkled at the edges as he responded. "Oh, I almost forgot to give you my name. I go by James," James bowed in greeting. "May I know yours?"

Amara chuckled at his antics before curtsying. "I go by Amara, kind Sir. Would you like milk or sugar in your tea?"

"No thank you. I'm one of those oddities who prefer plain tea."

"Ah, another of my kind," Amara sighed dramatically, "I can die happily." She comically wiped a fake tear from her eye. The two shared a laugh at her antics before she left to fetch the tea and hopefully find some biscuits to offer her new acquaintance.

James used this time alone to observe his surroundings. For some odd reason, his heart was heavy in his chest. Was this the result of a dying relationship? He already lacked a loving relationship with his wife and friendly relations were not an option for a King. Loneliness became his best friend over the years, and now here he is: exploring the land he rules over to compare his relationship to others'.

And although he wasn't the only person in a failing marriage, nobody else was trapped like him. While he was bound to his wife for the sake of his appearance and his people, everyone he saw had the option to leave. Yet—and this was rather curious, if you asked him—none seemed to realise that. The one thing he yearned for was in the palm of their hand but they were completely blind to it. It annoyed him. Every unhappy expression on a mother's face and every stoic father made James' chest crawl with irritation. Though, he made sure to calm down quickly. Of course everyone was stuck in an unhappy marriage—women didn't have as many job opportunities as men and their pay was significantly lower as well. For them, marriage was a means to survival.

Before he could spiral any more, James crashed his train of thoughts into a brick wall. He needed a distraction, so his eyes drifted to his surroundings. The porch was cosy and quaint—the best combination. His eyes drifted to the garden and he fell under its spell of entrancement. He couldn't focus on anything else as he gazed at each flower or hedge. The flowers seemed to form a colourful river that swayed gently in the breeze. Each hedge was trimmed neatly and in round shapes, making it look like polka dots scattered throughout the stunning flora. James' even spotted his favourite flower: zinnia.

The outer petals of the zinnias were a deep pink while the inner petals were a bright yellow that all but glowed in the sun. 'It's rare to see someone who knows how to care for zinnias,' he inwardly mused. His eyes wandered even more and he noticed a bush of orange marigolds. A twinge echoed in his heart at the sight of his wife's favourite flower. His lips turned upward, but there was no mirth in his eyes to match. 'Here I am wondering about Ms. Amara's husband as if I deserve that title. How foolish.'

The front door swung open and out stepped Amara with tea and biscuits. With a small smile, she set the table and poured tea for the two of them. Amara, not being much of a conversationalist, relished the silence that blanketed them after she sat down. James, however, seemed to have been the opposite.

"This is the first time I've seen a commo- I mean, someone who knows how to care for zinnias," he started, "May I know who taught you?"

Pink lips stretched into a fond smile and a sharp mind noticed the slip-up. "My mother did. When I was a child, there were zinnias growing right outside our garden wall. She saw it once and was hypnotised by its beauty, I swear. After much trial and error, the flowers practically glowed. Naturally, I was her little helper throughout all of that so I picked it up." Amara chuckled at the memories flashing in her mind's eye. 'Oh, what I'd give to return to a simpler time,' she wished as she gently blew on her tea.

"Zinnias are my favourite flower," James paused to sip his tea, making Amara send him a stupefied stare. "My wife, on the other hand, absolutely adores marigolds. Our garden is filled with marigolds of all colours and hardly anything else." Mirth danced in his eyes as his gaze switched back to the orange marigolds.

"You and your wife have good taste. Personally, I love oleander. The variety of colours it has reminds me of summer. I even used it in my wedding as centerpieces for the tables," giggled Amara. 'So she is married,' James concluded. 'Though, I can't say it's been a happy one.'

Only a fool would miss the bags under Amara's eyes. Her movements may seem peppy but her steps were sluggish. Almost every other household had a garden but none could compare to Amara's; the women of the family were usually too busy taking care of their children or spending time with their family to tend to their gardens to this extent. James' eyes subtly lit up when the thought of children popped up in his mind.

"Amara, if you don't mind me asking," her nod spurred him on, "do you have any children?" Green eyes carefully analysed Amara's reaction to the question. From the pursed lips to the twitch of the fingers—James caught it all. Amara stared at her reflection, debating whether or not to tell this complete stranger such personal information.

Yet, he never felt like a stranger. She couldn't place her finger on it, but James seemed incredibly familiar. The warmth he exuded could rival the sun's. 'Maybe...it wouldn't hurt.'

She took a deep breath, tightening her grasp on her cup. "I...was never able to conceive. It never really bothered me, but it bothered everyone around me. No one wanted to marry someone who couldn't bear children and my parents eventually gave up on finding someone for me. But, when I met my husband, it was the first time someone didn't mind the fact that I couldn't conceive. It felt so refreshing, as if colours had returned to my monotone world. That's probably why...I truly believed he was the one..." Amara's downcast eyes got lost in memories.

She sighed as her eyes rose to meet James'. "Looking back, I shouldn't have rushed into this marriage. But I felt so pressured to do so. Everyone I knew was either engaged or already married. My parents would make subtle jabs at how I was unmarried and my husband was so insistent on marrying that I just...gave in. I do wish I put up more of a fight, but what's done is done and I can't do anything about it-"

"No. Never say that." James stated. His voice was scarily stern yet so fitting for a leader. It may have been strict, but the air of wisdom around him could sway anyone's mind from fear to awe. There was a charm to him, Amara realised, that could make anyone wish to listen to his words. Whether it be the air around him or the way he carried himself, she wasn't sure, but this just made the itch in her brain worse. Who was this guy?

"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so stern. But you're wrong. You can do something about this." 'Do what I can't,' he thought. "You can leave. Pack your things and move in with a friend. Maybe travel and find somewhere you'd like to live. You don't have to live like a caged bird." James downed the rest of his tea and stood up. "The door is open. The question is, will you step out?" 'As your King, I can't have my people suffering. People should marry for love, not as a means of survival. I think I know what my next plan of action is.' James thought. "It was nice meeting you, Amara. The tea was splendid. I hope we meet again, preferably after you consider my words." James sent her a soft smile. Spinning on his heel, he began his trek back home with his mind racing.

"O-Of course," Amara struggled to form words as she tried to comprehend what she was just told. Leave?! Walk away from her marriage?! Preposterous!

Well, that's what she would say if the idea didn't sound so appealing. It felt like her favourite food was being dangled in front of her after days of starvation. Leaving her husband and doing what she loved...a dream come true. Her heart started racing at just the thought of travelling around the world. She can get a job. She can even become one of the women who run their own bakeries she reads about in the news. But could she afford it?

Adrenaline rushed through her veins as she cleared up the porch. In seconds she was digging around her room, searching for the money she'd saved over the years. A blinding grin sat on her face as she sifted through her savings. Her speeding mind came to a stop once she had counted the stack of money in her grasp. A shaky gasp slipped through her lips as trembles racked through her body. Tears veiled her eyes and she did her best to blink it back but, unfortunately, the dam burst.

Amara swore her life became brighter in that moment. She heard birds singing harmonies of pure bliss, saw everything in brighter colours and couldn't find a single flaw in anything. She had enough money to travel for years if she wished. She had no clue how she'd forgotten about this stash, but that was the least of her problems. The laugh that left her lips sang a tune of joy and excitement.

Amara had a plan now. She knew what she needed to do and she wasn't going to waste any time. While zipping around the house, she caught sight of her garden and a pang resounded in her heart. The one thing she'd poured her heart and soul into had to stay behind... She slowly walked into the garden and gently caressed the flowers she walked past. 'I'll miss you. I'll miss all of you. But I can't stay here any longer. Thanks to you I was able to stay sane these past years, but it's time for me to leave and heal. Thank you so much for being here when I needed you. Thank you...and goodbye.'

Ultimately, that garden was Amara's best friend. As she exited the house, she gazed fondly at the garden one last time. As much as it hurt to leave her treasure behind, she knew that she had to. And so, she turned her back to the garden and left. And not one did she glance back.

Author's Note: This was so rushed, I'm considering a part two just to show more of James.