Universally, Princess

Chapter 9: The Garden

I jolted awake as I heard the door to my room open.

"Good morning, Princess Kazia." A maid entered the room.

"Good morning, what time is it?" I asked as I sat up to get ready for the day.

"Hmm. I think it's almost eleven now." She smiled.

"Eleven? I'm so late!" I hastily began gathering my things to take a bath and get ready.

"Prince Donovan requested that you'd be left to sleep more. Would you like for us to bring your breakfast here? Everyone else already ate."

He did?

"That would be great. Thank you."

~ Some time later ~
I got ready and gathered my things before heading downstairs.

The tall entrance doors of the palace were wide open as I went through them. I could feel the breeze that entered the palace brush against my face. It felt nice.

Donovan sat outside reading a newspaper. He was very focused on whatever he was reading, as even when I stood in front of him, he still hadn't noticed.

I gently tapped the top of the newspaper, "Hello."

His eyes softened as they met mine, "Kazia."

I know we had agreed to call each other casually, but it took me by surprise.

"Are you well?" He asked concerned.

"Yep!" And that was too loud.... Great, another embarrassing moment to think about when I can't sleep at night.

He smiled and began our walk through the palace grounds as I trailed behind.

Thankfully, my dress was not a heavy one, it was kind of casual. Well, as casual as a princess' attire could get. I kind of miss wearing big shirts and comfy pants. But I kind of like these dresses.

Third Person POV:

As both continued their walk, Prince Donovan shared details about the palace grounds. He had become her personal tour guide. Just the two of them walking together, King Sébastien insisted that they did not need guards to accompany the prince and the princess as they were only walking around palace grounds.

They had stopped under a tree next to a pond that contained very colorful rocks appearing to be slightly transparent, like crystals.

Something caught the prince's eye as he took something from the tree, "Look at this." He spoke as he approached Kazia with a strange insect.

She felt the hairs on her arms rise, "How. Interesting."

He placed the creature closer to her, "Do you want to hold it?"

"Nope! Keep it away-" She nervously stepped back until a scream and a splash followed shortly after.

She had fallen in the pond, the water moved around her as she stood up, leaving the water above her knees.

The prince tried to hold his laughter but failed, "Are you alright?" He asked between laughs as he placed the critter where he found it and began to help Kazia out.

He reached his hand out for her but Kazia quickly held onto him with both her hands, leaving him no time to react as she pulled him downwards, making him fall into the pond as she laughed.

He smiled but his eyes held vengeance in them.

"Sorry." She quickly said in fear of what he had planned. There was only one magical human in the pond and it was not her.