The Princess Wars

Chapter Two

It was two hours before noon, when all my stuff was packed, and tied down on top of the carriage waiting outside our front gate.  The sun had almost reached it's peak in the sky, the blue birds were in mid song, and my stomach was filled with delicious cinnamon pastries.  Mother, Father, and Aggatha were there to see me off.  Aggie was all tears, burying her pink face in a handkerchief.  I went to give her a hug.  I would miss her the most.

"So this is the wee babe who nursed from my bosom," she said between sobs, "What a flower you have become."

"Don't worry, Aggie, I'll be back before you know it," I assured her.

"Yes, with a new husband and kingdom under your wing."  She patted my cheek and turned around to blow her nose.

I went over to my father.  He loomed over me, standing tall and important.

"Do us good, daughter," he said.

I bowed my head. "Yes, father."

A smile formed under his grey beard.  He opened his arms wide.

"Enough of the formality!  Spare your old father a hug."

I smiled and reached my arms around my father's round stomach.  This was special.  It was rare I ever even got so much as a pat on the head let alone a hug from my father.

Last was my mother.  I inhaled the strong scent of her parfume as she leaned in close.

" You were meant to be a queen, Maura," she whispered.  She kissed me on the forehead.

I walked to the carriage door.  A young man, not much older than me, with bright golden curls framing his face opened it wide

"Your Majesty." He smiled.

"Will!" I punched him in the arm.  

Will was Matil's son and my oldest friend.  He now works for us as a carriage driver and/or stable hand.  When we were young, we used to spend hours in the library together.  He was the only person I knew that shared my love for books.  We'd also go to the stables where we'd pretend to be our favorite play or story book characters.  I was glad he was the one escorting me.  Well, he and and one of our younger servant girls, Elizabeth.  I barely had any time to see him anymore since he'd started working three years back.  Those were a very lonely three years.

Will laughed. "What?  It's only a matter of time before you're a real Princess," he said.

I rolled my eyes.  I didn't understand why everyone was so sure I was going to be chosen.  I stepped into the carriage and sat next to Elizabeth inside as the door slammed shut behind me.  I almost fell out of my seat when the carriage jolted forward.

I stuck my head out the window to see if Aggie and my parents were still there.  They were, in fact they were waving.  Looking at the three most influential people in my life, pouring all their hopes and faith into me, I decided then and there, that I would keep my mother's promise.  I was going to meet everyone's high expectations, I would not let them down.  I watched the three of them grow smaller and smaller, until they all became a blur in the distance.

It was only three days to Thealith, so I was told.  There were is not much separating it and our own kingdom of Deril, but grassy meadows and slight forests.  I was glad, too.  Any longer in that stuffy old carriage, I would surely die.  Elizabeth was no help in passing the time, either.  She's such a quiet girl.  Barely talked at all, actually.  Sometimes I wondered if she was the same before her life working for my family.

She arrived at our doorstep mid- storm only two years ago.  I remember being woken in the middle of the night by an unusual banging noise.  I must have been the only one to hear it considering the loud thumping of  loud water droplets hitting the windows and thunder.  There was no one to be seen as I went down the stairs to open the door, and there she was,  nearly anchored to the ground by her drenched clothing.  

What was such a small girl doing alone in the rain? I thought.   I mean, she couldn't have been older than seven or eight.  I ushered the shivering girl inside.  Only after calling out for someone's assistance did the child reach her arms around my waist and begin to sob into my nightgown.  I wished I would have comforted her even though I hadn't the slightest idea what had happened, but no.  I stood there, shocked.  

I almost didn't notice the maids rushing from the hall.  They gasped at the sight of a very wet, mud covered girl clinging onto their King's niece.  Her arms were just pryed from my waist when Matil came from the corridor.  She scooped the liittle thing in her arms and left along with the other maids and the crazed sobbing filling that had filled the room.  I walked over to close the front door befor the whole house was flooded and stopped at the sight of the closed gate.  How in the world did she climbed over it? I thought to myself.  It was locked.

I never did get to talk to the girl much after that.  All I knew was that the next morning, she began working for us, helping Matil and the other maids.  From what I heard from Will, her parents had died in a terrible accident.  He was closer to her than any one else, but much of her past was not revealed even to him.  She kept quiet and worked diligently.

 This will be a long three days, I think.  I lean my head back and let my eyes fall.