Red & White

forty six.

A month flew by in the blink of an eye and soon the castle windows were drawn open, welcoming in the songs of the summer birds and the fresh breeze that could warm a soul. The multitudes of flower beds were flourishing and the trees were thickening with green leaves.

The castle was calm during this time with minimal activity. The maids were busy, changing to a regular dusting schedule with the amount of pollen coming in from the windows. The chefs were focused on updating the menu with more fresh greens that were grown in the garden. Everyone was doing their own thing.

Harry and Leah were fortunate enough to spend a full month together each day, with barely any interruptions. The Prince, of course, was still required to do his studies every other day with Mrs. Carmichael, but that was only a few hours out of their day. In that time, Leah assisted her mother and brothers with whatever their duty was that day. She loved to get her hands dirty in the stables with Ben and Cal, and then fluff and dust with her mother on hotter days.

On Sunday, Harry promised a treat for Leah and when his studies were completed at noon, he met her in the castle foyer with a large picnic basket and woolen blanket in hand.

He grinned wildly at her when she turned to face him.

"A picnic?" she guessed, excitement flashing before her eyes. She adored the garden and the weather outside was so lovely.

Harry nodded his head. She rolled up the three quarter length sleeves of her day dress and took the checkered, hand stitched blanket from the Prince. He seized the opportunity to take her hand in his and intertwine their fingers.

The sun blinded their eyes at first when they stepped outside to the grounds. The back of the castle was quiet, away from the crowd at the front of the castle beyond the gates, and the only sound heard was the chirping of the seasonal birds. A blue jay swished down by the couple, fluttering its wings to show off the gorgeous baby blue color.

The male gardener working on a hedge, trimming the shrub into a perfectly rounded sculpture, flickered his eyes up to see the royal couple approaching his way on the pathway. He paused his work, bowing at the two as they slowly walked by. Leah complimented his work and the young man thanked her before leaving them alone. The garden was now empty.

Harry allowed her to pick the spot where they would eat their lunch. She considered her options before selecting an area of grass near the thriving strawberry patch and a large willow tree. Leah outstretched the blanket, smoothing it over the bright green grass.

They sat down together with crossed legs and immediately cuddled up against their sides. Harry opened the basket to reveal fresh fruit, cheese squares, and seasoned crackers. He placed a piece of the white cheese on to a cracker and playfully fed it to Leah who hummed in response to the delectable food.

"Good?" he inquired with a satisfied smile, happy to see her grinning from ear to ear.

"Very. Your chefs are top notch." She licked her lips.

"Only the best for you, darling." Harry winked at her and she nuzzled her head closer to his neck.

"I must say, those strawberries look tempting." She pointed her dainty finger toward the strawberry bush with the red fruit dangling from the branches.

"Help yourself." He shrugged.

She left his embrace on the blanket to pluck four strawberries before returning to him. Leah popped one into her mouth and almost moaned at the taste.

"You must try one," she urged and he agreed.

As Harry ate from the pile of strawberries, she had curled up against him. They were silent for a long time, simply enjoying each others company and the songs of the birds. Almost a dozen butterflies glided through the air in front of them before Leah spoke up.