The King's Crest

Chapter 18

I pulled my dark red cloak around me, pulled up the hood and made my way to the gardens. To my complete surprise, the only thing cold outside was the spring breeze that fought to blow my cloak away from me. My heeled boots clopped against the cobblestone much like the horses in the distance. I soon saw the flowers leaning as the invisible force pushed against them, but never had I seen the flowers any brighter. It was as if they were blooming and strengthening to fight against wat would feel like a gentle breeze to us.

I stared for a while at the delicate white roses that seemed to be frosted in pink and gold. I shortly made my way over to the bench near the zinnias and pansies. They reminded me of all the times my dad came swooping in the house with the very same type of flowers in his hands. He would hand them to my mother, kiss her, and then come up to me. I would run and fling myself at him. He would pick me up and put a special purple flower in my hair and say "Hello my little Princess." The old words of my father were still ringing in my ears when I heard someone clear their throat.

I looked up startled. Standing before me was none other than Charles. I sprang to my feet, took a step back, and curtsied. "I'm so sorry Prince Charles! Had I known you were wanting to look at the flowers I would have stood up sooner." He just looked at me, and, in my awkwardness I just muttered with an awkward laugh, "I'll just be on my way then."

Before I could go he rushed to say, "No, please stay! I was not here for the flowers. I mean, I originally was, but I then saw you were here and decided to come over here and converse with you. You seemed distracted and I thought it best not to startle you and now here we are." He paused and looked at me. "Are you not supposed to be with Rehabiah?"

"Normally I would be, but he decided to let me out and enjoy the beginning of spring. Granted most people would not enjoy this weather, but Rehabiah finds rain to be very enjoyable and relaxing. I would now have to say I feel the same way." Before I could say more the wind picked up for a minute and pushed my cloak back and the hood down and in seconds I was drenched.

Charles laughed his sweet, deep laugh. Instead of asking me if I was alright he merely took his own hood off and we were both drenched in seconds. My nicely tied back hair soon had wispy pieces flying about, and his fairly nice, usually well placed hair was now flopping into his face. "It has been a long time since I experienced rain this hard. Last time I did I was in a country called Vezana as a boy with the prince. Coincidentally we were also in a garden, but we were playing chase," he smiled as he saw my face light up at the mention of my home country.

Before I could help myself, I let my childlike instincts kick in. I tapped Charles and ran. He thudded after me laughing harder than ever now. We bobbed through flowers and bushes and ran all through what was now a familiar garden to me. He eventually caught up to me seeing as his legs were much longer than mine and therefore faster. Then, like a little schoolboy, he too took off running. I ran after him as fast as I could. Eventually though, the slippery stone and my heels were too much and I tripped. Charles looked behind himself panting and ran up to me.

"Ka-" I quickly looked up at him with fears in my eyes as he almost said my real name. "Lady Grace, are you alright?" He said, suddenly very aware of where we really were. I assured him I was alright as he helped me to my feet. After that we continued to walk about the gardens in idle chitchat. We both knew we should do no more than that, but it was still what I needed; talking to Charles is what I needed. Even with just talking about our kingdoms and little things about ourselves, I felt soothed just to be talking to someone I felt I knew well.

We rounded a corner goint toward the center of the garden and ran into the most famous red-tinted brunet we knew. His freckled face was puzzled at the sight of me and Charles together, but he did not waste any time. "Good afternoon. I was just looking for you Grace. I was just in with Rehabiah. He told me you were already dismissed for the day seeing as the rain was falling hard," he then looked at me to see me soaked to the bone already, then muttered something like "though it seems for people like you the rain doesn't make a difference."

"Is that so?" I inquired. "What is it you need, Alexander?"

"I am afraid that the matter is a little more personal. Often times you are alone in the gardens if I remember correctly, so I was not expecting you to be here with our guest Prince Charles," he said irritably before continuing " I'm sure he would be pleased-that is, I am sure my father would be pleased. Seeing as he is just as excited to set you up with people as he is to set me u[ with Suzanne...

"Anyway, as I was originally saying, this matter, how about going to midday meal and discussing it? Or perhaps somewhere more private than even that after our hunger is satisfied?" he asked quickly as he pulled tight on his cloak trying to avoid getting wet. I nodded my agreement with the condition that he first let me dry off and look more presentable. He was quite ecstatic that I was willing to suggest such things and agreed to meet up in an hour. He then walked away eager to leave the rain.

Once he left, being overprotective of me, Charles gave me a cautious look that seemed to plead with me to make an excuse of why I couldn't go. I gave him a reassuring smile quickly and went off into my chambers.