In Search of a Queen

Chapter 8

"Good morning, father!" Augustus threw open the curtains of the king's bedchamber windows, met with a chorus of rather undignified grunts of protest. "I am sorry, but I must insist you wake. I have something very special planned for us today." The king opened a single eye.

"Is that so?" His words were muffled, due to the pile of pillows into which he had stuffed his face. "And what exactly do you have in store for me at this early hour?" Augustus turned to him, grinning.

"I would be very pleased if you would join my lady friend and I on a morning walk through the forest." The king shot up, all fatigue forgotten.

"A lady friend, eh?" He jumped up and grabbed Augustus, ruffling his hair and spinning him around. The young prince, accustomed to the familial persona the king had around those he loved, simply laughed and let the fit pass. "Well, I suppose that is certainly a reason for me to get dressed." The king had worried for a long time at Augustus' apparent disinterest in women, or rather in his reserved interest in a certain woman. As future rulers of a powerful kingdom, the king and queen had thought it important for their children to respect life, no matter how poor, rich, young, or old, and to treat all persons with civility, respect, and kindness. And so, when Augustus had befriended a servant's daughter the king and queen had thought nothing of it. In fact, they had hoped something of the sort would happen, because Augustus' only other company was Charles, and the crown prince was a very busy boy. Augustus and the girl had grown up together, spending their free time walking through the gardens of the palace, playing with the prince's toys, raiding the kitchens, and visiting her mother in the servants' quarters. As they had grown older Augustus had grown handsome, and though he did not notice his friend also became beautiful. Though she was not comparable to the sparkling gems that the kingdom's noble girls all somehow grew up to be, while they were rubies she was sunlit honey. 

The king and queen had begun to worry at their closeness, and it was not hard to see that the poor girl had fallen madly in love with the younger prince. And why wouldn't she? Augustus was kind, caring, considerate, funny, handsome, and he laughed easily and often. He had been forced to become everything everyone dreamed of in order to win attention while living in the shadow of his older brother. Augustus, however, had never shown outward signs of sharing her affections. He loved her as a dear friend of course, but those sentiments had yet to grow into something more for him as they had for her. It was because of this that the king had insisted Augustus accompany him on this visit to the festival - it would be best for him to find an appropriate companion before he had the chance for his heart to be broken by the fact that a prince marrying a peasant simply was not done. Not that the king and queen disliked the girl, of course - on the contrary, they were rather fond of her. They just could not risk losing the support of the noblemen of Paetahl, whose donations to the crown allowed the kingdom to flourish so splendidly without heavy taxes or an over-bearing military. The chance that their daughter could one day be queen made the nobles highly inclined to support the crown and do their part to ensure their daughter's future domain was a prosperous one.

And so it seems the plan has worked! The king thought to himself, allowing his servants to dress him as he grinned stupidly. The flirt has already found a woman, not that it was going to be difficult - here he chuckled, the sudden, outwardly unprovoked sound causing the servants to cast quick sideways glances towards him - considering he inherited my good looks.

                                                                                           ~~~~

Rowena smiled to herself as she waited outside for her prince. She heard muffled voices behind her and turned to shoot a warning glance at several girls who had gathered to watch, to see if it was really true that Augustus had been claimed so soon. They quickly scattered once they saw her glare, and she let out a girlish giggle of satisfaction. The other ladies had learned the hard way not to cross her. One, that girl Nahia whom the future king was so taken with, had been lucky enough to lose only her clothes before being rescued by Charles, but another had been sent home with a rather shattered knee after making the mistake of stomping on Rowena's favorite pair of shoes. She frowned at the memory, sad that the dainty slippers, a birthday gift from an ex lover, had been ruined. However, she snapped back into place at the sound of the door's opening, determined to take Augustus and the King's breath away with her looks and demeanor. She was posed with her hands clasped sweetly in front of her, her chin tilted upwards to accentuate her neck, her hair painstakingly swept perfectly behind her with a single tendril placed ever so delicately in front, creeping its way across her bosom and drawing the eye. She was well aware of her own beauty, and of the angles which best accentuated it. She opened her mouth in a small gasp and dropped into a curtsy, which she held until the King was standing in front of her. She then rose gracefully to her feet, and proffered her small hands out toward his to lightly kiss his knuckles.

"Your majesty," she trilled, "I cannot express what a great gift it is to finally meet you. You truly honor me with your presence." At long last she lifted her face to him, a brilliant smile pulling at her lips. It faltered only for a second when he pulled her into a rather undignified embrace.

"Why, aren't you just the picture of beauty my girl!" The King laughed, releasing her and holding her shoulders at arms length to look at her once more. "And I must say, you and my son do make quite the handsome couple! If only your mother were here, Augustus!" He turned to his son, who was positively beaming with joy. "She would be having an absolute fit at the sight of you together!"

"Your majesty, you do flatter me! You are simply too kind" Rowena simpered, batting her eyelashes and holding her hands to her chest. "And I want to thank you for taking the time out of your undoubtedly busy day to meet someone so lowly as myself. You are as benevolent as my father has always said." She could not help but smirk to herself at this last comment she had managed to sneak in, and made a mental note to send her father a letter with her accomplishments. Should any special treatment from the crown come his way, he would know it was her he had to thank.

"My darling, there is no need to be so formal! It will be my pleasure to spend the day with a woman as lovely as you." He chuckled and leaned in, as if sharing a secret with her. "Not to mention my boy seems absolutely taken with you."

"Father!"

"What?" The King laughed, "It's not as if you were hiding it."

Augustus was blushing furiously, and looked towards the ground in a vain attempt to hide his red face.

"Well, sir, if you must know," Rowena peeked around the King at Augustus, who looked up at her, "I'm quite taken with him too." The two then stood and smiled at each other for a moment, before being jarred back into the present.

"Let us begin our walk!" The King exclaimed, reaching for Augustus' arm as he held up his own for Rowena to take. "Änd you can tell me all about yourself"