Her Royal Match

The Stable Boy

Chapter 2

Marine’s senses came alive with the sweet smell of moist mud. She opened her eyes and was greeted by the picturesque landscape of Wales. The sight of sheep grazing across the green meadows made her feel nostalgic, after all she was returning home after six months. Unlike the bustling city that London was, Wales was completely the contrary. This beautiful country was a live painting created by nature itself. With blue mountains surrounding the coastline, one could hardly get tired throughout their journey. Wales was a mountainous region, the highest peaks were clad in snow making it all the more breathtaking.

The steam engine chugged and honked every now and then when a random cattle would cross over the railway tracks that cut through the mountains.  It wasn’t long before the steam engine lowered its pace and reached the station. Marine elegantly stepped down and embraced herself as the warm steam from the engine brushed her shivering body. The temperature was low, she could feel her fingers going numb as her gaze searched for their family chauffeur.

The railway station was deserted, being the only passenger to have got down with her luggage, she looked at the station master who stood at a distance and signalled the steam engine to leave.  As she stood there alone blowing hot air over her hands occasionally, she wondered if her parents had forgotten to send the chauffeur until she met eyes with a familiar face. 

“George! Is…Is that really you?” She gasped and widened her eyes in amazement when the stable boy, her child hood friend approached her. His mischievous grey eyes, twinkled as he greeted her with a warm smile. “Good morning, Princess…Your chauffeur is at your service,” He raised his hat and bowed before her.

“Oh my goodness! When did you get promoted to being the family chauffeur? And where’s Pheneas?”  She giggled and studied his physic; George was not the same lean stable boy that he used to be.  With his sleeves rolled up till the arms, his muscles screamed for attention. It had been long since she had interacted or seen him. Ever since she grew out the age of ridding ponies, she had stopped visiting the royal stable where she would often play with George who was older to her by three years.

“Well I got promoted to a lot more positions than you can think of, Princess,” he quoted and picked her luggage before guiding her out the station.

As they walked in the cold mist, Marine studied his feature from the corner of her eyes and wondered why she had never seen him before during her earlier visits, “Has it been really that long?” she wondered and noticed his strong arms.

“George, you didn’t tell me what happened to Pheneas. Is he alright? Why did father send you to receive me?” She enquired and looked at him questioningly.

George sighed and gazed back at her. “Pheneas left his lordship’s service, hence I was sent to receive you, Princess,” He replied and shocked her.

“Oh you mean he left too?” She frowned and lowered her gaze. Pheneas was the last person she’d expected, would leave the royal service ever since the Wellesley’s were faced with misfortune. Label it as a strange coincidence, but a day after the first born eloped with a imposter, the family was met with great misfortune that changed their entire lifestyle. The treasure in the royal vaults magically disappeared along with which their stature and position in the elite society fell down. As if the pain and shame that Princess Emma had caused over the Wellesley wasn’t enough, the people of Wales began disregarding them as royals. To make matters worse, the whole kingdom was drowned in poverty, no wonder the station master was least bit affected by the Princess’s presence.

All hopes were now left on Princess Marine, for the prosperity of Wales depended on her finding a royal match. Coming back to our protagonist and the stable boy, they stopped near a horse driven carriage when George requested her to step in. “What happened to our steam car?” She crunched her brows in confusion while the pair of horses neighed.