Becoming A Queen.

3

3.

The carriage wound up along the hillside and down towards the coast. The castle revealed itself along a seaside clifftop like a jewel among the green. The garden and walls looked immaculate.

The gates opened and Miranda sat in awe looking at the magnificent surroundings. The fame flowers of the palace garden shone like jewels along the way. There were more kinds of flowers than Miranda had ever seen and in every colour imaginable. And the scent was everywhere. In a corner, a few beehives were hidden and bees were busy all around. The palace honey was another famous export of Enchantia, Miranda had never imagined seeing where it came from.

The trot of the hooves was interrupted by the shouts of two children running across the lawn, cutting across to the park. The driver slowed, anticipating what was about to happen.

"Give it back to me!" the girl screamed, her yellow dress streaming out behind her as she ran in pursuit of her brother. The young boy in front held a fold-out fan aloft as he sprinted ahead with a giggle.

Miranda looked after them with a warm smile as they ran into the garden of fruit trees to the side. Such beautiful children. She felt her heart warm towards them.

"Ah. The young prince and princess. They could do with more children to play with," Alfred sighed with a warm look towards the disappearing children.

His affection for them was visible in his smile.

"Am I to make their shoes too?" Miranda asked, having noticed the delicate silk shoes on the girl's feet.

"Perhaps for Prince James. Princess Amber is rather particular about her appearance," Alfred smiled with an affectionate look in the direction of the disappearing children.

The carriage brought them up through the park to the front of the castle. Miranda was mesmerised by the beauty of the building in front of her.

The carriage stopped and the servant politely handed her down. Miranda was too busy studying the opulent surroundings to notice the door opening.

"Miss Miranda?" a voice asked.

She turned to see a friendly looking older gentleman.

"Safely delivered as promised, Baileywick!" Alfred bowed.

"Thank you, Alfred," the older man said and dismissed the servant.

"Come, come," Baileywick smiled and waved Miranda forwards and into the palace.

Her eyes roamed the beautiful building, trying to catch a glimpse through the doors into other rooms as they passed.

"The palace is quite fancy. King Roland has made some changes to make it more family friendly but the building itself was built to impress other royals by King Roland I, our King's great-grandfather," Baileywick chatted as they walked along.

Miranda nodded. She had heard about the previous king's greed and preoccupation with their own status. The inhabitants of Enchantia had been heavily taxed to pay for the royal family's luxuries and occasional violent wars against other kings.
Mrs Drummond often praised the current king for his more grounded habits and told Miranda how he had sought peace with his father's enemies.

Baileywick stopped in front of a large set of double doors.

He smiled at Miranda and knocked.

"King Roland is in here, my dear," the old man bowed.

"Enter!" a deep voice said and Baileywick opened the door.

"The shoemaker is here," he announced.