Switched

Chapter 3

“Much thanks to you. God be with you.” The vegetable merchant nodded and smiled at me as he gathered the coins I had placed on his table.

            “As with you.” I returned as I added some of the vegetables to my basket. Then, turning to Arietta, I motioned for her to continue down the market square. “Where shall we venture now, Princess Arietta?” I asked, raising my nose in the air like royalty.

            “Ah, Lady Colette, we must purchase eggs. After all, my cook cannot prepare tasty foods for me unless the eggs are fresh.” Arietta lifted her skirts slightly and walked down the square, nose high.

            “Yes, your highness.” I said, and we both burst out in giggles.

            Suddenly, a hush came over the square. Mothers gathered young children and pointed to something Arietta and I could not see, whispering all the while. “What is it?” I queried.

            “I know what.” Arietta, being slightly taller than me, rose to her tip-toes and squinted at the distance. “I believe…ah, yes! It is Princess Chrissabelle. She is with a young man…quite dashing, I must put in. And, oh—she’s coming down the square in our direction!”

            “Truly?” I cried. I glanced down at my dress and smoothed my skirts. I knew the princess would never notice me, but I wanted to be prepared just in case. It was quite rare to see the princess outside of the castle walls. Rumor had it that her father, the king, was afraid for her life and trying to protect her from something or someone. No one knew what, though. Therefore, it was a treat to get to meet the princess in the village. From what I had heard, the princess was very good to nobles.

            “She’s nearly here,” whispered Arietta.

            I smiled widely. I didn’t know if she would be able to see me outside of her carriage, but there was yet a chance. But as she neared, my smile began to fade. For though she was a princess on an outing with a prince, she was visiting the market…on foot.

            “Where are her horses? Her carriage? Her servants?” I queried as I watched her make her way through the crowd, greeting peasants as she did. She was wearing a beautiful green dress, and her long curls fell loose over her shoulders. Natural color filled her cheeks, and a smile made her eyes light up like twinkling fireflies. The prince with whom she was on the outing trailed behind her like a lost puppy, his eyes searching the crowd for a familiar face.

            “I’m sure I do not know. But is it not improper to visit the village on foot? Surely the princess is aware of this.” Arietta’s eyes followed the princess as she continued visiting with the peasants.

            “How strange…” I murmured, turning my head away. It disgusted me to see her acting so improperly. Yes, she was beautiful, and it was obvious that she cared for the commoners. But to behave as she was in public was unheard of, almost like refraining from wearing a tiara.

            As I turned to glance at her one more time, my jaw nearly fell to my chest. A small gasp started at the back of my mouth and forced its way through my lips. For the princess wasn’t…she was not wearing a tiara.

            “Arietta! She is not even wearing her tiara!” I exclaimed, a bit too loudly, mayhap. A few people standing near me shot me looks, then turned to see for themselves if she could really be breaking the unspoken codes in such a way.

            The princess passed by, and as she did, our eyes met and she smiled. I curtsied, lowering my head. When my body raised again, my eyes were looking directly into those of the prince.

            The prince’s eyes were gorgeous, blue like cool water of the faraway lake, and deep, intense. I tried to break our gaze, but I found that I could not move. I was paralyzed by his eyes.

            A blush started at the nape of my neck and crept to my cheeks, flaring them with heat. I quickly bobbed another curtsy, finally breaking our gaze.

            The prince nodded and continued on, unfazed. But I couldn’t help but notice that as he walked, he looked back at me once more before disappearing into the crowd, out of my sight. The breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding in escaped me in a rush.

            “Colette, are you prepared to continue on? Colette? Are you all right? Colette!”

            I was suddenly aware that Arietta was calling my name. Blinking, I turned to her. “I apologize, what did you say?”

            Arietta stared at me. “I asked if you were quite all right. You were acting rather strange. Is everything fine?”

            “Yes, forgive me. I simply dazed off for a moment. Let us proceed with our shopping.”

            But, despite my claim, I was not all right. For in that single moment when my eyes brushed his, it was as though he could see right through me, into my soul.

                       d   d   d

            “Colette!” For the second time that day, I was broken out of my reverie of those beautiful eyes, startled to find that someone had been calling my name. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get the ice-blue eyes off my mind.

            “Yes, Aunt?” I said, praying that she hadn’t trying to get my attention for too long.

            “I think the butter has been churned quite enough now,” Aunt said, her tone slightly sarcastic. “Would you please begin preparing dinner? I must continue making cloth, and your uncle is gone to hunt.”

            “Certainly, Aunt.” I replied, pushing the butter tub out of the way and rising to my feet.

            “And, dear…are you feeling…under the weather? You seem to be rather…tired.”

            “I am quite fine, Aunt. Just thinking.”

            I stepped inside and began mixing a pot of stew, then hung it over the fire to boil. I took some leftover bread and placed it on the table, waiting for the stew to finish. Finally, it was ready, and Aunt and I enjoyed the meal together.

            “I’m very sorry to leave you to clean up, but I am running out of time to finish the lady’s cloth. Do you mind terribly much?” Aunt said as she sopped up the last of her stew with a chunk of bread.

            “Of course. You must finish the cloth in time.” I rose and began clearing the dishes.

            “Thank you. You certainly are a dear.” Aunt came over to where I stood and gently took my cheeks in her hands. “I know it can be hard for you sometimes, what with Uncle being gone often and I with my work. But everything you do matters. Pray remember that.”

            “I shall, Aunt. It is not trouble to assist you when there is need.” I smiled and turned back to the dishes. “Now you go finish that cloth.”

            An hour later, I carried a bowl of scraps outside to one of my canine friends. As he ate, I gazed out into the night sky that was as dark as the ink on a royal invitation. Suddenly, a star shot across the sky, leaving a thin trail of light. I squeezed my eyes shut and made a wish, whispering the words to be carried away by the wind. My eyes sought out the castle, but it was too dark to see.

            I let out a wistful sigh and, raising my skirts with one hand, knelt and picked up the now-empty bowl. I patted the dog’s head. “Good boy. Now be off with you, and do not return until the next meal is through.” The dog sneezed and trotted away, his tail waving in the wind.

            I gazed in the direction of the castle once more, then entered the house, thinking, “How nice it would be to be a princess with no duties such as dishes. How nice it would be to wear beautiful gowns and have ladies-in-waiting. How nice it would be to marry whichever prince you desired…”