"When Daffodils Begin to Peer"

Chapter Two

"What do you mean suitors?"

"Son, you are admired by all the surrounding countries as a delicate, pretty little thing, a doll perhaps, so they all are competing on their son's behalf to win your hand. I know you have no interest in women, and their sons don't have an interest in woman either," he coughs and continues bluntly, "you are to be theirs. Not exactly property, but very protected." He looks at me hopefully, as if I should be excited about this development. Which I kind of am, but not fully.

"Why do I have to be married off so soon, I have barely reached my sixteenth year, Bayard and Henry aren't in line to get married soon."

My mother took over the conversation now, "Georgie, you must understand that they are all learning certain things to carry them over and make them successful rulers, and give them good training, etc. You my dear, aren't ... cut out for that, so all you would have to do is allow for your future betrothed to take care of you. You have your studies, you have your brains, but you are sheltered from the outer world, you can't rule the nation successfully, but you can hold your own at the royal banquets and such. Think how good you did a few fortnights ago, I know they're not your favorite sort, but you are cut out for this," She smiles hopefully.

"I understand," I reply emotionlessly. I had no choice, and while what they said bothers me to an extent, I knew that there was a lot of truth behind it.

"Knights - Sir John and Sir Anthony will remain here to make sure that Prince George will break his fast as he has been ordered," my father fixed me with a level and strict glare, causing me to whimper and look away. "The rest of you shall accompany me to the training room, with all of the suitors coming soon you shall need to switch to patrol instead of watching George."

They all filed out of the room with my father and mother, who had already finished with their meal. I whimpered, feeling overwhelmed and sick. Sir John placed his fingers under my chin to gently turn my head to the right and upward so I was looking into his kind and patient eyes. "My dearest little prince, you must eat something, it's just the three of us now we understand what you need, just relax, or I'm afraid we will have to feed you."

I hesitated, closing my eyes, trying to collect my thoughts. "Sir John, Sir Anthony, do I have to?" I mumble quietly, with an unintentional whine in my voice. I open my eyes, and try to pull away from the soft hand that was holding my jaw in place.

"Yes my prince, you don't have to eat the entire pastry, but you must eat the meat and the fruits. Sustenance rich foods to get you through until luncheon," Sir Anthony said, slipping his hand in place of Sir John's, and pulling my head to the left and upward so I look into his eyes.

They both remain standing next to me, but right now I'm only focused on Sir Anthony's sympathetic and patient gaze that has fallen upon me.  I attempt to plead with my eyes and I know I most likely have an undignified pouty lip, and look like a child of young - yet again - but it's all I can do.  I was so focused on trying to convince Sir Anthony I didn't even realize that Sir John had pulled my plate closer to him and finished cutting all of the food into bite sized pieces.  He took my fork and assembled a reasonable bite of pastry, sausage, and strawberry and held it out for me.   

I make no move to grab it, still feeling rather sick, but knowing that if I opened my mouth to tell them that, they would slide the fork in before I had a chance to tell them anything of the sort. I still feel like a littlun and now I feel for sure that I'm sitting there with a pouty lip, but if my family was going to baby and protect me forever, it's only fitting isn't it. I bitterly laugh in my head, and my thoughts grow darker.

Sir Anthony releases the gentle grip on my jaw, and I look down into my lap, whimpering again, then I cave and obediently open my mouth, lifting my head up.  I feel like all the energy has drained out of me, and I don't even know if I could handle feeding myself, how pathetic.  As soon as I lifted my head both knights sigh in relief, and bite by bite we get through the plate, I even ate the entire sweet pastry. I'm fuller then I have ever been in the past, but didn't feel as sick as I did earlier, Sir John gently ran his fingers through my hair as Sir Anthony rubbed comforting circles on my shoulders, letting me stay sitting down for a little longer.