I've chosen you -Lapidot

How to find love: the commoner way

Once upon a time, there was a squire, whose job was to train her princess and help her become the best knight/Queen the Diamond Kingdom had ever seen (after Yellow Diamond of course, nobody was better than the actual queen).

After a long day of training, princess and squire were ready to stuff themselves full with delicious food.

The dinner went peacefully, until the queen made an announcement: "The queen of the Crystal Lands has come of age of marriage and is searching for a consort"

"I hope she finds one soon, only you know how difficult it is to lead a country alone, mother" answered Jasper, now slowing her eating as not to stop the conversation, while Peridot drank from her glass.

"I hope you don't mind if I sent a proposal of courtship in your name, dear Jasper" neither princess nor squire could control their reaction, one almost choking, the other spraying the table full of water from their mouth.

"Mother! You could have at least asked me!" whined the princess.

But her mother promptly replied: "And you would have declined so I made the choice for you. Ah, and, for sure, you won't go alone. Peridot will accompany you there"

Again the squire emptied her mouth of its content.

"But, Your Majesty! I-" she tried to protest, but a simple look from the Queen made her shut her mouth.

She couldn't disappoint her beloved queen!

"I... of course I'll go with the princess, Your Majesty"

That made the queen smile.

"Wonderful! The departure is in two days' time. Get ready"

Two days later, the two were right in front of the Crystal Lands castle gates, with four guards patrolling the doors.

"Halt! who's there?" one of them asked, and a guard of their own answered to them.

A while later, Peridot found herself in her room, which she surprisingly shared with Jasper.

But the princess was nowhere to be seen, maybe she was already exploring the castle grounds.

So much to keep her company. Well, I might as well explore too.

After a while of walking, the short blonde found a great garden, full of flowers and trees, where paths made it possible for a peaceful walk.

But that peace was short lived, when she heard crying.

Walking towards the sound, Peridot found a group of children forming a circle.

"what's wrong?" she asked the children, who seemed surprised to see someone there. The circle opened and she could see one of the children on the ground, with a scratch on their knee.

"Hey there, I'm Peridot, what's your name?" she asked the crying kid.

"I-I'm Steven"

"Hello Steven. I see you're hurt. May I help you?" she asked kindly and the little boy only nodded.

She used her clean handkerchief to apply pressure on the scratch and, thanks to the near fountain, cleaned it with water.

Soon, Steven stopped crying for the scratch didn't hurt as before.

"There, all better. Why don't you go back to play with your friends?" Peridot said, while getting up to go away, but Steven stopped her.

"Thank you, Peridot! Hey! Want to play with us? We can all be friends!" she was going to decline the offer, but she was fully hit by the puppy eyes of all the children around her, and she couldn't just say no.