Solara stood from the table and left through the door opposite the one Michael had gone through. The garden was a short walk from the castle and it was her favorite place to go when she was alone. The gardener was a kind old man who had treated her kindly from the day she had arrived. He told her stories about his life and she listened with a smile, truly interested in the stories of love and loss. It reminded her that she was not just the daughter of a witch, she was human.

The man was digging weeds from a large white rose bush. "Hello Richard. How are the flowers today?" She placed her finger on the petal of a wilting petunia and it slowly sprouted back to life. Richard looked up at the young woman with a bright smile.

"They are well, dear Solara. But I would be careful. You never know who may be watching." Richard knew of her magical gift. He was the only one who knew besides herself. He promised to keep it under lock and key in exchange for an ear when he told one of his stories. Solara was happy to oblige.

Solara gave him a soft smile. “I am more careful than you give me credit for. I have lived with these powers for nearly six years now. But I thank you for you for your concern.” She took a seat on one of the benches that were scattered among the garden and took in the beauty of the perfectly tended flowers. “You are an amazing gardener, Richard. You never cease to amaze me.”

Richard took a seat next to her and looked out at the garden. “Twenty years of hard work are sitting in front of you… It was worth every minute.”

Solara admired his devotion to his job. He had told her once that before she had been brought here the prince would come out there and listen to his stories as well. That had given Solara a strange feeling knowing she had gotten into a habit that Prince Michael had once been into.

“You know, I fell in love in this very garden when my father was the gardener. She was a beautiful young woman, not much older than yourself. She always wore a red ribbon at the bottom of her braid. She had the most beautiful blue eyes..." He stared off for a moment as if remembering every aspect of her being. "I will never forget her laugh when she helped with the garden." He let out a deep sigh. “You remind me a lot of her… The way you listen to me ramble on about my life and never interrupt.”

“I enjoy your stories. They are so lively and interesting. It is always a pleasure hearing experiences of another soul.”

“Ah… I enjoy hearing of yours as well. Speaking of, how is the prince these days? I rarely see him out here anymore.”

“The prince is well. He has been busy with meetings and such for the past few days. He is the heir to the throne.” She looked out at the waves of flowers blowing lightly in the breeze. “It has been rather lonely without him.”

The old man nodded in agreement. “It can be quite lonely without a loved one to talk to. I miss Abigail everyday.”

The two sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes until the silence broke. Guards yelling could be heard from a place not too far from them.

“Get him!”

“Do not let the intruder get away!”

Solara’s eyes widened. An intruder? Has someone broken into the castle? She looked at Richard who nodded, knowing what she was going to say. Without hesitation, she took off in the direction of the voices, wanting to at least catch a glimpse of the intruder.

She soon reached a safe distance, hiding behind a tree as not to be seen. Not that she was afraid of being caught by the guards, but the intruder would be trouble. The men looked frantic, looking in all directions. Had they lost him? They were the most elite in the kingdom. It was highly unlikely.

A hand suddenly covered her mouth and she was pulled into a tall piece of shrubbery close to the castle. Her body was against someone else’s and she could feel a cold blade against her exposed neck.

“If you know what is good for you, Princess, I would stay still.” His voice was low and threatening. She was terrified, enough so that her body froze and wouldn’t move.