My eyes stared out my bedroom window much longer than I should have allowed. The sun’s morning light struggled through the forest trees, and my own day of difficulties was only beginning. All these years I was prepared to be king, not to woo a wife. But I didn’t need to win her love, only her cooperation. Surely there was a way for that. 

Heading to the dining room, I ordered guards to bring the princess. She would eat her meals with me from now on. 

The food was beginning to be set by the time the guards arrived back. It didn’t entirely surprise me to see that a very unhappy looking Valenor was being dragged in. Appearing to have given up on fighting the force, her body limply slanted forward as her feet slid across the marble floor. 

The two guards stood her to her feet, bowed, then left. Her piercing glare was her only greeting for me. 

I gestured to the chair next to me. “Sit and eat. And next time use your feet. The guards then won’t have to drag you in.”

She only remained standing. “I didn’t ask to eat with you.”  

“Life often gives us what we don’t ask for. Now it’s time for you to grow up and accept that.”

Surprisingly, she actually came over and sat down. I shook my head at her disarrayed appearance, knowing that the maids must have had as much trouble dealing with her as the guards did. The bows on her light maroon dress hung loose, and her hair, only partly braided, was half wild. 

“Let the poor maids do their job next time,” I scolded. 

She huffed back as she overlooked breakfast. “What kind of food is this?”

“You have never seen boar and eggs before?”

Her face tangled in disgust. “You actually eat animals?! So barbaric…just like the stories say.”   

What brainwashing stories had the gnomes told her? Surely in time, she could see the truth. But arguing now probably wouldn’t help.

“Try the eggs at least.”

“But eggs are baby birds!” 

I set my fork as I tried to suppress a sigh. “I assure you they aren’t baby birds.” Did she really not know any more than a child? 

After a long look, she picked up a piece with her hand to try a bite. The food only got spit right back out. 

“Broom shrooms! That’s the worst thing I’ve ever tasted!”

I wanted to yell back to eat it or starve but somehow kept quiet. So far, I had made no progress with her. What was I to do? 

A memory then returned to me. 

“Wait here,” I ordered, going to the kitchen. This time I came back with scones. “Try this.” I handed one to her.

She gave it a long hard look. “What is it?”

“They were your favorite.” 

With a bite, it was clear she once again enjoyed it. Soon, the scone was only crumbs on the table. I shook my head. Still making a mess even when older. 

She picked up another and spoke like a true queen giving an order. “I will have these for breakfast everyday.”

“Only if you stop giving the maids trouble. Let them do your hair and dress you, and let the guards escort you. Then you may have your scones.”

She stuck out her tongue at me. Though boiling inside, I calmly went back to my food. Truly, she still was just like a child.  

~*~

As we walked through the garden, I couldn’t help but wish I was elsewhere. I knew the elders had said they would take care of everything, but babysitting didn’t seem work fit for a king. 

From behind, I watched the princess undo the rest of her tied up hair. Or at least attempt to. It appeared a pin had gotten stuck as she tugged furiously at it. 

“Ouch! You stupid thing, get out now!”

Approaching, I offered my aid. “Pulling at it won’t help.”

She slapped my reaching hand away. “I don’t need your help!”

For a moment, I was almost stunned. Though I shouldn’t have been. So many times I had helped her with so many things. But that was the past. Now she was a stranger. 

With folded arms, I watched from a bench as she attempted more and failed to get the pin out. The more I looked over her, I realized she appeared younger than I once thought. The truth is, no one knew her real age. Or what it was supposed to be. She hadn’t been with the fairies long before being taken away, thus probably why she hadn’t aged as much as once planned. 

Was I truly to marry only a child? But what did it matter? My life was all about duty, and duty I would fulfill. 

I stood to my feet. “That’s enough. Either you go back to your room now and a maid will fix your hair, or you let me do it.”

The contemplation in her face looked fierce before finally acquiescing towards me. For a moment, I was too surprised to move. I truly did not think she would let me near her as she seemed to still hate me. 

Not sure if my order was about making progress or my pride, I denied a smug smile and gently set to work on her hair. 

“There it is.” I handed the pin out to her. 

Her face scrunched up. “I don’t want it.” 

Shaking my head, I place it in my pocket. 

Did she truly not hate me as much as I once thought or did she like the gardens that much? 

Wandering about, we came across the section where we had been when watching the castle burn during the dragon attack. And now I remembered part of the reason why I hadn’t come back here since. Though my eyes looked back at a perfectly fine castle, my heart couldn’t forget the feeling it had stuffered that night. What would it have been like if my parents were still alive?

“Are you alright?”

I startled at the princess’ voice. How did I not notice her standing so close? 

Hardening my face, I turned away. “Of course.” Had I been that easy to read?  

She only followed me. “Why were you staring out so intensely?”

For a moment, my pride held back an answer, but it would be good for her to know the truth of her past. 

“I was just reminded of when the dragon attacked. We were both here. And I saved you from the fire. But both our parents died that day. That’s why we both have incredible responsibility. Our kingdoms need us to be great leaders and bring order to the lands.”

When I finally looked back at her, what I didn’t expect to see was her eyes so tied onto mine. But this time I couldn’t read her. There was no anger, fear, annoyance, or confusion. Just the deepness of her eyes that you could easily lose yourself in. And for a moment, I did. 

When I finally broke away, I wondered why she stared at me in such a way. What was she thinking? But I wasn’t about to ask so kept walking. 

The silence continued for a while until her timid voice broke out. 

“What was my mother like?”

Surprised, I stopped at her question. Did she truly accept who she was now? It was only days before when she denied she was actually the princess. 

I truly look my time to ponder. “She was…very caring. And always laughing. My mother and yours had been best friends since childhood. But your mother wasn’t able to have children for a long time. It took years of fairy magic. And then you were finally born. She loved you very much.”

She laid down on the grass and stared at the sky. “I used to wonder what it would be like to have parents. I knew I had to have had some since I wasn’t a gnome. The gnomes don’t have parents, you know. They are born from a magical plant. And when they die, their bodies are buried which then turns into another magical plant that grows into another gnome. I always wanted to turn into a magical plant when I died. But I know that won’t happen.”

I sighed at her nonsense. “Get off the ground. You will dirty your dress.”

“No, I don’t want to. I want to watch the clouds. In the forest, it was hard to see them.” 

Gritting my teeth, I was about to enforce my order when she said yet another thing I did not expect. 

“You must miss your mother.”

I simply stood there defenseless.