Chapter Two - Lady-Like

"Father! You can not be serious!" William shouted out he was standing in front of his now greying father. He was eighteen, he spent years learning to become King so that he could take over whenever his father wished for him too.

"I am quite serious, William. You will be attending the ball in Miranxia and dance with Princess Eden. I will not pass on this silly war over to you when you become king." King Samuel's voice was stern and loud. It echoed as if thunder had been set off in the throne room. 

"I will not dance with their ill-mannered daughter. She dresses as if she was a man." William cried out looking up at his father desperate to get out of this in some way. 

"You will be marrying her in a year. You do not have the time to argue with me. The ball is tomorrow. You will live in the castle for a year while I prepare the castle for demolishing. Once you marry Eden we plan to make a large castle in the middle of both Kingdoms." Samuel seemed proud of this idea that he most definitely didn't come up with. William knew his father well enough that he didn't think of the shared castle. He knew that his father pitched the idea of marriage. 

"This is infuriating!" William growled out glaring at his father. He left to pack his things so that he would be prepared to live in a new castle. He walked out of the throne room and into the hall to a large stairwell. He climbed the large stairs and began walking up them passing maids and butlers who were carrying vases of dead flowers. He watched the women and men before going down another hall in anger. When he made it to his large room he would find himself pacing his room. He wanted to get out of this situation. He wasn't going to marry a woman who acted as if she was a man. He growled at this though sitting on his bed, head in hand, elbows on his knees. 

"I can NOT marry that madwoman!" He shouted out before just sighing and packing a small bag of things. He packed a leather-bound journal where he read his thoughts, his favorite quill, and a bag of gold pieces in case he became hungry on the ride. He carried his bag and walked down to the stables to get his black horse. He smiled and pet his horse. 

"Atta girl. We are going to Miranxia for along time." He petted the beautiful black horse before dressing her in her saddle. He led her out and then he got onto her saddle. Off he would go through town watching as people stopped and stared at him. He didn't go into town as often as he wished he could. He enjoyed the people and the shops in his wonderful Kingdom's town. It made him happy when he arrived at his favorite bakery. He got off his horse and bought two rolls he could eat on the way. 

"Would you like an apple for your horse your highness?" The woman at the counter smiled looking past William at his horse. 

"That sounds wonderful," he smiled back he watched the woman speak to someone under the counter, and off ran a little girl with brunette hair. 

"My, my," William chuckled at the small girl running off. "Was she hoping I would say yes?"

The woman looked up and gave a bright smile nodding her head. 

"She admires you, your highness. She also loves your horse." She wrapped the rolls he bought in parchment before handing them to him. When he turned around he saw the little girl run off to his horse. She slowly approached holding her hand out with the apple in it. Luna happily accepted the apple, eating it. 

"When I come back from Miranxia. I will come by and let her have a ride. I would love to teach her horseback." The Prince gave a gentle smile to the baker at the counter before walking out and patting the little girl's head. "Take care you two." He spoke getting onto his horse and riding off waving to the little baker's daughter.

He rode for three hours finishing his rolls in the first hour. He spent another hour riding through the wonderful town of Miranxia. Well dressed men, women, and children. He smiled seeing the people. He loved the people of his Kingdom because they were simple and hard working. They could do what job they wished and they were kind. Royals were not as kind as the commoner and he had rather spend his time in his town than in the castle. He got to the entrance only to see a woman wearing a light blue dress and playing with a little girl dressed in working clothes. A brown skirt off white shirt and cotton apron that was stained with food most likely a hand me down from a cook. The woman in the blue dress was blonde and her hair was such a soft blonde it could almost be white. She looked nothing like the Queen or King. Who was this woman? He rode to the two girls and stopped behind them. 

"Excuse me?" He called out and the two girls stopped playing. The little brunette hiding behind the woman in the beautiful gown. 

"Did you need to talk to my father? He is in the throne room." The woman spoke with such a soft voice it sounded like when water was poured in a beautifully made glass goblet. William was shocked by the sound of her voice. 

"I uh...who is your father. I am sorry." He was distracted by the wonderful voice that came out of if this beautiful woman. 

"The King of course. If you are lost I could also help you." She gave such a gentle smile there was no way this was her. The unlady-like princess who wore boy's clothing. The woman who should have been wearing men's clothes, her hair should have been a disaster and she should've dirt on her face. 

"Princess Eden?" He asked with shock showing in both his voice and his face.

"Yes, Prince William. Did you need anything from me?" She gave a soft giggle looking at the shock. He quickly cleared his throat and shook his head. 

"My apologies. You are very beautiful today. Where could I find the stables?" He asked looking at the woman. Her eyes were chocolate brown in the sun and her face was a warm pale. Her almost silver-like blonde hair blowing in the wind. 

"Oh, Amelia. Could you get your mother? We can play tomorrow alright? I have to help the Prince." The Princess smiled sweetly to the little girl who nodded her head and ran off. After a few awkward minutes, an older woman would come by and take the reigns from him.

"You have changed," William spoke looking to his left at the short girl, his hands were behind him. 

"You have not," Eden spoke softly looking at the flowers keeping her hands in front of her. 

This made the prince chuckled as he glanced at the girl once more. It was so strange to see her dressed so differently. 

"Well," he cleared his throat one more time unsure what to say to the beautiful young woman walking next to him. "Where will I be staying. Do you know?"

"I am not so sure myself. We can ask my father when you go to meet him." The two would walk for a few minutes until they made it to the wonderful throne room. The room's windows were different colors of glass. There was a giant mural of angels in the sky behind the thrones. The King had a head full of gray hair now, but his eyes were still the same piercing blue. 

The King stood up and looked down at the two.

"King Adam," William bowed down.

"Father," Eden bowed as well before getting up and looking to her father. "I will leave." She spoke gently leaving the throne room for the hallway. 

William was now left alone with the King. 

"Welcome to my Kingdom William. I am sure you will be more respectful to my daughter now that you are appointed to marry her." The man gave a gentle smile. 

"She is dressed to my liking." The man spoke smiling as he remembered the wonderful dress Princess Eden was wearing. 

"Of course. That dress is made from only the finest materials in our wonderful town." The man spoke with quite a little grumble before he waved William off. A maid taking his small bag. 

"Let me show you to your room. You will be sleeping with the Princess." The short thin woman spoke softly as he walked to the doors. Once the door was open Princess Eden would fall over a little. It looked as if she was trying to listen in on the conversation William and her father were having. 

"I didn't know the princess was a nosy woman." William chuckled out watching as the girl stood straight and turned around. 

"I...no...I was trying to wait for you and I leaned against the door a little." Her words were hesitant and nervous. 

"Of course." He chuckled gently looking at the embarrassed princess. They walked together to her big room. Her bed was covered in blush color silk sheets. There was a white and gold vanity. She had an open closet full of unworn dressed, but there were a few that seemed to be tattered as if they were worn out in the woods. 

"Well, you will be sleeping together. You should unpack dinner will be soon." The maid spoke softly and the princess would clear out a section of drawers for his new clothing. She had a closed closet that she would leave for him. The maid left them together. 

"What would you like...to...do?" William turned around to talk to the princess but she was about ready to climb off her balcony. He ran after her and reach for her hand. "What are you doing!?" He called out to the Princess who looked down at him. 

"Leaving. Dinner will take some time." She spoke as she turned around. She pulled him up. "Come with me. Let me show you the woman you are really marrying." She spoke pulling him onto the balcony ledge. He shook his head. 

"This isn't appropriate for a princess! You must come down and do lady-like things. Like walk in the garden and read books." He called out trying to get down from the ledge. She turned to glare at him. 

"You are exactly the same."

Author's Note

I wrote this before I got my first review. Again, I am a student still learning to write better sentences, but hopefully, you enjoy this.