A Letter with a Rose

Chapter 2

It was the day after the disastrous meeting and Maylea found herself unwinding in the royal garden, tearing up unwanted weeds and roots, the end of her extravagant, blush dress all covered with dirt. Whenever she needed a moment to think or just to be by herself, she would come out to the garden and tend to the flowers that spread across the bushes and grass within a beautiful array of colors. Maylea loved the flowers, and the flowers loved her. For they would reach out to her gentle touch and call out her name into the wind when she would be away for too long. She valued each flower and its beauty. The scent would calm her nerves and the tugging of weeds would release any built up aggravation. Her family knew that if Maylea was outside, to leave her be unless if it was to check on her for a moment.

Maylea was not angry or stressed today. She simply just wanted to be by herself with her own thoughts. She continued to pull up weeds that surrounded the rose bushes by one of the garden's elaborate stone fountain.

A voice behind her caught Maylea's attention. "Princess? Do you need any assistance?" Once Maylea's head turned around, she noticed the owner of the voice was a small servant girl, probably no older than her little sister. Her voice was as quant and small as she was. The girl's dirty black hair was gathered into a braid that laid over her shoulder with a few wavy strands pulled out, framing her round face.

Maylea gave the young girl a beautiful smile, "Why a little help never hurts anyone, of course you can help me."

The girl picked up the bottom of her skirt and knelt beside the princess. As she leaned forward to pull at the weeds, her braided hair gently tickled the grass below her. Maylea could not help herself but to watch the girl as she plucked away at the ground, dirtying her hands more than they already were. The girl's delicate doe eyes caught on to Maylea's stare, but immediately adverted her shy eyes away.

"Are you afraid of me?" Maylea questioned as she ripped out a bindweed.

"Huh, oh, uh," the girl stuttered, "no?"

"You sound unsure."

"I don't mean to. I've just...heard rumors. I do not know if I should believe them or not."

"Tell me what rumors you hear."

"I hear that princesses never get dirty or help anyone. You're mean to servants and staff."

"Well, clearly that is false. My hands and dress are a complete mess right now." Maylea smiled again at the girl. "I am always helping the servants. Everything is completed better when given kindness."

"But what about your own duties as a princess?"

"I do those as well."

"Is it not harder than servants work?"

"I like to think any work is hard if you make it out to be hard."

"But don't you spend most of your time wearing dresses and sitting around?" The girl sat up, finally holding eye contact with Maylea.

She could not help but chuckle. "I wear dresses every day, but I do not just sit around all day. I have to study about the kingdom's history and other kingdoms. I have to attend royal meetings. I have to come up with solutions to political issues. And that isn't even half of the duties I have to do."

"Oh, wow!"

"I know. But I still find time to help the servants with cooking and cleaning."

The girl tossed her braid over her shoulder. "Why are people scared of you then?"

"Hm, I believe it is because they fear I will be like my father. He was a grouchy old man." Maylea covered a few bare roots with a bit of dirt.