In Search of a Queen

Chapter 3

With each passing day Sawyer's ability to read became greater, and the rate at which he learned never ceased to astound Charles. Because he already knew how to speak, teaching him was simply a matter of showing him the symbols which represented a word he knew, and then he would remember without fail. His eagerness to read the books Charles provided him gave Sawyer a fantastic memory for everything he had learned so far, so no lesson ever needed repeating. Their friendship also steadily grew, and both looked forward to the few hours each day that they would see each other, as they were each other's only companion at the festival.

Though Charles' mood had lightened dramatically, the necessity for him to find a date continued to gnaw at him from the back of his mind. He had one week left until his father arrived, and two weeks more after that to make a final decision as to which of the girls currently surrounding his mansion he would marry. The thought made him sick, and he would usually dispel it by planning his next lesson with Sawyer, but with so little time until the king's visit, Charles knew he had to act. He knew simply walking out of the mansion would get him absolutely nowhere, since he would instantly be attacked by hundreds upon hundreds of ravenous females, but at the moment he couldn't think of any other way. Unless... That was it! He would once again don his plain clothes and, wearing these, meet some of his more sane options for a dinner companion. And, he decided, he would do so that night. There was no sense in postponing the inevitable, and he knew that the longer he waited, the less likely he would become to actually go through with his plan. It was now, or never.

~~~~

Dressed in plain blue breeches, a white shirt, and a leather jerkin, Charles stepped confidently out of the chateau's front door into the afternoon air. Multiple girls spun around and began running at the sound of the door latch, but quickly stopped and returned to their post upon seeing what they thought was no more than a servant boy. He smiled, glad to finally have some fresh air and see the sunlight through the trees rather than a window. He wondered why he hadn't thought of this before. He wandered around the camp, met mostly with annoyed stares from the wealthy, spoiled girls waiting for their prince to come and sweep them off their feet...and into his bedroom. He had never had sexual thoughts about anyone before, and seeing the way these girls tore at everyone near them and stabbed each other in the backs certainly didn't make him any fonder of the idea. He wished he could just yell at every single one of them, "it isn't going to happen! Just go back home, to your doting mothers and distant fathers!" His thoughts of climbing the nearest rock and shouting just that were suddenly wiped away when he spotted a young black woman sitting under a nearby tree, reading a book. He spun around and, sure enough, she was the only one in sight with a book or any other reading material in hand. Not only was she doing what he loved best, but he had to admit that she was absolutely stunning. Her curly hair rained down onto her plum colored dress, and her skin...her skin was so dark and so smooth, it seemed as though stars should have been splashed across it. The only visible mark was a streak of shiny silver across her left collarbone, but it looked more like a comet streaking across the night sky than a scar. He walked over to her, intending to make polite conversation before identifying himself as the prince in order to make an approximation of exactly what kind of woman she was. However, when he began to say "excuse me," he was met with a shriek and a punch in the face.

"Oh, I am sorry. Oh, are you bleeding? No? Well then," suddenly the woman went from worried to livid, fixing Charles with a glare that made his stomach clench. "What in god's name were you trying to accomplish, frightening me like this? You're extremely lucky I didn't hit you any harder, because I most certainly could have. Out with it! What's your excuse?" Charles removed his hand from his nose and twitched it experimentally, and was met with pain which very well could have been a second direct hit to the nose. He would have to check it was not broken when he returned to the house.

"I was just walking by and I noticed you sitting here by yourself, so I decided to introduce myself to you. I am terribly sorry I startled you, that was not my intention." He could see her face sliding from angry back to worried as she realized it had been an honest mistake on his part, and once again she began buzzing about him and checking to insure his health.

"I am so sorry, sir. It isn't broken, you need not worry. Yes, I am sure. I've broken enough noses myself to know when I see one. Oh, I do hope this doesn't give you the wrong idea about me. I was simply scared, you understand, and I've always been a bit stronger than I know what to do with. Oh, you will forgive me, won't you?"

"Well, I am relieved to hear that no serious damage has been done." Charles chuckled and extended his hand. "My name is Charles, what is yours, madame?" She took his hand and began to open her mouth, but all that came out was a shriek.

"Did...did you say your name is Charles?" She stepped back to look at him and, sure enough, there was the black hair, fair skin, and golden eyes that every young lady in the kingdom dreamed about. She removed her hand from his and covered her face, mouth still open. "I've just punched the crown prince." She said softly to herself, voice still shrill. Charles could not help but chuckle at how distressed she was; it had been completely his fault, after all. There was no reason for him to be angry with her. She peaked out at him from between her fingers, sure she was about to receive some severe punishment. Charles relayed to her his feelings on the matter, assuring her that everything really was fine, and once again asked for her name. "Nahia," she stuttered, "my name is Nahia. Well, Charles, I mean your majesty, I-"

"Charles, please. I think we've reached a first name basis, wouldn't you agree?"

"I suppose we have." She laughed, becoming confident once more. "Well, Charles, may I ask what you were coming to speak with me about?"

"Well, as you know, I am here to meet all the eligible ladies in the land, and thus far I have done quite a terrible job. As you may not know, my father is coming to visit in a week's time, and I need to have accomplished something by the time he arrives. I was looking around, and I could not help but notice that you are the only girl in sight with a book. I myself am quite the lover of literature, and I thought you might be a good person to to begin a conversation with." Nahia once again looked unsure of herself, running her hands over each other and looking everywhere but at Charles' face.

"Charles, I-I truly am flattered at your attentions, and to be the first lady you have spoken to is truly an honor, but..." she straightened suddenly, and looked directly into Charles' eyes, as if accepting that what she had to say did indeed have to be said, and there was no way around it. "But I am afraid I am here only because my parents have forced me to attend, and, in all honesty, I do not wish to marry or consort with anyone...not even the crown prince."

Charles could do nothing but stare, completely dumbfounded. Not only was she intelligent, confident, and beautiful, but she also shared his resistance to those of the opposite sex. She was absolutely perfect.

"Nahia, I am overjoyed to confess that I share your sentiments. The only reason I have left my room to find a date is to please my father; I myself have absolutely no interest in any of the women here. Now," Charles got down on one knee, intending to make a lasting impression on the girl that everything currently depended on. "Would you be so kind as to do me the honor of pretending to be my lover in front of the king?" Charles ended his speech by making an exaggerated show of placing one hand over his heart and reaching the other towards her. She laughed, took his hand, and winked at him, a radiant smile splitting her face.

"Charles, it would be my pleasure."