Raspberries

Chapter Two

This was my favorite area in the entire palace. Everything here was Square. The benches, the fountain, the balconies with the vines that perfectly lined and traced every edge.  I looked out and there the guys were. They're all sitting there waiting like perverted thieves who just want to steal my nation from me. I look at all of them. "OK. We are going to start from one through seventeen." I sat down at a table next to the fountain and looked at the water. "Can I get a bowl of raspberries please? I ask a servant. He quickly left as #1 came up.
"Name?" I said numbly.
"Alexander." I don't look up at him and shake my head.
"Awful name. Where are you from?"
"I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon."
"Oh wow." I say languidly. "What do you do for a living?"
"I'm a governor of the state."
"Oh. Interesting." I sigh and look around.
"Is everything okay?"
"Yes, I just wanted my raspberries." I look at him. "Do you like raspberries?"
"No, actually, I'm deathly allergic to them."
"Number 2?" I shout out looking back at the fountain.
"Really? That's it?" Alexander asks looking at me. I look back up. "You're not even hot enough for this."
"I was told to only give 3 minutes to each courtier." I lied, but held my innocent face. His face dropped.
"Elizabeth, I am so sorry."
"No. We are not on first name basis!" I hiss. I glare at his dumbstruck face. "You must all address me as Miss Contra." I shout at the men, who were quietly mumbling to each other. They go silent. Gabriel appeared with a bowl of raspberries in hand.
"Ella maybe we should take a break?" Gabriel placed a hand on my shoulder and walked me up to a balcony. We looked down at them. "Okay, what's wrong?"
"WHAT? Do you mean besides the fact that my step mother picked out a man who would be allergic to raspberries. Who is allergic to raspberries? Why is that a thing?" Gabriel chuckled.
"I don't know your high-" he paused. "Ella." He ran a hand through his hair and smiled at me. "You should try to talk to another one."
"Why? He'll probably hate raspberries or pink." I gasped. "What if he hates heels?"
"What if he doesn't?"
"Do you?" I looked up at him. I had never noticed his eyes were so green.
"Me?" His eyes grew large. "What does my opinion matter?"
"Gabriel, do you like raspberries?"
"Maybe you should talk to your parents?"
"Gabriel! As your princess I demand your answer! Do you like raspberries? And pink? And these heels? Do you like me?" I blurt out. He stares at me, clearly overwhelmed. I run to the garden. It's the only place I can get any peace. The only people who come out here are the gardeners. But it's summer and they don't come until late afternoon. So I find the gigantic patch of lavender and sit in the center of the bushes, trying to hide myself from the embarrassment. Suddenly I hear that ethereal voice.
"Ella?" Gabriel called out. I peeked out over the top of the bushes and saw him, still carrying the bowl of raspberries. I turned back around and tried to hide. I heard his footsteps walk towards me. Then he sat next to me. I could feel my cheeks grow red hot. "I do." He says softly. I look at him questioning his words.
"What?"
"I do like raspberries." He smiled and looked down. "I actually don't like pink or heels," he looked back at me. "I don't like pink or heels on anyone else. Just you."
"Do you mean that?"
"Yes." We sat in silence for what seemed like ages. His phone binged. "Time for your walk in the garden." I look at him and smile.
"I actually just had a jog." He laughs at me.
"You're a slow jogger." He teases me.
"Can we just sit here?" I ask turning to face the same way as him.
"Of course." We sat there for hours just talking. It wasn't until 5 hour later when his phone had beeped for the 6th time. "It's time for you to change into your evening wear."
"You're horrible at this job." I chuckle. "You're supposed to keep me on track!" He stood up and looked down at me.
"If I had told you to go to class or to speak to the public would you have?"
"Well, I mean no, but."
"Exactly." He extended his hand down to me. I took it and he helped me up. I went to my room and picked out a black mini dress.
"Gabriel, what do you think?"
"Best in black." He smiled as he sat on a stool. "Now we need to talk about your evening plans."
"I have free time. I wanna go to the fair. And I wanna go on rides and have fun. I haven't been to the fair since I was 4."
"Wasn't that right before the war?"
"Yeah. That was the day that my father's army had taken over."
"2024 was a crazy year. That war had killed millions."
"Like my mother." I say softly.
"I don't know how you could've done it. Your mother the leader of the old government and your father the leader of the rebelling army."
"Can we please leave?" I started towards the door.