The Rose's Flame

Devising a Plan

I continued to have tea with Oliver and Ambrosia for the next several days, and each meeting became progressively more awkward. Oliver became more and more withdrawn each time I visited. Ambrosia did her best to strike up conversation between us, but the results were forced at best.

I decided that I did not want to continue with these awkward tea parties any longer, preferring to find another way to connect with Oliver, but I was unsure how to approach Ambrosia about the matter. I decided to ask Sir Nathan for advice when I ran into him in the kitchens one afternoon.

"Princess Rose! It is a pleasure to see you again." Sir Nathan said.

"Same to you, Sir Nathan." I said, pulling a stool out from the servant's table and hopping up onto it. "Er...I was wondering if you could offer me some advice?"

"I can certainly try. What seems to be the trouble?" Sir Nathan popped a fresh cherry tart into his mouth, earning him a scathing look from the head chef.

"I want to stop having tea with Prince Oliver, but I am unsure how to break it to the queen-regent."

"Why would you want to do that, your highness?"

"I do not think Prince Oliver likes me very much. He always seems very uncomfortable around me, and he never wants to talk about anything for very long."

"No, no, you have it all wrong! You are not the reason the prince is acting like that; he absolutely adores you. The problem is his damn mother!"

A couple of kitchen maids who were listening in on our conversation gave Sir Nathan astonished looks. I, myself, was appalled. "Sir Nathan, how dare you speak about your queen in such a manner!" I said.

"Look, I would not say it if it were not true. I have been in the service of the royal family of Enchantment since King Carthus, Oliver's father, was a young man. I attended King Carthus and Queen Ambrosia's wedding. I was there the night Prince Oliver was born. I was there the day the king died, and the prince was left as he is now. So, do not think I mean any disrespect when I say that about her majesty. As my queen, I respect her very much. I simply feel that some of her parenting decisions are questionable at best."

"Why?"

"Because, I spend more time around her son than she does. I have attended to Prince Oliver's needs since he was six years old. Queen-regent Ambrosia holds Oliver to a very high standard. She wants him to be the same kind of king his father was-this is understandable, King Cartus was a good king. The problem is that Prince Oliver physically cannot be the king his father was."

"Do you feel that Oliver will not be a good king?" I asked.

"No, I think he will be a great king."

"Then do you think there is anything that can be done about my situation? I really do want to connect with him, but all my efforts seem to be in vain."

"Look, you have to keep in minds that Oliver has been very sheltered throughout his life, and he has had next no opportunity to interact with anyone of the opposite sex. So, you can imagine how difficult it is for him to talk to a beautiful woman such as yourself."

"No need to flatter me, Sir Nathan."

"I am not. I was talking to the prince about you just yesterday, and it is clear to me that he is absolutely smitten with you. He very much desires to connect with you in a meaningful way, but his mother is stifling him." Sir Nathan leaned against the counter, staring off into the distance.

"Is there a way I could meet with the prince without the queen-regent being there?"

"I am not sure. It would be improper for you to be alone with him until you are married, so you two would need an alternative chaperone."

"Could you not chaperone? You are Prince Oliver's attendant after all."

"I am not sure how the queen-regent would feel about that, but I suppose you could suggest it to her. Oh, and by the way..." Nathan leaned in as if he was telling me a secret. "If you want to get the prince talking, ask him about fairytales. He could talk about them until your ear falls off."

I smiled. "Thank you, I will keep that in mind."

❀ ❀ ❀

I was having tea with Oliver and Ambrosia again the following day. Sir Nathan had managed to persuade the queen-regent to allow him to attend as long as he did not speak for Prince Oliver.

After taking a dainty sip of chamomile tea, I placed my cup back on the saucer and folded my hands. "So, Oliver, I hear that Enchantment is the largest exporter of roses in all the known world."

Ambrosia answered for Oliver. "Indeed. Roses are native to these mountains, and other kingdoms will pay a high price for them."

"Would you believe me if I told you that I have never seen a rose before, except in drawings."

Oliver's eyes widened in shock. "Never? But your name is Rose!"

I laughed. "I know-ironic, is it not?"

"You know, there is a garden mainly devoted to roses in the internal courtyard of this castle" Ambrosia said.

"Is there? I would love to see it. Perhaps we could have luncheon there tomorrow." I suggested.

Oliver perked up a bit. "I-"

"That would be unadvisable." Ambrosia said, cutting him off. "I cannot chaperone the two of you during noontime. However, if you wish to have luncheon in the rose garden, Rose, I can have one of the servants arrange it for you."

Oliver slumped in his seat, glaring at his mother behind her back.

"Perhaps Sir Nathan could chaperone us. I know you do not like him to speak for the prince, but I am sure he could do something as simple as chaperoning while respecting your wishes." I said.

"I would be delighted to chaperone them for you, your majesty." Sir Nathan said.

"So, would you care to dine with me, Prince Oliver?" I asked before Ambrosia could get a word out.

"I do not-" Ambrosia started to say.

Oliver cut her off. "I would be delighted to accept your invitation, m'lady."

"Uh-Well-Ugh, fine, I suppose it is settled then." Ambrosia relented.