I was sat in a buggy my father had borrowed from a neighbor of ours. It was uncomfortable, I admit to that, but I was gracious I didn't have to walk all the way to the palace in the beautiful gown my mother had leant me. I was sitting nearest to the window and was looking at the unfamiliar sights I had never seen of Ula. The farther north we went towards the castle, the more beautiful the houses seem to be. I figured this was where the rich people of Ula lived, though. Their homes were of the most grand and were stunning.
"These houses are enormous," Mikey said looking out the window. "How do they make money?"
"Most were born into it," my mother replied with a shrug. "They are often businessmen or family of the king and queen. If Emerald were to marry Prince Harry, this is where we would live."
I looked at the houses envisioning my family in one of these homes. For some odd reason, I couldn't see them living in one of these houses. I could see them living in the small house for the rest of my life because that is all I had ever known. I don't want to leave something I knew. I think that would be the hardest task for me. Adjusting is not my thing.
My father had approached a large iron gate that surrounded the entire property of the castle. I was in awe, the large white castle stood on the top of a hill. There was a path that lead up to the palace that my father went on after some of the palace guards granted us entrance.
"That's the garden right there," mum pointed out the window. I looked where there were loads of workers carrying large plants in huge vases. I was in awe of it, the garden was beautiful. I honestly wanted to skip dinner and just stand in the garden.
"Boys, don't forget to bow when your father introduces us to the King," mum said quickly as father came to a halt in front of the palace entrance.
Dad swung the door open for the carriage and extended his hand for my mother to take, my mother granted him a smile and stepped onto the ground. He held out his hand for me and I got off my seat and stepped down off the carriage clutching my father's hand. I thanked him with a nod of my head.
After the entirety of my family was out of the vehicle, a guard had taken the carriage over to the stables to look after the horses. I nodded in surprise to myself. The door was opened for us to enter and we stepped inside the palace doors. I was immediately greeted by lots of lights and gold trimming. Why so much gold? Probably because they can afford it.
"Hello Dorothy!" a voice called, my mother's head looked around and a smile was placed on her face.
"Trish, what a pleasant surprise!" my mother smiled. "It's been too long."
"Oh I know!" she said with a smile. "Are these your children?" she asked looking at us. "Is this the dress I made you?"
"Yes, the very same," my mother smiled. "This is my daughter, Emerald."
"Isn't she a beauty," Trish smiled. "If Harry doesn't want her, you'll have to let her meet my baby, Zayn. He's around the same age as her and the prince. The only boy in the family, three daughters!"
"Oh my word!" my mother gasped. "Poor boy."
"Poor Emerald," Trish laughed. "She's got herself four brothers. That can't be easy, can it?"
"No," I quietly said shaking my head. Trish laughed at my response.
"I can escort you to the dining hall, I doubt you forgot where it is," Trish laughed. "King Desmond will be pleased to see you. I'm sure they'll be delighted to have Emerald in the palace. She's a fine looking girl, beautiful like her mother. I'll make sure I'm one of her ladies maids."
"Are you not one of Queen Anne's?" my mother asked.
"No, no," Trish shook her head. "When she was pregnant with the princess, I was pregnant with my oldest. It was a messy one so I was reassigned to the kitchens until I had her. Each one of my kids I was in the kitchens."
"I'm sorry," my mother said.
"No need to be," she smiled. "Poor timing on my part."
My mother smiled to her old friend and the rest of us silently followed behind her. I felt knots forming in the pit of my stomach. Realization just hit me because I am about to meet the royal family. I feel my chest begin to constrict in fear and I feel my breath become hitched.
"Emmy, are you okay?" Lucas asked me quietly.
"I can't breathe," I coughed out. His eyes widened and told the others to wait a few minutes.
"Emmy, listen to me," he said taking me in an embrace. "Listen to me breathing,"
I listened to Lucas take in exaggerated breaths and let it out loudly. I did it with him and I admit, it's not the easiest thing to do when one is having a panic attack. I stood in my older brother's arms breathing in and out slowly as he continued to make exaggerated noises.
"You okay to go now?" Lucas asked me when I stood up after a while of breathing with him. I nodded and fixed my hair so it wasn't messy. I felt so embarrassed that this happened, in front of a palace maid nonetheless.
Trish went up to the guard and told him that the king's guests had arrived and were ready to be seated in the dining hall. The guards opened the doors and we were permitted to enter the grand dining room. The one we were placed in seemed small, like it was one they used for small, intimate meetings.
There was a long dark brown table that gleamed under the glow of the chandelier. There were at least thirty chairs lined up along the table at least. There were large silver plates in front of each seat with clear water glasses off to the right. Large serving items were placed evenly down the center of the table. Gravy boats and pitchers of iced water were amongst some of the items.
"Miss," someone said snapping me from my thoughts. I turned to the source and saw a butler holding a chair out for me. I thanked him with a nod and brushed my hand along my backside pulling the cloth of the dress tight against my legs as I lowered myself into the soft cushioned wood chairs.
I glanced over at my mother to see what she was doing. She was reorganizing her silverware into a fashion she was comfortable. She took a hold of the cloth napkin and placed it on her silver plater, I did the same thing.
"Here, here," someone said. "His Royal Majesty, King Desmond, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Anne, Princess Gemma, and crowned prince of Ula, Prince Harry," a guard said as the doors swung open. When they entered, I lowered myself into a curtsy.
I bowed my head lightly and when I stood back up, my foot caught on my dress causing me to summable a bit. I steadied myself as I felt my cheeks redden in embarrassment. I pulled the gown on top of my feet so the likelihood of tripping wasn't all that possible.
"Your highness," my father said placing a hand over his chest, "My name is Richard Price, this here is my wife Dorothy, our sons, Michael, Lucas, Timothy, and Joseph. This here is our beautiful daughter, Emerald."
"What a pleasure to meet you, Richard," King Desmond grinned at my father. He extended his hand and my father hesitantly took it in a firm handshake. "Dorothy, my old friend, it's been a while, hasn't it?" he asked.
"It has indeed, your majesty," she smiled kindly.
"What have I told you before? Call me Des," he laughed. "Your mum always insisted on being proper, I assume you all are the same way?" the king asked addressing us. A laugh circled throughout us.
It was at this time that I took a good look at the king. He wasn't a tall man, I noticed. He was rather short with a pot belly. His hair thinning at the top of his head in spiked dark gray strands. His gray eyes stared at us with a light of happiness in them.
"Shall we sit, then?" he asked with a smile. He circled to the head of the table beside the Queen and sat down tucking in his red jacket emblazoned with medals and gold cords.
"Your majesty," a man said. "You have another inquiry waiting for you about the Prince."
"Lionel," the King said. "Can you see that I am currently in a meeting with another potential queen? Thank you, Lionel, but please tell them what I am doing and take their information if I were to need it."
"Yes, sir," he nodded and scurried off out of the room.
"Tea?" a woman asked. I nodded allowing her to pour it into the small teacup placed in front of my plate. "Milk or sugar?"
"Sugar," I said quietly. She put some into the cup and stirred it for me before placing the wet spoon on the table and moved onto Lucas who was sitting beside me.
"Mr. Price," the King said. "Your daughter is quite a beautiful woman. How old is she?"
"Nineteen, your majesty," my father said with a nod.
"Still young," he smiled to me. "There was a fifteen year old girl here the other day. The ages of some of the women getting married nowadays."
"Emerald's old compared to the rest of the girls in our village."
"Ah, but young enough for young Harry," he grinned to his son. A fit of coughs erupted from the prince as his father looked at him. "You alright, son?"
"Yes, yes," he nodded in a low, husky tone.
I took this chance to look over the prince for the first time. Prince Harry was a handsome man, he had tanned skin most likely from spending some hours mucking around in the gardens outside. He had wildly curly hair that was pushed back on top of his head. His curls went in all sorts of directions about his head. The prince also had the most beautiful green eyes I had ever laid sight on. They captivated me despite the fact he has yet to look me over yet. I doubt he was interested in me anyways.
"Emerald," the king said. My attention snapped toward him. "Is that your mother's gown?" he asked.
"It is, sir," I nodded looking down at it. "It's beautiful."
"It is, I met her wearing that gown. Quite fitting isn't it, Harry?" he asked looking towards his quiet son.
"Of course," Prince Harry nodded. "You look beautiful in it," he said glancing at me.
"Thank you, your highness," I said with a blush. He smiled to me bringing his glass of ice water to his dark pink lips.
Dinner was served to us and my word, it was the most beautiful food I had ever tasted. It was freshly caught roasted turkey. The taste was absolutely mouthwatering and made me want to continue eating it. It took everything within me to refrain from moaning at the delicious food. I sat there chewing slowly afraid I wouldn't be gifted such wonderful food any longer.
At one point in time during the dinner, I happened to glance up at Prince Harry and he was grinning at his plate in an amused manner. His eyes flickered up to mine and he gave an amused shake of his head. I felt as if I had turned to a violent shade of red after realizing he had been watching me eat my food.
"Mr. Price, Dorothy, why don't you and your sons join Anne, Gemma and me in the luxury room while Emerald and Harry get to know each other?" the king asked standing up. I stood up as the rest of the table did.
The butler behind me pulled my chair out allowing me to get out of the table. I thanked him with a smile and looked up to find Prince Harry standing in front of me. I noticed he was wearing a buttoned up white collared shirt with a black dress jacket and dress trousers. He was also tall, at least he hadn't inherited his height from his father.
"May I escort you around the palace?" he asked kindly offering his arm to me.
"Yes, of course," I said placing my arm in the crook of his elbow. I glanced down at my dress.
"If I may," Prince Harry said with a chuckle. "Most women pick up their skirts as they walk."
"Right," I blushed looking at the floor. I bunched the silk in my hand and smiled up at the prince. He gave me a dimpled smile back and motioned his head forward.
At first, we walked along the beautifully decorated galleries in silence. My eyes admiring all the beautiful artwork illuminated in the hallway. I could sense Prince Harry letting me admire the palace since it was my first time here.
"Ms. Price," he said after a while of walking.
"Emerald, your highness, just call me Emerald," I smiled.
"Of course," he said. "Emerald, can I ask you a question? Two, actually."
"Yes, sir."
"Can you stop calling me by the formalities?" he asked with a laugh. "I am not my father and I feel like if I were to get to know you as a potential wife, the formalities need to cease. Your mother is permitted to call my father by his given name."
"I can do that," I smiled. "What shall I call you then?"
"Harry will do," he smiled. "My second question now. Why is it that you want to live here and become my wife let alone the queen?" he asked.
"There isn't much for me back home," I shrugged. "If this doesn't work out, my father has already gotten a husband planned for me with a farmer. I don't even like farming." A light laugh escaped Harry's lips at my thinking out loud.
"Good things happen to everyone," he said kindly. "Look at my mum, she came from a very poor family and now she's here. I'm here."
"Was that a joke at the end?" I teased.
"Of course not," he laughed. "Would you like to see the gardens? Always a favorite here."
"Really?" I asked him excitedly. "Sorry, my mum told me they were the most beautiful gardens she's ever seen. I love flowers."
"It's alright," Harry smiled. "I quite enjoy the gardens as well. I think of them as a getaway of sorts. I can gather my thoughts there when things are quite stressful about the palace. Now, let's go before we're summoned back to formalities."
"Of course," I smiled to him. He stopped before the doors exiting the main part of the castle. Two guards took hold of the door handles and pushed them outward and held the doors open for the two of us. I nodded in thanks to the one nearest to me.
"Did you just thank a guard?" he asked me once we were a little bit away from the castle.
"Of course, don't you?" I asked. He shook his head and motioned forward with his free arm.
"That right there is the gardens, the entrance isn't my favorite, but the insides is my favorite part," he smiled to me.
When we approached the entrance I saw green patches of grass measuring the walkway surrounded by the most beautiful red flowers and then surrounded by little green plants. Evenly spaced amongst the red flowers were cone shaped hedges though at first glance I thought they were trees. Hedges surrounded me in tall, intimidating forms. They weren't cut into any shapes, they just acted like walls. There were chunks cut from the hedges and glorious statues placed inside. In the direct center of the entrance was a water fountain with a pure gold angel spewing water up in the air.
"Pure gold," I murmured looking at the statue.
"It's the Archangel Gabriel," Harry said quietly. "My father put it in when my mother had miscarried three children before my sister. She drank water from the fountain and nine months later my sister arrived. She did the same with me," he said with a smile.
"Gabriel, who is he?" I asked.
"The Archangel Gabriel is known as the messenger angel. He helps with anything people need, mostly dealing with children in any form," Harry explained. "My mother had insisted they put his gemstones in the fountain. So embedded in the fountain are moonstones and clear quartz."
I was in awe of the beautiful statue. It obviously meant a lot to his family since they had lost three children, there could have been more. The idea of Gabriel being here was almost romantic. He created hope in people.
"Shall we continue to my favorite part?" he asked with a smile. I nodded and followed him onward. We exited through one of the archways and he lead me up a bridge.
"This is where I come to get away," he said releasing his arm from my grasp.
I looked around and saw so many colors. Flowers in all colors were everywhere. The trees had colors hanging from them and draped over the pond that had dozens of lily pads floating on the surface of the water. Vines climbed the railings of the red bridge.
I watched as Prince Harry slid off his socks and shoes and rolled up his trousers. He sat down on the bridge and dangled his feet off the bridge. He looked up at me and made a hand motion for me to do the same. I slid the shoes off my crying feet and sat down beside him.
"Was it your idea or your mother's idea to come here?"
"My mother's," I said with a sigh. "My father doesn't think very highly of me. He thinks of me as a product that is for sale and he is only interested in the sum of money he gets from marrying me off to another man. I'm simply a business deal for him."
"That's not right," Harry said. "Why does your mother want you here?"
"I don't get fed very well at home. I am often ill from not having enough food in my diet and my father thinks it's because I've always been sickly. I get one potato and a little bit of other food every day," I said with a sigh.
"Explains why you were practically drooling at dinner," he laughed.
"I forgot you were watching me eat," I murmured to myself. "You know, that is the best meal I've had."
"I'm sure. Your brothers were drooling as well," he laughed.
"You don't seem very interested in getting married," I noted looking at him. "You haven't asked me any of my best qualities."
"You're too humble, you would say you have none," he said looking at me. "I'm not interested in marriage. I'm only twenty. I'm nowhere near mature enough to find a wife and start a family. I feel like I'm only a child myself."
"Makes sense," I said with a nod. "I'm apparently too old."
"Says who?"
"Everyone," I sighed. "All the friends I had when I was younger already have three or more kids. Here I am, all by myself."
"Hey now, being single is good!" Harry laughed. "You get to explore who you are. We learn by experiences and going out and experiencing life is the way we know who we want to be. What do you want in life?"
"Out of my current one," I said and he looked at me. "I haven't known anything else but that life. This," I said motioning to the garden around us. "I would love to see this everyday. I could die just looking at how incredibly gorgeous it is."
"Don't be so melodramatic," he laughed.
"I'm not, I promise," I said. "I just want out."
Harry stared at me and then out into the pond. He seemed to be deep in thought about something. It was like he was debating something inside of his head. He glanced back at me and stood up pulling his socks and shoes back on his feet. He reached a hand out to me and pulled me up off the bridge. I slid the shoes back onto my feet and took his arm once again.
"We never did that," he said after a while. "When we took our walk, that never happened."
"Why?"
"It's not a proper thing for a prince to do," he said lowering his voice to imitate his father. "I am yelled at for a series of things. I've had some girlfriends and my father didn't approve of them. They were mostly from the families of the upper class. My father didn't approve of them and he's been trying to fix me ever since."
"Experience," I repeated from earlier.
"Experience," he nodded. "You know, for barely knowing me you seem to know a lot about me."
"I listen," I said with a smile. "Not listening makes one a fool. Listening makes someone kind."
"Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me," Harry said quietly.
"Very true," I said. "Where is that from?"
"Dunno," he said with a shrug. "Heard it somewhere and I liked it."
Harry and I approached the castle once again and we walked through the palace to where I assumed our families were talking. He lead me down the decorated hallways into a room where, sure enough, our families were sitting and conversing with one another. My Timmy seemed to be flirting with Princess Gemma and she seemed to be flirting back. My parents were having a conversation with the King and Queen.
"Harry and Emerald are back," Queen Anne smiled. "Come in dears, we're just waiting for the maids to bring some tea."
Harry and I glanced at each other and walked further into the room. I couldn't help but look around the luxury room in awe. The ceilings were decorated in all sorts of circles with lines in colors of gold and blue. Four large chandeliers hung from the ceiling above a huge gold and red carpet. Chairs sat around the edge of the room against the wall.
"How was your tour of the palace?"
"It was beautiful, your Majesty," I smiled. "Prince Harry showed me the castle gardens, probably the most beautiful I've ever seen."
"That was my favorite as well," my mother smiled.
"Mine as well," Queen Anne smiled. "What did you think of the water fountain in the entrance?"
"It was beautiful, Prince Harry told me about the Archangel it is based off of," I smiled to him.
"Did you? How lovely, dear," Queen Anne smiled to her son. "When I had troubles getting pregnant, Desmond had put in a statue of the Archangel Gabriel. He is supposed to help with fertility and well, he did."
My mother smiled at the Queen. They acted as if they had been royal princesses together. It was such a pity that my mother didn't have a chance to stay here any longer than she did. It looked as if she were at home, her smile was pure joy. I knew she didn't really care for our house, but looking at her now, I could see that clearly. The palace felt like home, this was one of the only other homes she's known. She knows the king and his maids.
"Was Harry being nice to you?" Princess Gemma asked. "He has a history of being a right nuisance."
"He was good," I laughed. "Nothing but nice."
"That's a shocker," she said looking to her younger brother.
"Hey," he said narrowing his eyes with a smile on his face. "I'm always nice."
"Not to me," she said.
"Gemma, Harry," the Queen said. She mouthed something to the both of them and they seemed to understand what she said because they nodded and stayed quiet.
"Richard, Dorothy," King Desmond said. "It was an absolute pleasure seeing you. Your sons, if they every need work, we can make room for them here. A lot of our staff has just retired."
"I would love to work here," Timmy said with a grin. "Gardens are totally my thing, your majesty." I shook my head with my eyes closed.
"My sister is what he means," Harry whispered in my ear. I giggled and nodded.
I glanced over at Princess Gemma and noticed a violent red tint to her cheeks. She looked at the ground and tucked some of her dark brown hair behind her ear. I looked at Timmy and he had a smile on his face at her reaction. It was sweet, but I don't think either of our fathers would agree to the marriage. First of all, my father could never afford to marry her into the family. She's the royal princess for Christ's sake.
"Clearly they fancy each other," Harry said. "Won't work, she's been engaged since before I was born."
"Really?"
"The point of the princess is to bond kingdoms together. The prince is to bond with the people," he said as if he was quoting it. "My father says that all the time. 'When you have children, you'll understand that your daughters will be for the good of the kingdom making allies. Your sons will be bringing peace amongst your people.'"
"Sounds fun." I laughed.
"His lectures are far from fun," he sighed. "Today I learned about the history of the currency."
"Exciting," I said. "What's next, the history of the chandelier?"
"That was three months ago," he murmured. I let out a loud laugh and covered my mouth.
"Something funny?" Queen Anne asked us with a smile.
"I just told Ms. Price a funny joke. She laughed because it was that bad," he said with a smile. "You know as well as I do, mother, I am awful at making jokes."
"I know," she laughed. "He is awful. When he was younger he made the worst zoo joke on the planet. He came up to me and asked, "Mum, do you know why the baboon asked the giraffe why the long face? His reply was, because he thought his neck was his face,'" she said with a smile. Harry laughed as his face turned a crimson shade of red.
"Mum, it is funny though."
"No, sweetheart, it's not," she laughed. "It's only funny because you still think it's funny."
"I think that belongs in a book."
"I think not," she smiled. "You find some funnier jokes, we'll talk then."
"Harry, it is the most awful joke ever." Princess Gemma said.
"I was seven," he said with a grin. "It is fantastic for a seven year old."
"In whose dreams?" his sister pressed.
"Obviously yours," he smiled. "I am the crowned prince after all."
"Shush," she said with a laugh.
I laughed at their interaction between one another. They seemed like any normal set of siblings, constantly bickering with one another over the dumbest of things. The two of them did seem to get along quite well, they were also incredibly nice, Harry especially. I liked his smile, it made me want to smile more.
"How many girls have been in the castle already?" my mother asked curiously.
"Two, I think," King Desmond said. "The first lasted but a day, always crying that one. The other lasted about a week. Hopefully if he chooses to have Emerald in, she'll be longer."
"Maybe she'll last longer than three weeks," my mother joked. King Desmond let out a laugh and nodded in agreement.
"Your daughter does seem very poised, if I must say Mrs. Price," Queen Anne smiled. "Qualities that a princess should posses."
"I did raise my daughter that way if she were to wed the prince. I wanted her to be the best daughter she could be and the best wife. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to give her what I wish I could, but I did my best. If you ever need someone to cook, Emerald is a fantastic cook."
"Oh, that's wonderful," Queen Anne smiled. "I remember I used to cook for my family as well. I only had two brothers, poor girl, you have four."
"Yes, she cooks for a family of seven. She also helps sell the goods at the city center."
"Hard working girl," the king grinned. "She would be useful. I bet any parties she were to plan would be the grandest of them all."
"I bet," Queen Anne agreed.
I kind of hated how they were talking about me like I wasn't here. I wasn't deaf was I?
"Don't worry about them, they do this all the time. Talk as if we're not here," Harry noted to me. "You get used to it. They like to make decisions on our behalf without confronting us first. Annoying isn't it?"
"It is," I agreed. "Why do they do this?"
"They think it is beneficial to us if we don't think for ourselves," he laughed. "Besides, what good are we if we don't have our own brain."
"We're potatoes," I said with a smile. Harry let out a laugh and nodded.
"Potatoes," he agreed.
"So, Harry my boy, what is your decision?" King Desmond asked.
"Concerning what?"
"Emerald, of course!" he laughed. "Were you not listening."
"Sorry, father, Ms. Price and I were discussing potatoes."
"Potatoes?" King Desmond asked.
"Whether they really were considered a vegetable or not, father. They taste far too good to be any kind of vegetable, so I argued that they weren't."
"Well, moving on from potato talk, what is your decision?" he pressed moving the conversation along.
"Ms. Price," Harry said. "It is my formal decision that I would enjoy your presence at the palace as a contender to be the future queen of Ula. Do you accept?"
________________________________________
I am so in love with this story right now. I'm not going to lie, I was listening to I See the Light from Tangled as I wrote the garden scene and beyond. I'm sorry if the formatting is strange, I switched to using Scrivener so I could write with photos.
~Amanda