It was springtime, where the flowers bloomed their most vibrant multi-colours in the Royal gardens, the trees were full of buds and their lolly green leaves slowly turning to a deeper, mature green. The birds chirped their beautiful songs from the open gold and white marble canopy window, the swirly patterned drapes were too heavy to flow in the cool breeze. The evening warm, yet refreshing sky had me in a trance. Right before my round blue eyes I witnessed the vast sky over the royal gardens and hill side change from its darkening baby blue to a soft rose pink. The white fluffy clouds capturing the golden yellows, oranges and purples. It was like someone had pressed the twilight button and the blue sky faded to its evening. I was so transfixed I hadn't realised my hand-maiden, Myra, had formally addressed me as her princess.
"Your Royal Highness." Turning on my small creamy heals hidden by the dark blue silky layers of my evening dress I saw Myra standing by my double, wooden bedroom doors. She bowed once I'd turned to her, a kind smile on her lips. Myra was twice the age of my mother Queen Genevieve, she'd helped her raise me from a babe, since my mother was very young herself and didn't have her own mother around to assist. Once I was old enough to look after myself I'd asked mother to appoint Myra my personal hand-maiden and it was done.
"Myra." I acknowledged her presence. "Why the formalities?" I questioned, furrowing my brow slightly. Myra wore her usual black and white work uniform, consisting of a plain jet black ankle length dress with long sleeves ending at her freckled wrists. A clean white apron tied around her hourglass waist, reaching up to her chest in the shape of a square, pinned down to the material of her black dress. Matching the white apron was a bonnet pinned down to her neatly tied back midnight black hair. I'd never actually seen Myra with her hair out before, not even on her days off.
"Milady, since we are having a formal ball to celebrate your mother's 31st birthday I thought it would be appropriate." Myra bowed again slightly in respect and I waved my hand gracefully ushering her to come over. Myra shut the one door she opened to enter in the process.
"Very well." I nodded once. "I suppose I should get ready for the ball then? Have guests started arriving?" Myra stopped a couple of metres from me and held her hands over her lower stomach, smiling in agreement.
"Yes milady, I saw four carriages parked outside and another entering the courtyard on my way up to you." Myra answered, her ageing green eyes catching the evening light.
I nodded in acknowledgement. "And Eric?"
Myra shook her head. "I have not seen him yet milady." As Myra quickly saw my disappointment she continued, "But I'm sure he will arrive very soon. Eric may be tending to his mother. What dress would you like to wear tonight milady?" I was glad Myra changed the subject, moving on.
"Choose for me Myra." I quickly added, "And please don't pick that bright hot pink dress mother made me wear for tea with the Martonsons. I don't know what she was thinking."
Myra chuckled at me, her wrinkled eyes squinting in amusement and nodded knowingly, "Yes milady." As Myra stepped inside my walk-in closet where all of my dresses and shoes are kept I started undoing the pins and ties on my dark blue evening dress.
Dropping the dress to the floor I stood in nothing but my soft pink corset, keeping my torso tight and shaped. My stockings reached up under the hem of the simple skirt kept under my corset. I felt a shiver run up the skin of my bare arms as they became exposed to the evening air. After hanging my dress over the back of my golden swirled framed, dark red cushioned seat half tucked under my wooden dressing table and mirror, I stepped behind three bent screen divider. The divider was framed with golden swirls and a painting of two children playing near a tree all framed by flower covered curtains. The divider was given as a gift years ago by my mothers best friend, duchess Elizabeth Martonson, she said the children in the painting were of Eric and myself from when we were young children.
Myra had walked out from my closet holding a white and gold ball gown folded in half over her sleeved arm. After tying on my cage crinoline, Myra helped me slide the white and golden dress over my head and lay it out neatly. Over the 'V' shaped chest piece of the dress it was embellished with golden beads and intricate embroidery. The shape of the chest piece stretched out into a wider 'V' wrapping around my upper arms, exposing my shoulders and collar blades. Little sleeve puffs covered my upper arm with a mixture of gold and white lace frilling out along the bottom of the white sleeve puff. The dress puffed out over my cage crinoline creating the round, bold shape, further outlining the curve of my waist. The first white layer of the dress cut off above my knees with a thick white hem, over the second layer that skimmed the marble flooring. Golden swirls and flower shapes rose up from both hems of the gown creating such exquisite details.
"Milady, how would you like your hair styled for the ball?" Myra clipped my three row pearl necklace around my slender neck as I sat in front of my dressing table staring into the mirror that reflected Myra and I in my bedroom.
At the moment my hair was tied up in loose braids, freed strands falling down the sides of my face. I did hate my hair being styled, all the hundreds of pins, coloured paint and grand wigs (that I refused to wear) annoyed me to no end, yet it was expected so I complied to some extent.
"I'll leave it just like this." Myra nodded answering with "Yes milady. Your crown." As I quickly dabbed some power along my cheekbones and over my nose, Myra opened the navy blue box sitting on my dressing table. Inside was a beautiful gold swirly crown that looked like golden vines intertwining with each other. The front of the crown arched up to the filigree embossed ornament, with a diamond set in the middle. Smaller diamonds decorated the golden vines swirling around the sides. I had many crowns, some larger, some smaller than this one, but this crown was my favourite. It was dainty, yet bold and beautiful with the touch of nature. Myra picked up the crown carefully then gently set it on my head, fixing it to my loose braids.
Now I was ready for my mothers birthday ball. "Will I see you downstairs tonight?" I asked wondering if Myra was helping to work the ball. Standing from my dressing table, Myra took two steps back as to not stand so close to me.
"No milady, but I will be right here once you return." Myra bowed and I smiled.
"I'll hold you to that." We chuckled lightly then headed out into the hallway.
"Have a wonderful evening my princess." Myra bowed respectively as I walked down one of the hundred hallways in the castle.
I passed multiple guards standing like statues, each one wore a white wig with one curl above their ears, they wore a black and red tunic with creamy brown trousers and black leather shoes. I stopped in front of a passing window and looked out at the darkening twilight sky.
Glancing down I saw the castle workers light up the lanterns all through the royal garden and around to the courtyard. My eyes stopped on a familiar figure laying on one of the white hand made marble benches resting on his back with one arms crossed under his head, the other laid over his stomach. Eric.
I smiled and hastily made my way down the hall and out the back way to the royal garden so I didn't have to stop and meet any guests just yet; making a quick supply stop on the way. Hidden pockets in dresses were extremely handy.
My heals tapped against the tiled pathway as I made my way towards the marble seating bench. Stepping closer I saw Eric wore his formal deep red coat with black waists, cut to his hips and hung down to the back of his legs, under I could see he was wearing a black jacket, a white shirt and a black tie. Cream trousers and black knee high boots finished off his celebratory royal ball look. Eric's legs hung off the end of the bench, his knees bent and one foot flat on the ground as he was too long to lay. It was quite strange, Eric was much taller than the average man and towered over everyone in social gatherings. Much like my father and grandfather - who is unfortunately no longer with us. My grandfather had passed away when I was nine years old.
I blushed as my fingers brushed his brown blonde highlighted, short messy hair from his closed eyes. Eric's breaths were soft and repetitive, I realised he was asleep. Studying Eric's well defined and handsome face, I counted his five distinct freckles sprawled across his cheeks and forehead in a wonky line. His long black eyelashes hovered over his lightly tanned cheeks, his slightly crocked yet straight nose, and soft pink lips, the bottom lip larger. Eric didn't hold any titles of royalty or come from a high ranked family, Eric was just a commoner. He does work sometimes by helping out his neighbouring shops but that just his good nature. The extra money does help his sick mother a fair bit, the sickness she has has been going on for a few years now. Not even the royal doctors know whats wrong with her.
I didn't understand why Eric wasn't married yet, he always had woman interested in him, even a couple from higher ranks but he continuously turns them down. When I'd ask him about it, Eric would say they're not his type or that he's not ready for a relationship. I think he should marry, at least to gain some wealth to support his poor mother.
My eyes fell down to his hand resting over his stomach, held between his lengthy fingers was a single red rose. I wonder why he had that?
My hand reached to touch his shoulder to wake him up but I stopped as a childish idea rushed to mind. Rumbling from my throat I let out a 'Rarh' and slapped my hands on Eric's chest. He jolted awake by the sudden movement, his golden brown eyes blinking awake in shock frantically searching for danger. When his eyes landed on me I started giggling. His shoulders visibly relaxed back down to the seat of the marble bench and he let out a deep breath.
"Bloody hell, you nearly gave me a heart attack Bell." Eric grumbled sitting up on the seat, swinging his legs down to the ground in front of him. Not only had Eric cursed, he hadn't even greeted me like a proper princess. Which was absolutely wonderful; Eric made me feel like an equal, a normal civilian and not their future Queen.
I noticed he'd glanced down at the red rose between his fingers before smiling back up at me.
"Well I wouldn't have woken you up any other way." I bit my lip suppressing a grin.
Eric smirked, "Thats True, I wouldn't of expected any less from you either." He chuckled standing up to his magnificent full height, my eye level was with his rising and falling chest.
His golden brown eyes dropped down to my white and golden ball gown then back to my face, he smiled "A beautiful rose for a very beautiful lady."
My lips parted as Eric held out the single red rose to me. Blushing from his compliment I thanked him, taking the thornless rose from his warm fingers. He'd must have picked the thorns off. "Thank you Eric, and you look quite handsome yourself."
"Thank you." He nodded his head forward, "May I?" His hand gestured out for the red rose and I looked up at him. Handing the rose back over, his arms rose to my head and gently tucked the stem of the rose into the braid of my brown hair around the side of my head. "Perfect." He grinned and blush rose to my cheeks, tinting their fair colour.
My heart pounded in my ears as one of Eric's hands slowly dropped back to his side, the other, the cause of my erratic heart beats. His fingers skimmed my rosy cheeks and I felt as if I was looking into a golden sunset right in Eric's eyes. My breaths stopped once I saw how close Eric was standing to me, we had stood this close before but this time, it felt completely different. That look in his eyes and the feeling in my chest made everything different. I wasn't naive, I knew what it is, but it just cannot be done. I must be married to someone of much higher status. It is law.
Eric must have realised it too as he cleared his throat and took a step back, bent forwards and held out his hand. "May I escort you to the royal ball, my angelic princess?" Eric posed very formally, just with a cheeky smirk at the end.
I played along, "Why of corse my good sir, how kind of you to ask." My small hand was encased by Eric's long fingers as he held my hand and gently kissed my knuckles. I bit my lip blushing as Eric rose from his bent position, my hand still in his. His golden brown eyes flicking down to my lips for a second, his adam apple bobbed before a polite smile spread across his lips.
Eric and I walked back through the darkening royal garden to the courtyard that was now swarming with moving and parked carriages. I noticed the guards more cautious as I was out the front of the castle with the gates open and guests mingling. People seeing Eric and I together wasn't an uncommon action, but there was nothing more than holding hands. I know when we were younger we used to hug but once we matured, we stopped, and I still don't know why. Maybe I'd done something wrong along the way.
Reaching the front stairs to enter the foyer Eric and I were greeted by guests still entering the ball themselves. People from all over the country gathered to celebrate their Queens birthday. Eric and I lived for these sorts of gatherings, we always came up with jokes to fool everyone. It's our undying habit to act on childish plans, they just simply made our mundane lives more exciting.
The foyer was half the size of the ball room, and the ball room was enormous. Two candle lit, crystal chandeliers hung from the high risen roof; golden swirls, never ending stair cases and marble pillars made up the structure of the castle, along with large family and self portraits that filled the spare wall space. I waved politely to the men, woman and children Eric and I passed. The large double doors to the ball room remained open, usually until everyone is inside the ball room. The line up to get your name marked off the guests list and to be spoken out by our herald was slowly shortening.
Eric and I talked to a Viscount and his family while we waited inline to enter.
Eric's name was crossed off from the guests list and we approached the herald, from hearing Eric's name and recognising his princess the herald tapped his staff twice to acknowledge royalty. The crowd down below always went silent when they hear the herald's taps, they did this to show respect for the royal members.
Two stair cases split in half, curving around the live orchestra playing their soft introduction tunes while everyone entered. Seven carved pillars stood at either side of the room, holding up the Godly painted roof. Candles illuminated the whole ball room, from the three crystal chandeliers and lanterns hanging from the walls and pillars. To the back left of the room was a long table filled with delicious drinks, treats and a large white cake. Then the glass windows curving around at the very far end, during the day you can see the gardens, the city and the vast blue sea beyond that. Right now it was pitch black past the candle lit balcony.
"Your Royal Highness, Princess Isabell Rosemary Watson, escorted by, Sir Eric Reynolds!" The herald boomed out across the ball room with his deep, yet clear voice. Eric and I took a few steps towards the little balcony above the orchestra. My father, mother and many of the men bowed their head, tilting their necks, while all of the woman curtseyed in respect. From a child I learned who curtseys and bows to who and in what order, then the men and women again within the order.
Eric and I begun descending the stair case to the right, everyones eyes on us. Some people don't like the fact that their princess socialises with a person of much lower class but I couldn't care less of their gossip. I've been best friends with Eric since we were young children and it will always be that way. I'm lucky that my parents agree to our friendship, I think after no other children being around in the castle they worried for me so allowed Eric after I met him in town one day during a fireworks festival.
"I have the gun powder." Eric whispered, tilting his head towards me.
I smiled mischievously back up at him. "And I have the beatles." I'd whispered back bringing my spare arm up to hold onto his one that was already entwined together with mine.
"How scandalous princess." Eric chuckled turning back to the crowd of dwindling guests that draw closer with each step. "I love it."
_____________________________
Royal From Birth
Please Vote, Comment and Share!
Word count from original chapter: 1023
Word count from re-written chapter: 3068
Let me know what you think of the first re-written chapter of Royal From Birth😊