Moonflowers

“Princess?” a soft voice cooed into my ear, shaking my body lightly as they did so. I blinked my eyes open and turned on my other side to my young maidservant, Martha. “It’s time to wake up.” I nodded, sitting up in my extravagant bed. I rubbed my eyes of sleep, allowing me to view my surroundings more clearly.

“What time is it?” I asked, stretching.

“Half past nine, M’lady.” I nodded, pulling the covers away from my body. I steeped out of my large bed, slipping my feet into slippers as soon as they touched the cold marble floor. I wrapped my arms around myself as I ventured into my washroom, Martha following behind me. I sat myself down in a gold plated chair, closing my eyes as Martha ran a warm damp cloth along my face, just to wake me up. I could see that a bath had already been drawn for me, and I anxiously anticipated it. I was still covered in sweat and dirt from last night’s events. Martha soon escorted me over to it after she had ridden me of my nightclothes. I slowly brought my bare body into the warmth of the pure liquid. I smiled contently as the warmth of the water washed over me. I felt utter bliss as I lay there; thank the lord for warm water.

Martha came behind me and pulled the clip out of my long dark brown hair, letting it fall to my shoulders. She placed her hands on my head, lathering my hair in cool soapy liquid. I sighed and leaned back against the edge of the bath as my head was placed into a water basin that Martha washed the soap into. She ran her fingers through my long dark hair, and wrung it out gently, letting the soapy moisture fall into the basin. I laid my head against the back of the bath and closed my eyes, enjoying the time I had to relax. “Martha, is there any news you have for me?” I asked. Often the servants entertained themselves with gossip, but Martha often was the first to know, which was one of the reasons she was the head maid, who attended to my mother and I. It was very important for us to know of the things that went on inside of our kingdom. I peeked open my eyes to look at Martha, and she nodded.

“Spencer said he sent a messenger to your parents’ army very early this morning. He said that the messenger was on a very tight schedule so he should return by around 1 o’clock. With Captain Walker. ” She said as she picked up my clothes and set them inside of a sack for them to be taken to the laundry. My eyebrows rose as I heard Jonathan Walker’s name, a blush creeping onto to my face just thinking about him. I nearly sighed as I thought about his charming smile and those soft brown eyes. Jonathan Walker was captain of the royal guard, and my father’s right hand man. He was the envy of young men and the lust of young women. Unfortunately, I was apart of the young women group. I Heard Martha chuckle from the other side of the bathroom, “So you fancy Captain Walker?” she asked, eyebrows raised and a knowing smile on her face. I just blushed and shrugged, as I stepped out of the bath, taking the towel that was left on the table by the bathtub. She just giggled a little more, knowing that my silence was a definite yes. But who could really blame me? Captain Walker was a man that every girl wanted. He was charming and handsome, and brave and strong. He was nearly royalty, because most of the time he lived inside the castle, being treated just like a prince. Martha beckoned me over a golden chair so she could dry my hair. I walked over to her and sat on the chair silently, She wrapped a towel around my head, and tucked the end underneath it before she ventured into my closet. “What would you like to wear today, princess?” she asked from inside the closet. I thought for a moment. Knowing Captain Walker would be meeting us made this situation entirely different. I would have to pick my most flattering dress, but not act like I had pick my most flattering dress because I knew he was going to be there.

“How about the purple with gold trim.” I said. I loved that dress very much, it was my favorite, and it just happened to suit my body very well. A few moments later Martha appeared out of the closet with a beautiful purple colored gown. The gown itself was a light lavender color, while the leafy designs on the dress were a darker plum color. The ends of the wide sleeves were covered with about an inch of gold trimming, and a golden string was tied around the waistline to finish the outfit off. She laid the dress on my bed and came back to attend to my hair. Martha gently pulled the towel away from my damp hair, and ran a brush through my dark curly locks. I looked at my reflection in the mirror. I looked rather pale that day. Perhaps it was from my lack of sleep last night. My eyes seemed less lifeless than they should have been. I had everything that anyone has every wanted. So why was I so unhappy?

Martha quickly finished with brushing my hair and was about to put it up, but I stopped her. “I would like to leave it down today.” I said. Martha nodded and walked away to go get my crown, the pride and joy of my parents, and my reason for everything I did. Saying I was not fond of the crown would have been an understatement, but I wore it because it made my parents happy. Yes, I was very aware that they were not hear at the moment, but I felt that I should oblige to their wishes even when they weren’t present.

While Martha was off polishing my crown, I decided that today I would like to do my own makeup. I had tried doing my own makeup, once before when I was around thirteen, but it didn’t go so well. I looked ridiculous, like a circus act. After that I made sure to watch my servants very carefully when they did my makeup. I didn’t want to be dependent on them my entire life.
I stood from the chair as I got out all of the things I would need. All the makeup I had was stacked neatly inside a small drawer, and I pulled all of it out. First, I powered my neck and face with a skin tone powder to cover my blemishes. Second, I dabbed a light pink color onto my cheeks so I wouldn’t look so pale. And lastly, I took a thin paintbrush and dipped it into a beautiful red color, filling the curves of my plump lips with it. I set the brush down and admired my reflection in the mirror. Satisfied I placed all the makeup items back into the drawer, closing it gently. Coincidentally, Martha walked into the room with my crown at the same time I had finished with my makeup. She smiled at me, walking over to me with the beautiful crown that I hated so.

The crown was designed in honor of the day of my birth, a day that had been known as The Day of The Moon and The Sun. This day was when the sun and the moon crossed paths. This was usually a biannual occurrence, but it could sometimes happen more often. Though when it did happen everyone was very intrigued. No one could understand it, but that’s why it made so much since that I was born on a day when an event happened that no one could understand, because there weren’t many who could fully comprehend me.

The crown was made of silver, but was plated with gold. If it were made entirely out of gold, it would be and even heavier burden to bear than it already was. It was a rather modest piece of precious metal. It was not nearly as large as the extravagant crown my father wore. This crown was probably not any taller than a half an inch at it’s highest point and it was very thin. The majority of the crown was decorated in various sized stars, but in the very center front of the crown was the image of the sun and the moon as one. The design itself was actually very magnificent, and I do commend the man who made it, but I could force myself to fall in love with the beautiful circlet.

I lowered my head reluctantly and Martha placed the crown on my head. I looked up at her to see her smiling. “You look beautiful as always, miss,” She said. I smiled weakly back at her as I folded my hands in front of me. “Let us go to breakfast now.”

!!!!!!!!*!!!!!!!!

I sat myself down near the middle of the table across from Sir Urie, who had already been served. He was in much finer clothing than the day before; a white ruffled shirt and tight fighting black slacks. I raised my eyebrows at the man me who was pleasantly chewing on burnt bacon. Perhaps in his kingdom the costumes were different, but here no one was to eat before the princess had taken her first bite. I folded my hands on my lap, as I waited for my meal, that should be here any second now. At the sound of my sitting down, Sir Urie had noticed my presence. He sat up straight and dabbed his mouth with a cloth napkin, sending a beautiful grin my way not long after. “Good Morning, Princess,” he said nodding at me, giving me that same grin. I smiled in return with a little less enthusiasm.

“Good morning to you as well, Sir Urie,” I said in return, as I looked towards the kitchen door, where my breakfast tray had just been brought out. The young male servant sat the plate down in front of me as I muttered a thank you. “Excuse me, would you please send for Spencer?” I asked of the young servant. The boy nodded and started to walk away but not before wishing me to enjoy my breakfast. “How was your sleep, Sir Urie?” I asked, after the boy had gone. Sir Urie did not answer right away for he was still chewing on his breakfast, that only reminded me how he had been served first. I suppose I could understand my servants’ reasoning though. I definitely would not want my guest to feel like our kingdom was inhospitable, the impression he probably would have received if he had not been served as soon as he had come for food. Sir Urie smiled, finishing the last bit of bacon on his plate as I just started to nibble on the fresh fruit that was on my plate.

“I slept very well, thank you.” He said smiling; taking a sip of the orange juice that was also in front of him. “I do wish you would call me Brendon, though,” he said, a boyish grin appearing on his face. I thought about this for a moment. I never called anyone by his or her first name except for Spencer and Martha. But I decided to abide by this wish…Brendon had for me.
“Well alright…Brendon,” I said, feeling a little awkward as I said it, but Brendon just smiled like a mad man, while finishing off his juice.

Soon afterward, Spencer entered the room. “Yes, m’lady?” he asked bowing before me. I smiled at him.

“Spencer, this morning Martha said that you sent a messenger to my father’s camp, when should he be arriving there?” I asked, continuing to chew my food between sentence exchanges.

Spencer thought for a moment. “Actually he should already be on his way back with Captain Walker,” again I blushed at the sound of his name, and from the other side of the table I could hear Brendon let out a small chuckle. I looked over his way and gave him a warning look, but he only smiled more. I turned back to Spencer and nodded.

“Brilliant. What time of day should he be back with…Captain Walker?” I asked, hesitating to say Jonathan’s name, thinking that I would only embarrass myself more in front of Sir Urie. I mean, Brendon.

“One o’clock, miss. It’s a very good thing that the army was not far along by the time the messenger reached them, Otherwise, it would have been much more difficult to get an answer from your father very quickly.” I nodded in agreement, but before any more words could be spoken a servant boy came into the dinning room with a rolled up piece of parchment on a silver platter.

“A message for Sir Urie, from the King of the Eastern Kingdom.” The boy said, bowing and presenting the message to Brendon. He nodded, thanking the boy as he did so. He opened the message, after breaking the wax seal. His eyes darted across the page as he read the words printed in black ink. He looked up from the letter when he was finished reading and set it on the table. Without Spencer and I having to say a word, he answered our inevitable question. What did his king want?

“My king has asked of me an answer for him, he also has asked me to stay with you as an official representative of himself, if you were to allow it.” He said looking between Spencer and I. I nodded,

“Of course, you may stay as long as you would like,” I said, “But If you don’t mind me asking, what are you to the King of the Eastern Kingdom?” I asked, folding my hands on my lap as I looked at him intently. Surely he was much more important to the king than he night have seemed. After all, when he showed up in rags last night I would have thought that he was nothing more than a peasant, but obviously if the King was trusting him with the reputation of the Eastern Kingdom, as well as himself, Brendon must have been at a very high rank to be granted such privilege. The privilege of representing someone you looked up to was a difficult burden to bear. I would know, it was what I was trying to do this very moment. Brendon chewed on his lip nervously, but answered after sometime, melting under my hard gaze. I still wasn’t sure if I could trust him. With a sigh Brendon finally gave me an answer.

“He is my father.”