Tears of a Royal

"How interesting.." Mother muttered to herself, peering through the window.

I stepped up behind her, trying to get a glimpse of what she saw.

"What mum?"

"The royal horses are out today, that's rare."

"Rare indeed," I scoffed, "What does it matter?"

"It doesnt really matter, I thought you might be interested."

"Why on earth would I care about the royals?"

"Well, their son, the Prince of course, is about your age..."

I laughed at this, "I know what your trying to say, the answers no."

"Oh you do? YOU know what I'm going to say?"

"Yes I do, you want the Prince and I to.. well.."

She chuckled, "Yes. And is that a problem? The two of you falling in love?"

"Prince's don't fall in love with peasents, mum."

I turned towards my younger sister, Gracie, she laughed and yelled, "My sister's gunna marry the prince!"

"No I'm not. Now, if the two of you will excuse me-"

"And just WHERE do you think YOUR going?"

"To run a few errands, as usual. The things peasents do, you know?" I slammed the little wooden door behind me, leaving my mother and sister in our small, petite home.

It wasnt much, the roof somewhat leaked, the floors sort of creaked, and there was a slight draft. But, when your the exact opposite of royalty, what do you expect?

"There you are, Mariah." Scarlet giggled, running over to me and holding out a basket.

"Its Mimi, you know I hate that name..."

"But its your REAL name."

"So?"

"Fine fine, whatever you want me to call you..." She trailed off.

Suddenly her eyes grew large, "So, tommorows your... How do the royals call it, birthday?"

"I believe so.." I wasnt very excited, every year it was a small cake, a candle, and a new scarf. Mother said I looked lovely in scarfs, with my long brown hair matching just about any color.

She hand knitted me one every birthday, sometimes two, last year she made me three; all in different shades of blue.. my favorite color.

"Its not important." I stated, as we stopped by the bakery and purchased some white bread.

Matthew, the son of the man who owned the bakery, smiled at me, handing over the usual loaf of bread, "Mariah, Scarlet, how nice to see you two again.."

Scarlet nudged me, he was twenty three, I was only twenty. I didnt like the idea of dating someone much older than me, though mother say's I'm too picky, and simply ridiculous.

"Matthew, Its Mimi. Remember?"

"Yes yes of course." His light brown hair, messy as usual, twitched at the slight breeze flowing through the door into the shop.

He was extrememly tall and thin, but had a great personality... He WAS rather cautious. Where me, I like to be a little reckless now and then. My aunt Sherry says I'll get myself killed someday with that kind of behavior, what an uplifting and postive thought for me to remember her by, hmm?

His father stepped out, A large man with only a ring of red hair, pointy shoes and an apron.

"Scarlet, Mariah its so nice to see you two again!" Ugh, here we go with the Mariah thing.

"Mimi, we should get going before it's late." Scarlet whispered.

"You two heading somewhere I pressum?" His grin widened.

"Yes, we really must get going, good bye!"

Scarlet grabbed my arm, nearly dragging towards the Silversmith.

"Anyways, I figured, with the 'Royals' in town, we could sneak off into the woods again."

"Whatever for?"

"To gather berries, thats why I brought the baskets!"

She pulled back her short, wavy, midnight black hair and drapped her cloak over herself, the violet hood hid most of her face; I did the same, only my was a dark blue.

We continued to make our way through the small village of Cyan, stopping by our favorite shops, including the bakery, to buy some bread, the silversmith to gaze upon their handcrafted items; then finally we came to the woodsy area.

The Village of Cyan was the largest village in the south, many people stopped by to rest and buy items that arent sold any where else. The people here were dreadfully kind, which caused the king to feel he can treat us poorly, the village people are to nice to fight back; only wanting peace and happiness.

"Here's the wood, lets go before the Horsemen show up." Scarlet ducked, as did I, and slowly we made our way through brior and bramble till we reached the path leading towards the small, mossy lake.

"The forest seems out of place today.." I whispered, she smiled at me, but held a confused expession.

"How can a forest seem out of place?" She laughed, tightening her coat around her neck and once again pulling back her hair.

"I dont really k-" From a distance we could hear trotting, as though a horse was coming our way.

Scarlet gasped, we both hid behind a large, blue berry shrub.

After a moment of silence, here came, none other than, the Prince.

"That's the-"

"I know who it is! Do you think me blind?" I was starting to talk like my mother, she always tried to talk like a royal, i guess she thought we were high class.. peasents?

"Very good Derek, your father should be pleased with your new hobby."

The prince sat up on his white stallion, his chocolate brown hair combed back perfectly, followed by a long red cape that kept us from seeing what else he was wearing.

A much older man, bearing a white mustache and no hair grinned towards the prince, wearing nothing more than knight's armor.

"Hobby? Actually, I think of it more as a punishment." He snared, slowly getting off the horse and looking in our direction.

"Come now Your highness, your father spent much gold on your new horse."

"And it was a blasted waist, I didnt ask for one! My father wasted currency on something I truley didnt need."

"Wasted? Hmph. Your so unappreciative. Your father cares deeply for you, he wants you to be strong! To be a good prince you surely MUST know how to ride a stallion."

"And whys that?"

"To save a fair maiden, to leap over great hights, to-"

"Point taken. I still feel it was a bloody waste."

"You ride that 'orse as if you have your whole life and you only began a week ago."

"And where do you propose I ride this fair mare? We can't go anywhere!"

"Your here aren't you?"

"With you."

"Should I be insulted,' The old man laughed, patting the horse gently on the side.

"What I mean, is my father wont allow me to ride it anywhere. If I'm outside the walls, other kingdoms might try to shoot me down! If I'm inside the castle, all the guards are following me. If I'm in the Village, all the peasent girls are swooning over me. If I'm here, I'm being watched over by you! Thats not much of a free life."

"You act as if your my age. Just as your father did when he and I were your age."

"Well, my father sure isn't what he used to be."

"Derek, you'll never understand. I said you would when your older, well, your twenty years old."

"I think I understand perfectly."

Scarlet laughed again, the both of us interested in the spat, 'Till I spotted someone in a darker outfit sneaking up on the prince's left.

The two were so busy arguing over nonesense, The shadow was able to move closer and closer.

"Scarlet, do you-"

"Yeah i see it, what should we do?"

The shadow stepped back, I could just barley make out some sort of weapon.

I rose to my feet, "Prince Derek look out!"

The shadow struck the ground with a long, metal sword, just missing the prince by an inch.

He glanced back at me, panting as I was. The old man yelled, "Guards!"

Almost instantly a group of armored knights and their steeds chased the shadow deep into the wood, leaving shaking leaves and twigs as their trace.

Scarlet had already taken off, scared by the commotion, I was frozen for the moment, The prince was in shock, the old man pointed his finger at me, "You there, girl!"

Not wanting to acquire the same fate as the shadow, I scurried off, twigs, thicket and bramble sliced into my skin but i tried not to stop, wanting to escape as soon as possible.