For King and Country

The Cityscape

Chapter 15

I was sitting in the garden on a thin blanket composing a letter to my parents as Fitzgerald lay with his head near my feet, reading a letter from Thalia. I'd sent a message to him a few days after he appeared in my bedchamber, mostly out of loneliness, but also because I figured he would relate the growing pressure that was placed on me. Everyone thought he was courting me, but the truth was, I was homesick, and he was the only person willing to talk to me about it. I didn't understand castle life like he did, but none of the servants, who were around me most of the time, understood my pain at being away from the village. So I talked to Fitz. Like he said, we were probably destined to be friends. 

Josephine had thrown me heavily into planning Elizabeth's debut, but I had yet to be introduced to the girl. On top of the debut, the regular social events, council meeting after council meeting, and the final date of my coronation ceremonies being set, I had yet to have a quiet night in my chambers, but there was nothing I could do about it. Fitzgerald assured me of that. He said to grin and bare it. Right now, he was talking about his court. About his friends and father, and how much he wanted to go back to them. But he spent the most time on Thalia, and trying to get me to confess my love.

"Listen to what she says," Fitzgerald says sitting up and getting my attention. "My dearest Fitz," I laughed at that but he shot me a glare, "not a day goes by that the court does not feel your absence. Your father mopes about wishing for his favorite son to return though he sent you away. The Queen, bless her, has been thrusting her son, Victor, into your father's sight waving swords and bow and arrows to try to get his attention away from you. It's no secret she wants him to be king..

"Caroline, my step mother," He broke his reading to look up at me, "She wants her son on the thrown more than anything. But Victor is a spoiled pompous brat, my father could not be more ashamed of him." He said before reading. "Your father, like the rest of the court, holds true to your legitimacy. We are all eager to see you again. We all wait to hear news of the foreign princess, more specifically, of her inclination to marry you. While they hope for the engagement to unite our two countries, I hope that you will not forget me. That you wait for me as I wait for you. I miss you more than anything, my love, and I stand in our window, staring at the road, wondering when you will come back to me."
I smiled sadly at her words of longing for him, though I could not see for the life of me why someone would care so much for Fitzgerald.

"You know, I could use some more insight on to the customs of your lands. Tell your father I request a lady from your nation. Send for her." Fitz smiled.

"No, it would be of no use. She would not arrive before winter, and I leave in the spring." He said, caressing the letter. "I will just write her back and tell her the darling Princess loves another, and while she wishes to continue our strong friendship, I will not marry her."

"Oh well, now be quiet and let me finish my letter to my parents."
Dear Pa and Ma,

I write this from the palace gardens, on a little blanket next to a little spring with white and pink roses growing all around me. The splendor of this places makes me wonder how some can have so much while others have so little. I think of our little farm every day, of you two and the girls and Morris, and wish for the simplicity of it all. I have made great friends here, Princes and Dukes and Ladies from every corner of the nation, but I would trade it all for just one more day with you two. One more day.

The palace is splendid. I have yet to understand how to get around, I keep getting lost. It's quite amusing for the guards and servants, to find a Princess wandering around the kitchen. They always love to feed me the most magnificent treats when I wander there (which I have been doing quite a lot lately.) They remind me of my simple life, with my simple family. I found a chamber though, with every royal painted on the walls since the dawn of the dynasty. I saw them, my mother and my father. She was as beautiful, but everyone says I look a lot like my father.