“Good so far, but I still need time to figure everything out.”
“Do you have many customers?”
He knitted his eyebrows. “Enough but not as many as you.”
“We are doing different jobs, so you can’t compare painting with jewelry making.”
He shrugged. “Do you always talk when dancing?”
That’s what was bothering him? “Well, not all the time, but enough. If you don’t talk, then you are missing half the fun. Do you always talk when eating?”
He smiled. “If you don’t talk, then you miss half of the fun. We share our news during lunch or dinner.”
I noticed he repeated my words. “Who was your lady friend?”
He seemed surprised by the change of topic. “She is hardly a friend.” Or a lady, I mentally added. “She is from France, but I don’t like her much. She was always manipulative, and well... she has married four times, but every husband has mysteriously vanished.”
That didn’t surprise me. “Maybe she murdered them.” I realized I had said my thoughts aloud, and I blushed. “I am sorry.”
“These were my thoughts exactly, don’t worry.”
I blushed more, and when the music ended, I let go of him and I left him mingling with the crowd. I wandered out to the garden and sat near some flowers. What was wrong with me? I usually could control my thoughts, but when he was around, my powers were a little out of control. I didn’t like my powers out of control, but I didn’t like the words slipping out of my mouth either.
Jonathan joined me in the garden. Couldn’t I have a bit of peace? “Eva. Are you all right? Does your arm hurt?”
Why would he be worried about my health? My arm didn’t hurt anymore. “I am fine.”
He seemed relieved. “It’s just you left so quickly, and I was worried something was wrong.”
Why would he be worried? “I am fine. I just needed a little bit of silence.”
He sat next to me. “Yes, sometimes the music is a little too loud in combination with the crowd.” He stood and started pacing nearby, driving me crazy. He came to a stop in front of me. “I want to ask you something. Actually, I wanted to ask you some time ago...” He seemed nervous, and he was never nervous. Except when we were in danger. “I, well, I want to ask you if you want to be with me?”
Shock froze me for a moment. It wasn’t like I had expected something else from him. This had been a long time coming. If I answered him now, then we would be clear with one another. I hoped that even if he didn’t like the answer, he would still be friends with me. The shock wore off, and I stood.
“Please, Eva, answer me. I can’t know if you see me only as a friend or if I can still have hopes.”
It would be a shame if I lost him, but sometimes you had to halt someone’s dreams to push him in the right direction. “I am sorry, but I can’t marry you. I just can’t. I want to live a free life and see things and draw everything, and I can’t be confined into something I don’t want. I just hope you will not hate me for that, but I prefer telling the truth than a lie.” I turned to leave the garden.
“But I never said anything about marrying me,” he said, and I turned to face him. He didn’t say it, but that went without saying, right? The way I understood that it worked was people got to know each other a little, and then the boy proposed to the girl and then they got married. Some were lucky to see the one they would marry and others... well, arranged marriages were a messy thing and should be forbidden, I thought. If he didn’t want to marry me, then what did he want?
Jonathan looked into my eyes. “I just want to know if you would like to be with me.”
“I am a little confused now. What do you want?”
He took a deep breath. “I don’t want to marry you because I am still figuring my new life. I just want to know if you could imagine being with me. Not marrying, but doing things together, but not being bound by a marriage.”
What a strange thought. And I had to admit it was an original idea. If people didn’t get married within a few days of meeting and instead got to know each other, there might be more love in marriage and more happiness in life.
Jonathan looked at me expectantly, and I said, “That’s the first time I have heard something like that, but I think I like it.”
He smiled a little. “Is that a yes?”
I smiled mischievously. “As much of a yes as I can give you.” He laughed and then hugged me. I felt strange. He was warm and I could smell mint as always. Did he have a perfume of mint? I couldn’t explain it.
He pulled back. “I am sorry, I...” He had never said he was sorry for anything he had done unless he thought he had hurt me for some reason. He leaned toward me, and we kissed. It was different. I wanted this kiss and it was expected. It was like thunder and water and fire.
Boom! We looked up and saw fireworks. Jonathan grinned. “Well, that just can’t be a coincidence. Every time we kiss, something happens. Rainbows, rain, all the candles being extinguished at once, and now fireworks. It seemed like the universe was trying to separate us at times, but I am not giving up yet.”
People walked out into the garden to admire the fireworks. “Did something happen?” Ritta asked, popping out of nowhere.
“No.”
“Liar. I saw you.”
“Then why do you ask?”
“So I can get the details. So? Do tell me. Can I design...?”
“Nothing.”
She raised her eyebrows. “He didn’t propose to you? Then what?”
“He proposed something entirely different, and I find it quite interesting.” That caught her attention, and I told her about Jonathan’s “proposal.”
“Well, that’s really interesting. So you are going to get to know each other, but not get married? That’s actually very innovative. The problem might be the people. They will see you holding hands at the very least.”
“They have seen us holding hands other times too, but they all think Alec and Jonathan are my friends, and I intend to keep it that way.”
“Why not? I will like to see how it will work.”
I waved my hand and a firework took the shape of a crown with jasmine.
“Do you think you should do that?”
“Why not? The only thing they will see is me waving my hand. Besides, it’s a celebration. They will think the servants did it.”
Alicia came and joined us. “My parents are gone.”
“Oh. You could have followed them or you could have told us you wanted to leave,” I said.
“But I wanted to stay before, but now I am a little tired, so can we go back?”
I nodded. “Sure, we were about to leave. Come, we are going to the stables.” We picked up Midnight from the pets’ room first, and Alicia was thrilled to see a room only for pets. We walked toward the stables where I had left Sunshine. I helped Ritta and Alicia up and I climbed on last. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
I saw a brown horse in front of me and recognized it. It was Blueberry with Jonathan on his back. “Goodnight,” he called when he saw us, and we wished him goodnight too. He waved and blew me a kiss. Fortunately, it was dark or he would have seen me blush.
Celebrations
We arrived at my house and I lent Alicia some bedclothes and helped her out of her dress. “Oh. Those are very nice boots,” she said when she saw my boots.
“They told me it’s the new fashion, but I took them because I like boots not because it’s the fashion.”
“I like your house. You really put your dreams in your home as they say.” We laughed and went to bed. I was tired but somewhat happy.
The next day I went to the market and saw Jonathan. He smiled at me and said, “Hello.”
“Hello, Jonathan.” I went to inspect the stalls. “What are you looking for today?” He stared at me. “You came for the market, right?” He nodded and we each picked some vegetables and some meat. I showed him how to recognize good fruits, vegetables, and meats from the bad.
“Miss Eva. How are you today?” the fruit keeper asked me.
“I am fine. How are you?” I took some fruits from him and moved to another stall.
“Is everyone here that friendly?”
I nodded. “Yes, we help each other. We are all merchants in the end.” That was another difference between us and the royals. They thought they were individuals, but we peasants thought of ourselves as one.
“They must be afraid of me or at least think I am crazy.”
I shook my head. “No, they mostly find it curious, so maybe you can try and be friendly with them.”
He shouldn’t have a problem with that since he was always social with others. After getting everything we wanted, we went our separate ways. “See you later?”
I smiled. “In the afternoon. I have a job to keep.”
He kissed my hand and left. I returned home, smiling all the way.
In the afternoon, we went for a walk in the village and passed through the meadows. The meadow was full of spring flowers. “I might be new at this, but I find all this very exciting,” he said, holding my hand.
“All this?” I asked.
“The life and the freedom. Especially the freedom. I had never felt it except when I was with you. I could tell you about my dreams and the trips I wanted to take, and you would never judge me or laugh at me. Others would laugh at me or tell me that one day I will be a king and that’s the best I could hope for.”
His life must not have been much fun for him to see a peasant’s life so exciting. “Alec didn’t laugh at you, did he?”
“No, you and Alec were the only true persons who believed in me.” A witch and half-angel, how strange.
The next time I went to the market, I saw Alec, and we walked around the market. “What brings you here?”
“I want to take a break from all this work and to see the people, of course.” Alec would always be kind, and it was a good choice to have him be the king. He was one of the few persons that could rule without being controlled and overwhelmed by power. He tried to do good things with the power he had.
“How is Jasmine?”
He smiled widely. “Very good. She is helping me in a lot of things.”
“Didn’t she want to come to the village?”
“She did, but we are planning something, and she is better at that than me.” I raised my eyebrows. “You will see and I hope you will like it.” He tilted his head. “Can I ask you something?”
“Yes, anything you want.”
He seemed indecisive. “Promise not to kill me?”
Why would I ever want to kill someone so kind? “Promise,” I said.
“I know it’s not really my business, but do you like him? Jonathan?”
“Yes, he is nice.”
“And what are your thoughts about this thing you are trying?”
Of course, he knew. He was Jonathan’s best friend. In a way, I was glad because I wanted to discuss it with someone who was from this village and knew about this world. Someone human. “It is strange and I find it innovative but I like it. If people knew each other and not just from an acquaintance or arranged marriage, they might have been happier.”
He nodded. “That’s what I think, but it’s difficult to order people what to do especially in marriages.”
“Maybe you can’t order them, but if royals start doing it, then peasants will follow. The poor society is a copy of the rich.”
He laughed. “True, but if peasants are hard to convince, royals are even harder to. Jasmine’s sister decided to marry a peasant from here so...”
“Please don’t ask me for my opinion again. I have already told her what I think of this.”
“You mean she asked you for your consent? When her mother heard about this, she almost fainted.”
“She didn’t ask me for my consent, but rather to find out if the boy was worth it and if he liked her.” I paused and he waited for me to continue. “The boy didn’t know she was the queen’s sister or even a royal. He apologized for his manners, but I think he was polite toward her.”
“Who is he? I can’t remember everyone at the ball.”
“He is the wood maker boy. He makes furniture and builds houses and everything. He is kind and very good at his work.”
“Yes, I know him. You are quite right. He is polite and easygoing. It’s no wonder she fell for him.” Alec seemed to know everyone in this village.
“Yes, it was like watching a fairy tale coming alive. Never saw something like this. They were too fast in my opinion, but...”
“And you are too slow.” He laughed, and I shoved him a little.
“There was a war to think about.”
“I guess.” After a while, we parted ways, and he said, “If you need anything, just ask. We are forever in your debt anyway.” I waved and went home.
The days passed without event. While I still worked as a painter, in the winter I made medicines and remedies since people got sick more often. Jonathan continued working as a jeweler, and he now had customers from other countries, so pigeons carried letters and items. In the summer, I went to my shop in Portugal with Jonathan, and it turned out to be a vacation for both of us. Then, we went to Italy and visited Alicia and her family who were glad to hear our “good news.” Interesting enough, it wasn’t the strangest thing her mother had heard. What would be strange for her? A flying pig?
Winter was upon us again, and a ball was to be held at the palace before Christmas, and everyone was invited. Jonathan picked me up from my house. “Now I don’t owe you a dance,” I said, and he laughed.
“I doubt it’s something you can avoid.”
We were doing well together. We had found something that worked for us, and we knew what to expect from each other. We had our fights and our disagreements, but that was normal in relationships. Maybe we fought a little more often than other couples, but that was our “normal.” We had been fighting since we met, but we always apologized afterward.
The queen and Alec were as regal as always. I could never call him the king. He would always be Alec to me. At the ball, the queen’s sister greeted me. “Eva. It’s nice to see you again.” She hugged me and she was more relaxed and happy than the previous time I saw her.
“What’s the big news?”
“How can you tell?” She smiled.
“Everything is written on your face and you glow. So? What is it?”
She held her hands together. “Well, um, I am getting married.”
I smiled and congratulated her. “I am so happy for you. When?”
“Thank you.” She hugged me. “It will be a little after New Year’s, and I want to invite you and ask if you want to help me choose a dress and everything?”
Ritta would be thrilled to help with another wedding. “Of course. Can Ritta come and help me? She’s the best at these types of ideas.”
“I want Ritta’s help too. I know you two are inseparable, and she helped my sister as well as you did, and it’s only fair.”
Jonathan joined us and greeted the queen’s sister.
“Hello, Jonathan. How are you?” she said.
“Good. I hope you too are good.”
After exchanging greetings, I said, “I won, Jonathan.”
“You won what?”
I smiled mischievously. “Your bet.”
“What bet?”
“She is getting married a little after New Year’s Day. I told you it would be soon.” A look of disbelief crossed his face, and I shrugged. “You should be careful with bets.”
The queen’s sister was confused. “What bet?”
I pointed at Jonathan. “He made a bet with me that you wouldn’t be marrying so soon.”
“That was not very polite.” She laughed. “But you lost. What did you win, Eva?”
“What do you mean?”
“Usually with bets, there is a prize. Money, chores... that kind of thing.”
“We didn’t set a prize.”
“How about a dance?�
�� she proposed.
“Ehh, that’s old.”
The wood boy approached the queen’s sister, and we congratulated him for the good news, and he thanked us. He took the queen’s sister to dance.
“I wonder how her mother took the news.”
Jonathan gave me a look. “Not well, trust me. One of her cousins married someone who was not of the same status as her—he was a royal but not as rich—and let’s just say it took a long time for Jasmine’s mother to talk to her again.”
“There are statuses among royals too?”
“Yes, it’s according to power, money, and influence.” Royals are crazy. “Now, Eva, will you dance with me?”
“Do not think that this will be my prize.”
“And what would it be then?”
I gave him a cunning look. “I haven’t thought of something yet.”
“Uh, oh,” he said as we began dancing.
Later Alec and Jonathan went away to talk, and the queen visited with me. “Eva. So nice to see you.”
We saw each other sometimes when she came with Alec for a walk in the village. She and Alec had done so much for the village. They had created an affordable women’s clothing shop, a pigeon carrier service, an improved hospital, and a school for boys and girls. The streets were cleaner, and there were shops and buildings for merchants and entertainers now.
“It’s nice to see you too, Jasmine.”
“I want to share something with you.”
“Do you want to go somewhere quieter?”
“No, it’s all right. Besides, there aren’t any people in here right now. They prefer to dance and have fun rather than just stand.”
“I am listening,” I said, and the queen and I sat at an empty table.
“I know it might sound a little unexpected, but I want to share the news with you first.”
I wondered if Alec was sharing the same news with Jonathan. “I am honored. What is it, Jasmine?”
“I... I am pregnant.”
I had not expected that. “Congratulations! That’s so wonderful. I am sure Alec will be very happy.”
Jasmine smiled. “Yes, he is. I want also to ask you about names. Alec said you are good with these.”
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