Peas and Princesses

by Aleese Hughes

  “You frightened me!” I said. She was sitting on the edge of my bed, as if she had been waiting for me the entire time.

  “How did it go? I hope it went well because you were only gone for an hour!”

  I sighed. “It went very well. But I did walk a lot, so I would like to rest for a little while.”

  Minerva seemed dissatisfied with that answer, but, surprisingly, she nodded in agreement.

  “It’ll be good to rest up for more courting tonight,” she said, and then stepped out of the main room to her own to give me some privacy.

  I sighed in relief and pulled my dress over my head. I plopped onto my mattress in just a shift and stared up at the ceiling. So many different emotions were spinning inside me in that moment. I wanted to scream, I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry! Everything in me didn’t want to enjoy my outing with Alexander, but I did. Despite everything, he was sweet and funny. But how could I even begin to become friends with someone who didn’t know everything about me was a lie? I blinked out a tear and let myself drift off to sleep.

  Chapter 21

  “Wake up, Princess Amelia!”

  I jolted at the feeling of Minerva’s long fingernails digging into my bare arms as she shook me awake.

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

  “Time for you to find the Prince and flirt with him some more!” She ripped the warm covers from my body, and I shivered in the cold air.

  I glanced out the window. It couldn’t have been much later than dawn.

  “But I’ll see him later for tea. And heaven knows you taught me how to do that well.”

  Minerva struck me on the top of my head with her palm.

  “Ouch!” I cried, rubbing at it.

  Minerva got me dressed in what seemed to be under thirty seconds and shooed me out the door before I could say, “What about breakfast?”

  I took my time exploring the castle, feeling no rush to find the Prince like Minerva had urged me to. I stopped at a large statue after wandering for about ten minutes and studied it. It was chiseled out of gray stone and sanded down to an unimaginable smoothness. The image was stunning— a large man stood regally with his longsword held in the air triumphantly. His long robes were carved to look as if they were blowing gently in the wind, and his crown glinted as if real. It was so life-like. I read the inscription at the bottom and read, “In Honor of Our King Philip.”

  Alexander’s father, I thought. I stared at the stone face and could recognize the similarities between father and son. They had the same, strong nose and pointed chin. And, even in stone, I could tell they had the same kindness in their eyes, which was something Alexander’s mother definitely lacked.

  The sound of grunts and swords clanging to my right interrupted my thoughts. Curious, I headed in the direction of the noise to find a large, open doorway and two men in an intense duel with one another. Upon closer inspection, I noticed one to be Prince Alexander. They didn’t seem to notice me as I watched. It was incredible. Alexander seemed more light on his feet and more at ease than what I had previously perceived him to be. The clumsiness was gone, and it was like the athleticism of a sword fight was where he was himself. As I watched him deflect blow after blow and strike his opponent, I was amazed at the dexterity and strength in his body. His muscles flexed as he approached his opponent again, and his sweat glistened on his forehead. It was like I was watching a completely different person, and it was very attractive.

  I shook my head, face growing hot, and chastised myself for thinking about my sudden attraction to him.

  “Princess.”

  I gasped, not having noticed that the dueling had stopped and both men were staring at me.

  Alexander smiled and gestured for me to enter the room.

  “I will be going, Your Highness.” The other man said. He must have been a soldier, considering his build and the way he had just fought.

  “Of course, Sir Paul. Thank you for the bout. Same time tomorrow?”

  Sir Paul nodded, bowing to each of us in turn, and turned on his heel to leave us alone.

  I looked around the room, gasping at the brilliant chandeliers hanging above us.

  “This room is enormous!” I exclaimed, smiling as my voice echoed against the walls. “Is this where the soldiers train?”

  Alexander laughed. “No. This is just one of the ballrooms. Soldiers do most of their training outside.”

  “Oh,” I said, feeling slightly embarrassed. “You’re very good. At sword fighting, I mean”

  Alexander flushed a little, some of his normal quirkiness coming out again.

  “Thanks,” he said. “It’s another thing my father and I did together before he passed away.”

  “Climbing trees and sword fighting,” I listed on my fingers.

  “Not to mention wrestling.”

  My jaw fell open. “A king, wrestling?”

  He laughed. “My father was a very good king, but he also knew how important it is to have fun. Does your father feel the same way?”

  I thought about my own father, but then remembered he was asking about King Leopold. I shuffled my feet, feeling uncomfortable.

  “I think so,” I said, lying. “He does work really hard, though. I don’t see him often.”

  Alexander nodded, growing solemn. “My mother works hard. She is very different from who my father was, but she is good for the kingdom.”

  I cocked my head at him. He was being very open with me. I inched closer to him, trying to decide if I should comfort him. Before I could put an arm on his shoulder, the doors on the other side of the room burst open, and Queen Andromeda strode in, red dress trailing behind her in a never-ending train. Her long, raven hair was done up into a tower on the top of her head. She never failed to look as extravagant as possible.

  Alexander next to me visibly cowered a little smaller, and he pushed his spectacles back up his nose. Within those few seconds, all of his clumsy awkwardness had come back.

  Interesting, I thought.

  “Oh, splendid,” the Queen said, clapping her hands together. “You two should join me for breakfast. I hate eating alone.”

  Chapter 22

  The next few weeks consisted of so many things all with Prince Alexander. Horseback riding, playing chess, reading books together (he especially loved that one)... And I was actually starting to warm up to him more and more. He was kind of endearing in his own, unique way. At the very least, I thought he and I could become great friends, and I was grateful for that.

  We were sitting in the library in silence. I was reading a very boring book about the Kingdom of Polart’s taxing system, which actually seemed rather sound, and he was reading another one of his fantasy books.

  “Is that good?” I asked him.

  He nodded, not moving his eyes away from the pages. “It’s about a woman who falls in love with an elf,” he said.

  I snorted. “Aren’t elves supposed to be short?”

  He kept on reading as I laughed at him. “Not in this story. They’re actually relatively taller than humans in this book.”

  He turned the page, and I looked over his shoulder. I started reading a paragraph about this woman and the elf-man receiving each other in a passionate kiss.

  “Wow, there’s a lot of romance in there. I thought men were more of the type to read books about war and blood,” I teased.

  He actually looked up at me, away from his book, eyes dancing humorously. “Most men don’t even read like I do, Amelia. That being the case, I can read whatever I feel like reading.”

  He winked at me, and I chuckled at how clumsy it was. He blushed.

  “I’m hungry,” Alexander said, changing the subject. He set his book down and stretched.

  “Should we ask someone to fetch some food?” I asked, setting my book down, as well.

  He shook his head. “I like getting things myself whenever I can. I’ll be back.” Alexander scooted his chair back and stood up. “Do you want anything?”

  �
�No,” I said.

  “Suit yourself. I’ll be back.”

  I sat by myself in the quiet room, admiring my surroundings. There were cases upon cases of books and documents that piled all the way to the tall ceiling of the library.

  I heard some footsteps near the entrance. “Back already?” I said, swirling my head around, but it wasn’t Alexander.

  “Princess Amelia,” the Queen said. She walked towards me, her long, emerald dress flowing delicately against the carpeted floor.

  I stood up hurriedly and curtsied. “Your Majesty. I thought you were—”

  Queen Andromeda raised her hand to quiet me. “I know, dear. You and my son have been spending a lot of time together. Please, sit.” She gestured for me to take my chair again.

  “Thank you,” I said. A visit from the Queen was nothing to make light of. I shoved my hands in my lap to keep them from shaking.

  The Queen came closer and took Alexander’s empty seat. She studied me for what seemed to be an eternity. Her deep, green eyes held such an intensity in her gaze. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

  “Tell me, Princess. How are you feeling about your betrothal?”

  I gulped. Was she interrogating me? “I am grateful for the blessing it is for our kingdom,” I said.

  “Well said.” The Queen ran her finger along the edges of the book Alexander had been reading, looking thoughtful. “I heard you took very ill recently. You were so indisposed that many of your subjects believed you to have run away,” she said to me, almost whispering.

  I felt my palms sweating. Did she know? What brought on this conversation?

  “I was very ill and hadn’t made an appearance in court for almost two weeks. And people spread all kinds of silly rumors about the royal family all the time. I’m sure it is the same way here.”

  Queen Andromeda raised a dark brow at me. I bowed my head, embarrassed.

  “I am glad to see you are well then.”

  I nodded. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  She stood up, and I followed suit.

  “Please, stay seated. You may go back to your reading.” She gestured towards my book in front of me.

  Before I could thank her, she swept out of the room swiftly, yet elegantly. I breathed out a sigh of relief, happy for that to be over.

  Queen Andromeda briskly left the library, thoughts churning violently. She had heard things, disturbing things, that had prompted her to talk with Princess Amelia. She hadn’t known what to ask, exactly, but the conversation brought upon even more suspicion. The Princess answered all of her questions quickly, but had been unable to hide how nervous she was.

  The Queen turned the corner quickly and looked around to make sure she wasn’t being followed. She stepped over to the wall on her left and waited patiently. Not thirty seconds later, an older man came into view and saw the Queen. He signaled to her, showing he hadn’t been followed, and approached her quietly.

  “Your Majesty,” he said, bowing.

  “Clarence. Anymore news?” The Queen urged.

  The man grinned, causing his wrinkles to further distort his aged face. “Upon further investigation, I found more evidence.”

  She shook her head. “The Princess just told me that she was ill, and that her people were spreading silly rumors.”

  Clarence chuckled. “I don’t think it's just a rumor. After the Princess Amelia supposedly ran away, there were a few disappearances of some young women not even a day later.”

  “So?” Queen Andromeda said.

  “So… I have some connections that say those missing young women were contestants, if you will, to become the Princess Amelia as if she had never left.”

  The Queen tapped her fingers on the wall next to her. “Are your connections reliable?”

  Clarence winked at her. “You know they are. Some of my connections fixed your little problem with your husband, didn’t they?”

  The Queen raised a finger to her lips. “Not so loud,” she hissed.

  The old man giggled, and Queen Andromeda rolled her eyes.

  “How am I even supposed to prove she is an impostor?” she said.

  Clarence came even closer, and she could smell the alcohol on his breath. “I know someone.”

  Chapter 23

  I woke up in the morning to find that a note had been slid under my door. I picked up the parchment and unfolded it in my hands.

  “Meet me at the pond,” it read. His handwriting was big and elegant. “Don’t worry, I’ll actually row you over to the gazebo this time.”

  I smiled. Prince Alexander was giving me notes now? He never ceased to surprise me.

  “What’s that?”

  I jumped and whirled around. Minerva was always sneaking up on me.

  “I’m supposed to rendezvous with the Prince,” I said after catching my breath from the fright.

  She nodded. “Good. You’ve been courting each other for over a month now. Best to hurry things along, Princess Amelia. He needs to propose to you.”

  “Propose?” I said, putting the note down on my bedside table. “I thought we were already engaged.”

  Minerva walked over to the wardrobe to pick out a gown for me. “Technically, you are just betrothed. It still needs to be made official, and then there will be an engagement ball, I’m sure, and—”

  “Oh, my goodness,” I said, falling onto my bed, feeling exhausted again.

  “Up!” Lady Minerva shouted to me, holding up an atrocious, bright yellow dress. “We cannot keep His Highness waiting!”

  Alexander was waiting for me at the edge of the big pond in the castle gardens. I waved to him and sped up my pace.

  “Good morning, Amelia,” he said. He grabbed my hand and kissed it awkwardly.

  I laughed. “What was that?”

  He shrugged, blushing. “I was just trying it out.” He gestured for me to take a seat in the little rowboat. “I thought I’d actually take you to that gazebo today.”

  I lifted my skirts and stepped carefully into the boat, Alexander following suit. It wobbled a bit, but we both made it in safe. Alexander picked up the oars and began to row us over to the gazebo.

  “This is gorgeous,” I whispered in awe, staring at the water. There were dozens of colorful fish swimming below me, and their scales sparkled prettily in the sunlight.

  “It really is,” he replied. Something told me he wasn’t really talking about the view. I shifted my feet, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

  Alexander got out of the boat first, then helped me out onto the small deck. I walked into the gazebo as he tied the boat to a post.

  “It’s so quiet here,” I said. “I can see why you like it so much.”

  He nodded. “It’s a sanctuary for me. Sometimes I feel like I really need to escape.”

  “Why would you ever want to escape life?” I teased.

  Alexander smiled, but he seemed nervous.

  I cocked my head to the side. “You okay?”

  He nodded, straightening his glasses.

  “Did you know that we’re not actually officially engaged?” I said, remembering my conversation with Minerva. I laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “Apparently, you have to actually propose.”

  Alexander’s jaw dropped, and he stared at me, dumbfounded.

  “Uh…What did I say?” I prodded.

  He stood like a statue for a long time, but then he burst out laughing.

  “You ruined it!” he exclaimed.

  “Ruined what?” I stepped back from him, confused.

  “I was just about to propose to you!” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a magnificent golden ring encrusted in the shiniest diamonds I had ever seen.

  “What?” I squeaked.

  He brushed it off. “It’s way better this way. Now this is a proposal I would’ve expected to happen to me!”

  I couldn’t hear his words. I just stared at the ring in his hand, blood rushing in my ears. It was real. It must have not hit me until now: I was supposed
to get married. I was supposed to get married to a Prince who didn’t know my real name. I was a fake! I was only here to protect my sister! I was only here because… Joseph… my vision started to go black, and I stumbled. Alexander rushed over to steady me.

  “Amelia?” he said, but his voice sounded so distant.

  “Yes,” I found myself saying. I wouldn’t let them kill my sister. I would go along with this forever, just for her sake.

  “Yes to marrying me?” he asked.

  My mouth was dry, so I just nodded.

  “Amelia, are you okay?”

  I shook myself out of my thoughts and forced a smile. “Yes, sorry. It just felt real to me all of a sudden.”

  “I know the feeling,” he said, smiling back.

  No, you really don’t, I thought.

  Chapter 24

  It was the dead of night as the Queen slipped out of the side entrance from the kitchens. She hugged her black cloak tight around her face and tiptoed away from the castle. There weren’t many guards on this side, because it was the servant’s quarters, but she was careful not to make any noise all the same.

  Following the directions Clarence had given her, Andromeda found the street leading to her destination.

  “She lives on the westside of the town square,” the old man had told her.

  After a long walk, the Queen started to see the buildings that surrounded the center of their capital. She had been to town square before, when travelling or giving public appearances, but never alone and never by foot.

  After another few minutes of walking, Andromeda saw the tent that Clarence had described to her, if you could call it that. It was really just a few ratted, old rugs tied and hanging across a few large sticks staked into the ground.

  The Queen took a deep breath and approached the structure. She saw a light flickering inside, and a small, huddled figure. Andromeda cleared her throat.

  “Excuse me,” she said, only loud enough for the person inside to hear.

  The person whipped their head to the sound, and Andromeda gasped at the grotesqueness of the woman before her: she was covered in scars and dirt, and the little gray hair left on her head was about to fall out.