Adi and Damia had parted ways after the training session with the grandmaster, and went to change into fresh clothing.
On his way to Damia's room, after changing, Adi was stopped by Prince Elric.
"Adi, please wait. I received word from the King that he would like to meet with you."
Elric had a look on his face that Adi didn't trust.
"Is that so? I'm no longer head servant. Speaking with a mere companion of the princess seems like a greater honor than deserved."
"You think too much. The King is requesting your presence because he needs you to advise who you will be appointing as head servant now that you are no longer in the role."
"Oh, I was not aware that I would be the one overseeing the reassignment. I'll meet with him right away." Adi turned to walk in the direction of the King's study and then remembered Damia was waiting for him.
"Prince Elric, I was due to meet with the princess for a tour of the garden, but as I must meet with the King, could you give her my apologies and ask her to wait a bit longer? I don't imagine this meeting should go on too long."
"I'll be happy to inform the princess of your call from the King."
Adi still felt uneasy, but bowed to the Prince and went on his way.
A satisfied smile spread on Elric's face as he walked towards Damia's room. He knocked on the door to announce his arrival and Damia opened but was still looking at the mirror that stood next to the door, so she did not notice that she was speaking to Elric, instead of Adi.
"About time you arrived. I was beginning to think you got lost."
"That would be quite impossible as this wing of the castle is mine after all."
Damia's head snapped as she turned to face the person at the door.
"Prince Elric! I was expecting Adi, pardon my rude greeting."
Elric chuckled softly, "It's quite alright. I actually passed Adi on my way here. He has to meet with the King so he's unable to make it unfortunately."
Damia hadn't been in the garden since before her mother passed so she had been looking forward to it. Hearing that Adi wouldn't make it brought her great sorrow, and it was expressed clearly on her face.
"Thank you for giving me the notice Prince. I suppose Adi and I can visit the garden another time."
"Perhaps if I could go with you instead? You seemed eager to go and right now is the perfect time to go. The weather is perfect, and the flowers are in full bloom. It would be a shame if you missed going today. Tomorrow's weather is never guaranteed and I would hate for you to be disappointed twice."
On his way in from the practice, Elric really had run into the King in the foyer, who had indeed said he wished to speak to Adi, though he never mentioned when. He also did not want to mention that the meeting between Adi and the King would be a brief one because he had believed this to be the perfect opportunity to be alone with Damia. He didn't want to miss this opportunity, so he pressed on.
"Regardless of when you go, you have not yet been assigned any guards and it would be dangerous for you to go into the garden maze by yourself. Even if Adi went with you, I would still feel more comfortable if you allowed me to accompany you."
Damia regarded Elric with caution. They had spent almost no time at all while growing up. Suddenly, things changed the day of the royal ball and they haven't returned to normal. What was he up to?
"Thank you, Prince, but then perhaps Adi being unavailable is for the best. If it is as dangerous as you say, I should wait until the King will assign me my own guards."
"Are you sure you can wait that long? I assume no one has informed you, but there's a tribute area in the maze for the late Queen. It was a project I started last year. I wanted to share it with you for your 18th birthday, but it wasn't completed in time." A bashful look came across Elric's face.
This quickly changed Damia's mind. She had not been informed, but if such a place existed, she wanted to see it and she would grow impatient if she waited for a time when Adi could go with her.
"Really? Is it completed now? And you wish to share it with me?"
"Yes, truly, I do. I had it made for you so I wouldn't want anyone else there more than you."
Smiling brightly, Damia accepted. "Please take me there then, Prince Elric. I can hardly stand the anticipation."
Elric smiled and offered her his arm, which she immediately accepted.
They walked, arms linked through the halls of the castle and out to the garden. This had been the late Queen's favorite place in the entire castle and the staff overseeing continued their tasks in maintaining it throughout all the years.
Damia would watch them while she worked in the vegetable garden area, but she never completed her work early enough to walk through the maze before sunset. Walking through the garden now, the wind felt like a warm blanket, comforting her as she reminisced.
"Which part of the maze was converted?"
"I had the area far to the south converted as I seemed to recall that was the Queen's preferred area when she would go in. I would often find her there, writing in her journal..."
"Her journal? But the maids made no mention of a journal when they went through her belongings after passing.
Oh no, Elric had not intended to mention the journal. He quickly thought to change his explanation and distract her from that matter.
"Perhaps I was mistaken then. I always just assumed, but I never approached her to confirm."
Damia seemed to consider this and then after a moment she nodded, accepting his explanation. Elric was relieved to have convinced her, and they continued walking through the maze to the area he intended to show her.
As they walked through, the boxwood hedges creating the walls seemed to thicken, and made Damia feel somewhat claustrophobic.
She laughed weakly, fearfully. "I don't recall the maze path being so tight before."
"Do keep in mind that you were probably around 9 or 10 the last time you walked through here. I imagine any area would feel tighter now that you are an adult, compared to when you were a child."
"I suppose you're right."
She clung closer to Elric as they came to a covered area of the maze. Just as she was about to ask Elric to turn around and take her back outside the maze, the boxwood separated, revealing a secret room within the maze walls. Inside this room was a small white bench, adorned with a mass of zephirine drouhin roses. All around the open space lay beautiful arrangements of white poppy and clover flowers. Damia could not believe the breath-taking sight before her.
"Prince Elric, this is spectacular. What made you choose these flowers?"
He hesitated, but only for a moment.
"The queen once said that these roses were her favorite because of the intense fragrance it emits. Because of the type of rose it is, I had the bench placed along the north side of the south wall in this room. While most roses prefer direct sunlight, these bloom in the shade, making them the perfect flower for a lady trying to avoid the sun." Elric smiled at her warmly and winked.
Covering a giggle with her hand, Damia struggled to keep a straight face. "Sounds like you've been studying a lot more than just your princely duties."
He threw his head back in laughter. "You could say that. And then these flowers here, well, white was her favorite color, right? Any time I saw her, that's the color she would wear."
"I think that was more just coincidence. If the only times you saw her were when she was in the gardens, you only ever saw her in her garden dress, which was white."
"Oh. Well regardless, do you know the language of clovers?"
"They speak now?" She asked incredulously.
"All flowers speak, my princess. You just have to interpret their language. When clovers speak, they say 'Think of me' and do you think that's perfect for an area designed to make you think of the Queen?"
Damia was amazed and on the verge of tears. She never would have expected any of this from the prince.
Elric stepped into the room formed by the boxwood and sat on the bench.
"Why don't you join me here, Princess. We can enjoy a bit longer before heading back."
But Damia did not want to sit. She was so intrigued by it all. She moved around the room, gazing at the different arrangements, and stopping in the area dense with the white poppies. She inhaled their aroma and then turned towards Elric with a tranquil smile. Suddenly, her vision blurred and she found that she no longer had control over her legs.
Elric rushed to her side to sweep her into his arms before she collapsed on the floor.
"It's ok princess. I've caught you. Princess...?"