The palace
The king could be seen sitting on his throne in a trance. What could he be thinking?
"Your highness...your highness?" The royal adviser to the king called out as soon as he noticed his silence.
"Yes...you were saying?" He immediately snapped out of his thought.
"What is your opinion on the matter your highness." The man asked as he noticed that the king was paying attention again.
"Opinion on what?" He didn't know what the royal adviser was asking because he was absent minded the while time he was talking.
"Your highness, i was talking about the engagement party of the prince and his fiancèe.
Don't you think the engagement party is too soon. I mean we lost prince Jedidiah few months ago and now we are holding an engagement party." The royal adviser was definitely not in support of prince Stefan and Lady Tamara's engagement.
He had a feeling that the queen was behind prince Jedidiah's death but he had no evidence to prove it.
Before the late queen passed away, she entrusted the prince to him. He swore to protect him with his life and now he's dead. But he had a feeling that the prince was still alive and probably in hiding. He needs to find the prince because he wouldn't want Stefan to become the next king.
"That's why you're the royal adviser. Well if you think the engagement is sudden then we shall shift it to two months time." The king was not even interested in the discussion because his mind was somewhere else.
"It is settled then. I beg to take my leave your highness." The royal adviser asked out of courtesy.
"You may leave." The king stretched forth his scepter to dismiss him.
The royal adviser bowed and left.
The king stood up from his throne to leave too.
"Stay back." He told his guards.
"But your highness we..." A guard tried to object because it is their duty to always protect the king wherever he goes.
"I want to be alone." He dismissed them and then went out into the garden. Not just any garden but he and his late wife's secret special garden. He never allowed anyone into the garden. Not even his current wife.
He drifted into thought the first time he met her.
When he was a young lad, he loved going site seeing and exploring different towns and villages.
One day, he went to a neighbouring village because he heard of a popular festival where different delicacies of food was cooked. He was someone that loved good food. He decided to attend the festival.
He put on commoners clothes in order to hide his identity.
On getting to the festival, the sweet aroma of food filled his nostrils. His mouth was watering for food.
He began trying out different delicious delicacies.
He was passing by another food vendor when a strong aroma of deliciousness hit his nostrils. He definitely wanted to try the food. He followed the scent and went into the food vendor. He ordered for a plate of food and began digging in.
"Wow, this is delicious." He said in between munching.
"I hope you like the food sir?" He heard an angelic voice as he was about taking another bite.
"Yes...yes...its..." His spoon dropped as soon as he saw the woman. The woman before him was as beautiful as her voice . How could a human being be this beautiful!
"I'm glad you're enjoying the food sir." The beautiful girl said.
"Uh huh." He nodded in response.
He was stunned as he saw her smile. Her smile was like that of a thousand stars.
"umm...I'll take my leave now." She said and was about leaving.
"Wait!" He said abruptly.
"Yes?" She said smiling. Her heart was beating very fast.
She needed to get away from this man or else her heart would erupt any moment from now.
"I don't know your name." He said immediately.
"Elsa, my name is Elsa." She said blushing.
"What a lovely name for a pretty lady." He was so excited as he got to know her name.
"Thank you...ummm...what's yours?" She asked shyly.
"I'm Josiah." He told her his real name. He felt she didn't know his identity, so there was no reason for him to lie about his name.