Chapter 6: When I discovered love
One of my best moments from when my mother was alive was when I met Zeke- The day of my 14th birthday. It's custom in Darinton that every daughter from the royal family needs to be presented to the public on their fourteenth birthday, hence a grand ball is held in the Palace.
All the high class families of Darinton are invited for the reason of identifying possible suitors that are the most suitable for the royal daughter. Even royalty from the neighbouring countries are invited to attend.
My mother and I were so excited for the ball, it was the only thing we talked about the entire month. I was bursting at my seams with excitement the day the grand ball arrived. I had to look my best.
I was dressed with a beautiful glitterly amethyst gown that fell just a few inches below my knees and my hair was packed in an upsweep with two braids falling down on my face. I had worn a lot of fancy dresses but that was the first time I had ever worn such a dress that not only looks beautiful but makes me feel beautiful too.
Looking at the mirror, I looked so much different from my usual self. The usual me wore the simplest dresses. I loved to play with Luke all the time and you can't really wear shimmer and sparkle dresses to a sword fight. I barely wore makeup and my hair was always tied in a bun or a low ponytail.
But now I looked so beautiful. I really had never thought I could look so pretty and poised. My hair was styled with beautiful hair ornaments. I wore more makeup than I'd ever had and bright jewelry to complement my look.
'Knock knock' there was a knock on the door and before I could reply it was opened from the outside.
I heaved a sigh of relief when I realised it was just my mother. She looked glamorous and elegant just like she always did. Her long waist length hair poured down and her big bubbly blue eyes glimmered as she excitedly walked towards me and I smiled back at her before silently signaling my maids to leave my room.
"Aly! Oh my, Darling, you look so beautiful." She gushed "I can't believe Darinton and the other four kingdoms are finally going to meet my amazing daughter". "I know, I'm so excited" I said returning her hug.
We stayed in each other's embrace for a while before mom pulled back to look at me, her face full of smiles. "Just imagine Aly, you could meet your special someone today." "Mom!" I groaned, my face turning crimson.
"What...t?" You know I was just about your age when I met your father at a ball." She replied acting all innocent. "Wait, I thought you and dad met at a carnival?" I asked curious. "We did sweetie but that was when we officially met. When I first saw your dad was at a ball."
I nodded and said "I understand how important it is to you that I get married mom but I'm not really looking for love right now, I'm just 14. And besides, what prince would really want to marry me and I mean for love not for any other reason, I'm not really wife or princess material."
"Oh I know honey, there's no pressure but you never know when you'll meet the one and besides it won't be wrong to make a new friend. Also what do you mean by not wife material? You're a beautiful, talented, unique, special and confident girl and on top of that you're a princess."
"You know what I mean mom, princesses are meant to dress elegant, act prim, proper and poised, look pretty, be presentable but I dress plain, have mud and dirt smeared on my body about 60 percent of the time, play rough and..."
"Oh stop it Aly, you keep mentioning all the wrong things. There's nothing wrong with not liking what the others like, you're your own person and you shouldn't feel irrelevant or count yourself out from the other princesses because you have a different hobby other than dress up and make up that just makes you unique and special.
Not to mention that I was a commoner, a peasant from poor family yet, I'm doing just fine as the Queen." Mom cut me off.
"But mom! " I whined. "You didn't even let me finish, what about the wife part, I'm pretty sure I'd make a terrible wife." "Why is that love?" She curiously asked staring into my eyes.
"Well wives are supposed to be obedient and submissive and we both know that I'm extremely stubborn like one of the most stubborn people in the kingdom." I said pretending to be grumpy and mom chuckled "Then you just have to be more obedient I guess and the submissive part is mostly necessary in bed."
"Mom?!"
I giggled at her unexpected brazeness and before I could reply we heard a knock again. 'Knock knock ' "Come in." Mom replied. The door opened and a maid entered and bowed infront of me. "Your royal highnesses, all the guests have arrived. His majesty the king has called for you." The maid said
"I understand. We'll be there shortly." Mom said to her and the maid bowed and left. I looked at myself in the mirror once again and took a deep breath. Taking mom's hand in mine, I exited the door.
*****
Thank you all who have read this far, your support means everything to me. Please make sure to leave a powerstone and comment. Creation is hard, support would be appreciated- like the book? Remember to add it to your library. Thank you all.
By the way next update might not come next week as usual because of school. Thanks for understanding.