The trio stood still in the kitchen. The aggressive knocking subsided then stopped.
"A message from the Palace".
They all breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought it was a ghost or something". Rachel said fanning herself with her hand, she was so scared earlier that she had broken into a sweat. "A ghost at daytime? Seriously! You are smarter than this Rachel". Isadore walked towards the door in the living room and paused shaking her head in disappointment.
She opened the door not expecting anything out of the ordinary. But the moment she saw the figure before her, she froze.
Eyes widened.
There standing in the dim morning light, was a man whose charming presence could not be denied. His fair skin, white curly hair with few strands that dropped on his face, with brown eyes that held both mystery and strength. His broad shoulders bore the insignia of protection, he was a guard but not just any guard.
Jonathan, the Prince's personal guard.
He reached into his leather belt and pulled out a tightly rolled parchment sealed with the royal crest.
"A message from the Prince".
His voice smooth and calm. Isadore blinked twice, she had stared for a while. She gave her cheek a gentle slap turning away from Jonathan. "Get a grip on yourself". She muttered under her breath.
She turned back to collect the parchment and only found him flustered.
"These days I find myself lost in thoughts". She laughed awkwardly. Jonathan nodded his head with a fake smile.
"I will be on my way then". He left quickly.
Isadore closed the door and leaning on it she grunted and kept hitting her forehead. It was the most awkward moment of her life, she had embarrassed herself before the Prince's personal guard, a charming guard at that.
"Who was at the door?". Rachel came into the living room with a tray of freshly baked cookies, better than what Tyra burnt earlier. Isadore snapped out of her frustration.
"Oh, it was the Prince's personal guard".
Immediately Tyra heard this from the kitchen, she came running into the living room and snatched the parchment from Isadore's hand. "It is mine". She held it close to her chest.
She moved away from them and quickly opened it. She was so sure that it was a message from the Prince. It read...
" The dance we shared on the night of my Ceremony in the Palace was special. That moment has lingered in my mind and I couldn't stop thinking about you. I would love to see you again on the night of the Springs in the Palace garden.
- Prince Eric.
Tyra blushed, she couldn't contain her excitement. She had waited for a long time thinking that the Prince had given up on her but in all that , she hoped that she would see him again. She snapped out of her thoughts when her best friends screamed. They quietly stood behind her to read the letter. The trio hugged themselves tightly still screaming in excitement.
.......
The day of the Springs was a tradition for young maidens in the Kingdom that existed since the ancient times of Havans. It was the first day of the Spring season where young maidens attented the Carnival of Flowers in the market Square. They would light up lanterns in the sky, play games with their mothers and adorn themselves with flowers, perfume and makeup. It was a time that eligible maidens were betrothed and if one did not find a suitor, she would have to wait till the next year.
Tyra anticipated her meeting with the Prince, she had dreamt of that day for weeks and even learnt how to dance. She could not tell her father because he had already warned her to stay away from the Prince.
The season of Springs began on the first day of the fifth month. Tyra pushed open the tall wooden windows and a gentle breeze swept into the room, carrying the sweet scent of blooming roses and freshly baked pastries. The early morning sun skilled across the floor warming her skin. The sound of distant chatter and laughter filled the atmosphere with young maidens in flowing dresses and mothers guiding sleepy- eyed children.
Tyra sat on a bench beside the window lost in the morning view before her thoughts drifted to her mother. A tender ache settled in her chest. She had never seen her mother and anytime she asked her father, he would drift away from the topic. She wondered what it would be like to have a mother. Sometimes she would imagine a fair lady brushing and braiding her hair, preparing meals in the kitchen and listening to bedtime stories. A tear dropped from her eyes. She wiped her tears severally but they would not stop.
"What is the matter my dear?". She did not notice when Smith entered the room. She stood up quickly adjusting her dress. "It's nothing".
Smith could not ignore her mood, her face was flushed. It was obvious that she cried a lot.
He hugged her.
"You remind me of your mother. She was beautiful and cheerful, she always smiled even during hard times.".
He cupped her face in his hands. "I am sure she is very proud of you ".
Tyra smiled.
"Like I promised last year, I would accompany you to the Carnival of flowers tonight. Who said men are not allowed to be there?".
"No , no . You cannot...". She paused when she noticed the confused look on her father's face. She was to see the Prince at night and she did not want to miss it. She searched the floor for answers, a reason to prevent her father from going with her.
"Is there something you are not telling me?" He asked, his voice slightly raised. He noticed that she was tensed. Tyra could not look at him, she held her dress nervously. She could not tell him of her plans to see the Prince, but at the same time she didn't want to lie to him.
"Well I, I...".