Laetitia kept making glances at her parents during dinner. Her mother would not look at her, pretending to be more interested in her salad even though she wasn’t eating it, and her father stared at Lord Corvus, his dinner untouched also.

Lord Corvus did not eat his dinner either. He continued to stare at her and smirked wickedly at her if she glanced his way. She refused to meet his gaze and turned her eyes to the gems on his fingers. They sparkled black and red underneath the candlelight.

The minutes during dinner seemed to drag and Laetitia heaved a sigh of relief when it was finished. She got up from her chair as quickly as she could and ran out of the door. Her mother’s call echoed down the hall, “Laetitia, wait!” But she didn’t heed it, she continued running.

She ran to her room and shut the door. There was no lock on her side. She just wanted to be alone. Her garden. No one ever disturbed her there. Perhaps it was because no one ever went to that obscure part of the garden, where the roses grew into a maze. But Laetitia knew the way, and she knew she could be alone there.

She left her room and headed downstairs to reach the garden. It would take her a while to get there. She passed some servants on her way out. Their eyes followed her. They were curious where she was going at this hour, yet none dared to question her. Once she got to the gardens, she could lose them in the maze.

The moonlight shone down on the extensive gardens as she ran through the rows of moonflowers and gladiolus in full bloom. The sweet smell perfumed the night air. The night was slightly cool. It was warming up. Summer had just arrived and soon the nights would become balmy, meaning the cool weather wouldn’t return until the fall. This was the last night of reprieve before the heat of summer came.

Laetitia did not mind the heat. She was a summer child. But the cool night air did feel delicious on her skin. All the confusion and awkwardness from dinner evaporated away as she ran through the maze of roses. It was late in the season, but the red roses were still blooming. Underneath the starlight, they looked like dark rubies nestled in green velvet.

After a while of running through the rose maze, everything in the palace was huge and it took a long time to get anywhere, she came to the center where there sat a lone white marble bench. Originally set as a spot to rest before finishing the maze, it was her place to come when she needed to be alone.

She sat down to take a rest from her night run. It was quiet here. She could concentrate on her thoughts. Dinner was strange. Why had her parents acted like that? King Clovis, her father, she thought him the most powerful man in Laurel, or even their world. Why had he remained silent during dinner and let that awful man speak to her like that? Never in her life had she been ordered around like that. And her parents said no rebuke as if they accepted this behavior.

Acheron? Where had she heard that name before? She racked her brain, but nothing came. I should have paid more attention to my lessons. Lord Corvus. What a strange name. From the moment she met him, she had an ill feeling about him. His manners were uncouth. Only a man who thought impure thoughts would stare so at her, as if she were a possession of his. Would Lord Corvus be at her debut ball? Would she have to contend with him again? She would refuse his invitation to dance, along with any other invitations he offered.

But would she have a choice in the matter? No, of course, she would have a choice. She’d always had a choice. Her parents gave her anything she’d ever wanted in life. Her closet was full of pretty dresses and her vanity was full of jewels, all for her to choose from. Every year she’d get a new horse. The stables were full of all her horses.

Why then, had she not been able to leave during dinner when that man made her feel uncomfortable? The more she thought of these things, the more they troubled her.

A noise coming from the maze startled her. “Who’s there?” she demanded.

Slowly, a figure crept forward. It was a palace knight. He wore the shining armor with the green cape embroidered in gold that all palace knights wore.

“Forgive me,” he bowed at her. “I didn’t mean to startle you, Princess.”

She sighed. She didn’t want to be bothered. Leaving dinner so suddenly, they probably worried about her and sent this knight to follow her. The palace knights have to follow her orders. She could just send him away. But …

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

She looked up and that is when she noticed his face. He was young, maybe her same age or older. And he had a boyishly handsome face. His hair was brown and, in her opinion, a little too long the way it curled around his ears, but it suited him. She looked into his eyes to see what color they were, but it was too dark to see, and he was too far away from her.

She wanted to know what color his eyes were. “You can step forward,” she told him. “I know you want to.”

The knight looked down. Was that a blush on his face? She smiled. He was kind of cute.

He stepped closer to her. Olive green. His eyes were green. How lovely.

“Is everything alright, Princess?” he asked her so gently. Having such a sweet boy ask about her well-being made all the bad thoughts disappear.

She stood up. “Yes,” she answered. “I just needed some … fresh air.”

She walked past him, to exit the maze. He stood still, not making a move to follow her even though she knew he would. She glanced back at him. “Escort me, by all means.”

He fumbled an awkward bow to her. “Of course, Princess. Forgive me for not offering before.”

She smiled as she turned around. He at least waited for her permission, unlike a certain Lord she met at dinner. “It’s quite all right,” she answered as he followed her out of the maze. “It is too fair a night to be alone, don’t you think?”

“Tis fair indeed.”

She giggled at his words. His answer was a bit too enthusiastic. “How long have you been a palace knight? I think I would have noticed you before.”

“I joined the knights two moons ago, after I completed my training.”

A knight fresh out of training. That meant he was at least eighteen. Almost her same age. She would turn eighteen in two days. They walked like this for a while, with him following her through the rose maze. The black-haired maid from earlier was waiting for her at the exit. Laetitia groaned to herself. What was she doing here? She did not like this maid. But she forgot to complain to the head maid about her.

“Miss,” the maid bowed. “I did not see you in your room. I was told you had come to the gardens. Let us head back to your room.”

“I needed fresh air.” Laetitia held her head up high, looking down her nose at her. She would not be ordered around by a simple maid.

The maid gave the palace knight a rude look. “We do not require your assistance. You can go.” The air turned awkward between them.

“I only take my leave by the princess’s orders,” the knight replied calmly.

“Yes,” Laetitia answered. “He does. And so do you.” The maid looked up at her and dared to look Laetitia in the eyes. “You are dismissed.”

The maid’s eyes widened. She didn’t expect that.

“Go,” Laetitia commanded. “Now. I relieve you of your duties.”

The maid hesitated for a moment, as if she didn’t know how to respond. But with both the princess and a palace knight looking down at her, she had no choice but to acquiesce. She left abruptly but wore a scowl on her face as she did so.

“Will you be alright, Princess? May I escort you to your room?” the cute palace knight asked.

“No. I shall be fine,” she answered. “Thank you for your assistance.”

“No need for thanks, Princess,” he answered and remembered to bow. “I am at your service.”

Such formalities between the two. She wished to get to know him better but with their positions, they never could. “Then,” she spoke a little sadly. “You make take your leave.”

“As you wish.” He sounded let down, and she shared this feeling at their parting. She watched him leave with regret.

She left the gardens but did not head to her room. She needed to speak with her parents and ask what happened at dinner. At first, she had been hurt by their actions and inability to protect her from that man. But now, she had calmed down and was ready to have a conversation with them. She would tell them, if he offered his hand in marriage, then she would refuse it. Nothing could change her mind about this.

She made her way to her father’s chamber. Her mother would usually be there before bedtime as her chamber was in another part of the palace. This is also where Laetitia could talk privately with her parents after dinner.

There was no butler. Her father probably sent him away. All for the best, that meant their conversation would be completely private because even servants talk. The door was left ajar. She walked up to give a knock but stopped. She could hear her parents talking.

Something told her not to interrupt, but to listen in. She leaned in so she could hear their conversation.

“We knew ever since her birth that this would happen.” Her mother was talking. “I just hope we gave her a happy life for the short time she was allowed.”

“I hate that man. I hate that my daughter is what he wants more than anything.” This was her father.

“We have no choice. I hate it as much as you do. But what can we do? He could destroy Laurel. All we can do is hold him at bay with offerings.”

“You think I don’t know that! That I am helpless against Acheron and the Lord of Crows!”

“Honey, please. I am upset too. I don’t want to lose our daughter. I can’t sleep at night for my worry.”

“Laetitia still thinks she will get a ball. She still thinks she has a choice. As her father, this tears me apart. Our only daughter. How do you know he will treat her well? You saw his actions at dinner.”

“She will be queen of Acheron and live for eternity. Isn’t that a good life?”

“At the cost of her life. You know he will kill her to make her his bride for eternity.”

Laetitia couldn’t hear the rest of the conversation after that because she fainted.