I remember the first time I saw her. She was seven years of age and I was only ten. The first time we gazed into each other’s eyes was during the ceremony of meetings. A time where all country’s princes, princesses, kings, queens, and other royal court members gather together to stay in peace with one another. Peace was important between the countries. If there was no peace there was no accomplishment. If there was no accomplishment there was no logic. Without logic, there would be disaster.
The day was a warm one and I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable in what I was wearing; a long sleeved laced turquoise coat with a laced tunic underneath, leggings, and shorts. I also had a peculiar hat upon my head that was soft and velvet. I think my favorite part of the outfit was the shoes. They were pure white and comfortable with a golden buckle at front. I remember they were a gift from a trade, what beauties stole a small part of land for a ranch. There were some clouds in the distant but I had a feeling they weren’t going to come to aid my suffocation anytime soon. I scratched at my neck; I was starting to itch from the lace and becoming more reluctant towards meeting my future wife, my fiancée.
As I recall, she was beautiful; with her dark long brown curls overlapping her shoulders. She had the bluest of eyes and the whitest of skin. However, I was young and had more interesting things on my mind. I wanted to get back inside and eat something. I was hungry and was curious to see the other princes. I scratched and pulled at my lace collar again. The girl just laughed at my misbehavior causing me to become more upset. She was holding her father’s hand; she was looked so gentle compared to him. He was a robust man with black brown hair and a shapely beard. His face was sharp but at the same time muscular. He wore a red coat with black boots and white gloves. I looked down when he stared at me. My presence was no match for his. He introduced himself as King Rolloy of Secrete and his daughter, Princess Yelena.
I have heard that Secrete was a quite country, everything was kept together and the villagers were extremely humble; known for their outstanding hospitality. Most of the time, they were always grateful for what they owned, whether it be big or small. I hear the lands are filled with tulips and the season of ripening is the sweetest. The scent there is beautiful and the sky is the clearest. However they were just recovering from a battle, a war between the “Other Side” as we call it. The people there are monsters. Demons, one would say. They live in darkness hoping that one day the whole land will be covered in their venom. It was not a place worth saving, or a place worth mentioning. I wasn’t really sure about much of the details of it at the time. I only remember my father mentioning that Secrete will lose if they do not surrender.
Papa nudged me to introduce myself. I held on to his side like a scared animal until he gave me a giant shove towards my fiancées direction. Although the force was heavy it felt a lot more gentle than what I would have imagined King Rolloy’s shove. I placed my frail arms behind my back; kicking my golden buckles in the grass.
“Good day to you, malady,” I mumbled into my chest.
