by Maggie Lee
“Good morning,” I call into the family study and find Arden already seated with two of the ladies from my mother's council of five.
I talk with them until the others arrive and then we begin on how we are supposed to physically connect in public. When and how it is appropriate to touch. They make us act out a few scenarios and then call it for the day since it’s time for them to all leave for lunch. Only Lynn will be coming back this afternoon for ballroom dance lessons.
When the ladies give us each a kiss on the cheek as they leave, I can see the blush on Arden’s hard cheeks. He isn’t use to the motherly attention they give.
“Would you like to accompany me to lunch? I was planning to cook,” I ask him now that we are alone.
“I forget that you cook. I would enjoy that, since we have to be back in just over an hour, and it feels like just getting in and out of the palace gates takes that long.” He’s funny, I laugh and lead him to the kitchen.
His eyes wander around for a few minutes and I can tell he hasn’t ever been in a kitchen this caliber. “Would you like a tour?”
“Sure,” he says quietly, and I take him around showing him the ins and out, introducing him to a few of the ladies and gentlemen that are working on dinner for my father and his advisors.
Evana curtsies when we approach her, and I pull her out of her stance, shaking my head. “This is Evana, one of my very good friends. She works as one of the meal planners here, her mother is the head of events and catering.” Arden extends his hand to her and she looks at him curiously before shaking it. “This is Arden, my fiancé.”
Her eyes pop open and she releases his hand, dropping into another curtsy.
“My honor to meet you, sir, “ she says to the ground with her head bowed.
“Seriously?” I ask her.
“Yes ma’am. I will not disrespect my future queen and king,” she tells me once she is standing upright.
Arden looks to me curious about our interaction, so I explain, “June reprimanded her for her casual hello to me yesterday, then demanded she bow.”
His face hardens before he replies, “You have no need to bow to me, I am not your king. I am simply someone like you. Please, stay informal with me, certainly if you are one of Kenzie’s friends.”
She gives him a smile, but I can tell she is warring with herself about it. “How about if the king is not present you keep the informalities, please?”
“Yes, miss,” she says. “Is there anything I can help you with since you are down here?”
“No, I am planning on just preparing us something easy and then leaving the crew to themselves.” I tell her, looking around at the consistent hustle and bustle.
“We can have a lunch prepar—”
“No, I would like to cook. Thank you.” I cut her off and give her a smile before pulling Arden away.
I take him to the empty side of the kitchen and decide to make us a simple grilled chicken sandwich, something refreshing with avocados and maybe a tomato if I can find one.
I pull out two stools that sit under the metal chef’s table and tell Arden to sit as I disappear into our cooler to see if there is any chicken defrosted. Arden is sitting patiently just looking around when I come back.
I gather the seasonings I want and pull out a cast iron skillet to cook the chicken on. Arden watches with focused eyes as I season the chicken and prep the bacon I grabbed last minute on my way out of the cooler. I place a cutting board across from Arden and he fiddles with the ingredients while I make sure everything is ready.
He doesn’t interrupt me until I start heating the old stove that’s behind me. The newer side of the kitchen has bigger and better organized hot foods area, but this is where I usually end up since I spend most nights making the meal for our staff. At first they included me in the big meals, but as I caught on, they trusted me with more things and that eventually led me to being allowed to work on the staff’s meal alone. All though I think she may make me cook for them because of the irony of it.
“Don’t you have to preheat the pan as well?” he asks with mock confidence and I can tell he has no idea.
I let a moment pass as I think over my answer, working with him so close and watching my every nerve makes it harder to think. At this point, I don’t even know if I should preheat or what. I cast my eyes down thinking through my steps to prepare this meal. When I finally figure out what to say, I glance up to find his eyes holding me in my spot. He looks genuinely curious with raised brows as he waits for my answer.
“Yes, I will. I’m about to go grab the butter out of the cooler, and bread from the pantry while it heats up,” I try to hold back the smile he’s brought to my face. His little knowledge about cooking is cute in a weird way. I’ve always known how to cook since it was something my mother loved, but never got to do. She used to sneak June and me down to the kitchen early in the morning and she would surprise the staff with a breakfast. I think that’s why I enjoy cooking for them, it’s something she would have liked.
“I can go find the bread, while you get the butter. If you want?” he offers, pulling me from my thoughts.
“That would be great, any kind is fine. There is a giant bread box on the left side of the pantry, everything in it was baked this morning. So anything is fine.” I point him towards the pantry. I grab the butter and beat him back. I use the moment alone to calm myself and zone back into cooking. Something about being near Arden works me up, especially doing something like this where I can easily embarrass myself.
The sliding of his stool lets me know he’s back, so I finish coating the pan and turn back around. He’s attempting to cut the bread with another chef’s knife he found.
My laughing makes him stop and look up at me.
“What?” His voice is rough and I feel bad for laughing.
“A bread knife would make that easier, you want serrations on the blade.”
“I know that, but I couldn’t find a bread knife, so I figured I would work with what was around.” He tells me with a smirk. I lift my hands in surrender and leave him to it as I start cutting apart the lettuce I brought out for a salad.
He watches me cut the avocado and I laugh at his facial expression when I slam the knife into the core and pull it out. “Scary right? I’m pretty intimidating with my knife skills, I know.”
“Tad bit.” He laughs sarcastically.
“Arden, tell me about yourself?”
I listen to him as I turn around to put the chicken and bacon on to cook. “Well, I turn thirty in the New Year. I have worked my way up in the military, even though I never planned to join. At the time, when someone offered me a position, I couldn’t turn it down. So, slowly since eighteen I have worked my way up, until I was about twenty six. It was then when I formally met your father and he found an interest in me.”
“Father has known you that long?” I turn back a little to look at him, waving my spatula through the air.
“He has, Kraus even longer. It wasn’t until about sixth months ago that he really approached me about moving into a leadership position within his country. He brought it up when he took me to visit your sister in Grantafe, he wanted Kraus and I to formally meet her. She had just moved there and I actually believe he was arranging a marriage between them before they fell in love.” His words are informative. I wasn’t aware of how deep their relationship ran. Although, June definitely isn’t the same girl as she was sixth months ago.
“How interesting, I hadn’t been told anything until a few nights ago,” I say, thinking back to if I have missed any signs that this was all happening. I can’t remember seeing Arden or Kraus around here though.
“That was apparent.” His tone isn’t mocking, but I slightly feel the need to smack him with my spatula all the same.
“My apologies, I hadn’t put much thought into being queen. It was never a dream of mine,” I tell him truthfully.
“King was never one of my goals either.” His tone is hard, matching mine.
“Then why have you said yes, why marry a girl you don’t know and lead a country you aren’t interested in running?” My words are out before I can think them through.
“You.” I spin on my heel and look at him. His face is hard and I’m speechless. We stare into each other for a minute and I’m unsure of how to proceed, but he takes mercy on me. “When your father spoke about you the way he did, I was mildly curious. Then I met you. I hadn't really given him an answer. He assumed I would go along with his half-baked plan. I met you, and still not really knowing you, knew he was wrong.”
I find myself smiling, but still without words. I give him a small nod and return to flipping the chicken.
“Foods almost ready,” I say over my shoulder.
A minute or so passes before he asks me, “Tell me about yourself?”
“I’m obviously a middle child, I love gardening and nature. Something about being out there, it brings life into my soul. I never wanted to be queen, I’ve always been on the fence about how my father ran this kingdom and it has garnered me a lifetime of troubles.” I tell him as much truth as I can. I haven’t ever told anyone I haven’t had to about my father's discipline or my wariness of his leadership.
Arden could very easily rat me out or be offended that I don’t accept my father’s violent reign, but something tells me in my soul that he won’t. That just maybe, he feels the same way.
“You teach as well, don’t you?” He spurs me for more information.
“I did. I don’t know if I will get to after we marry. I’m not sure who will take my uncle’s place on the Education board.” The sadness I feel about it is evident.
I pull the chicken off to cool for a moment and then the bacon a second later. While they rest, I slice the avocado and the small tomato I found left in the pantry. Arden doesn’t interrupt, but instead helps me plate the sandwiches and pours the dressing on our salad.
I take a seat on the stool beside him and give him a fork so he can plate his own salad. He makes me laugh hard when he just eats out of the big bowl before handing it back to me.
“Straight from the bowl?” I ask.
“Well, it seems silly to separate it.”
I nod, and eat straight from the bowl with him. I guess he’s right, it doesn’t matter.
“I should have asked if you even liked this kind of sandwich, I’m sorry.” I glance at his untouched sandwich.
“I like all food. Not many things you are going to find me not wanting to eat.” He laughs and takes a bite that is almost half of his sandwich.
“Oh gosh, you didn’t have to shove it all in.” I joke with him.
“This is so good,” he tells me with his mouth full and I laugh, handing him a napkin.
“I’m glad you like it, the avocado is my favorite part. I grew them this year!” He gives me an excited smile to match mine.
“You can still teach if you want. Once we are crowned, I wouldn’t care. If you decide not to, we can find someone you trust for the Education board.” His kindness makes me tear up.
“I will have missed my opportunity to go to school to be certified. I’m not sure they will let me have anything to do with it. The monarch plays a big part in our Education board. My uncle has advisors he answers to.” I wipe away the few tears that are still in my eyes and take another bite of salad before passing the bowl back.
“We can find a way,” he says, and the honesty in his eyes makes me believe him.
Chapter 5.
We finish eating and then make our way to the ballroom for our lesson. Lynn is waiting for us, and I feel silly for not suggesting we change when she is in clothing for a work out.
“Good afternoon, kids. I hope you enjoyed your lunch. Let’s begin,” she says as she starts a soft piano ballad from the speaker in the front of the room.
We stretch and prepare for a few minutes and when she thinks we are ready we start working on the first out of four formal dances she is going to teach us. To his own surprise, Arden picks up the steps quickly and his strong frame leads me through the dance smoothly.
I’m in awe how someone so tough and burly can move so delicately, but I try not to tell him that as he spins me again and again.
He counts aloud as we start the dance over for hopefully the last time before moving onto the next one. “One, two, three, four. Back, two, three, and four. Left, forward—”
I get lost in the sound of his deep melodic voice and move forward when I should go backwards. His arms wrap around me and lift me a little to spin us as he laughs at me running into him once again.
“Ugh.” I groan as I smash into him.
“I thought you were supposed to be the good dancer out of us.” He laughs as he sets me back down and resets us to start the dance over again.
“I was supposed to, but look at you over here, outshining me.” I thump him on the chest and then rest with him.
The music starts again and I tune out his whisper of directions, mindlessly letting him lead me around the dance floor. Instead of running into him, we make it through the whole thing flawlessly. Letting him take control felt right. The more I get to know Arden, the more I trust him.
“That was beautiful. You two moved in sync like you’ve been dancing together for years.” Lynn gives us both a clap on the back. “Alright, let’s adjust your stance and start the next one.”
Our dancing runs fluidly for the rest of the practice and we learn everything but the queen’s waltz. Which is a dance I already know by heart, as my father used to twirl us all around when it would play. My mother loved that there was a dance just for her. The movements are ingrained in me like scars from a different life.
“Alright, we will save the last one for next week. Arden, you have meetings with the King’s advisors for the next two days, and Mackenzie, you have class with the ladies. We have decided to give you two the weekend off, and then resume classes when the week starts. Have a good night.” She returns to turn off the speaker and then retreats. Arden and I don’t move as she cleans up and leaves. Instead we both end up sitting and catching our breaths.
“That was quite a workout,” he tells me, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the sleeve of his dress shirt.
“Always is. Although, I haven’t danced for hours straight since I was much younger.” I smile, thinking back to the years I did dance lessons with the formal entertainers that father hires for the balls we host.
“I wouldn’t say I’m unfit in any manner, but muscles I didn’t realize I had are already sore.” We laugh and just sit in a comfortable silence for a few minutes.
“We have to get up, don’t we?” I ask, doing the opposite and lying flat on my back.
Arden lays down next to me. “No, we could just lay here until we die.”
“That would solve most of our problems.” We both laugh and then sit in a comfortable silence.
A minute or so passes before Arden speaks again, “Come on, I’m starving let’s have dinner. I know Kraus is meeting with your sister soon.”
He stands and helps me up, keeping ahold of my hand as he escorts me from the ballroom. I follow him along the hall and we turn at the stairs that lead to the tea room. Arden opens the door and we find June and Kraus in an embrace. The sound of the door makes them both jump.
‘What the...” June shrieks as she pulls away from Kraus like he shocked her. Her eyes go wide until she sees it’s just us and then they throw daggers. Kraus lazily adjusts his crumpled shirt as June moves back into his side. After a second or so passes, her eyebrows go up in waiting for an explanation.
“We’re eating together,” Arden tells her and pulls me further into the room to have a seat at the tea table.
“I’ll let service know,” she says in passing as she leaves the room.
We both have seats and finally release hands. Kraus gives us both a look over, but nothing in his expression shows the aggravation June had when leaving.
“What have you two been up to today?” Kraus asks with a sly
smile, like he knows by our messed up hair and disheveled appearances.
My face goes pale at his insinuation and Arden gives him a hard look, causing Kraus to nervously swallow. Arden lets him sweat for a moment under his scrutiny before answering him, “We had dancing lessons today.”
June returns with one of the servers and they bring us two glasses of iced water and some goblets for wine. She pours us all full glasses of a deep red vintage and then leaves the room without a word. Service at home is nothing like being out in a restaurant, they do their jobs and then go. They don’t have to win you over. Her absence spurs conversation that I ignore because Arden’s hand finds mine under the table. His fingers trace shapes across my palm, and up to my wrist. Every time the pads of his fingers run across the inside of my arm it sends tingles up to my elbows.
I zone out until the service returns with food and catch the tail end of their conversation. My curiosity is peaked when they mention something about Kraus and Arden planning something this weekend with the other generals.
“Mackenzie, since they are busy this weekend, I was thinking of going away. Somewhere with a spa and some opportunities to shop for a dress. We have the December Solstice coming up in a few weeks.” June’s voice drones on, and I never look up from cutting into my steak.
“How far away are you thinking? I’ll have to send guards if it’s much further than the closest city.” Arden asks.
“Just a few cities over. We don’t need guards. We should be fine,” June says dismissively.
“Things aren’t like how they were in Grantafe. With your sister going with you, you will be taking guards.” Arden’s tone is final and June’s eyes narrow as she considers whether to argue back or not. In the end she brushes it off and finally starts eating her dinner.
“You don’t have to worry about me going. I need to study here. I have some insane lessons to learn in these queen courses.” I cast my eyes down and try to look busy cutting apart my already cut steak.
