September 2nd 1510
'Presenting his Royal Highness, Prince Alfred the third.' The mighty King Edward had barely taken his seat on his throne that morning when his most esteemed servant introduced the neighbouring Prince. The young Prince was the son of the wealthy King Frederick who was also King Edward's closest and eldest friend.
King Frederick's wife Queen Louisa had died whilst giving birth to their only son and Frederick had been longing to retire, in order so that he could allow himself to grieve for his dead wife. Unfortunately for him Prince Alfred had no wife to become his queen and Frederick would not allow his only son to marry a commoner. No he'd decided that his only son would marry a Princess and unfortunately the only Princess in all the land was Maid Maleen, King Edward's daughter.
The most important thing to know about Maid Maleen was that she was not your ordinary, meek and mild Princess. No Maleen was a very independent Princess, she was able to make up her own mind and preferred when she was not told to do something she did not quite like. King Edward knew the reason behind the arrival of Prince Alfred and so he had begun to worry. Arranged marriage was widely known throughout the land, but he worried that Maleen would not agree to an arranged marriage. Many Kings, nay fathers, would not allow their daughters a say in the matter, but King Edward was a great King because he cared what his subjects, his servants and his daughter wanted.
'Prince Alfred, how nice to see you again and this time you have come to my kingdom! What a surprise. May I ask what it is that you seek?' He asked kingly and the prince dropped to his knees in respect. His beautiful blonde curls glistening in the light as they fell over his forehead.
'Your majesty, King Edward, I have come seeking the hand of Maid Maleen in marriage,' Prince Alfred informed of him as he raised his head and his closed fist to his chest over his heart in obvious respect for the King of another kingdom.
'Oh well he is very handsome isn't he?' The King's wife, Queen Madeline called from beside her king who nodded his head. Yes, with his angel curls and baby blue eyes; his pale skin tone he and his daughter would be a match made in heaven. After all he was a charming suitor and one she surely would not be able to refuse. He couldn't see why she would; after all he was rich, charming and a royal. Surely she would fall in love easily with him.
'Of course,' King Edward said, turning his attention from the Queen and back to the Prince. 'Prince Alfred, you may certainly have my daughter's hand in marriage.' As he finished speaking the daughter in question entered the room and gasped at the beauty of the prince as she took her seat at her own throne.
At the age of sixteen, Maid Maleen was a very smart and logical child; she knew too well what an alliance between two rich kingdoms would mean. Unfortunately she was not already aware of the alliance that the kingdoms had through the friendship of their Majesties. And being the good child that she was, she thought that it would be of some use to marry such a handsome prince.
'Princess Maleen,' the prince then turned to her, a look of rapture on his face. She could see that he was in love with her already. He was in love with her at first sight as her mother had always spoken of. However she wondered how such a thing could be. Wasn't a prince supposed to love you for your personality not just for your looks? If such a thing was possible, wouldn't it be unfair to the girls that weren't as beautiful?
Yes, with her long black curls and emerald green eyes Maleen was a very beautiful princess and had secret admirers amongst the entire kingdom. Her dark hair and her eyes were the complete opposite to the pail complexion she was gifted with. No matter, the generous breasts and the curvaceous figure she had been gifted with through puberty were always catching the eyes of many men. Yes they were all commoners, but now it seemed as though her beauty had caught the attention of a very eligible prince.
'What is your name, Prince?' she asked of him, curiosity urging her to. She wanted to know the name of the prince that she would marry; after all it was only right. A wife was to know the name of her husband.
'I am Prince Alfred of the far east,' the prince informed her and she narrowed her eyes at that. Prince Alfred of the Far East hmmm. Maid Maleen had heard many a thing from the girls in the kitchen about the eligible Prince Alfred. And what she had heard was not something she'd decided was worthy of her marrying him. She had heard that this prince who knelt before her was known as a cad. The kitchen girls had spoken of the many girls and wenches he had lain with in his own kingdom. And it seemed to Princess Maleen that Prince Alfred was not the kind of man she would want to marry.
Maid Maleen's type of man, her own idea of love, was to know a man who was as she was, pure and independent. Maleen wished to find a Prince who was handsome, but who also wished to known who and what she was about before he fell in love with her, she did not wish for a shallow prince like the one before her. She wanted a man she thought she could speak to; she wanted a man who would see her as an equal. She did not want to marry the prince before her, but her father had already agreed upon it.
'Very nice to meet you Prince Alfred,' Maleen spoke as she stood and curtseyed, as was expected of her, not that she wanted to act out of courtesy to the royal. No Maleen could already feel the seed of hatred burning in her heart as it grew roots.
'The pleasure is all mine Princess,' Alfred said as he approached her, took her hand and kissed it as he bowed low. Grimacing Maleen tore her hand back and discreetly wiped it on her beautiful jade green dress. 'I will be a very good husband to you, this I promise,' he told her and she narrowed her eyes once again. I have heard many a thing of you Prince and I would not trust a thing that would come from your mouth.
Instead of speaking what she wanted to Maleen took to her feet and excused herself.
'Apologies Prince Alfred but I cannot stay too long, I am already late for my music lesson and my teacher will not be too pleased if I am anymore late,' Maid Maleen excused and left, with a great sigh of relief.
