A Princess in Blue
With his little heart jumping with the thought of his beloved princess, young Colton could have never imagined the empty feeling that crushed his soul when he found the gates to the castle closed to him the next morning.
As he sat outside the gates that day waiting for them to be opened, Colton heard whispers that Princess Anna had fallen ill. That gave him hope. His parents had not let anyone into their house when he was sick, but when he got better he could see his friends again. It had taken him about a week to get better.
In a week then. In a week he would come back to see the Princess.
Of course he didn't wait a week.
Two days later the young boy snuck away from the docks and ran back to the castle, ignoring the burning the cold air around him created in his lungs. His loved filled heart would keep him warm enough.
The gates were still closed.
Two days later, the gates were still closed.
The gates were still closed the day after that.
And the day after that.
Even the day after that.
Eventually, Colton's parents kept him from waiting at the gates.
So he snuck out at night to wander around the castle, but the guards always made him go home. His parents kept a closer eye on him after that, keeping him away from the gates.
But he never stopped thinking about the towers behind the gates. And the rooms within those towers. And especially the beautiful white-haired girl with gorgeous blue eyes that lived in one of those rooms.
Even four years later, when he was helping his father unload a ship he looked up at the towers. But this time he didn't just see gray stone, he saw white hair and a pretty blue dress.
"Are you OK, boy?" his father asked when Colton came back for another box.
"Huh? Why?" Colton asked, unaware of the small smile on his lips. He'd seen her. Once again he'd seen her. Once again he'd seen her white, beautiful hair. Once again he'd seen her gentle, angelic face. Once again he'd seen her soft blue eyes. But from what he'd seen, she was even more beautiful than he had remembered. She had seemed sad at first, but something had made her smile. From behind that glass something outside had given him a glimpse of the blue heaven from her sparkling eyes. And her hands, they were so precious they had given the glass cause to wink and shiver in pleasure.
"You look like a boy in love all over again. Saw a pretty girl on the job now, have we?" his father asked with a playful wink.
Colton scoffed at his father's accusation. "Not a pretty girl, Dad, a beautiful one…"
"Beautiful, ay? Haven't heard you use that word in a while. If you want… a father's… advice…" his father started while picking up a crate and handing it off to someone else, "If she's beautiful, you'd better steal her heart before another young lad has a chance to."
Colton, having stacked up a few boxes of goods to carry off the ship, picked them up and struggled for a moment to balance them. "Think I have a chance, Dad?"
"Look at you. A strong, handsome boy like you? Girls'll be crying to learn you're off the market. Especially when yer old man's trading for the king. Why, I'm afraid you mum's gonna have to start chasing them off with a broom."
His father's attempt at flattery earned him a snicker from his son who followed him down to the docks and loaded the boxes onto the carriage taking them to his father's shop.
Colton brushed a lock of red hair away from his forehead shyly. "So… you think I should chase after her?"
"Of course. You don't stop chasing love until her father's chasing you down the streets. And even then, there's always a chance she'll leave the window open for you."