After they finished eating, Meggie decided to explore the room. When she came to the closet, she figured it was best to get some new clothes.
"Be sure not to get lost." Farid warned as she approached the closet, which caused her to laugh. "I'm not kidding."
She opened the door slowly and peeked in. Farid appeared behind her and pulled it open completely as he gestured for her to go inside. She gasped at the magnificent gowns and outfits hung delicately on brightly painted shelves.
"I think I'll wear this." He said and held up an outfit similar to the one he was wearing.
"I'll wear this then." She held up a sleeveless gown that was a dark shade of blue. They turned their backs to each other and changed quickly. When Farid saw Meggie, he felt his cheeks grow hot as he noticed how the gown made her chest look.
"Does it look okay?" She asked.
"It looks good on you." He replied with a smile.
"Thanks," She sighed. "So where to next?"
"How about we go see the garden?" He suggested.
"Well that sounds sweet. I'd love to see it," She said as they linked arms.
"It's not as small as you think. It takes the gardener an entire day to water less than half of it," He smirked.
"If my feet feel like falling off, you'll have to carry me." She teased.
"If you're feet do feel like falling off, I'll just feed you to the giant fly trap and spare myself the trouble." He snickered.
"You wouldn't throw me into a man-eating plant. You'd be too lonely in this big palace with Gregory as your only company," She pointed out.
"Touché." He chuckled and led her through large double doors.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Unbeknown to the two, Gregory had been watching them from a safe distance. He envied his brother for finding a princess that seemed to be perfect for him. She was beautiful beyond comparison in Gregory's eyes, and in Farid's as well. Gregory felt anger boil through him at the mere thought of Farid getting to call this girl his wife.
If father sees how much time the two spend together, he might marry them off. And if he does…I'll lose my throne, Gregory thought bitterly.
In his mind, Gregory came up with a plan. Whenever Farid was drawn away from the girl, he would take her and spend some time with her. In a week, he would declare that he wanted to marry her at dinner. From the pressure of his father and the law that all outsiders must be sent away, this girl would have to accept. Sure, Farid would be heartbroken, but he wouldn't be fast enough to react to the situation.
You always were reluctant to show your feelings brother, Gregory thought with satisfaction. And that will cost you the girl of your dreams.
Gregory slowly made his way into the garden and stepped behind a bush when he saw his brother and Meggie standing in the front of the garden.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Meggie stared in awe at the large garden surrounding her and Farid.
"This is amazing!" She cried happily.
"It's like an oasis right at home." He said and plucked and exotic blue flower from a bush beside them. He placed it in her hair delicately and she wrapped both of her arms around his right arm.
"I bet you even have a maze in here," She muttered.
"Actually we do. Would you like to see it?" He suggested.
"Lead the way." She giggled and he pulled her deep into the garden.
They laughed as they raced down a path, brushing the vegetation as they went. Meggie felt a surge of happiness swell up inside her as Farid held her hand as they passed a large pond. She stopped and waved to the fish that swam inside of it. Farid came back to the pool with a smile on his face and he continued to lead her through the garden. The sun shone through the many trees that covered the large garden and it lit the path perfectly. When they approached the maze, the two stopped and caught their breath.
"This is the most fun I've had in a long time." She laughed.
"Same here." He chuckled.
"So this is the maze." She stated and eyed the enormous entrance.
"Well are we going inside or what?" He smirked and held out his hand.
"Of course." She smiled and took his hand, the two making their way into the maze.
"There are lots of birds and animals, so don't get too sidetracked." He said.
This maze was unlike any Meggie had ever seen in books. It was more open and had beautiful bouquets of flowers perched on the green, leafy walls. A parrot flew above them and Meggie stared at its brightly colored feathers.
"This is better than I expected." She murmured.
"There's still one more thing you need to see here." He said and stopped at a dead end.
He pulled back the leaves to reveal a small hill overlooking the large pond they had passed. The sun shone over the pond heavenly and gave it a magical touch. He helped her through the hole and followed soon after. He sat down on the grass and she took a seat next to him. As he put his arm around her shoulder, she cuddled up next to him.
"It's so beautiful here." She whispered.
"Romantic, don't you think?" He added.
"Actually, I do." She murmured.
They looked at each other in the same moment and their eyes locked. An instinct came over Farid and he lifted the veil off of her, tossing it to the ground soon after. The world around them seemed to vanish in those first few moments.
He bent his head down and pressed his lips against hers softly. When she didn't pull away, he wrapped his arms around her waist and deepened the kiss. She adjusted herself and sat on her knees as she put her arms around his neck. The kiss was sweet and full of energy, causing the both of them to block out the rest of the world. Meggie forgot about her family back home, the worries in her head, and anything else in her mind if it didn't involve the boy in front of her. Farid cleared his mind of all doubts about Gregory, the thieves, and anything not having to do with Meggie. When they finally broke apart, she snuggled up against him.
"Farid." She said.
"Hm?" He murmured.
"If I do have to get married…I want to get married to you." She admitted. He grinned and securely put his arm around her waist.
"In that case, we have nothing to worry about." He chuckled. She nodded and the two sat together, enjoying the wonderful scenery before them.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Little did they know that Gregory had watched them from his hiding spot, which was behind a tree. He felt envy surge through him when he saw the two kiss and he kicked the tree out of anger. When he heard Meggie say that she would rather marry Farid if she had to.
"What does she see in him? He's not even fit to rule the kingdom!" Gregory muttered to himself.
He slipped away from the scene and made his way out of the garden. He knew he would have to step up to win Meggie over, even if it meant taking Farid out of the picture. Permanently.
For those of you who were just dying to have a romantic moment between the two, here it is. I hope it's good enough.