Part Three

Lady Kiva was perched halfway up on a wooden ladder, gathering apples into a woven basket. Mealina was twirling around in the garden, her golden locks shining in the autumn sun, and she began saying her goodbyes to the aging flowers, as they faded away with the summer. Sae sat in her spot, the old stone bench with chipped cherub faces, under an oak tree. The three ladies had spent much of the past week in the garden, for it was their favourite place to talk, and as the season was changing, they wished to enjoy as much of the last warm days as they possibly could.

"Sometimes I feel as though I should have been born a milk maid and not a woman of the gentry." Lady Kiva confessed. "Picking apples is one of my favourite pastimes, though I hardly know what to do with them afterwards. If I but knew how to cook, I think I should make pies and tarts and everything apples can be made into, but alas, I shall give these to Iona so she can make use of them."

"That would be a romantic thing, to be a maiden who delivers the milk each morning from the farm." Mealina sighed, closing her eyes and clasping her hands together. "A milk maiden with creamy white skin and rosy cheeks, who comes under the eyes of a dashing duke, and he falls in love with her beauty and takes her away from her inferior life. Oh, how romantic!"

"I doubt you'll find any milk maidens in our region who are waiting for their dashing duke," Sae smiled slightly, "but it is a sweet dream still."

Mealina opened her eyes and gazed at her sister. "I don't suppose you would consider yourself a maiden waiting for her dashing duke—or prince, either, would you Sae?"

Sae blushed and looked down at her hands. "I've already told you, I don't expect the Prince to come here and claim me. I left him and his world behind, didn't I? I made it clear I wanted nothing more to do with any of them. Why should he come after me now?"

"Because he loves you," Lady Kiva answered, plucking another apple. "What reason or force is stronger than love?"

Sae shook her head. "How come every conversation we have always leads to this? I've been home for over a week now, and it feels as though every time we come out here to enjoy the day, we always arrive back at the Prince. Mother, Mealina, I love you two dearly, but you are not making me happy, speaking of him."

"That is because you love him too, dearest." Lady Kiva tutted. "I warned you months ago, in this very garden, not to swear your heart against true love, and look what has happened. This is not something you can just toss aside and forget Sae, you will need to find a resolution one way or another. However, if it truly upsets you to talk of it, then Mealina and I will say nothing more on the matter."

Lady Kiva gave Mealina a pointed look and the girl nodded fervently, adding, "I always hoped you would find love sister, but if you do not wish to speak of it, the last thing I will do is hurt you by saying anything. I too promise not to speak of it again until you bring it up yourself."

"Thank you both. I do appreciate your patience with me. I can only imagine how I look from the perspective of another, but being the direct person mixed up in this, I feel justified in my feelings."

"Of course my dearest, never doubt your heart on any matter." Lady Kiva assured, coming down from her ladder and handing Sae an apple.

"Mmmm, I love crisp autumn apples." Sae sighed, biting into the green and white flesh.

o-o-o

Sae had been home two weeks when she began to fret. When she had told Lady Kiva and Mealina that she didn't expect Prince Roderick to come after her, she had of course been lying to save face. She couldn't understand why he hadn't come, hadn't he claimed to love her? Now that she had been there a fortnight, she began to see just how boring home was compared to life at the palace. Eldree Manor, as dear as it was to her, paled in comparison to the living she had experienced over the past two months. At the manor she was in a cocoon, resting peacefully; a state of immobility. The palace had hatched her. She had taken flight as a butterfly, discovering the world. She no longer fit into the space of her home, like a swelled puzzle piece, her life was too thrilling now.

Sae had scrupulously reflected over Roderick's part in the illusion and even the Queen's reasoning behind it, and she had found peace with them, attempting to see things through their eyes. To them, she was just like all the other ladies, at least in the beginning, seeking to be Queen and nothing more. Why shouldn't they be careful and resort to tricks in assessing if she was the one? Wasn't she tricking them in return, just as all other ladies did, resorting to beautiful gowns and hair styles to capture noblemen's attentions, and fake modesty and sweetness to please the parents or elders of such noblemen? Really, the whole courtship process was a farce of its own, why shouldn't the Queen be allowed to counter it with her own games! It wasn't quite right, not by far, but in a different light one could almost see it as…justified.

Such musings swirled around her head one early afternoon as she practiced on her harp in the music room. While the palace's harp had been a grand and truly beautiful instrument, Sae felt much more at home with her more humble, delicate harp, which her father had bought for her at the age of seven. Mealina, the true musician of the family, soon joined her, singing and playing the pianoforte better than any nine-year-old noble in the country. The sisters were thus employed when the door to the music room was flung open and in dashed Josef and Evart, looking excitedly at them saying, "Look to the window! There is a strange man dressed like royalty outside speaking with father."

Sae's heart clenched as if a hand had firmly clasped over it and she could scarcely breathe. She and her siblings all ran to the window facing the front of the manor. Indeed a tall man dressed regally was dismounting his horse, and Count Arland had uncharacteristically gone out to meet the stranger himself. Such address was usually done by a servant, but judging by the man's attire, the Count must have assumed this was no ordinary visitor. The gate where the stranger had dismounted his house was too far from the window for a clear picture, though Sae knew that moment it had to be him. Who else could it be, she thought desperately. From their distance they could still see that the man had fine clothes on, though they could not make out any of the details of his attire, nor his features. He appeared to be the same height as the Prince, and he seemed to have the same board shoulders, Sae deduced. Count Arland called for a servant to bring the horse to the stables, and he walked with the man towards the front doors.

"Let us go down and meet him!" Mealina said, and she and the boys ran out of the room and towards the grand stairway.

Sae reluctantly followed, wondering which would be worse; for him to be Roderick so she could embarrass herself, or for him not to be Roderick so she could feel despair.

Lady Kiva was standing in the foyer when her children joined her. She turned to Sae first and said, "Your father was looking out his study window and he saw a man coming down the lane. He immediately went out to meet the man, I'm not sure why. Your father seemed to think he was someone of great importance."

"But he must be mama! He is dressed so regally." Mealina assured.

"Is he now?" Lady Kiva's surprise was evident. "Then are we to assume he is from Fu Naru Palace?"

Both Mealina and Lady Kiva stared at Sae. She shrugged back at them. "I cannot tell you for sure until I see h—"

Just then, the doors opened and Count Arland walked into the hall with—

"It is him! It's Rod—the Prince." Sae whispered in a sudden panic.

What an odd way to come to her house, she thought, without carriages and glory. He came on his horse for such a long, tiring journey. Then she registered that considering everyone thought him dressed so grandly, compared to the extravagant outfits the fake Prince Sevastian had worn, she rather thought the real Prince had a toned down, humbler manner of dress.

Mealina seemed to swoon at her sisters words. Why, this was the most romantic thing she had ever seen! The Crown Prince had come after her sister, and he was a dashing young man, though he looked a little more sombre than was really necessary.

"Kiva my love, children, this is Prince Sevastian, the Crown Prince of Fu Naru. He is a personal friend of Sae's he has informed me." At the mention of his title, Kiva and the children automatically bowed, though Sae, after having grown accustomed to bowing for the fake Prince and not for the fake royal advisor, did not.

"Please, the nobility may know me as Prince Sevastian, but it is a second name. My first is Roderick." He offered.

"I welcome you with open arms into my humble home, Prince Roderick." Lady Kiva said jovially. "Please let me introduce you to my remaining children, as you are already well acquainted with my eldest daughter."

Before she could go on, Prince Roderick turned his gaze away from Sae, who was averting her gaze from his, and looked confusedly to Lady Kiva for the first time. "Oh, forgive me madam, I thought Sae's mother had passed on. Forgive my confusion, and please introduce me to your other lovely children."

"You were not mistaken, your highness. Sae's mother did pass on many years ago. You must forgive me, but I always refer to Sae as my daughter, though she is not through blood. In every other respect however, she is. And so, since you know my first daughter, let me introduce my other children. These are my twin sons, Josef and Evart," here they bowed again, "and this is my youngest, Mealina." The girl gave her best smile and curtseyed.

"A beautiful family you have madam." Roderick offered a slight smile, his eyes returning to Sae. "I must admit, my business here is not even clear to myself at present, though I felt the need to…I felt as though I should come and see Sae…that is, to make sure she was nicely settled back at home. I hope I haven't intruded on your private family time this afternoon."

"Nonsense." Count Arland's smile did not quite reach his eyes as he gestured with his arms. "Our home is always open to the royal family of course. Now, you must have started your journey quite early to get here so shortly after midday."

"I admit I began my journey in the middle of the night, or in the early hours of the morning; however you choose to look at it." The Prince admitted sheepishly.

"You must be tired then. May I offer you one of our rooms to have a rest, and when you wake we shall have a meal prepared for you?" Lady Kiva offered.

"I would not wish to impose upon such gracious hosts," He replied gallantly, "but you make such a pleasing offer and I am…tired. When I set off I hardly knew what I was doing, I just knew I had to…well, it does not matter much what I was thinking. I hope you will not hold my want of mind at present against me. My best excuse is my fatigue."

"Of course, your highness, think nothing more of it," Arland said, moving towards the grand stairway. "Let me show you a room where you can rest, and we shall talk later."

As the Prince followed his host a little sluggishly, Lady Kiva and Mealina grabbed Sae by the arms and dragged her away to the gardens.

"He has come for you!" Mealina squeaked happily the moment they entered the familiar greenery.

"I have no idea what to think! I cannot even look at him!" Sae admitted, clearly terrified.

"My dear, he was staring at you the whole time. Mealina is right, he has come for you. To think he left in the middle of the night just to get here, he must have been desperate to see you. So desperate that he has lost sleep. He seemed almost ready to pass out as Arland led him up the stairs."

"I do not understand. If he was in such a rush last night to get to me, why did he wait a fortnight first?"

"These are things only he can answer, and which you must ask him…if you will speak to him. You will, won't you dearest?"

"Of course I will mother. I could hardly stop myself, though I tremble now at the thought. What can I possibly say to him after everything?"

"Tell him you love him, and that you will go with him wherever he goes!" Mealina gasped.

"I was contemplating a more serious conversation than that, Mealina."

"How is that not serious?" The girl protested. "Do you not love him? Will you not follow him?"

"I only meant that, before I can talk of love, I must resolve other things with him. This whole farce still stands between us."

"You must resolve it all, Sae." Lady Kiva was firm in her advice. "It is clear that you have run away from love, but it has followed you here. Don't let it slip away now. This is all a part of the experience dearest, and what makes love so stirring. If you love him, then accept the apology he gives you and reconcile. If you cannot find it in your heart to forgive him, however, then you must let him know, and find peace with a farewell. You have to know your heart, if you are to get what you truly want."

"What I truly want." She repeated to herself. "Yes, I have to think about that."

"In the meantime, your Prince has journeyed some space and time to get to you. He will be staying with us for the evening, but he seems to have come with no plans. He may look upon you to give him encouragement to stay or not."

"In that case, I should go and tell father that he may invite the Prince to stay. I would hate for father to be torn between doing his duty as a Count and wanting to protect me. Besides, it will be good to have a few days. I do not think I have such courage to speak openly with his highness tonight. It's too soon…oh! What am I going to do!"

Here she flung herself at Lady Kiva and began to cry. Her mother and sister were a little startled to see Sae act this way; her detached and indifferent nature had been so altered since her stay at the palace. Mealina hugged Sae from behind while Kiva stroked her hair.

"Be at peace dear child. All will be well, you will see."

o-o-o

Prince Roderick had not been himself that afternoon when he arrived at Eldree Manor; he was clearly distracted, at a loss for his usual eloquence, and he stared intensely at Sae as if no one else had been in his thoughts for a long time. Sae was convinced this was due to his overnight ride, and that the moment he got his rest, he would return to his quiet, thoughtful, and overall stoic self. This had been her initial judgment on his character. By aiding her through the various tests, he had then proven himself to be intelligent, and by nature sombre instead of cold, which she had originally deduced.

When the Prince arose from his two hour rest to join the family for their evening meal, Sae was marvelled to find that Roderick made efforts to amiably converse with her parents, and jauntily jest with her siblings. Yet he seemed almost shy in addressing her. Though he looked to her a great deal, most of his conversation was directed at her parents, and more than once he seemed on the verge of saying something directly to her, then he paused, bit his lip, and turned his gaze away. Sae knew not what to make of his behaviour, other than he must be feeling as unsure about proceeding as she was.

"He looks at you still a great deal, Sae." Her stepmother whispered to her, as the Prince divulged some future plans for the country with her father at the other end of the table.

"It's unnerving." She admitted. "He hardly ever looked at me in the palace. I know he was pretending to be the Royal Advisor then, but still."

"And do you dislike this? I know it was the Royal Advisor you fell in love with."

"It's strange, really. He is not as jovial as his cousin, the fake Prince Sevastian, or their other cousin Sir Lisario, but there was something about him that attracted me regardless. Now, seeing him strive to be friendlier with you and father, and seeing him smile charmingly at Mealina and humour the boys, I feel like I am seeing a new, possibly better side to him. It's strange because when the fake prince was so cordial I only had platonic feelings for him, but seeing Rod—I mean Prince Roderick like this, I cannot help it, my heart just aches. In a good way, I think."

Lady Kiva's eyes sparkled. "Of course it is in a good way. Sae darling, he is opening up and you are learning more of his character, his softer, more sociable side. That is all we can hope for; he is a good man."

"It is just so strange to see his transformation."

"Well, perhaps he was always this way. When someone must be in disguise for months as someone else, they change their natural character in the act. If he had to pretend to be an advisor, are you at all surprised if he was less talkative, more aloof?"

Sae began to understand things better. "The depth of your understanding astounds me, mother. I suppose pretending to not be yourself would change someone's ordinary habits and temperament. Still, I can see even as he talks to father, he is a naturally calm and sensible man, just as he was when he was the Royal Advisor."

"And these are not bad traits in the least, darling."

After dinner, Sae thus resolved to get to know the real Prince, so she could decide once and for all if he was what her heart sought.

As Sae got ready for bed that evening, Mealina slipped into her room to swoon over their guest.

"Oh Sae, he is more princely then any prince I have ever imagined in any fairytale."

"That is probably because he is a genuine prince, and you have never met one before." Sae answered dryly, sitting by her vanity mirror and combing out her long raven hair.

"It's not that though," Mealina insisted, falling back onto Sae's bed in a fantasy stupor. "He's a living breathing man! A man who loves you dearly sister, or he would not have come all the way here I am sure. A real man, and a prince too, who ardently wishes for your hand. It is so romantic I think I shall burst!"

"If you do burst, take pity on my covers and promptly leave to do your bursting in your own room."

"How can you speak so sardonically, sister, when you know he is only sleeping three doors down? Why, if it were I, I should steal away to his side at night and profess my undying feelings for him!"

"And that would be mighty improper of you, not to mention scandalous. Can you imagine what mother and father would do if they heard you say such a thing Mealina? Young, unmarried noblewomen do not go sneaking off into other people's rooms in the middle of the night, especially not a young man's room."

Sae was aware of the irony of her words, but she kept the twitching smile off her lips as Mealina pouted. "You really have no use for romance, do you Sae? How unfitting that all this should be happening to you now, and you do not appreciate any of it. Well, I shan't let you spoil my mood, I'm off to bed."

Mealina's sweet thoughts of love did not escape Sae so easily. As she lay in her bed, her candle long blown out, she was painfully aware of two things. First, the memory of the night she snuck to Prince Sevastian rooms, only to have the real prince accost her. Secondly, she thought of his current sleeping proximity.

It would be ridiculous to go and check on him, especially because of what had happened the last time, and especially after she had scolded Mealina for suggesting it. She turned on her side, her back facing her door, and willed herself to go to sleep.

Sae doubted he would appreciate a night caller anyway. The Prince was looking for a respectable lady for his wife, not some indecent girl who snuck into gentlemen's rooms. It would be funny though, to see the shocked look on his face at her performing déjà vu on him.

Another half hour passed before Sae resolved to at least go to his door and check for his steady breathing. If he was sleeping then she'd be appeased that these silly notions were solely running through her head alone.

She was thankful that her door did not creak, as she quietly padded from her room to the one he had been given. Sae pressed her cheek to the door and strained her ears to catch any sound. All was silent in the room however. Perhaps he breathed very quietly as he slept, unlike her father. This would not do however, for she had no way of knowing if he was sleeping or not. She bent down towards the keyhole and squinted. There sat a shadowy figure on the bed. She could barely trace the fuzzy edges of his arms, and his hand as it supported the side of his face. He was deep in thought.

Her heart began to pound so loudly she feared it would betray her, and turning from the door, she resolved to get away before she did something stupid. She need not fear the sound of her heart however, for it was the sudden creak in the floor outside his room that gave her away. She froze on the spot, hoping madly he had not heard it, but fearing to move should she make another sound.

It mattered not for in the next moment his door flew open and a bemused expression played about Roderick's face.

"What…why are you standing outside of this room?"

"I'm not—I don't…I have no idea, truly." Sae whispered, her face glowing with heat.

"Perhaps you couldn't sleep, like me?" He offered, rubbing the back of his head in a state of loss himself. "Or perhaps you wanted to speak with me?"

This unguarded boyish behaviour made her heart beat even more loudly, and her face grew hotter still. "I—I only wondered if you were awake, like me."

He laughed softly, and nodded. "As you see, I am. Now, what else can I do for you?"

"I—nothing. I'm sorry I disturbed you. I did not mean for you to know…I was only checking…I really should go back to my room now."

He laughed again, reaching out to catch her arm before she took off. "Humour me a minute more and stay. We have not had a chance to speak frankly with each other yet. I was earnest when I told your father that my reasons for coming were unclear. I just wanted to see you…I hope that does not bother you."

"No, it does not." She breathed.

"I do not know how long I shall stay. Your father invited me for the month, but I told him I doubted I would be able to stay but a few days. I had meant to come sooner but…well, I had been advised otherwise at first."

"Oh." Sae rubbed her arm distractedly. This had not been the reason she wanted to hear, but she felt too self-conscious to ask for a better one.

"I know it is not proper for you to enter my chamber, though we both can recall a time when you did not long ago," he added with a dry look. "If you would excuse formality for a moment, I should like you to come and sit with me. We can speak for a bit, so that when I see you tomorrow I will not feel so awkward in approaching you. During the night without your family watching, I find this much easier to do."

"Yes, I know the feeling." Sae agreed, thinking of Lady Kiva and Mealina's hawk eyes.

She followed him into his room and took a seat by the wall. After closing his door almost all the way, he sat down in the chair next to hers. "I don't know where to begin. We hardly talked so candidly back at the Palace, because I was not permitted to speak much there. Don't misunderstand me, Sae. I will never be as cheerful as my cousin Sevastian, or as charismatic as Lisario, but I am not an automaton either; I can talk of many things and be agreeable…that is, when I am allowed to be." He smiled wryly, triggering Sae's laugh.

"Yes…I had seen this tonight at supper and it surprised me greatly. I am glad however, because I find I like you all the more for it." She admitted freely, then thought her words over and blushed. "What I mean is, I find friends are more welcome when they are sociable, though I myself am not so outgoing either."

Friends, she says, Roderick thought with a twinge of trepidation, but pressed on as if her words did not rebuff him. "Well, I did exaggerate my coolness as the Royal Advisor, and you have just cause to be disgruntled, but I will not ask you to forgive me yet. I wish for you to know the real me, and when you do, then I will ask for your forgiveness." And maybe your hand.

"And you think I shall know the real you in just a few days, do you, your highness?"

"In many ways you do know me. I was not completely acting out of character." He paused. "I am afraid I am not as interesting or exciting as other noblemen you've encountered, and I do get lost in thought more than I ought to. I know I gave the impression that I was relentlessly judging you, and I did that on purpose. However, I've never had a cold thought towards you, and I am a kinder man than I've let on."

"As the night presses on, I am more and more assured of that." She assented, looking down at her hands. Roderick's frankness was quite a change from the aloof Royal Advisor she had come to know, and it was taking her time to adjust. Still she could sense he was essentially the same man at his core. "I am by custom a recluse, much like you are. It may take some time for both of us to read the other."

He reached for her chin and turned her face so they could lock eyes. "Yes, that may be true, but in some small ways I feel as though I know you wholly."

She felt her cheeks glowing again, and to escape further blushing, she got up from her seat and announced it was time to go back to her room. Roderick stood also, and walked over to the door to hold it open for her. As he wished her goodnight she paused and looked him in the eye once again.

"Roderick" She sighed.

That did it. Next thing she knew, he had her pressed against the door, and his lips began to softly seek approval from hers. Unlike their fiery first kiss, this one was much more gentle and imploring, and she felt herself melting against the door at his touch. He pulled away before long, and before his hands got too excited, and brushed her forehead with his lips, bidding her goodnight.

As Sae stumbled back into her bed, she thought of his words; I am afraid I am not as interesting or exciting as other noblemen you've encountered. She closed her eyes, shaking her head. How could he think such a thing and then proceed to kiss her like that! The man clearly wasn't aware of what a dream he was, not to mention a dream kisser! Sae drifted to sleep with provoking thoughts.