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#1
Old 11-28-2017, 10:02 PM

The story of a Prince and a peasant.

. . . . . . .

King Edwin Maxwell Meriweather III wasn't a very picky man. Still, he had taste. He didn't look in the least bit sad after the town crier had announced that the king sought a new wife. He'd made it clear to his subjects that no one would mention his last wife's name. Ever. She had gone missing, just like his previous wives and now there was no choice left but the marry a peasant. King Edwin rather liked that idea... Marrying a peasant. He'd pay a pretty penny to her father as well, should the need arise, in order to marry such a woman.

The King glanced out of the window, thinking about all of his past wives... They'd been... Interesting. All too young, though. He was a well-aged man, well into his late twenties. The "women" he was often given to marry had been teenagers! Some as young as 18, which, Edwin both liked and hated all at the same time. There was no one to share his interests or share in his "goals". Their only concern was marrying to increase their own families' wealth and power, something Edwin admired.

Whenever another wife went missing, he'd regretfully inform her parents that, "she'd died in childbirth". To which, they were always shocked to discover that she was "pregnant" at all. After they'd mourned, he'd tell his loyal subjects not to speak of his wife, to tell no one that his wife had never been pregnant or that her body had never been found. The secrets that swam around the castle were mostly kept, as King Edwin was known to execute those who dared to so much as spread rumors about what could have happened to his wives.

"Hear ye, hear ye!" The town crier called, "Let it be known that on this day, King Edwin Maxwell Meriweather III is now seeking a new wife! The Royal kingdom will be hosting a ball, in which, any young maiden between the age of eighteen and twenty five shall be allowed thirty minutes with the King." The town crier read from his royal papers, crying again, "Hear ye, hear ye... Let it be known that on this day..."

Last edited by Kory; 11-29-2017 at 04:26 AM..

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#2
Old 11-30-2017, 06:31 AM

When it was announced that the King would be seeking a new bride, Merida was not surprised. When she found out he would be holding a ball that even peasant woman were invited to attend, that had peaked her interest. Any ball held by the King would most likely be extravagant and lavash, two things she had never experienced in her life. She debated if she wanted to go. One one had she had spent the past four year taking care of her family farm and her two younger siblings, a night off would be nice. On the other had, she had no desire to be the latest disappearance in the King's string of missing wives. She had a family to take care of and a farm to till. A night off wouldn't hurt her though. She spent a decent amount of time thinking about it before finally deciding to go, she simply wouldn't meet with the King. She felt it was a decently clever plan, to enjoy the night and the festivities without the fear of somehow catching the king's favor. Not to mention men who were that attractive would most likely not look twice at her. There were plenty of other girls in the village that had the curves the King was probably looking for.

Preparing for the ball was easy enough, she convinced the neighbors to watch her brother and sister. Her neighbors were probably foaming at the mouth to see her disappear like all of the other queens, just the chance was enough for them to offer to watch her hell spawn siblings. Merida loved her brother and sister but she had only been 18 when her parents died and taking care of a 7 year old and a 10 year old had not been easy. They managed though, and Jeffery, her brother who was now 14, just managed to get into trouble.

The hard part had been getting a dress. Once upon a time she had had a Sunday dress for church but she had abandoned that notion the day her parents died and left them alone. She was a fighter now, not a believer and she had doubted she even fit into the old thing. It was another pleasant surprise when she found she did and a few well place stitches fixed it right up.

Everything was set for the night of the ball. She left early that morning so that she would have plenty of time to get there, packing a small coin purse and her dress with her she went towards the city. It was much busier and bustling than she had imagined but Merida assumed that was because of the ball, girls were buying dresses and broaches that might catch the prince's eye. She opted to spend her money on one of the hot baths, a small cost but something she could still enjoy and when the time came she made her way to the castle ready to enjoy the night.

Last edited by Typically Untypical; 11-30-2017 at 06:33 AM..

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#3
Old 11-30-2017, 05:39 PM

When the day of the ball came, King Edwin felt a little nervous. But at the same time, he was no stranger to balls. He looked at himself in the mirror after his handmaid had helped dress him. He looked extravagant, but not unlike how he usually looked. He thanked her and she left the room. King Edwin sighed, not really looking forward to the ball today. It would be exhausting having to see each and every maiden in the kingdom... including the peasants. Still, it was his royal duty to rule alongside a woman. The kingdom needed a queen.

He took his crown off where it was sitting on the mantle and slowly placed it on his head. He turned on his heels, walking out of his chambers, he made his way towards the grand ballroom of the castle. It was as lovely as he'd remembered it; mostly ivory and gold, with a large, beautiful orchestra playing music next to the grand staircase. He watched as his advisors were seated in their lovely, bright red velvet chairs next to his throne. The women were already starting to gather... The music and the colors of their dresses made the entire place feel lively and exciting. Those were two words he thought would never be used to describe his castle.

When the royal jester announced the king's arrival, King Edwin walked down the large staircase, watching as the women and everyone in the ballroom bowed. He rolled his eyes, not wanting to be the center of attention. He walked to his throne and sat down, waving his hand at the musicians to continue playing. It was then that the women started to approach him, each one at a time, being led by his knights to meet him personally.

The first woman he'd met seemed like a bumbling idiot. She was kind, yet, she was much too eager to meet him. The next woman was just not his type. Her hands were worn and withered, possibly from working on a loom all day. He wasn't asking for much in a new wife, just that she be beautiful and independent. As the night went on, more and more women were brought before him and he found he was losing faith in the possibility of ever finding a wife. The other nobles by his side would talk to him after each girl he'd seen and say things like, "That one seemed nice, My King." or "You can do better, My Lord." He ignored them... Thinking to himself that these people were only trying to get on his good side anyway.

The night had almost ended and just as King Edwin had given up on ever meeting someone worthy of being married, he whispered to the jester to make sure that he'd seen every single woman at the ball tonight. The jester nodded and asked the knights to seek out women that they'd missed the first time around. King Edwin sighed, this night would never end..

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#4
Old 11-30-2017, 06:54 PM

It had been very easy to avoid the king in the beginning. Women had flocked to his side hoping to become the next queen but he seemed disinterested. It had actually been rather entertaining watching the King throughout the night he seemed so bored with all of the formalities of the affair. It had been entertaining but it was getting late and she saw the knights going around trying to find women whom the king had not had time with. Merida assumed this was as good of a time as any to make her exit.

She began making her way to the back of the lavish room when she was stopped by a knight asking for her name. She reluctantly gave it and he began to escort her up towards the King rather than allowing her to exit. She was mentally cursing herself for not leaving sooner but she kept on a respectful smile and bowed when she was presented to the king. Her eyes held a stare that spoke of her indifference. She really would much rather return home to her family. "Your majesty." Her voice was not soft and lilting like that of women of noble birth, rather she had the voice of someone who had to yell at children and chickens to get them to behave.

Her hair had long fallen out of the bun she wore, strands of her ebony locks falling on her face as she stood back up to look at her king. He was damn fine, she would give him that, but looks did not make the man. Merida had once been courted by a man who had looked quite appealing as well but he had been a jerk to her siblings, threatening to send them away after the two of them were wed. She nipped that relationship in the bud rather quickly after that. Life was so much more interesting when you had the choice of who you wed. Many girls did not have that luxury. She looked at the king again, examining his eyes, he looked tired. "Your majesty, if I may be so bold, it seems as if we could both do with a break from the ball, and I believe it is time for this Cinderella to head home."

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#5
Old 11-30-2017, 07:48 PM

Just as the King was about to leave his own party, his knights approached him with the last woman of the night. When Edwin saw her, he melted. She was absolutely gorgeous. Definitely someone he could see himself spending more than a few minutes with... The real test was to see her personality, however. King Edwin looked her up and down, impressed, but not willing to let her win him over just yet.

She looked so delicate and feminine that when she spoke with such a worn voice, he was immediately taken back. Clearly, she was not one of those other floozies that didn't work at much in life other than the typical jobs set forth by society for women. He opened his mouth to speak, but she spoke before he was able to say anything. He chuckled a little when she called herself a Cinderella.

"Are you not enjoying the festivities?" He asked her. He was again impressed that she did not seem to be swayed by his wealth and status. She seemed ever so indifferent, in fact, that she almost appeared to be completely uninterested in marrying him at all. He liked that. Something inside him thought that she'd be an excellent chase. After all, what was the point of marriage if "courtship" was easy? He approached her, still stricken by her beauty and now her indifference. Yes, she was the one.

"I can tell that you are tired." He said, wanting to appear to be as kind and caring as he could. He had many secrets and many character flaws, but he would do his best to be as kind and attentive as he could. He could have just ordered her to follow him to his chambers and be done with it... But where was the fun in that? "Perhaps you'd care to be someplace that is less... noisy?" King Edwin reached for her hand, slowly, not wanting to scare her off right away.

"I have to admit, you seem like someone I'd like to spend more time talking to." He was tired, he was ready to call it a night, but he was very interested in this new girl. "Your name was.... Merida, is it?" He looked at his knight, who'd introduced them and the knight nodded. "Well, please stay a little longer, Miss Merida? It would be awfully bad manners of me if I did not, at least, offer you some quality conversation before you go." He smiled at her, hoping to win her favor and hoping that she would, at least, spend a little time with him.

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#6
Old 12-01-2017, 04:33 AM

The hope of not attracting the King’s attention shattered in a flash as he chucked and asked if she was not enjoying the festivities. She frowned a little and looked at him. “I rather enjoyed the festivities but they seem to be dying down and I would much rather enjoy getting home before it gets to dangerous for a girl to walk alone.” She seemed not to say him much as his interest had been peaked, this really was not what she had intended. He offered to take her somewhere quieter, offered his hand. A small sigh left her lips as her shoulders shrank and she looked at the clock. There was still some time left though she would be going home when it was rather dangerous. Had she brought a knife?

Gently she took her hand, the sooner she could make herself unappealing to him the better. She simply had to tread carefully because she did not want to lose her head. “Yes, your Majesty, my name is Merida, and a place less noisy would be appealing.” Her voice held no sexual intention in it. The dance had been fun but it was rather loud and she did not enjoy the eyes that were on her now. Women were jealous of her and she already had enough drama to deal with on her farm. In times of peace it was a lot less common for women to be managing a farm on her own.

She let him take her hand and allowed him to lead her where he pleased, all the while her mind was focused on her brother and sister. It was amazing how strong your survival instinct was when you had something to live for. Merida felt long amounts of time were not good for her survival.

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#7
Old 12-01-2017, 11:53 PM

King Edwin led Merida into one of the quieter day rooms of the castle. It was quaint, just a room where the servants gathered each day before beginning their chores. Inside, the room was well-lit with a beautiful wooden table that was covered with golden plates of fresh fruit. King Edwin pulled Merida closer, hoping to bring her further into the room.

"How does this suit you?" He asked. He brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it, but not without smiling at her. He wanted to know more about her. She was certainly very pleasing to the eye. King Edwin imagined her standing by his side as he greeted the kingdom, telling them about his new marriage. Yes, she would look beautiful on his arm. "Please, tell me about yourself." He said. He could tell she seemed tired and frankly uninterested in talking, but he felt he had to find out more about her.

"You're beautiful." He thought out loud. Without thinking, he reached out to touch her face and he brushed a strand of her hair behind her ear. He wanted to hear about her. If she had fears, worries, if she had goals and accomplishments. He wanted to hear all of it. She had his complete, undivided attention. He noticed she seemed rather tired and uninterested in talking, but he hoped that she'd at least share a little of herself with him. He also noticed that she'd been checking the clock rather frequently. "Do you have responsibilities to attend to?" He asked her, "I've noticed you've been glancing at the clock."

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#8
Old 12-04-2017, 07:17 PM

Further into the castle was not the direction Merida had wanted to go. She had hoped that he had meant outside in the courtyard, she might have even been persuaded to stay longer if he had taken her to the castle gardens. The earth and the soil were her life and she had come to love all of it, in her own way. Instead, she now stood, much too close to the king's side, in a room filled with fresh fruit. Who could eat all of this fruit? Would it not go bad before it was eaten? Her siblings would love to have some of the apples and plums. They did not have very many fruit trees on their property. Maybe she should plant fruit trees. She didn't know how they affected the soil though and she didn't have the tools to pick the top fruit, not to mention it was a large investment for a future profit.

Merida shook her head, now was not the time to be thinking about this. "I much prefer the outdoors your majesty, there is a beauty to the vastness beyond our skies." She had once heard a fairy tale about people who became stars after they died. She no longer believed in fairy tales but it had been a comforting thought when she had first lost her parents; even now she felt comfort in looking at the stars. "Is it not rude to ask about someone before offering some details of your own?" She wanted to direct the conversation away from herself, but the king seemed insistent.

When he went to touch her face she took a step back. She had not for a second thought about the fact that being in a room, alone, with a man, could cause her potential bodily harm but now it was the only thing going through her mind. "Yes your majesty, I do. I have two children at home who rely solely on my care." She was sure her brother would be able to take care of their sister if something happened but she did not want to put him in that position. That was also not something the King needed to know. She did hope however that the king assumed they were her own children, that he would think her a harlot and lose interest.

Her guard was up and her adrenaline was pumping. Merida did her best to keep her voice calm. "I really should head home soon, as I said, the streets can be very dangerous at night." As it was, Merida knew there would probably be more bandits out looking to attack women on their way back from the ball. "Besides, you were so uninterested in the ball, surely there is something else you would rather be doing."

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#9
Old 12-06-2017, 11:42 PM

Hmm. So she was a runner. King Edwin had to admit, it excited him that she was a gem he'd have to work extra hard to impress. He listened to her intently, desperate to learn more about her. It was apparent in her facial expressions that she wasn't happy being deep inside of the castle. In fact, she seemed very intent on leaving as soon as she possibly could. It disappointed him a little that she seemed to be so, very uncomfortable with him. He wished he could remedy that.

It appeared that they were both stark opposites. King Edwin preferred the seclusion of the castle, the dark, cold shadows that shielded him from the rest of the world... But this woman... Merida, she liked being out in nature. It was an interesting development indeed. "Yes, the sky can be beautiful at times... I'm afraid I don't see very much of it, however." Edwin could tell she was very uncomfortable.

Ah. So she had children she was caring for. That certainly put a damper on his high hopes, but it did not squash them just yet! He was curious about the children, but not enough to ask about them. The King looked at her and nodded. "I see." He said. He opened his mouth to say more, but she seemed to suddenly become more nervous. Her nervous energy made King Edwin feel nervous for her. She kept insisting that she needed to get home. He didn't want to keep her there against her will (although it was well within his power to do so), he sighed.

"I can send you home with an escort." He said to her, "If you are worried about being attacked while on your way home." The King wanted to keep an eye on Merida anyway, sending an escort would help keep her under his thumb for the time being. "It would be at no expense of mine... My guards hardly do any work, as I don't often leave the castle." Regardless of her response, he was going to send her home in a carriage so she'd be safe. It was the least he could do.

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#10
Old 12-07-2017, 06:22 PM

The intense look in his eyes as he examined her unnerved her slightly. She had never had a man look at her with such passion. Merida imagined this is what it would feel like to have someone lusting after you but as she was often covered head to toe in dirt, that was not normally a problem. She was backed up against the table at this point and he did not seem to pursue her further, just stood between her and the exit.

Though she was still frightened, and fighting hard not to show it, his words of not getting to see the sky much made her frown a bit. She blinked as she looked at him, almost seeing him in a new light. Seeing the night sky was one of the things she took joy and comfort in, it seemed a waste that a king could not even see the sky over his kingdom. Merida took a step away from the table, not necessarily closer to him but a less defensive position.

"If you are so intent on spending time with me my lord, why not accompany me?"
Why did she say that? "It would give you a chance to see the sky." She did not want him coming home with her. She did not need him to know where she lived. Maybe the reason she had invited him was the small amount of pity that welled up in her chest. He would see her hovel and lose interest. She tried to convince herself of that fact.

Merida straightened herself up, looking at him as she searched for his intention. "My Lord there will be many women who leave tonight without an escort, facing the dangers of the night alone. So why me?" It wasn't that she didn't value herself as much as she understood that the two of them came from two vastly different worlds.

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#11
Old 12-10-2017, 12:01 AM

As much as King Edwin wanted to join her, he decided that it probably would be best to remain in the castle. He had some things inside that he'd wanted to keep under lock and key. He never trusted any of his servants enough to let them wander the castle freely while he was away... (Which never happened that often.) He smiled at Merida and slowly shook his head, "I think it's best I stay here." He said sadly...

When Merida asked... Why her? Well. "Why not you?" King Edwin asked. "You're a beautiful woman, Merida," He said, "And that isn't to say that the other women were not beautiful... If I had an escort for every woman in the kingdom, I'd surely make sure that they all returned home..." Safely. His mind added, but his tongue was too slow.

The King looked at Merida, "I can understand your anxieties, Miss Merida." He slowly backed away from her a little, to give her some space. As much as he'd love to have her for his new wife, he knew that he'd have to win her over. She was certainly no waif that he could just sweep off her feet with gentle words... No, she was a real woman. Someone that would definitely keep his interest for a long time. "I would hope that you'd allow me to provide you with an escort..."

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#12
Old 12-12-2017, 06:19 AM

He was hiding something. It was for the best though. She didn't want him to be coming around to her house. She didn't really want him around at all in fact but he seemed insistent that he wanted to be involved. "That's too bad." She said softly though she didn't mean it.

"I just a King would not find entertainment in someone who is outside of his station. We would have nothing in common and very little to talk about." She said, "But I will accept your escort." If only because that meant she knew she would make it home safe. Her safety was of high importance to her because there were people that relied on her.

Part of her felt selfish for accepting his invitation, but she wanted to make it home. She was thankful he had given her some space, it made her feel a bit safer.

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#13
Old 12-13-2017, 05:45 PM

King Edwin nodded. Perhaps Merida was right, but that wouldn't stop him from pursuing her. He knew better than to think that with the disappearances of his last few wives that it would be so simple to marry another woman and start again. He turned away from Merida for a moment, to find a guard that he could send home with her...

"One moment!" He said quickly, before he sent off the escort with her. "Please, wait here..." He turned and left the room for a moment. He didn't go too far, just down the corridor to the next room. This room was where he kept most of his gold and currency. The King grabbed a small satchel from one of his pockets and began to fill it with gold. He wasn't sure how much to give, but he felt he'd give enough to last a while, enough to buy food and clothing.

The moment he felt that the satchel was full, he tied it with a piece of twine and walked out of the room locking the door behind him. Then he made his way back down the corridor and smiled at Merida. "Here." He handed her the satchel, "For your children." He hoped she wouldn't refuse it, after all, he had more than enough money to give away. King Edwin smiled at Merida as he waited for his knight to fetch the horses and the carriage.

"Where is their father?" He asked, just out of curiosity. Hoping he could get some more information out of Merida before she left...

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#14
Old 12-18-2017, 07:40 PM

When he left the room her legs gave out as she sat down on the chair she had been clutching for support. The king had tried nothing. In fact, he had been about the perfect gentleman, although he didn't know how to take no for an answer, maybe that just came with being king. Merida let out a shaky breath, she had wanted a night off, not another night to act strong. Merida pushed a few strands of hair back behind her ear. He had asked her to stay but she should use this chance to escape.

Her feet didn't move. She didn't stand, just sat there waiting. She was surprised the King had not decided to take off her head yet. Quite a bit of what she had said to him had been impertinent, still for him to have gained an interest in her, she didn't see it. Why would he want to be with a woman who couldn't even read? Then again maybe he liked dumb women, not that she thought herself dumb but she knew she had not had the same privileges as others.

He returned and she stood with as much grace as she could manage, her eyes looking curiously at the satchel. What could he be... for her children. She took the bag without protest, feeling the weight of it. Her mind immediately began to race. She could get her brother reading lessons, have him teach their little sister. She could buy them Sunday clothes and have plenty of money left for a few fruit-bearing trees. "Thank you," she managed to force out as her mind raced. There were so many things she could do. All of her thoughts came to a screeching halt though as he asked about their father. The sadness on her face could not be hidden.

Merida looped the string of the bag on her wrist and let it fall to her side as she looked up at him. "He is dead." Though her eyes showed sadness her voice didn't, her voice held the strong resolve of someone who did what had to be done. That was always how she got through the pain. She did what had to be done. There was no time to mourn because there were still people who counted on her.

"Thank you," Merida bowed and the sadness faded as a hardness appeared in her eyes, the hardness of a shell meant to protect something vulnerable. "But I believe it is about time I take my leave, correct?"

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#15
Old 01-08-2018, 08:36 AM

King Edwin could tell that Merida was sad, although, she hid it very well. He sympathized with her... After all, he did lose all of his wives. While, he was eager to marry again, a part of him did miss whatever it was that initially drew him towards them. They all had a certain charm about them, even if their marriages were arranged. This was his chance to pick his own wife for a change; someone who didn't come from royalty, someone who wasn't pompous and proud.

Edwin really, really did not want to let her go. He was in complete awe of her. She didn't seem at all swayed by his gesture, nor did she let his kindness melt her heart right away and neither did she throw herself at him like the other peasant women he'd come in contact with. She was different... and he liked different. He looked at his feet when Merida mentioned that the children's father was dead. He should have known. "I'm so sorry for your loss..." He said.

Sensing her eagerness to leave, Edwin backed away from her slowly to give her some space. He then called for one of his knights, who promptly entered the room, seeking orders. "Please escort Miss Merida back to her home. Make sure that no harm befalls her." It was going to be so painful to see her leave, but Edwin knew, if he wanted her, he'd have her. "I do hope that we can see each other again..." He added to Merida. King Edwin was lonely... again, now that his last wife had disappeared. A part of him wanted to see more of her. He did not want to appear desperate. After all, he was the king, he could easily have any woman in the kingdom. Yet, he found he was very much attracted to Merida. He reached forward and kissed her hand before sending her off with his knight, "Farewell." He said.

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#16
Old 01-09-2018, 06:27 AM

The pain of her loss flashed across her eyes when he mentioned his sympathy. Her chest contracted in as she drew in a sharp breath and her hand tightened as if tightening around the reigns of a wild horse that needed to be controlled. Losing her parents had not just been a sadness in her life, but a deep scar that she carried inside her heart. She had never had the time to grieve their loss and thus her heart had never healed properly. Merida fought hard to hide that pain though, she protected what she had left in this world. That was why his gift of money for her siblings was much appreciated. She would not let it make her swoon but it did sway her more than she let on. That money could give them a life that she would never be able to just by working on their farm. They could get an education; she could afford medicine if they ever got sick. She had to be careful though. It was not common for people in her neighborhood to acquire large sums of money, and if she spent it carelessly her and her siblings could be killed for it.

Merida felt this was not the last time she would see the king if he truly had taken an interest in her, then he would call on her again. He would call on her again. "Well, you will know where I live if you get bored of the castle life," but she would not have the time to come out to the main square like this. As he went to kiss her hand she allowed him but she did not linger, slowly pulling her hand away from him. Just from that touch, he would be able to feel the callouses of a woman who worked hard for a living. Many peasant girls had taken the time off from their work to become softer for their time with the king but Merida still had the sweet scent of earth under her nails.

"Good Night your Highness." She said giving him a small bow before following after the guard. How had she, despite all of her efforts, attracted the attention of the king? She was nothing like his other wives, though maybe that was the point. Once beyond the castle walls, she took her hair out of its bun in order to put it back into the traditional braid that she wore. This fantasy had been interesting, but now she had real life to go back to. "Would you mind if I changed before we continued?" She asked the knight.

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#17
Old 02-22-2018, 06:39 AM

"Farewell, Miss Merida..." Edwin's smile faded as she disappeared into the shadows of the castle with his guard. She certainly had a sort of beauty to her that almost felt like a flicker of light in a dark, dark world. King Edwin did not watch her as she left, instead his head slowly dipped and hung low as he stared at the stone floor. He could hear the horses neigh, as he had assumed the knight had been preparing the carriage already.

After King Edwin was certain that they'd left, he slowly got to his feet and made his way down the long corridor to a room that he never let anyone else enter. He slowly went through his pockets, looking for the keys to the lock. He opened it, looked inside, then quickly shut the door. This was his only secret, although one could assume he had many. Anyone who so much as looked beneath the door was sentenced to execution, although, he never made it a public one. This secret had to be kept, for King Edwin hoped that no one... no one ever discovered what he kept behind this door.

Locking the door, he quickly shoved the kings into his pocket and they rattled and shook with his shaky hands. He could hear his maids down the corridor. They knew better than to approach this door. It was the unspoken rule of the castle that anyone who came near this door would be executed, King Edwin would have no exceptions. He was certain that his secret would continue even after his death....

Meanwhile, the knight with Merida had decided, "It would probably be best, my lady, if you were to change in the carriage." He walked, leading Merida outside and towards the front of the castle, near the gates, where a horse and carriage had been prepared. "I will close the windows..." He said to her. "If you'd be so kind as to tell us, m'lady, where is it that you live?"

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#18
Old 02-23-2018, 05:25 AM

She had assumed they would be walking home, but a carriage would be much faster. It would also, however, attract unwanted attention. She hesitantly told the knight where her neighbor's house was, "I have to go get the rest of my family first anyway." This way they didn't know exactly where she lived but she would still be close enough to get home safely.

The neighbors would not be expecting her back until early in the morning, though it was no skin off her back if she irritated them. She wanted to see her brother and sister. Her brother would probably make snide comments about her coming home early but her sister adored her. Merida smiled at the thought. She wanted to be home. The night out on the town had been fun but she was ready to be home.

When she got to the house she thanked the knight, expecting and hoping they would leave now, but not waiting for that as she knocked on the door. It was rather late so it took a bit before the woman answered the door and looked Merida over. "I hope you didn't meet the king like that." She said rolling her eyes. "Let me go get your charges." Merida sighed and shook her head. That woman really was vile.

"Merida." The eleven-year-old called as she came running out, hugging her sister. It could be possible that this girl was Merida's daughter but there was no denying that the 14-year-old boy could not be Merida's son. The age gap was too small between the two of them. "Merida what was it like?"

"I'll tell you in the morning, but for now we should go home and go to bed, we have a lot to do tomorrow."

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#19
Old 02-24-2018, 05:36 PM

A few days had gone by and the King could not preoccupy himself with anything other than thoughts of Merida. When the knight had returned to his castle that night, King Edwin had asked about Merida and how well she seemed. It was then, that the knight had informed him about her wellbeing and as an afterthought, he mentioned the children. He told King Edwin that it seemed as though the children were much too old to be hers. Still, he left promptly and left the King to his own thoughts.

It had now been a few days after the ball and the castle had gone back to it's usual silence and lackluster feeling. He passed the time by walking around the castle, thinking about Merida and what it would be like if she were there, in the castle with him. Days of thinking about it led to action... The King decided to send word to the village that he was summoning Merida back.

He'd been flustered with trying to have everything to her liking when she'd arrived. He sent a carriage to fetch her and the children, whom he was very curious to meet. He didn't want to meet her in his throne room, he did not wish to force her to marry him. What was the fun in that? Besides, he knew he always appreciated his late wives much more when he was the one who picked them. Although, it was still a pretty new concept to him; all of his previous wives had been wealthy and royal by blood. Marrying someone out of his league was definitely going to be tricky, especially someone who was such a hard worker and used to earning whatever was handed to them.

King Edwin stood in the courtyard, surrounded by flowers, shrouded in sunlight. As much as he hated being outdoors, (he felt that everyone could see his secret) he would bite the bullet for his possible new wife. He fiddled with his fingers and quietly paced around the garden as he waited for Merida to arrive. It would be any moment now...

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#20
Old 02-25-2018, 04:13 PM

The morning after Merida had come home had been filled with incessant questioning from her little sister. 'What was the king like?' 'How was the palace?' 'Did you dance with anyone nice?' It was nice to see her sister so excited about something but Merida did not want her sister to think that this was going to change anything, it wasn't. They still got up at dawn and had breakfast together, and they still had to go out and do the chores of the farm, more so now because they had a day without tending it. The only thing this would change was that Merida was hoping to get her younger brother into school, and after a few months, she would buy a fruit tree.

She had to be careful with how she spent the money because if she was too flashy about it she would invite robbers to her house. After three days Merida had almost been able to push the King out of her mind. He was handsome and their conversation had not been stagnant, but she would not put herself in a position where she would get herself killed, not while these children still depended on her. Merida's neighbors seemed disappointed that she had not been called upon by the king. Merida had fertile ground that she spent all hours of the day working on. If she had more help this land could be very profitable and many wanted a chance at it.


When the carriage arrived for her and her siblings her heart sank. He had been hoping this was all behind her, but she knew it was not and the king was serious about pursuing her. "I will not leave my farm unattended, it is my livelihood." Knowing the king would not be happy if the carriage returned without Merida in it, one of the knights offered to stay with her farm and watch over it while she had her audience with the king. The other knight would be sure to inform the King of this change. So the three siblings got changed into their best clothes, Merida wearing the dress she had worn the night of the ball, and they traveled to the palace.

Annabeth, the youngest of the siblings, was watching excitedly as the world flew by her. She had never ridden in a carriage and this was all very new to her. When she saw the palace she squealed with excitement. Madoc, the teenage boy, showed much less excitement as he analyzed everything. He was a quiet young man who wanted to learn what the world had to offer him but he had not been given much opportunity. Madoc wanted to learn everything he could from this but he also felt the need to protect his sister. He knew of the King's reputation and did not want his sister to become a victim of the king.

When the carriage stopped Annabeth flew out with excitement, looking at all of the flowers in the garden. Though they grew things on their farm they never grew anything this elegant or beautiful. Merida quickly got out. "Annabeth, bow when you see the king."

"Oh, oh, sorry." The little girl said as she bowed to the king. "It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness." She seemed to stumble over her words like it had been something she had been practicing but still wasn't prepared for it. Merida and Madoc also bowed, though Madoc did not say a word. "Thank you for welcoming us to the palace," she said as she began to stand up again. It was not that she was opposed to the king, but she was opposed to a change in the lifestyle she had been fighting so hard to protect.

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#21
Old 03-08-2018, 04:15 AM

King Edwin smiled at the young girl when she came into view, but his heart sped up when he saw Merida again. He noticed that the children looked a little... old to be hers. He didn't question it, though, it wasn't his place. He nodded at the children, then looked to Merida. He found himself at a loss for words, certainly, this is what infatuation felt like, and the King was certain that he'd never felt this way about anyone else in the past...

It would be so pleasing to-

"Merida." He choked out. He approached her slowly, not really seeming to notice anyone else in the garden. "Children," He acknowledged them after a couple of beats. "How do you like the garden? Could you imagine yourselves living here?" The last royal "family" was his parents' before him. It had been just his parents and himself. Most royalty only had one son, after all. The King would have to get used to children being in the castle... That could pose as either the greatest entertainment, or the worst possible thing he could do for himself and his kingdom.

He wasn't much thinking about his kingdom, though. Even if Merida had accepted his wedding proposal, there'd be no possible way for him to claim the children as heirs to the throne. He would hate to break that news to her, for fear of being seen as not treating the children as equals to him, should they wed... But, it couldn't be helped. In the meantime, Edwin did what he could to sell the children on castle life, and hoped that they could convince Merida better than he could.

"I have a gift for the two of you." King Edwin said, "Please, follow me..." King Edwin led them behind the garden, to a small, hidden passage way that connected the stables to the rest of the castle. Inside of the stables stood two, tall, beautiful white horses. "One for each of you." He knew they probably couldn't ride, and were, perhaps too young to ride anyway, but he had hoped that the gesture would be appreciated. "It must be difficult to get around without a horse or two... and the kingdom is, rather big... haha."

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#22
Old 03-16-2018, 03:59 AM

Merida barely registered him as she watched her sister. Annabeth smiled, "I love the garden, it's so big. We don't get to plant anything that beautiful. Normally we only plant ugly vegetables. Like root veggies." She frowned at the thought. "Root veggies taste good but they don't look pretty. Not like this garden." As the three of them followed the king little Annabeth looked like she was about to wiggle out of her skin and as she saw the horses she squealed happily. "They're so beautiful. We get to keep them?"

"You realize that giving us two, obviously well bread and expensive horses will put a bounty on our heads right?" Madoc looked at the King, unafraid. He was the protector now. Even though Merida had done a great job taking care of them so far, Madoc felt he needed to step up and protect his sister from this man. He was a serious young man, and if given the chance he could become a great scholar and tactician. He had a quick mind. Madoc was the one who helped Merida figure out what to purchase and what to get ready for the next planting season. Madoc was smart but had no formal education. Merida had wanted to use some of the money the king gave them to fix that.

"Madoc, that is not an appropriate way to speak to your king." Merida hissed, gently smacking him on the back of the head. Although she agreed with her younger brother you couldn't really refuse a gift from the king. He understood very little about peasant life, didn't he? "We appreciate the gift but he has a point. You have already given us a lot and the way our lower class society works, someone will want to kill us for the horses, and they have no fear of retribution from family members."

"Does that mean we can't keep them?" Annabeth said, her face dropping as she stopped jumping around and trying to pet the horses.

"No, if the king still wants to offer them I will not refuse a gift from the king," Merida said picking up Annabeth. "We will just have to be careful okay?" She asked in a funny voice before blowing a raspberry on Annabeth's cheek.

"Okay," the little girl giggled. Merida had to put her down at that point though, she wasn't so young that Merida could carry her like she used to. At the very least, Merida could prevent too much sadness in the girl's life though.

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#23
Old 03-16-2018, 07:19 AM

While it was true, that King Edwin definitely didn't think about the fact that they could easily be robbed of their horses, he thought it would be an excellent transition to his proposal...

Clearing his throat, Edwin looked Merida in the eyes and said, "Perhaps.. you could stay here?" He asked. "Miss Merida..." King Edwin then gently lowered himself to his knee, genuflecting in front of her, he asked, "Will... you do me the honor of being my wife?"

It wasn't embarrassing for him to ask in front of the children, although he was certain that it would have been more romantic to do so without them, but Edwin was anxious to marry. "I can provide any and everything you may need. The children will never have to want for anything again, you will never have to work in the fields again, or worry about money, education, clothing...!" He could go on forever, but stopped himself there.

It was definitely different to marry and impress a peasant woman, but he kind of liked the idea of caring for someone for a change. His previous wives had all been... well, well-to-do, there was very little he could do to impress them. But Merida, well, he could actually use his wealth to do something useful for a change.

All the while as he proposed to Merida, he couldn't stop thinking about the secret room in the castle... He couldn't help but wonder if the children would find it. He'd never had children in his castle before... He worried for a moment, but the feeling quickly faded as he gently kissed Merida's hand and the sudden rush of adrenaline and lust overwhelmed him and made him forget about his past, his future and only see into his present.

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#24
Old 03-17-2018, 06:32 PM

"No." The words came out of her mouth before she had even had time to stop herself, quickly her hand went to her mouth, covering it. She had just refused the king, which was not something anyone should get in the habit of doing. Merida sighed looking down at her siblings. Though Madoc seemed satisfied with that answer Annabeth looked absolutely heartbroken. She cleared her throat and stood tall, looking directly at him. She had to set an example for them.

Merida slid her hand away from his and took a step back. "While I would love nothing more than to give these two the life they deserve what kind of example would it set if I said yes? I barely know you, my lord, we have not even had two conversations in total and so if I said yes I would be teaching these two that it is okay to become someone's spouse simply for the status it brings. That's not the example I would like to set for either of them." There were, of course, other reasons that she was saying no but that was her big one. She didn't know the king, she didn't know if she could trust him. She didn't know if he had killed his wives or if they really had befallen some illness. She also couldn't risk trapping them in a castle of nightmares too if that was what happened to his wives. "I am thankful you took an interest in me but you still barely know me as well and I don't think that question is one you should be so quick to ask." She looked at him, realizing she had probably said more than she should. "Sorry if I spoke out of turn, your majesty." She was beneath him in terms of social status and not just slightly under him, but very far beneath him. There would be no repercussions if he wanted to kill her for her insolence. She was aware of that, but she wouldn't make it easy on him.

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#25
Old 03-22-2018, 02:51 AM

Defeated, Edwin slowly got to his feet and sighed, "I understand, Miss Merida..." He said. Although he was definitely saddened that she did not wish to marry him. "Perhaps we could get to know each other better? Please, feel free to stay in the castle a while longer." Edwin was honestly a little shocked she'd refuse his marriage proposal... But that was what made her so different.

Most of the other women he'd ever dealt with would flock to his feet at any given chance, just to be noticed. But not Merida, no. She was a proper lady, indeed. "Please, stay..." He kissed her hand, not for any real reason. It seemed hard to please her, but that made Merida seem all the more appealing to King Edwin. He slowly started to slip away from Merida, however, not breaking eye contact.

It was a rather fun thought, chasing a woman and doing it the old fashioned way for a change!

 


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