2 A Kingdom Her Own

She was surrounded by the spread out folds of her long golden morning gown. Her tresses of auburn hair nearly touched the laid out fabric as it flowed in free curls around her shoulders to her waist. Her hands were folded in her lap, while her eyes closed shut to the morning sun and the beauty surrounding her.

She sat under an old willow tree, who's weeping branches swayed in tandem with the breeze. This was her personal garden that was attached to her rooms and set aside solely for her use. Her personal gardeners tended her private collection of flowers which included roses of every kind, lavender and gardenias that created the best perfume, daisies used to form magnificent crowns on innocent spring days and every other type of flower that might make her dreary life appear a little more beautiful. There was no doubt that she was in her own little garden, that was fortified and protected by a tall fence made to look like garden hedges.

Her garden was akin to a room gilded in pearls, diamonds, and gold, but in actuality the beauty that surrounded her began to cave away. In it's rawest form the gold, pearls, roses and daises all gave way to nothing more than a cage. She knew what cages looked like. As a child she had housed beautiful little larks and song birds in cages of gold. They would sing for her sweet little melodies and make her dull days seem a tad bit less futile, but the birds, just like her, were sad.

One day Anastasia realized that the songs they sang, were not of love for her and their cages, but rather they wept for the world they could see but not live in. That day she realized the life she had forced upon them was terrible. For a little while she tried to convince herself it was not so, but every time she looked at them she saw nothing but sadness.

The gardenias were in full bloom when she walked out of the palace walls holding a golden cage and key. She had walked until the castle was a little ways away, and then sat the cage down on a fallen tree. Fumbling with the key due to the tears in her eyes, she struggled to open the cage, but she finally succeeded. Her birds sang a few more notes of bewilderment at her, and she smiled. At least they could be free, unlike herself.

Then, she opened the cage. For a moment everything was still, and then they took flight. Two little birds ascended to the heavens singing all the way. Oh how they sang! A song of freedom, and love and excitement. It was beautiful. Some mornings, when she would awaken or sit alone in her garden, she would listen to the birds and wonder if it was them singing for her once again.

Unfortunately, the birds in their golden cages were not the only ones locked up and away from freedom. When she was older and crowned queen, she was responsible for all who lived within the cages bellow and surrounding the kingdom, also known as the dungeon. The dungeons were such a dark lonesome place. At least her garden was not as horrid as the dungeons. Although she had tried to better the living circumstances to which all her citizens lived, she could only do so much.

She sighed at the dark thoughts that muddled her morning. She leaned back and closed her eyes as she treasured the few moments she could sit alone without the weight of an entire kingdom upon her shoulders. It was the one place where she could live in peace. However, she could not live here. Instead, she was prescribed only the few moments in the morning before she had to meet with advisors and dukes, and before she was forced to become Queen Anastasia Katherine Nevaeh of Karthia.

Oh Karthia, her beloved kingdom for whom she loved to the point of this horrid monotony. Although this life was not all boredom and politics. Her life beyond the garden did have its few moments of glimmering beauty.

For instance, their were her sisters, the princesses and crown jewels of Karthia. Their laughter and good heartedness was what brought light to Anastasia's life and the charm of foreign adversaries. Then there was the palace adorned by gems and gold from the riches of her people. And she could never forget the actual people who attempted to make her life livable. However, all that beauty was lost when compared to the bitterness surrounding it. Her people starved, her soldiers died in random skirmishes, her advisors took her for a thoughtless woman, and to top it all off she was to be married off. She was not opposed to the thought, as long as she could help her people. However, how could she be for certain marriage was the best for her people.

Her jumbled thoughts began to make her head pound. In a few short days, the Spring Season would begin. That meant parties, balls, suitors, foreign kings and policies. It meant a great many things. One of which, was the pairing season.

Many of her court had already returned for the season and more came with each passing day. Soon even her garden would not be able to keep out the noise of the castle. She bemoaned the fact, but knew it was for the betterment of her kingdom. The correct match would inspire the prosperity Karthia so desperately needed.

For Karthia... she mumbled under her breath. After a moment more of thought, she felt a presence near, but refused to open her eyes. She still had 15 minuets set aside for herself and she refused to have it stolen away, but alas, she was powerless to the beck and call of her people.

"What do you want?" she addressed the presence.

"Excuse me your Highness, Duke Vern is requesting your presence."

So the presence was a lady-in-waiting. Even worse, it was a lady-in-waiting that was bearing bad news.

"Tell the Duke I will not be seeing anyone until I have been properly dressed and fed."

"Your highness, he says it is urgent."

Anastasia opened her eyes, and looked the Lady-in-waiting in the eyes. It was Lydia, the Daughter of Lord and Lady Rosen. She was new, and had yet to see what the Queen would do should she be disturbed during her set aside times.

Although Anastasia was not mean, she was a person who prized her privacy. This was her private place of solitude, one of which few were allowed. She had her limits and both the Duke and Lady Lydia should know this by now. However, before she could let her thoughts be known, her attention was drawn by the voice of a man.

"Your Highness, please pardon the intrusion, but I have a problem of the most pressing nature."

Anastasia sighed as she turned towards the voice. Duke Phillip Vern was standing in your garden. His only saving grace, were those piecing blue eyes.