Meeting in the Gardens

Rielen was sitting in one of the many gardens surrounding the castle, enjoying the first days of spring.  A few Noble ladies were sitting near her having tea, but Rie needed some time alone.  Hyla was in earshot, but otherwise left her master. 

She was weighing a lot of options right now.  The scene in Eon's room had caused her to contemplate the situation she was in.  There was no rule explicitly stating that males and females could not commingle, but if something were to happen because of it, she would be punished. 

She was not blind.  She knew that a lot of Noble men had their eyes on her like she was a prize to be won.  Her value as a mother to their future children was top tier.  Not only did she have rare magics, but the amount of mana she could control and contain was high, making her an optimal candidate. 

It was these reasons that did limit her candidate considerably.  The most likely choice the King would pick would be a Dukedom, or the Royal Family.  The only one she wanted was Eon.  A depression had filled her days as she continued thinking on the subject.

If it was only as simple as being able to pick whomever she wanted.  The ladies in the Rose Faction would often whisper behind her back.  They would say she was being bred to be the next Queen.  Her groom, of course, would be the King's son.  Cold glares from her would always make them become silent.

They all knew the fondness she had for Eon.  They always attended gatherings together.  He was her silent deterrent to the suitors trying to win her hand.  Charla had warned her that they would try to start relations with her in order to trap her in a marriage by getting her pregnant.

Especially those who wanted to increase their families' standings.  A lot of the older families had held on by entrapping newer female mages this way.  Everything she did was discussed, everywhere she went, as if she were some kind of commodity to be traded or sold.  This left very few places where she could think.

If she stayed in her room, Eon could stop by.  Eon's room, of course, was out of the question after the other night.  Her greenhouse was a good choice, but they were remodeling it.  So, the garden is where she went.  Even though she could hear the young ladies' conversation about her from across the garden.

What probably annoyed her the most was the conversations she heard about Eon.  Apparently, he had a habit of taking his shirt off when he trained in the Knight's Training Grounds.  This frustrated her.  She thought she had been the first one to see him like that.

A blush creeped to her face again.  'How do you even go about telling someone to keep their shirt on?'  She would definitely be misunderstood.  He would definitely think she didn't like seeing him like that.  'I can't just tell him that I want to see him like that again!'

She rubbed her forehead from the conflict in her mind.  Suddenly, a rose appeared in front of her.  "You shouldn't frown so much."  A voice she definitely didn't want to hear.  Daisuke was holding out a red rose to her.  'I guess this is where he is going to try to start garnering my favor.' Rielen sighed. 

"Good afternoon, your highness."  She made sure to look away from the rose, and folded her arms across her chest.  "Don't be like that," he smirked. "A lady should accept the gifts given to her."  He pushed the flower closer to her. 

Rielen looked at Hyla, who reached for the gift for her.  "What brings you to the gardens today?" she was forced out.  "I just came to appreciate all the beautiful flowers that have gathered here today.  A prince should make himself known."  A sickly sweet smile came across his face.

She knew the only reason he had approached her was because there were ladies sitting within eye view of them. They were whispering frantically while staring at them shamelessly. 'This is how the rumor will start.'  He had never once approached her before today.  Only by whispers from other students, and a few glances across the Elite Academy's many classrooms, did she even know who this was.

The end of the year was fast approaching, meaning that they would all be tested soon to see if they were qualified to be the next ruler.  The favorite, of course, was Prince Daisuke Silverstone.  Being the son of the current ruler, odds were in his favor that he would take over.  Especially if no one was chosen soon.

The King was not exactly getting younger, and this had been the longest anyone had reigned in the history of the Kingdom of Autra.  "Would you like to enjoy a cup of tea with me, Rielen?" 

'Ugh, why won't you go away?' she thought, as a voice interjected, "I am terribly sorry, your highness, we have an important engagement to get to.  Miss, it is getting later than I thought."

Her savior, Hyla, quickly jumped to her rescue. Rielen nodded, and bid the prince farewell, much to his dismay. 

"Why do the flies keep buzzing around me so much?"  she asked, not expecting an answer on the way to her room.  "It is because my Master is so beautiful!" Tara piped up behind her. 

"It is still quite rude to interrupt a lady who is trying to debate something in her mind," she replied with vigor.  She would have taken Eon with her, but the issue she was debating to herself was him!  She knew that Tara looked up to her, so she decided to change the subject, and requested tea be brought in.

Tara was quick to comply, and left the room to get the tea that was commissioned.  Of course, she picked something they didn't already have, so she could enjoy the silence a little longer.  "She is still young, Miss.  Don't be bothered by it."  Hyla comforted her.  Tara thought Rielen's life was like a fairytale.  She just saw the pretty clothes and things, and didn't think about why these things were provided, and what it all was for.

Tara would often complain about the many gifts that would arrive at Rielen's door for her to just give them away.  The only gifts she accepted were from Eon.  However, he would just give them to her in person rather than butter her up with grandiose love letters and things she couldn't care less for.  "If you're going to give a present, at least research what I like," Rielen would often scoff. 

She had even been given things laced with drugs.  Of course, everyone who came to her door was turned away.  All of them, except for Eon.  She had lost track of how many times this had happened.  Even with the added security of the guards, the attempts to gain access to her room was a daily annoyance that she had grown accustomed to in the Elite Academy Wing.