The Princess

      The Duke, upon reading the said offer, pondered about it for days and finally when he decided to accept the offer given to him, thinking it was a good decision; both for the City and his son who have lost his mother in a very young age, he met with the young lady who was to be his wife.

"The young lady has arrived, your Majesty.", the palace guard announced.

The Duke with a calm expression nodded towards the guard, gesturing to let the young lady enter the throne room where he was.

The place was silent and only the delicate footsteps of the young lady as she enter was heard. The Duke started feeling the same way, when he first met with his deceased wife. Nervous and very conscious of his very being in the presence of an unfamiliar figure.

He was starting to think if he can really open up his heart again or will this marriage be somewhat without feelings. He felt strangely scared, he began breaking into a cold sweat. Anxiety started sweeping him off his feet, and his heart started pounding aggressively.

Will this marriage be even successful?

He have his own doubts and his own insecurities but now, wasn't the time to turn tail and run because it was already too late, too late for him to change his mind. The necessary papers were signed, and the people of Emerald City are anticipating for their new Duchess.

So when he finally got the courage to look straight into the young lady who is now standing in front of him, he slowly raise his head, and was immediately mesmerized by her charming smile as she look straight into his deep brown eyes.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Your Highness.",and she slightly bow her head to pay her respect to the Duke. The young lady has a lovely voice when she spoke, and she have this certain warmth about her that the Duke can't obviously resist. She was so magnetic, and her eyes were clear like a lake in the middle of an enchanted forest.

Slowly, but surely, the Duke felt something inside him, a feeling he is all too familiar. He never thought that after the Duchess, who was his first love, he can, once again feel something like this and making sure that it wasn't his mind playing games;

He then walk towards the young woman, and take her hand to press against his lips.

He felt something, a sensation that awakens the heart and mind.

"The pleasure is mine, milady.", and then he finally smiled.

After so much time that he spent in agony and sadness, regret and self-doubt, in this one moment that he found love once again in someone who he will spend his whole life with, he felt that he once more, gain his confidence.

The Duke felt happiness and it was obvious that the young lady was also smitten, the first time they laid eyes upon each other. Soon, the two eventually did marry and after only half a year the new Duchess gave birth to a healthy baby girl.

The palace became much more busy, and the whole City celebrated their new Princess's arrival. It was a very joyous occasion, and the happiness the Duke felt was overwhelming that he even cried when he first laid eyes on the Princess, wrapped in a white cloth, sleeping soundly in his arms.

The young Prince cannot believe his own eyes when he saw his little sister, so healthy and so peaceful as she sleep in the arms of their father. He was filled with excitement, just thinking about the time they will spend together and the games they will play. He was thinking of teaching her about the wonders of music and dance but that is gonna have to wait until she grows up into a beautiful young lady.

The news about the Princess spread like wildfire all over the country thus resulting into powerful people visiting the Duke once again to see the infamous Princess.

Some have clear motives of thinking how to win the Duke's favor with gifts to the child but some, like the gardener for example, were genuinely happy for the royal family having another member.

      The gardener visited the Duke with a bouquet of tulips in hand for the Duchess, to congratulate her and also to introduce himself.

"Oh, how lovely! Tulips are my favorite."she exclaimed.

"Thank you, old friend."the Duke softly spoke, "I am honored that you accepted my humble gift, your Majesty."the gardener answered.

"Your gift is highly appreciated,and I would really love to talk to you about some matters regarding the landscape in the palace's main garden. My wife, really love your work and she would be grateful to let you tend to it in honor of the upcoming first birthday of our daughter. The garden is where she would like to spend the event and I know that you are the only one I can count on regarding this."

The gardener smiled from ear to ear and to show gratitude he took off his straw hat and deeply bow to the Duke and his Duchess.

"I am just a humble servant, and to have this honor to do something like this for you, I can't really explain how delighted I am!"

"I will make sure to repay you in any way I can."the Duke promised and the gardener was extremely happy to see how much of a royalty, and a man his little brother figure has become.

"Thank you, thank you very much, Your Majesty!"

He felt so glad and at ease at the moment that when he looked up at the sky, it was the same color it was when the Duke was with his first love.

He looked at the Duchess, with her ever charming smile.

The gardener was thinking that maybe, maybe the Duke have finally found his one true love thus he prayed that the two will live happily for a long, long time.

But little did the Duke, and the gardener know that fate wasn't so kind as to listen to their prayers nor their wishes.

It was only the start of a new story beginning to unfold between their very eyes.

Seasons change and years passed, the little Princess turned 4, and she was already running around the hallways, making her maids rush to her side while some even tripping and kissing the floor while they chase her as she speed up.

The Princess was a little stubborn, and most of the time, even if the maids continue to warn her, she would escape from her room to see her father and mother but, indeed, a child even entitled as a Princess is only a child seeking for her parents comfort. But the current state of the City, the Duke is in charge of is taking his time from his family, making the Princess and the Duchess feel a little bit lonely. The Prince understood his father and he only worked harder to someday support him and eventually when the time comes when he will rise to the throne, he won't let the people of Emerald City down.

     The Duke, upon hearing the news of rebellions from the west threatening to cross the border and take over Emerald City made him so busy that the only time he come out of his room was to eat. Even the Duchess was growing worried over her husband overworking himself. She knows he was a man who loves his family but his duties as the Duke was his priority and she would love to help him but politics and the such are not her strength, nor it is a woman's job.

But instead of feeling helpless, she would give her attention to the young Prince and Princess who needs a parent's guidance the more they grow up. And, now she once again hear the maids of the Princess calling out to her due to the Princess escaping her room again when she was supposed to be learning how to properly speak and write as a royalty.

"Your Majesty, I deeply apologize for letting the Princess out of my sight! Please forgive me!"the poor maid was in the brink of crying and she was expecting punishment from her Duchess but the gentle smile of the Duchess erased all her fears in an instant making her feel relaxed.

"It's not your fault. Don't worry, I'll take over from here.",and the Duchess, tightly clutching her dress started walking towards the study room of the Duke.

As expected the Princess did escape her room to go to her father.

The Duchess smiled as she peek through the door, seeing her daughter smiling and laughing while she is sitting on her father's lap. It was a moment she wouldn't want to ruin and so, she silently withdraw and took the maids with her as she strode off towards her chamber, smiling and feeling at ease.