Ugly flowers

Days seemed to pass in a flash as today, it marked a week since she came to the Castle.

Esme sighed as she glanced at the blooming blue roses. When she was a child, she had heard a lot about the rare blue roses that only bloomed in the gardens of the Royal Castle of Visteria. She had always wanted to see them. For once, at least.

In any Kingdom, the people of the lower class or middle class did not have sufficient land for gardening. Some people planted vegetables or fruits in the small space behind their houses but that could not be counted as a garden.

Gardens could only be found in the manors of a few upper-class officials and aristocrats.

But none of them could be compared to the gardens in the compound of Royal Castles. What made them truly different and rare was the magically nourished soil. There was a rule according to which the King of a land had to shower the soil with their magical powers at least once after their coronation.

It was declared to bring prosperity throughout the kingdom.

After passing through it for years and showering in all the Kings' powers for centuries, the soil in the Castle premises has become

holy. Anything cultivated here will grow rapidly within a few nights and the flowers and fruits are more extraordinary as well.

This has also happened back in their Kingdom...In Nevesray.

These were the plants she had planted a few days ago. Seeing them in full bloom gave her a small sense of satisfaction amidst all sorts of conflicting emotions she has been feeling.

She tried everything but she could not trace the woman she had outlined in her diary. She wanted to go back to the dungeons but the guards have been doubled and she can't distract all of them to get past their barrier.

She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and glanced at the roses helplessly. She couldn't just do gardening forever, could she?

"Are you done here?"

Esme turned around to look at the man who was walking towards her, "Mr. Reiner," She nodded at him.

Keith Reiner was the Head Gardener of the gardens in Daven Castles.

He glanced at the flowers in satisfaction, "I have never seen them so beautiful and glowing before. You have a magical pair of hands," He suddenly felt a weird coldness on his back. As he ran his hand behind his back, a few icicles came on his fingertips.

Astounded, he glanced at the glaring sun before looking at his palm. But this time there was only water left instead of those icicles but he could still feel that piercing coldness on his fingertips.

Esme had her gaze settled on the blue roses so she missed what just happened. She smiled before shaking her head, "You're overpraising me."

Her words snapped him out of his reverie. "You deserve it, my lady," He held her hand before placing a chaste kiss on the back of her palm.

Caught off guard, Esme quickly retracted her hand.

"I don't have any contagious illness," Keith let out a small laugh as he glanced at her. He was intrigued by her. It has happened for the first time that a girl selected as a maid asked for odd jobs in the gardens, letting go of a golden opportunity to climb the ladders of status in Daven Castle.

"I did not mean to offend you...I..." Esme frowned, not knowing what to say.

Keith laughed, "I must admit you are really different."

Esme glanced at him awkwardly, not knowing how to react. She did not have friends while growing up neither had she interacted with many people. And she was not that good at it. Talking to people, understanding what they wanted or how to respond to them, it was all a little complicated to her.

"There will be a fair in the Capital City starting the day after tomorrow. Would you like to join me, Miss Esmeray?"

"I don-" Esme paused as she contemplated over it. From what she heard, Mr. Reiner has been working in the Castle since he was a child and that means he must know about everyone here. Maybe, she could find a way to ask him about that woman. Hope glimmered in her eyes as she looked at him.

Keith was taken aback by her intense gaze but a pleasant smile made its way on his face. He has been thinking about how to approach her to ask about this so that she won't reject him but it looks like he was worried for nothing. She looks so excited at the mention of going to the fair with him.

Unaware of his thoughts, Esme made a decision, "Yes, I'd love-"

"Tsk~ How ugly," A disdainful voice interrupted her words.

Esme paused. The pleasant expression on her face disappeared and she had the sudden urge to pick up her gown and run away.

She slowly turned around and glanced at the man who was looking at the flowers.

After the incident in that dark hallway, later being carried to his room, getting her ankle treated, and being humiliated by him, her paths did not cross with this man. And she thought that he stopped coming after her to irk her. She thought that the Prince of Visteria has gone back to his duties. That he finally realized how improper it was for him, a great descendant of royalty to hover around a maid like a ghost.

But now that he was standing in front of her with that disdainful expression on his divine face, she was reminded of what her Aunt used to teach her and her brother when they were young.

'Blessed is he who expects nothing for he shall never be disappointed.'

And Esme just realized that she expected too much from this man.

"My Lord," Keith bowed to the Prince respectfully, quite confused by the meaning of his words. What is the Prince referring to as being ugly? The magnificent garden was filled with beauty no matter how one looked at it.

His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed the girl standing beside him, rooted to her spot like she was frozen there. Her expressions were blank. Worried that she was intimidated by the Prince's aura, he extended his hand towards her so that she can snap out of her daze and greet Prince Aleister before her behavior offends him.

"No wonder the flowers are growing so ugly," Aleister's words made the man pause, "The gardeners here are busy cultivating affections," He said, his gaze still fixated on the flowers as if all he cared about was the nature and the roses.