To love and be loved

The invitation

Chapter two

The invitation

Days following the celebration of the prince's birthday were eventful.Tradition demands that the heir to the throne of Copenhagen court and wed a lady from a noble family.King Sylvester of Copenhagen and his Queen, concerned about their son’s future, decided to host a grand event at the royal palace. Invitations were sent far and wide, reaching the noble families across the land.Aim was to find a suitable bride for Prince Alexander.

The palace buzzed with life.Excitement and anticipation filled the air.Doors and windows of the guest house were dusted and polished.The floors scrubbed until they shone.The kitchen maids and handmaids were running up and down.Some with fresh linens for the guests rooms, some were bringing out the kitchen wares fit for guests of royal birth.Lady Beatrice,the head of maids in the royal household had giving out instructions.The flowers in the garden were pruned in preparation for outdoor games,and the halls echoed with soft music and laughter.

The princesses, Rosemary and Priscilla were the most excited.They rarely travelled or allowed to mingle in the palace.So this was an opportunity to make new friends.Their mother,the queen had new ball gowns made for them with adoring hats,hand gloves and fans.Princess Bella was indifferent.Still a toddler didn't understand what the fuss was all about.

Alexander too was looking forward to the events.Duty calls,,he knew it was time to select a bride.Although it would have been much easier if he was been an acquaintance of the selected ladies.But he dare not say anything because his father had told him he was to present one of them at the end of the two weeks.

The selected ladies were the most beautiful, affluent in all the lands of Denmark.The ladies were expected to be in the palace for two weeks.The days of festivities were planned in such a way that each of the different noble ladies were giving equal chances to capture the prince's heart.

Marcus, the palace bellman announced in a baritone voice the arrival of each guest with all the necessary introduction.King Edward and the Queen stood in the great hall with the Prince to welcome them.With a gentle bow and a dashing smile, Alexander greeted each of them hoping they will enjoy their stay in the palace.Lady Isabella of Frederiksberg was the first to arrive with her chaperone and handmaids.She was the daughter of Duke and Duchess Frederick.She was graceful, with eyes the color of sapphires. Dressed in a blue silk gown with silver embroidery of gemstones around the neck and hemlines.Her smile was beautiful and can melt even the coldest heart.She can recite poetry and play the harp.

From the Kingdom of Greenland came princess Seraphina.Her father was the King over Greenland.Princess Seraphina with her fiery red hair has a mischievous glint in her eyes and a haughty pose.Her gown was made of purple velvet with intricate pearls and precious stones.She was escorted by four ladies in waiting,four maids and an elderly chaperone who happened to be her maternal aunty.Lady Evangeline,the daughter of Marquess Lancelot of Faroe Island also graced the invite. Evangeline was gentle and demure.Her voice was like a lullaby, and she had a way with animals. She spoke of compassion and charity.She came with her mother and two maids.

Lady Rosalind arrived next all the way from Horsen.She looked like an angel with her golden curls framing her face.She has a porcelain skin, glowing and radiant.A witty lady she was.Her father was the viscount of Horsen.She lost her mother when she was four years old.Thus making her an independent lady.Talk had it that she gave a father,a very difficult time raising her.She loves adventures.

The only child of Lord Bowen of Sonderborg also graced the palace with her presence.Lady Arabella was mysterious and quiet. She wore a veil that concealed her features, and her eyes held secrets. She had knowledge of ancient legends.Her handmaids were quiet as well,no doubt used to the ways of their mistress.

Lady Genevieve from Albong with her practical demeanor and no-nonsense attitude, arrived in the afternoon.Her carriage was involved in a minor accident that delayed them.She came with guards and escorts.She was intelligent and appeared to have a vast knowledge on so many subjects.

And finally came Lady Aurora , the first daughter of the Duke of Abenra. She was radiant, with long black hair that seemed to glitter with light. Her angelic laughter echoed through the halls.She walked with grace and an adoring smile as if nothing else matters in life.All the esteemed visitors were settled in the guest house.The welcome dinner was by seven in the evening,so the ladies had enough time to rest, and change in to their evening gowns.

At exactly seven in the evening, the palace dining room swung open admitting the tons of guests.The maids served the meal of boiled potatoes with crispy pork and parsley sauce as soon as the prince took his seat.There were fruits and vegetables too.The ladies engaged in witty conversation, their eyes subtly assessing the prince.

After the fancy dinner as custom was,the prince would pick a lady to join him for games in the drawing room.Meanwhile, with wine in their cups the rest of the royal family and their guests also made their way to the drawing room.They were excited for the games to begin.men who played games of whist and cribbage with precision and poise.

Princess Rosemary sat reading with the quiet Lady Arabella.While Princess Priscilla was intrigued with melodious strains of the piano provided by Lady Aurora,a backdrop for lively conversation.

As the midnight hour approached and the embers of the fire began to wane, the ladies of the court reluctantly bid farewell to the drawing room, their hearts lightened by the friendship of the evening and the promise of future gatherings yet to come.The prince thanked the ladies for joining him and escorted them back to the main hall, from where they went to their rooms for a pleasant night rest.