THE ROYAL MATE

In a room, a young, beautiful, milky-white woman was staring at herself in the mirror. Clarissa McLaren. Clarissa was the daughter of a respected nobleman-George McLaren, in the city of Winny, the capital of a very prosperous country. With abundant crops. A land of great beauty. "I don't want to, Mama! That's enough. In this season, I don't want to go anymore." Clarissa was downcast. Her pretty face could not save her from a look of sadness. "How long do you want to be single? You're already twenty-nine years old. Look at Edwina Timothy. She already has two daughters. Why do you just stay at home and stare at the mirror?" Sharma Bate-her mother was worried that her daughter was not in a match. Clarissa had always thought joining an arranged marriage season was not the right way to meet a soul mate. She always dreamed of marrying the man she loved. Not someone she met in the matchmaking season and following the customs that often occur in Winny. Many people gossiped about Clarissa. She was considered unsellable. Even though her face was very beautiful, her demeanour was gentle and always polite. There is no shortage of Clarissa other than her perspective on marriage. Who cares about love in this day and age? A noble girl only needs to marry a respectable man, to protect their social status. "My Darling, don't you want to have cute children? This house is very lonely. Your father is too busy with his work. I need some entertainment." Sharma kept trying hard to persuade her daughter. Sharma was ashamed of the other noble wives. They were always talking about their children's success. Meanwhile, Sharma was still thinking about Clarissa, who was unmarried. "Mama, I've said this many times. I will marry the man I love. I haven't met the man yet." Clarissa tried to give her mother an understanding. But it didn't seem to work. Gossip was always a problem in the lives of the royals. Moreover, Clarissa had already gone through several seasons. And she never found the man she wanted. Sharma looked down wearily. She no longer knew how to persuade her daughter. "Why don't you accept Loris as your husband? You've known each other since childhood. He is also a nobleman who has enough money. You won't have any trouble." Sharma tried to talk about Loris Carson. The son of a Duke-Morris Carson. Loris had known Clarissa since childhood. They often played together as teenagers. He was friendly, dashing, and there was hardly any bad gossip about him, except for his father's divorce, Lord Carson and Lady Elizabeth Bosworth. Rumour had it that Kate had chosen divorce because Lord Carson had no ability in bed. But that didn't matter. His father's printing press had nothing to do with Loris. "Mama, Loris is Vincent's friend," Clarissa replied. Vincent was Clarissa's older brother. He was married. And his marriage was quite complicated. That was one of the reasons why Clarissa wanted to marry the man she loved. "I don't want to marry someone who knows I ate flowers as a child." Sharma, sitting next to her daughter, immediately lifted her chin. She couldn't believe it. Her daughter always argued to answer Sharma's words. "Then what's the problem? Isn't that good? You have nothing to hide. Loris already knows everything." "Oh, Mama!" Clarissa was getting tired of arguing. This conversation would never end if Clarissa didn't fulfil her mother's wishes. "Come this season. Maybe you'll meet that man. The man who can break the seal on your heart." Sharma approached her daughter. She gently stroked Clarissa's beautiful face. "If you don't meet anyone this year? I will give up. In the next season, you don't have to come." Sharma's words disturbed Clarissa. She didn't want to waste the last chance her mother had given her. "You promise you won't make me meet any more men after this season?" Clarissa tried to get an answer from her mother. Her eyes searched her mother's face. She needed an answer right now. Sharma tried to catch her breath. She had to answer her daughter. Or Clarissa would continue to stare at her. He didn't want that beautiful gaze to be wasted on his mother. "All right. I promise. After this season, you won't have to participate in more matchmaking seasons. But… " Sharma tried to warn. "If any man steals your heart. You'll have to get married." "Okay, Mama." Clarissa's smile was clear on her face. *** In Seanord harbour, Winny city. A large ship stopped at the dock. Several passengers were seen getting off the ship one by one. A handsome young man was no exception. The young man was wearing an ordinary suit. He was seen carrying a brown bag. It was ideal for his appearance. "Mr. Carson!" A middle-aged man called out to the man. He smiled. Revealing his neatly arranged rows of teeth. His blue eyes made anyone who stared, would be mesmerized. Especially girls. That man immediately walked up to the middle-aged man and hugged him. "John! It's been a long time since I've seen you. You already have grey hair." The man called John smiled with relief. It was like meeting a child who had just come home. After a long time away. "Mr. Michael Carson. I missed you a lot too. How is your mother? Is she well?" Michael Carson released his hug on John, and then he smiled. "Mom? She's fine. She's like gardening and baking," Michael replied. The smile on Michael's face was mesmerizing. He's sure to have the single ladies in town clamouring for his attention. "Well, we'd better get going, Mr. Carson." "Oh, come on, John. Call me Michael. You give me the creeps." Michael was not comfortable with being called 'Mr. Carson'. Having moved from Winny's town to Solleam, no one had ever called him 'Mr. Carson'. "I feel like I'm being a disrespectful driver to my master, Sir .... " John had not finished speaking until Michael covered his mouth with an index finger. "Please call me Michael." Michael was pushy. And John finally gave in. "All right, I'll call you Michael. But if it's in front of Lord Morris Carson, I'll call you Mr. Carson. I must show that I respect you, Michael." The words were coming from John's wrinkled lips. Michael blinked his eyes. In a moment, they were walking out of the harbour. And they were already in the parking lot. They didn't realize that they had been walking for quite some time. They were already in the parking lot. "Wait here. I'll get the car," John said as he ran to the car. Once inside the car shaped like a large frog, John moved to pull the clutch lever. He also stepped on the gas pedal. And the car moved backwards according to the direction of the steering wheel. John headed to the place where Michel was waiting. He stopped the car momentarily, then let Michael open the door. He got into the car. Right next to John. "Let's go, John!" Michael couldn't wait to get back to his father's house. Since his mother and father's divorce, Michael had chosen to live with his mother in Sorream. Not without reason. Lord Carson only had two children. Suppose both of them lived with him. The mother would be very lonely. On his way back to his father's house, the beautiful scenery of the town of Winny spoiled Michael's eyes. No wonder so many people wanted to take a vacation in this town. "Is my father well, John?" asked Michael. He had to ask this question. It had been five years since he had visited Winny. He hadn't written to his father or his brother-Loris Carson. "He's fine. He's been out with Mr. Gregory riding a lot lately," John replied without taking his hands off the wheel. "Gregory?" Michael was out of touch with the people in Winny's town. "Alex Gregory. Owner of a vineyard in the south," John replied. "Oh, I see." Michael nodded. But he was searching his memory for Alex Gregory. He had completely forgotten. Before long, they had entered the village where his father lived. A happy smile spread across Michael's handsome face. He saw that the villagers were busy with their activities. Some were busy in the wheat fields. Others were busy with woodwork. Some of the men were also seen hanging out. I don't know what they were doing. But there was one person who caught Michael's attention. A beautiful noblewoman. She was walking along the edge of the pool with her servant. "It's Clarissa, isn't it?" muttered Michael. John, who was driving, glanced over. He looked to see where Michael was looking. "Oh, right. She's Clarissa. The old role in this town," John replied. "She's not married?" Michael was surprised. But a second later, he smiled. But his smile was one of mockery. "Never mind. It's not important. Stay away from her." John tried to warn Michael. "Why?" "Because she's an old maid," John replied. Michael was not satisfied with John's answer. He was curious about the beautiful unmarried girl. Clarissa was more than old enough to get married. "Let's find out," Michael muttered.