Yours forever and Always, Peach

In Which I Roam My Future Home -Mikko

My room is gorgeous, plush and comfortable. Not at all what I expected, I’ll admit that the landscape of the kingdom, while much more dramatic with its vast mountains and dark forests, is quite beautiful and a lot more lush than I expected.

Since the Prince dropped me off at my room I have bathed, had a late lunch and now I’m feeling restless. I want to explore the grounds as I saw gardens but I don’t wish to bother the Prince with my wanderlust. I grab my bonnet and fasten it. I’m sure I can find my own way,

I finally found my way outside after a half hour of wandering around. One of the staff members directed me to the gardens when she saw me wandering aimlessly.

It was a beautiful day, not too warm birds chirping happily. Everything was colorful and well hydrated. I make my way into a garden that looks like it leads out to the large lake on the property. Maybe I can dip my toes in since no one is around to see, I smile at the thought. I stop and admire all the different types of flowers, some I’ve seen and others foreign to me. I mindlessly sing on of my favorite elven tunes, slowly making my way through the garden, it’s lovely and quickly becoming my latest favorite spot. I get to the middle of the garden and twirl out of joy. The sunshine has boosted my mood and eased my nerves. I see a bench and sit for a little while. I remove my bonnet so I can feel the sun shine on my face.

I freeze as I hear the plants behind me rustle violently. I stand up as if I didn’t hear it and begin walking to the lake. Once out of sight of the bench where I just sat moments before I hasten my pace, almost running. I hear whatever it is moving behind me and fear runs through my body. Almost at the lake edge, maybe there will be somewhere to hide I think to myself.

The hedges finally break away to an open area in front of the lake. In my hurry, I didn’t realize there was a step down to the shore and quickly, I find myself on the ground. My ankle and knee are throbbing as I try to push myself up. I wince as pain courses through my leg. The movement has stopped and the silence gives me an eerie feeling. I push myself up and hobble, testing weight on my leg and wincing when the pain radiates from my ankle. I hobble over to the nearest tree by the lake and hoist myself up to a branch that is roughly 8 feet off the ground. I look around to see if I can see an animal, but I see no movement. I rest against the tree trunk and breathe deeply, trying to calm my nerves.

I hear footsteps and quickly turn towards the noise, I see Prince Drake walking up with a look of concern on his face.

“Uh.. Princess, why are you in a tree?” He asks hesitantly as if he’d never witnessed something quite as bizarre than me being in a tree.

“Seeking higher ground from whatever was chasing me earlier” I said nonchalantly.

“Chasing? Where?” He asked concerned

“In the garden, I was walking and something started to chase me.”

He turned and walked towards the garden, the bushes started shaking again. He whistled loudly and out pounced a rather large dog, his tail wagging and tongue hanging to one side.

He shook his eyes and muttered something to the dog that made the dog turn around and disappear the way it came.

He walked back over to me, no humor in his eyes like I expected.

“Let me help you down” he offered as I moved down to lower branch’s, obviously embarrassed.

I shooed his assisting hands away and hopped down, forgetting my injury. As soon as the weight hit my leg it gave out and I began a journey to the ground… again.

Before I hit the ground arms caught me and pulled me upright without allowing me to hold all my weight. I look up and the prince had a worried look on his face.

“You’re hurt, why didn’t you tell me?” His forehead crinkled cutely “how were you expecting to get back on your own?”

“Well I suppose I was going to manage it, somehow,” I reply nonchalantly “ it might have taken a bit but I would have figured it out.”

He hoisted me up into his arms, rather easily and without effort.

“I told you I would guide you around the castle if needed, I really do not mind Princess.” He looked at me with sincere eyes and an honest smile.

My stomach fluttered he was very attractive with his emerald eyes and red hair. I nodded my head to signal I had heard him. I need to get it together, he is to be my brother in law.

The prince carried me all the way to my room, shocking a few maids on the way, and placed me on a plush couch. He pulled the service bell and told the maid that appeared that I needed the physician immediately. He promptly sat in a chair in the sitting area of my room.

Quickly the doctor rushed in and asked permission to examine my injury. He assessed that I had sprained my knee and ankle and adamantly advised rest.

When the physician left, the prince walked over to me and sat down beside me.

“I suppose I will have to keep a close eye on you, we can’t have you getting injured.” He smiled lazily and asked the maid for tea and treats. She left quickly and he stood. He took a pillow from one of the empty seats, set it against the couch’s arm and adjusted me so I was in a resting position. He went back to the end of the couch then lifted my feet, sat and propped them on his lap.

This felt entirely too intimate, I felt my cheeks burning but I was to comfortable to protest.

“When you blush you take the color of a peach.” He mused out loud, “that’s what I will call you from now on: Peach.”

“You will not!” I objected vehemently, “people will think it as a pet name. That’s inappropriate. Only lovers do such things.”

At my last statement his eyes heated up, and seemingly caressed me with a look that was a foreign emotion to me “Lovers, eh? And what do you know of that, Little Peach?”

I opened my mouth to give him a snarky response, but the maid re-entered, obviously ignoring the position we were in, carrying a tray of delicious pastries and fruits. Apples, oranges and… I groaned to myself, peaches