The Princess's Knight

Chapter 3

Once Cosmo was away, Delilah felt unease. Oh, how awkward this conversation would be.

Delilah plastered on a smile. “So, what would you like to ask me?” she questioned, as if he didn’t already know the answer.

“I’m sure you already know the answer to that, princess.” He knelt down on one knee, careful that his suit didn’t touch the muddy ground. He pulled out a diamond ring. “I’ve come to ask for your hand in marriage, as I’ve been doing once a month for the past two years,” he said.

“Eden,” she said. “Once again, I’m flattered, but--”

“Princess, I’ve tried everything, but this is the last time I will propose. Please, have you considered it? I’m the crowned princess of Edmund, the second most powerful country in the world. You’re the crowned princess of Sylva, the third most powerful country. If we merged, I’m certain we’d be the number one kingdom. Even more powerful than Novisland. Please, just  consider--”

“I have no interest in ranks and power,” she interrupted. “I’ve already mulled it over, and I’m perfectly content with my country as is.”

“Isn’t it your duty as princess to ensure the best for your people?”

“It is, and to be frank, there are certain aspects of your country that I wouldn’t like intertwined with mine.”

“Such as?”

Delilah shook her head. “I know about your politics and how things are done, and I don’t agree with them. I’m sure you wouldn’t agree with mine either.”

“We could compromise.”

“No, we couldn’t. I am not willing to compromise with your ways. The ways of my country are perfectly adequate.”

Eden nodded. “Well, thank you for your time. I’m a man of my word. This is the last time I’ll propose to you.”

Delilah sighed in relief. “Thank you.”

He took her by the hands. “I wish you well, princess. Good luck with your party tonight.”

* * *

Delilah entered the king’s chambers and bowed. “Good morning, Dad,” she said.

“Happy birthday,” King Jett said, in monotone. “Let’s talk.”

Delilah swallowed. “What about?”

“Tonight, there’ll be a lot of people who’ll propose to you. I know of at least fifty who’ll be there. My assistant, Mr. Astrophel has sent you an email. Have you looked at it?”

“I . . . haven’t gotten to it yet.”

“I see.” The king sipped his tea. “To be honest, I don’t give a damn about who you marry, as long as he’s royalty and blah blah blah. You know the rules. What I care about is who you shouldn’t marry.”

“Who?”

“I hear that bastard, Bruce, is going to propose.” The king scowled. “What a fuckin’ prick.”

Delilah had a puzzled face. “Bruce? Who?”

“You know, Bruce. The nobleman. The ‘oh so clever’ leader of our parliament.”

“What? But he’s like, sixty!”

“I know! He’s older than me and he has the fuckin’ nerve to propose to my kid?” The king slammed his fist on the table. “If we lived in a total monarchy like the good ole day I swear to God . . .”

“How is that even possible? He isn’t even of royal blood.”

“The rest of the parliament is eating outta the palm of his hands. He wants to convince them to change the law so you can marry anyone of a high status, regardless of whether or not they’re true royalty. He’s a fool. You can’t mix water and oil.”

Delilah’s mind went straight to Cosmo, and she blushed. “Would it be such a terrible law?”

The king narrowed his eyes. “Yes. It would be, as a matter of fact. And don’t get any crazy ideas. He wouldn’t make that law unless you agree to marry him.”

Her heart sank, and all the rush of all the thoughts thinking of what could’ve been died down. “Oh.”

“So tell me, Delilah.” King Jett stared into her soul for a moment. “Who do you want to marry?”

Cosmo she wanted to say. She shook her head. “I don’t have any possible contenders that interest me.”

He nodded. “I’ll allow it. You’re competent enough to rule the country by yourself.” He coughed. At first it was small, but it became bigger and more overzealous as the seconds passed.

“Dad,” Delilah said. She grabbed a water bottle from the table and patted him on the back, handing it to him. “Drink this.”

He pushed the water away and continued to cough, but it finally died down. “I don’t have much longer on this earth,” he finally said. “I’ve got a year at best. I’ve been doctor to doctor, and they’ve all said the same thing. I’m going to die soon.”

Delilah frowned and stared at the floor. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that.”

“Don’t fret. I know you’ll be a great leader.”

“I mean, I don’t know if I’m ready for you to die, Dad.” Tears pooled in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away.

“Don’t get emotional about it. We don’t have the right to emotion. We’re martyrs for the country. It’s the price we have to pay. You know that.”

Delilah nodded. “I understand.”

“Now go get ready for the party.”

Delilah gave a courtesy, then exited the room, head low, as her father excessively coughed once more.

***

When Delilah exited the king’s chambers, Cosmo was right outside, waiting for her patiently. He adjusted his tie and rubbed his hands together, jittery, as a contrast to his usual calm state. “What did he say?” Cosmo asked.

The princess sighed. “He just told me not to marry Bruce.”

Cosmo searched his mind. “The only Bruce I know is the one from parliament.”

Delilah raised a brow, waiting for him to get it.

“Wait a minute.” Cosmo gaped his mouth wide open. “Bruce is going to propose?”

“Apparently so. He supposedly has power over parliament to change the marriage laws if I say yes.”

He stared off into the distance. “I guess a lot of suitors will propose tonight, huh?”

“A bunch. It’s going to be so awkward saying no a million times.”

He heaved a sigh.

“What is it?” Delilah asked. She examined him. “Are you alright? You don’t seem like yourself.”

“Can we take a walk in the garden for a while?”

She chuckled. “Aren’t you usually the one that says we have to stick to schedule, while I’m the one that wants to go on side-quests?”

“I think we can make an exception for today.”

* * *

Cosmo and Delilah strolled through the garden, watering flowers idly. It wasn’t as if there weren’t castle gardeners to do it for them, but it was nice to maintain the garden themselves every now and then. Eventually they approached the roses where Cosmo was certain no one else would see them.

“Delilah”, Cosmo said, rubbing his hands together. “There was something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time now. I know you say you won’t accept any proposals tonight, but on the off chance you do . . . I . . .”

The princess gazed at him intently, and he matched her stare, unable to continue further with his speech.

“What?” she asked.

Cosmo heaved a sigh, and held both of her hands, getting down on one knee. The ground was damp and seeped through his suit pants, but he didn’t care. He pulled out a ring with a unique gemstone. It was white at first glance, but shined rays of violet and blue when the sunlight hit it. “It was my mother’s wedding ring. I want you to have it.”

Delilah gasped and momentarily stopped breathing, and stared at the jewelry, silent. She kept opening her mouth to speak, but took a while to find words. “Cosmo . . . You should save that for when you get married.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever get married. I’m married to serving you, princess.”

Delilah knelt on the ground next to him, which dampened her clothes as well. “I don’t think I’ll ever get married either, Cosmo.” The knight smiled, and placed the ring on her finger. He smoothed his finger over her hand, his heart beating through his shirt. She threw herself in his arms and held him.

“Princess?”

“I want more than this,” she whispered in his ear, gripping his suit jacket tighter. “I want so much more than this.”

Cosmo was frozen and stiff, trying to process what was happening. He moved his hands to her upper back, and patted it. “Me too,” he whispered back.

“Ahem,” a voice said.

The two pulled away from each other and shot themselves up in the air and turned to the man that interrupted them.

“Mr. Astrophel,” Delilah said, placing her curls behind her ears. “I was just--”

“The hairdresser and makeup artist are here, dear.” The man smiled. “It’d be rude to keep them waiting.”

“I see.” The princess dusted herself off and turned to her knight. “Let’s go, Cosmo.”

“Actually, Cosmo, I’d like to speak with you for a bit.”

Delilah sighed. “Yes, of course.”

“I’ll see you later,” Cosmo said.

She nodded, and headed off to get ready for the party.

“What was going on there, just now?” Mr. Astrophel asked, once the princess was out of sight.

Cosmo turned to face the roses. “Nothing, Dad.”

“Well it certainly looked like something to me when you got down on one knee and pulled out your mother’s wedding ring.” He got in the way of Cosmo’s line of sight. “Well? Are you going to tell me, or not?”

He turned away again. “You’re misinterpreting it. Stop nagging me.”

“My God, son. I’m on your side! Do you know what the king would do to you if he knew you proposed to his daughter? He’d--”

Finally, Cosmo faced his father. “I know the law. I didn’t propose, I swear. I just gave her the ring as a friendly gesture.”

Mr. Astrophel exhaled. “You’re torturing yourself, boy. You know very well that nothing could ever happen between you two. You should’ve saved the ring for someone else.”

“There is no one else, Dad. It’s only her. If things were only different, I’d--”

“Things aren’t different, and they never will be. You can thank the Edmund royal family for that. Instead of reminiscing over what could have been, you need to face the reality of what is.”

“I know the reality. I’ve accepted the reality. That doesn’t mean I have to like it.” Cosmo stared at the sky, which was now tainted with gray clouds.

“A storm is coming,” Mr. Astrophel said. “If I was religious in the ways of our homeland, I’d say something was about to happen. Something big.”

“All the more reason for me to get back to Delilah.” Raindrop sprinkles began to patter down on the garden ground, and Cosmo jogged into the castle.