THE CURSED PRINCESS

The Monarchs

"Let's have the meeting, your highness." Thorpe smiled. "We shouldn't keep her highness waiting."

Arthur nodded. "I hoped that you would say that." He cleared his throat. "Tell me what I don't know about the people."

"The people are happy and prosperous. They brought loads of items for the festival yesterday even though the palace has enough supplies for the event. The palace secretary says she will store them all after today's festival."

"Tell her to divide what they brought into three. She should keep a portion of it in the palace store, give another portion to be divided among the elders and another to be divided among the maids and the guards who are going on leave for the year. They should have something extra to take home to their families asides their salaries."

"Long live the king!" The elders cheered.

"Tell me what more I need to know."

"Few people found their spouses this season during the event today."

"As always." Arthur smiled. "Asides being a platform for everyone to meet as one big community and have fun, I started this event because I know it's a way of bringing eligible bachelors and spinsters together."

"You aren't just shooting up the prosperity in the land, my king, you are pushing love and romance in the kingdom to a new level. At this rate, our population would be double by next year."

"I have a good marriage with my queen. I desire that my people enjoy love as well."

"How wise and considerate of you, my lord." Baltim praised.

"What else happened today that I'm not aware of yet?"

The elders told him of everything that happened, the matching between new couples, the winners of the competition, those that kept singing of his praises and praying for him.

Arthur yawned, blushing as his elders chuckled. "I think it's time to call it a night. It seems I'm tired."

"And you deserve rest, Your Majesty."

"You've earned your rest."

"And so have you all. Good night." Arthur said, getting up from the throne. "You are free to stay here though if you want to keep teasing one another. I will have the maids prepare a late-night snack for you."

Thorpe chuckled. "With how hard the maids have probably worked today, they might curse us if we make them work extra tonight." He turned to the other elders. "We should go home, friends."

"I'm glad you are considerate elders."

"Because we have you as the perfect role model, your highness." Baltim said.

"I need to leave now before you tempt to stay here with you and listen to more of your flatteries." Arthur chuckled.

"We would be honored to flatter you more, your highness."

"I should get back to my chambers." Arthur said and left them alone, chuckling as he moved towards the royal chambers, eager to see Diane, his queen.

"My lord," one of the guards bowed to him.

"What is the problem, Brood?" Arthur asked.

It wasn't a surprise to Brood that the king knew his name. Arthur and Diane knew the name of everyone working for them and made them feel more than workers on their payroll and at their service. They made it a duty to make everyone feel human.

"There is no problem, my king. I want to thank you for organizing the royal event."

"Did something good happen to you tonight?" Arthur chuckled as he stared at him.

Even though he was tired, he was always ready to listen to his people. He hoped though that this conversation wouldn't be a lengthy one and Diane would still be awake by the time he got to their chamber.

"You've been walking closely with the general for years and you've not once thanked me specially for the royal festival."

"My king is wise indeed."

"I guess it's everyone's chosen day to flatter me." Arthur sighed. "Do you have something to tell me? Make it fast. I have to get to my chambers."

"I found love tonight, my lord." Brood blushed, rubbing his hands together in excitement as he stared at the king, the smile on his face splitting his face into two.

"Congratulations." Arthur smiled at him.

"I would like to thank you for that and inform you that I would be going on a leave."

"I thought you didn't want to leave when I asked you about it last week."

"Which is why I'm telling you now before you find out later when you check the list of the guards going on leave."

"No problem, Brood. I'm happy for you and your lover. I will arrange a small gift for you to celebrate your newly found love."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Brood bowed.

"Do I know your lover?"

"You might not know her. She is a kitchen maid and her name is Agatha."

Arthur nodded. "I wish the two of you the best in life."

"Thank you, your highness." Brood said and bowed, staying still as Arthur walked away.

Arthur smiled as he thought of everything that had happened that day and what he had heard. He felt relief that the annual royal festival had gone well for that year as usual. He couldn't wait to see his queen and share his excitement with her. He missed her a lot and couldn't wait to hold her in his arms.

"Oh! What a day it had been." He breathed as he stepped inside the royal quarters, his heart going cold immediately he walked in and the smile falling off his face.

"Your highness." The court maids and guards all bowed to him as he moved towards the queen's room.

"Is my queen asleep?"

"Not yet, your highness."

"Okay. I will go see her now."

"The queen didn't eat her dinner, your highness." The queen's personal maid, Cora, informed him.

"Thanks, Cora." Arthur replied, moving into the queen's room.

He should have known that something was wrong with her when she wasn't excited about the festival as she used to be and had left the party earlier than she should.