Travels of Love

I'm woken up by the gentle purring of my cat, as he rubs his head against my face. I giggle and open my eyes to the soft morning light coming in from my windows. My cat rubs his head against mine again and I giggle as I reach my hand up to pet him. “Good morning, sweet boy.” I whisper to him. He meows and purrs louder as I scratch his ears. I sit up and stretch as there is a knock on my door. “Come in.” I say through a yawn. Deirdre, my handmaiden and best friend, walks into my room. “Good morning miss.” She smiles as she shuts the door. “Good morning Deirdre. Right as I wake up as usual.” I smile getting out of bed. She rolls her eyes. “Almost like we have spent our entire lives growing up together.” She smarts as she begins to make my bed. I grab a pillow and throw it at her, smacking her in the face, knocking her backwards. I start laughing, and catch the pillow as she throws it back at me. “Keep it up and I’ll empty your chamber pot, in your bed.” She says while laughing. “You will do no such thing.” A shrill voice says from behind me. Deirdre and I instantly stop laughing and she stands up ram-rod straight, and looks down at her feet. “I’m sorry, ma’am for what I have said.” She says. I turn and see her mother standing in the doorway, bracing my mothers breakfast tray on her hip with one hand, and the other on the knob to the open door. “Good morning, Eithne. Your daughter was just having a bit of fun, it is okay to do that. But what is not okay is making my mother wait to eat her morning meal.” I say in a sweet tone with a smile. Eithne looks at me with beady dark blue eyes, down her pointed sharp nose and then shuts my door. “Well my mother will definitely be getting told about her hand maidens lack of decorum.” I say as I turn to Deirdre. She has almost finished making my bed, and she fluffs my pillows as she says, “you know she is just trying to prepare me for when you marry that prince, and you take me with you to the big fancy palace. I will be working for royalty then, I must act properly.” I take a deep breath and sigh. I like to not think about the contract that was written for my life before I was even five. My father was the king of one of the strongest kingdoms, and when I was born, he decided that he wanted to step down and enjoy raising his youngest child. My eldest brother started learning to be king, and the last order my father put into place was my hand in marriage to the prince of a larger and stronger kingdom that would improve trade. I have come to terms with my fate, but my mind still wonders. “Let's not talk about such things. I feel like going for a ride this morning.” I say as I walk to my armoire and throw the doors open. “But there is a chill in the air.” Deirdre says. “A brisk ride is always refreshing.” I say throwing my night gown over my head and baring myself to her. She rolls her eyes and hands me my riding trousers. She starts to wrap my chest, so my breasts hold in place for my ride. Once she is done and I have my trousers on, I grab a long sleeved shirt while she selects a warm tunic to put on top. “I know you ride hard, so I am going to force you to let me braid your hair before you go anywhere.” She says sternly. I untuck my hair from my tunic and turn to her. “I guess that will be alright. I suppose it would be easier to manage once I return.” I say, walking over to where all my hair items are. She picks up my brush and begins to brush out the tangles from sleep. “When do you think the prince will come to claim you?” She asks. I let out a sigh. “ I am unsure. I was told to expect him to come claim me when I turned eighteen, but he never came. Then his family sent a letter that he wasn’t ready for marriage quite yet and would come in the following years, but yet here we are still waiting.” I responded, watching in the mirror as she started to braid my hair back. I am unsure if I should be relieved that he hasn’t come to claim me yet. I am not ready for marriage yet, but waiting for him to come is becoming bothersome. Once Deidre finished the braid, she walked with me out to the stables. “Good morning Lady Serafina, Miss Deidre.” Joseph, the stablehand greeted us. Deirdre blushed and looked at her feet. “Good morning Joseph. Could you go grab my horse for me? I feel like enjoying some fresh air this morning.” I smile at him. He nods and looks at Deidre once again before turning to go grab my stallion. “What is going on with you and Joseph?” I whispered to her. Her cheeks turned even more red. “He has called on me a few times. And will leave me little notes.” She says, still looking at her feet. Before I could respond, Joseph returned with my horse. “Would you like for me to prepare him for you Lady?” He asks. I take the leading rope from him and pet my stallion's nose. “That will not be necessary, Joseph. Thank you though.” I say. “I do not wish to speak out of turn Lady, but it is unbecoming of a future queen to saddle her own horse for a ride.”Joseph says, retrieving my riding tack from the storage area. “You are not out of turn, Joseph. But you know I like to do it myself. Makes me feel like I can do something.” I say as I put the tack on my horse. “We know. But things will have to change once…” Deidre started to say. “But nothing. Until that man comes to get me, I will being doing things my way and on my own. And I don’t think that he will be coming anytime soon. He was supposed to come three years ago and has not deigned to show up.” I say after buckling the saddle into place. Deidre looks down at her feet. “Im sorry to speak harshly, but it is true. Now I will be on my usual route, if my parents are looking for me.” I jump into the saddle and poke my horse with my heel and we start out of the barn. Once we were out on the lawn, I clicked my tongue as I nudged him with my heel again and he took off running. The brisk air smacks into my face with a welcome force.