King Raff carried the troubles of arranging his third son’s marriage to princess Elarin. When he found her, she was in the gardens, playing with her maids. They were chasing butterflies with nets laughing like forest nymphs.
He stood still for a while watching, mesmerized and besotted. His eyes could not be drawn away from Elarin, she was more beautiful than any woman he had ever met. Her spirit was free, she was without scheming.
In the deep palace where everyone was plotting, all she wanted was his love. Everyday, she reminded him, that he was all she had left in the world and begged him to love her some more, more than he loved others.
So, he spoiled her. More than he had ever spoiled any other woman in the world. Not Risa, not the queen and not Rina, none of them had ever been pampered like Elarin. Amazingly, she did not abuse her power, she did not provoke the queen. She just did things that would make him happy.
She did not rely on her bedroom skills like Rina had done. She did other things like cooking his breakfast, giving him a bath, preparing his clothes everyday. She always checked his boots for holes and other scuff marks.
If his shirt lost a button, she personally sewed it back on. She advised him on simple matters, calmed him when he was on the edge of exploding and encouraged him to be closer with his children. She had even taken charge of Rina’s last two children, treating them as her own.
The little prince Amello was now a carbon copy of Elarin when it came to dressing, he was like a prince of the forest. King Raff had never felt so at peace despite all the stress that he could not avoid as the king.
She was his solace, the moon on a dark night; he was in love and there was no turning back.
"Might I join you ladies." his voice boomed loudly, breaking into the soft laughter of the women.
The maids stepped away to crated room for him and Elarin, his beloved, she threw herself right into his arms and boldly kissed his cheek. King Raff, blushed, his cheeks blossomed ruddy red.
"My king, have you come to chase the butterflies with me?" Elarin asked.
Her face glowed with happiness that was reflected in her eyes. She was vibrant, filled with energy, beautiful like a flower that had been enchanted never to lose its beauty. He did not set her down but carried wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and carried her towards the bench by the little lamp post in that part of the garden.
"I planted thistledance crown orchids in the garden. Do you want to see?" Elarin looked at the king eagerly.
He nodded and set her down, allowing himself to be pulled into a slow jog that was filled with silly laughter until they arrived at the center of the garden. King Raff was not certain about what flowers were raised in this garden. Patiently, he waited for Elarin to point out the ones she had planted.
She stopped at a row of delicate, spiny blossoms that were of different colors. It was amazing to see one flower with several petals of different colors. There was a glow to them, when he looked at them, it was if he could hear a whisper coming from them, telling to come closer and have a look.
"So, what do you think?" Elarin stopped him before he could get too close.
"Beautiful." he answered automatically. But he was not looking at the flowers anymore, he was looking at her. King Raff was certain that if he had to compare beauty, Elarin was more beautiful than the flowers.
"They are magical flowers from my land. I did not think that they could bloom here. They change color when they sense a change in emotions, no matter how buried it is." Elarin moved into the king’s arms, forming a delicate pout with her small mouth. "The nearest one to you has turned grey, it means you are troubled. What is it that troubles you?"
King Raff sighed, his nose took a whiff of the floral scent coming from Elarin’s hair. She smelled like a forest on a warm day.
"It is my third son Benjamin, his marital affairs have stated to trouble me once more. He is like a prize that every noble family with a daughter is out to grab. I have proposals coming in from different houses. The most ridiculous is Baron Florian Suncrest. He sent a portrait of his ten year old daughter!"
Elarin gasped. "Has he lost his mind."
The King was still flabbergasted and disgusted. "I think he is looking to get rid of the girl and he figured Benjamin would raise her for him for free. He forgets that my son needs a wife, not a daughter."
"The Thorin’s sponsor an orphanage, if he wants to get rid of the girl that is the best place to send her. Maybe you should look into her conditions, if she is being maltreated, take her from Suncrest and protect her. You are the king, it will boost your already impressive image even more if you are seen as the rescuer of widows, orphans and the mistreated." Elarin suggested calmly.
"You can even open a royal orphanage, one that is sponsored by you personally. The money can come from the new mine or the Ye family, they own many mines. They have raised the price of magic stones lately, I have heard that their children are spending lavishly in taverns, restaurants and brothels.
Everen Ye lost one million and fifty six thousand gold on a bet just recently. It was in the papers, the sum is staggering. It is such a shame, that money can do so much good for the kingdom. It can feed our soldiers and their families for two to three years, support the North which is still suffering from drought and other things."
King Raff’s eyes changed for a moment and the closest flower to them turned red, depicting another change in the mood.
Elarin tapped the king’s chest. "It’s okay, someday I am sure that you will get the right opportunity to take back ownership of those mines. It is not right that one family owns all that wealth.
But on the subject of prince Benjamin’s marriage I think that I can help you. I have met many wives of the lords during my time here. I already know some of the best young women in the kingdom.
There is Lady Aurelia Tempest, Lady Evanna Roseheart, Lady Cassia Belmont, Lady Lyra Rosewood."
"Rosewood." King Raff jumped in. "Mmmm, my life was once saved by a Rosewood. They are loyal to the royal family and don’t interfere much in politics. I think a Rosewood, could work. The crown princess has a Rosewood beside her, right?"
"Her lady-in-waiting, Lady Mauve Rosewood." Elarin said the name slowly.
She was not sure if Sigrid was going to be in support of the idea the king was having. It looked like she would have to send a message to the organization tonight. Sigrid needed to know this before the king summoned Mauve’s grandfather to the castle soon.