Goldest and the Kingdom of Thorns (22 page)

When the King of the Willows found out about that morning ride, he bellowed and laughed at them all. “No one could ever try to outsmart his Queen!” He then realized how proud he was of his Queen, being so animated and determined. He never teased her anymore after that incident. He showed only the most utmost respect for a very prestigious lady – his Queen.

Later that afternoon, the women, with Sabira and Sunsette, locked themselves in a castle room as they sewed the bridal dresses together and selected the jewelry which was to be worn with the dresses, as well as other assortment of articles.

The Queen noticed that Shadow was not at
Augean’s feet all day and asked her, “And where is Shadow, Augean? It is unusual for him not to be at your feet.”

“He is visiting with the men for a change,” Augean replied with a smile.

“I’m sure he gets tired and bored being around us females and our frills all day, every day,” Lowilla remarked.

Augean giggled at her mother’s remark.

“You see, Goldest. I had told you that everything would fall into place for you someday, and it has. You are truly a lovely Queen, and will soon take on a husband to rule beside you,” the Queen of the Willows told her with indifference. She was not concerned about Goldest anymore. Her uncertainty at the present lay with the brazenfaced Floriana.

“A most handsome warrior, schooled in battle. You chose well, Goldest,” Lowilla added with kindness to the Queen’s remark. Lowilla was very sincere and only wanted the best for Goldest. Goldest was kind and loving and came through for her and her husband, and also held a friendly interest in their daughter, Augean. She was a charitable person towards her family. It was only natural for Lowilla to be partial towards her.

“You are truly flawless, Goldest, and with a golden heart to follow,” the Tooth Fairy Princess stated dreamily.

“I always knew I was impeccable. It just took time to break that ridiculous spell!” Goldest exclaimed with a tinge of haughtiness. Goldest looked with interest at the material of her gown and remarked, “I would like to have the pearl beading on my gown.”

“Your golden skin will cast a most beauteous sheen on the pearls, Goldest,” Lowilla remarked in agreement with her.

“You made the right choice, Goldest,” the Queen said, agreeing also.

“I prefer the diamonds on my gown. I have always worn diamonds and would not feel complete without them,” the princess informed the Queen of the Willows.

The Queen looked at her and the material of her gown and remarked, “Princess, you should consider having the pink pearls along with the diamonds.”

“Oooh! That would be so stunning!” Augean exclaimed.

The princess contemplated for a few seconds. “Yes, I believe you are right about that. I shall add the pink pearls along with diamonds.”

A knock at the door startled the women. They unlocked the door and saw several more seamstresses with their measuring cloths, sewing utensils and tools.

“What intruders do we have here?” the Queen of the Willows asked, an eyebrow raised in question.

“As late as it is, we think you might need our help. We have not much time to prepare for a double wedding!” one of the seamstresses exclaimed. The seamstresses were ushered in with welcome relief.

The afternoon went by finding a melancholy Floriana sitting before her best friend, her pink crystal ball. She had spent the afternoon gazing into it, trying to see into the future for herself. She had been feeling lonely these days, especially watching Goldest toy with Esbri, walking hand and hand, teasing one another.
And she had watched how romantic Ushi was with his princess, with their romance growing stronger every day. Floriana was quite fond of Savagio, but it seemed that she was always seeking him out, and not him seeking her out. She wanted to see what thoughts were inside Savagio.

“I will sit here, even if it takes all evening, and see if Savagio comes to me,” Floriana smartly told herself.

It was a shame that she, a mystic gypsy and a magical sorceress, could not help herself, only others. This was very true in the clandestine area of the psychic forces and influences. They held special powers of enchantment for others, but not for themselves – they could do for others what they could not do for themselves. She lit candles and burned incense cones of blue rose, calling out for true love to come to her room.

As the evening crept on slowly, the attendants came and built a fire in her room. She asked for tea and lemon biscuits to be brought to her. She was adamant about not budging from this room. After the blue rose had died out and the sweet aroma had left the room, she then lit incense cones of cherry to attract love. She drifted languorously in and out of sleep, as the essence of her soul bathed in the pleasantly sharp smell of the cherries.

She moved herself and her Austrian lead crystal over to the fire and sat close. Her room was cozy and the warmth caressed her skin. She felt contented, munching on her lemon biscuits as she sipped her tea. She smiled at her crystal as the flames danced upon it. Her crystal kept her company. She never went
anywhere without her pink companion. It not only dwelled upon the past, but played and taunted her with the future.

During the evening, Savagio wondered why Floriana never came down from her room. It was strange for someone so lively not to make an appearance. He decided to go visit her and to find out what was amiss. I think she just might like that, he told himself. He picked up a blushing tangerine from the fruit bowl to take to her. “I cannot go without taking some type of gift,” he said with a smile. Then he remembered that tangerines are a token of love. “How thoughtful of me,” he told himself with a chuckle.

He saw her door ajar and walked into her room. The warmth caressed his skin, also. He walked up to her by the fire and smiled down at her. Floriana coyly smiled back at him. He presented her with the blushing tangerine. She accepted the gift graciously as a thought ran through her mind:
His heart is in love with me, but he will not agree to it, afraid of being scorned again
.

“I have been told you wish an audience with myself, Madam,” he conjured up.

Floriana motioned for him to sit. “Sit, Savagio. My crystal has some words for you.”

Savagio raised an eyebrow. He did not care for crystal balls. They each had their own character. Some were flawless while others were filled with imperfections. Floriana’s was filled with truth, honesty and was adamant about letting her know just how it felt. Her pink crystal looked at others as if they were inferior to it. He felt uneasy around them all, especially hers. Hers made him feel like he was being watched closely.
It seemed to look down on, jeer at and hold in utter contempt others who did not believe in its power. And he knew Floriana’s crystal was powerful and strong. She would never waste her time on a weak, meek crystal.

“A most beauteous and interesting woman is reflected in my crystal. You need to look inside her affectionate heart and you will find that she has a secret fold reserved for you – and you alone. You must look inside the essence of her soul and you will sense her endless love for you. Perhaps, you might let your heart return her incessant love and give this woman all the painstaking, innermost folds belonging to your benevolent, glowing heart,” Floriana said to him seductively.

An amused Savagio looked deeply into Floriana’s crystal, which seemed to be staring back at him with disdain.
Why, that crystal is jealous of me
, thought Savagio, who was quite entertained by it.

“I am looking inside her thoughts and I see silver stars dancing our names across the heavens. I see that her unending love for myself has etched my name on the essence of her very passionate spirit,” Savagio responded.

Floriana looked deeper into her pink crystal and gasped in surprise as she exclaimed, “My goodness! I think I also see a very jealous crystal staring right at me!”

A laughing Savagio sprang over to Floriana and they both fell backwards on to the floor, rolling around, laughing together. Floriana innocently rolled Savagio over and found herself on top of him. She looked up.

“Uh-oh,” she remarked flatly.

Savagio tilted his head backwards on the floor. At the door to her room stood the Queen of the Willows, Goldest, Lowilla, Augean and the Tooth Fairy Princess. Goldest was amused, knowing she could expect anything from Floriana, while the innocent Augean was delighted for the two; but the rest were gaping at the mouths at the bundle rolling around on the floor. The Queen had a most displeased look upon her face. Even the crystal ball had dimmed down from a bright pink to a dull solar color from embarrassment for the two.

“Humph!” the Queen exclaimed. “Are you two joining us in the main dining hall for dinner tonight, or are you going to flirt and flaunt on the floor with each other all night?” the Queen asked them, with an icy coldness in her voice. She sniffed the aroma in the room filled with cherry incense. “Oh, I should have known – cherry to attract love!” Then she looked at the blushing tangerine that had fallen off the table in the ruckus and rolled over to her feet. “A tangerine,” the Queen stated flatly. “You could have at least brought her a peach rose from the vases filled with roses, instead of a tangerine from the fruit bowl!”

The women at the door were highly amused at the scene and couldn’t help but giggle after the initial shock was over – seeing them on the floor together in a manner most unbecoming for a woman of royal blood.

Tsk, tsk. Poor Savagio
, thought the Queen, as she tried to hold her smile in check.

The Tooth Fairy Princess was not surprised,
because Floriana had confided in her that she was quite fond of Savagio.
I hope Floriana and Savagio become united because then I won’t have to feel so guilty anymore
, thought the princess to herself. The guilt of the princess meant she still concerned herself with the state of Savagio’s gentle heart.

They disengaged themselves, with Savagio helping Floriana up. He helped her to straighten out her sea-green gown, to the displeasure of the Queen of the Willows. Savagio gave the unfazed Floriana his arm and escorted her in silence down to the dining hall. They followed the group of women who had left her doorway. Before they had left her room, Floriana stared back at her pink crystal, as it looked quite piqued at her.
Now I have a crystal that is in a miff
, she thought to herself, as Savagio seated her at the long table.

The next day found the sewing room bustling with activity around the gowns. For now, not only Goldest and the Tooth Fairy Princess having their wedding gowns made, but Floriana was also having one made for herself. After dinner the night before, Savagio had taken Floriana’s hand and they went for a secretive, bewitching walk among the hardy lilacs, admiring the deep purple blooms edged in white, the soft lavender lilacs with darker buds, and the lilacs with creamy-yellow blooms.

While basking in the warm smell of the lilacs, Savagio said he thought it would be nice if they were united. Floriana instantly agreed. She didn’t even take the time to think about it – she knew! She had to keep her heartbeats quiet within the folds of her clothing.
She feared her high-strung heart would come wildly beating out of her gown with all the excitement! An unnerving shyness then set in for the both of them, and it took awhile before they regained control and both admitted their enduring love for one another. The essence of each passionate spirit was finally surrendered, one to the other.
I shall have to have a talk with my pink crystal
, thought a siren Floriana to herself, while they walked in the silence of requited love, holding hands. They were both enchanted and bathed in their contentment with their silence. She grew concerned about the jealously she had seen in her pink crystal and feared emotional problems would arise from it in the future.
I had a feeling that my crystal was not only possessive of myself, but also envious. And now, I fear the hostility towards a rival – Savagio!
A disturbed Floriana thought secretly to herself.

It was Augean who broke the spell of Floriana’s thoughts. “This is so exciting! A triple wedding! You are so lighthearted and full of enjoyment. You will be good for Savagio, Floriana,” Augean told her.

“Every warrior needs a woman to come home to. Savagio has been alone for much too long, as has Ushi,” the Queen remarked with intelligence. “And I am surprised that you two did not decide to unite long before this, what with you throwing yourself so forcefully upon him,” the Queen remarked to Floriana.

“It is the nature of my gypsy character to be so fun-loving and gay, and to take charge of any given situation,” Floriana responded, defending her true spirit to the Queen.

“I was quite surprised that you hadn’t found a proper suitor for yourself until now; however, I will admit, you will be perfect for Savagio, and him for you,” the Queen admitted, as she smiled with tender affection at Floriana.

I must not be so harsh with Floriana anymore
, thought the Queen to herself.
I must remember that she is a passionate gypsy, and we all must accept each other’s personality traits within any of the kingdoms in the Domain in order to remain at peace with one another
.

Augean was in deep thought. She now had become worried about the promise. “But Grandmother, what about Ushi’s promise to my grandfather, the King?”

“Promise? What promise is this that we speak of?” the startled princess asked.

“Do not concern yourself, princess. Aparicio is handling this so-called promise,” the Queen remarked slyly.

“But…” the princess began, but Lowilla cut her off.

“We need not speak of turmoil, princess. Aparicio is taking care of this unpleasant conflict at the present time. You have other things to be more concerned with right now. Concentrate on what we are doing here. Relax and enjoy this afternoon.”

Goldest was silent, feeling guilty that she was the cause of this secret being kept from the princess. Aparicio owed her, and she knew that he would come through, just like she had come through for him.
A gracious kindness done for one in need is usually repaid by a benediction
, thought a hopeful Goldest.