The Boy in the Garden

King Hideki Kyouyama of Kouku noticed the distressed look on his daughter's face. There was no doubt she was not happy with the announcement. He knew that his daughter despised being thrown into an arranged marriage even if it were with a childhood friend. However, King Yuan had asked for a proof of Kouku's allegiance to his kingdom after their argument two weeks ago.

FLASHBACK

"So are you saying I cannot expect your support in this endeavor?" the king of Kaminari said between gritted teeth.

"That is right. It's beyond my principle to allow the involvement of my kingdom in your affairs." The Kouku king said firmly.

"Is that so? Now I'm starting to doubt where your loyalties lie, King Hideki."

"My forefathers forged an alliance with Kaminari since the peace treaty. It is a tradition that I am willing to keep."

"Prove it then."

"What would convince you my friend?"

"I ask your daughter's hand in marriage in behalf of my son."

"That is something I have to ponder on…"

"It will permanently seal your kingdom's allegiance to mine. Besides the peace treaty forbids the merging of any two kingdoms. Your daughter can choose not to use the 'Tao' family name and can still become queen of Kouku even if she's married to my son. Your kingdom will continue to enjoy independence. I'll keep my word on that."

"My daughter would not like the idea."

"Are our children's feelings important? Maybe you are not aware of the fact that my son has been a long time friend of hers. If not my son, to whom are you going to marry off your daughter? Surely you will not present her to some opportunistic distant relative who's dying to rise into power. I'm also positive that you will not give her to the despicable royals of Kasai and Kouri. Am I right?"

The King of Kouku grew silent.

"My friend, we need not tell our children of our decision. We will surprise them in a ball. An arranged marriage is inevitable among the royalty. It's their fate."

King Hideki reluctantly nodded.

END OF FLASHBACK

"What?" Princess Anna released her grip on her friend's arm and stared in disbelief at her father. The King of Kouku avoided her eyes and proceeded conversing with one of his acquaintances. He was blocked from her view when the guests began dancing again. The sound of waltz music steered the attention away from the engaged couple.

The dazed princess was about to rush to her father to demand an explanation from him but the prince suddenly bowed down before her, "May I ask the princess of Kouku for a dance?"

"Ren, I don't dance and why do you remain so calm? You should have been bursting with outrage for this deception on the part of our fathers," the princess fumed with anger.

"Don't make a raucous here, Anna," her fiancé mumbled. "This was supposed to be a joyous occasion."

After much consideration, the princess acknowledged his plight and let him took her hands so they can join the waltz. They were silent for a couple of minutes but the princess could not keep her anger to herself. "Why do I need to shut my mouth? Is it because I would bring humiliation to your father's house?"

The prince gazed at her with pained eyes. "Don't you want to marry me?"

The girl's anger seemed to have dissipated in an instant, "It's not like that Ren. It's just that… it's so sudden."

"Oh yes, I forgot you hated surprises," teased her fiancé.

The princess pulled herself from him and clenched her fists, "And you forgot that this is the fate I have been trying to avoid."

"You're trying to avoid becoming my wife?"

"No, I'm trying to avoid being forced into an arranged marriage because I'm not deemed the rightful heir to the throne."

The prince took her hand once again and pulled her into a door leading to the palace garden. They stopped in front of a statue of the prince's deceased grandfather. "Let it go, Anna. It can't be helped. It's the fate of being a royalty."

"Don't you sometimes wish to go against your fate, to go against your father's orders? I'm quite disappointed with you, Ren. I thought you disliked being told what to do."

"I have duties to perform as a prince - - - duties such as leaving the kingdom for quite some time to study in a royal academy. Besides, I do not dislike being told to marry you." The prince brushed away the strands of hair from his fiancée's face, "You look beautiful tonight."

The blond princess stopped his hand from caressing her cheek. "Ren, please give me time to process this..."

The prince reached for a small box in his pocket, "I don't care if you only see this as a royal decree from one of the coldest monarchs in the land."

He opened the box and gently took a silver necklace with a rose pendant which he put around her fair neck. "This is a souveneir turned engagement gift from me. I hope someday you would realize that it was more than princely duties that made me agree to marry my best friend."

"I'll leave you alone for now if that is what you want. I'll be waiting inside if you need me." Prince Ren started to walk away towards the palace entrance.

The princess sat down on the concrete as soon as her fiancé disappeared from her view. She was really tired. She gently stroked the rose pendant hanging on her neck and felt a little guilty for her attitude towards the prince.

"I'm sorry, Ren," she spoke to the air as if her friend was still there. "You are very important to me. It's just that I felt so betrayed by my parents and you were gone for so long that I am not sure what I should feel towards you. Should I surrender to my fate and accept what has been decreed? Oh, I hate being a princess!"

"Why?" a voice spoke from behind her.

The princess immediately rose to her feet and scanned the surroundings with her eyes to find its source.

"Being a royalty is the best thing in the word. It's a good excuse for being lazy."

"Where are you? Reveal yourself!"

"Over here."

The puzzled girl rested her eyes on the statue of Ren's grandfather. Has it come to life to haunt her for hesitating to marry his grandson but why does it sound younger?

"I'm sorry for doubting, I know Prince Ren will do anything to make me happy." She must be going crazy to have responded to a statue which she clearly just had imagined to have talked.

"That's what I think, too. I can see that he likes you a lot."

It replied. Now she's beginning to have goose bumps.

"I'm sorry if I still don't know what to feel towards him yet. I'm sure I'll come into terms with my feelings eventually".

"Oh, so you're accepting your fate? What happened to the resistant lady I heard earlier? And why are you talking to that statue?"

A boy her age whose dark hair was tied up in a pony tail came out of the shadows and stood beside the statue. He was dressed like a palace servant offering wine and deserts inside the grand hall.

"How long have you been there?" she asked irritably.

"Er… I was sleeping behind that statue when I was woken up by noises. I overheard your arguments with your fiancé, I'm sorry." The boy brushed off the leaves sticking from the back of his head.

"Do you want to die? It's rude to eavesdrop on somebody else's conversation. Why are you not working inside the grand hall?"

"I'm sorry princess but my duty is over here." the boy started to walk away.

"I will make sure that King Yuan will hear about your laid back attitude. You will be fired!" the furious princess shouted at him.

The boy did not seem alarmed at all. He continued walking and spoke as he left, "The Great Spirit had already laid out different paths before us by the time that we were born. You have the power to choose which path to take. You'll be surprised that your choices would eventually lead you to the path that was really meant for you. Congratulations on your engagement day!" The boy disappeared into the darkness.

She was prepared to run after him to give him one of her hard slaps for intruding her peace but Prince Ren came back from the grand hall.

"Hey, are you alright? You were taking some time so I went out to fetch you."

"I'm fine. I was just… talking to your grandfather's statue."

The prince gave her a quizzical look. Oh boy, she must really be in a confused state. He decided to ride along. "My grandfather's statue? What did you tell it?"

"I said that I promise to be a good wife to his grandson."

The prince smiled and held her hand as they strolled along the stony path towards the palace entrance.

Princess Anna looked back into the darkness where the boy in the garden disappeared into before stepping into the lighted room.

I chose to accept the fate of a royal blood.