The Picnic

Maria had decided that she wanted to spend more time outside since it was such a warm and sunny day in Greece, so she collected a blanket and a book from her room and started to make her way back out to the gardens.

Just as she exited her room, she saw Alexandria come around the corner, so she stopped the maid to say, "Alex, why don't you take the day off and relax with me outside. I'm bringing a book to read so bring anything you'd like so that you are comfortable, and maybe in a bit we can have the others bring us out some lunch. What do you think?"

"My Lady, I think that is just a grand idea!" she exclaimed as she clapped her hands and softly bounced up and down on her toes.

Maria laughed and said, "Come meet me when you're ready," before she continued on outside.

She found a nice grassy area in the shade by the patch of sunflowers, her favorite flowers, and she fanned out her blanket so that she could enjoy the day on it.

She kicked her sandals off and laid on her stomach as she opened her book to start reading.

Maria had been trapped in the palace her whole life, so she loved the escape that books provided for her.

Since she wasn't permitted to travel like her brother, Jason, had his whole life, she travelled to different places in books.

At least one of the positive things about an arranged marriage was that she would more than likely get to travel to wherever her future husband is from.

'Something to look forward to,' she thought to herself and imagined all of the different places she now had the potential to visit in the future-- Italy, Denmark, Spain, and France.

Alexandria had finally made her way out to the gardens, and she plopped herself onto the blanket next to Maria as she said, "This was a lovely idea! Thank you for inviting me to spend time outside with you. I know this is usually time you like to spend by yourself".

She knew Maria well, that was for sure, but Maria had always enjoyed her maid's company and was glad to give her the day off because everyone knew she deserved it after the disaster Maria had been the last few days; poor Alexandria was good at cleaning up the princess's messes, thank the gods.

"Did you bring anything to do?" Maria asked her.

"No, I'd prefer to do absolutely nothing for once," she said with a small giggle.

Maria laughed too and gave the maid a smile before she turned back to her book.

After a while, the guard, George, appeared with a picnic basket of foods that the women could enjoy together.

He bowed at them before he placed the basket down and asked, "Is there anything else I could get you two?"

"I think this is just wonderful, thank you, George," Maria replied with a warm smile. She turned to Alexandria to ask what she wanted to eat first, but stopped herself when she saw the woman ogling at George as he walked away. Maria smirked to herself and dared to ask, "Enjoying the view?"

Upon hearing that, Alexandria turned bright red and averted her eyes before she said, "I, uh-- I was just, um--".

"He is handsome, and very much not married, you know," Maria teased with a wink.

"My Lady, you shouldn't speak that way!" Alexandria retorted in a loud whisper.

Maria laughed as she had never seen her maid so flustered before and said, "No, but really, you should talk to him. He's a very nice man, and much like you, he spends far too much time around me so I'm sure you'll have lots to talk about".

Alexandria waved her hand at the princess and tsked before she opened up the basket to start pulling out the various foods.

The women ate together before they returned back to reading and sun bathing.

After a while, Alexandria turned to Maria and said, "We should probably go back inside and get you ready for your date with Julien".

Maria's heart dropped when she heard that because although she was happy to spend time with the mysterious prince, she remembered the fact that he might have told his brother Arthur about their time together in the kitchen that first night.

She needed to talk to him about it, and so she just prayed that she would get some answers to clear her mind.

The princess and the maid worked together to fold the blanket and started back on to the palace once they had everything cleaned up.

When they made it back to Maria's room, Alexandria had the princess sit down at her vanity so that she could braid her long hair back to prevent it from getting in the way when she was baking with Julien.

Once her hair was braided, she thanked her maid and walked over to Julien's room so that they could walk to the kitchen together and start their date.