Planting Seeds

The luncheon had made her headache grow worse and she couldn't eat from the growing nausea it caused. Fortunately, she had avoided the questions concerning her suitors of the season. She had stuck close to Marchioness Greshin, as she knew she would protect Anastasia from to much gossip. Furthermore, it did not take long for the Marchioness to see that Anastasia was not her normal self, and so she doubled her efforts to protect the young queen.

Now that the luncheon was over she had to rush off to her next appointment to fit a dress for one of this seasons balls. Thus far, she was liking how the dress was turning out, but she knew it was far from finished. This would be the dress in which she announced her engagement and eventually it would hold a symbolic piece that represented the relationship of her and her future spouse. However, that choice was still an equally long ways away.

After the fitting she had to change for the seed planting ceremony. In their typical fast fashion, her ladies-in-waiting and maids hurried around her completing their task to prepare her in a timely manor for the event. Her dress had less layers than her ball gown last night. Her deep green skirt was embroidered with little pink poppies popping out of the hem. This was paired with a light pink bodice and. the sleeves of her dress were also light pink, but drapes of the same dark green fell across her back and slightly down her arms. Her normal heels were replaced with leather boots with a bit of a wedge to keep her elevated but not sinking into the softened grounds of the castle where the Seed Plating Ceremony would take place.

Her only request for her current outfit was that her hair be placed in a lose braid and no heavy crown adorn her head, as she feared if either of those circumstances came about she would be unable to stay upright with her headache. Her maids complied without complaint and quickly had her hair loosely braided, but still in an ornate way. Instead of a crown being placed on her head, they simply tucked various flowers into he hair and allowed that to be enough.

The maid tried to counteract the paleness of her skin by placing a bit more color to it. However, she did not look her normal self. This was emphasized by the fact that her normal upturned smile was in a slight pout as she taxed her aching head even further with thought. She would have typically love todays ceremony as it allowed her to bask in the glorious air of spring, but it seemed a dreadful thing at the moment.

Once the maids were finished her ladies-in-waiting quickly ushered her towards the halls that led to the castles main gardens. It was a bit of a longer walk and Anastasia felt herself moving slower than normal. Not wanting to make small talk, and needing something else to focus on, she tried to recall the events that would take place during the Seed Planting Ceremony.

The ceremony would take place in the royal gardens, in a section specifically used for this ceremony. Tall garden hedges surrounded a very large room like area with a raised flower bed in the center. At this moment, the flower bed was filled with nothing but freshly turned dirt, but it would eventually spring forth with an arrangement of flowers planted by the royals.

The ceremony itself would begin with a prayer of blessing over this years planting and harvest. Once the prayer was finished, each individual would line up before the royal who would hand them a few seeds. Normally, the second royal spouse would then hand them a cup of water. Since Anastasia did not have a spouse so she would hand them both.

Once everyone was distributed seeds and water, she would take her place at the head of the flower bed, and they would all jointly begin planting their individual seeds. Some chose not to participate in the ceremony, but many did as it was seem as a sign of prosperity to have your flowers grow and thrive within the garden.

She was now nearly to at the end of her journey within the castle, but she felt her head grow light in its pounding state as it became bright near the opened doors leading to the garden. She paused. Her hand found the wall and she braced herself for support. She would be fine, she just had to get through the day until she could allow herself to rest tonight.

She told her ladies in waiting to go ahead and get situated at their places, stating she just needed a moment to compose herself alone. They complied and she nearly sat down on the floor to try and stabilize herself. However, she heard as footstep quickly approached and knew that it was not an option. She kept her hand against the wall, head hung low and eyes closed against the sun trying to breathe the headache away.

It got a little better, as the steps slowed down and stopped beside her. She looked up and found the concerned eyes of Duke Phillip Vern looking at her. "Are you alright?"

She nearly snickered at the fact he had dropped formalities in the quietness of the castle hall. His question was justifiable and the look of concern comforting, but she could not confess her true state to him, even when he was willing to drop his state of decorum to check on her. "I'm fine. I have a small headache, but its nothing I cannot handle."

"Are you sure? You look pale." He stepped a little closer, looking in her eyes as if he would be able to diagnose her simply from doing so.

"I'll be fine." She repeated in a soft but dismissive tone.

"Make sure you are taking care of yourself. I know there is a lot going on, but Karthia can handle the time you need to keep yourself well."

"I will do as you advise...after today." Her statement elicited a sigh as he realized she would always put Karthia above her own health, but he quickly displaced his ire at that fact and questioned, "At the very least, may I walk you to the garden. That way I can make sure you get there in one piece."

She wanted to refuse, but her weak legs and foggy brain begged for any assistance she could get. She accepted and gingerly took his proffered arm in her hand. She knew the court would talk when she arrived to the event on his arm, but at this time she could take the talk, but she was unsure if she could manage the walk alone.

She was grateful for his strength and the clouds which provided some protection from the sun. Duke Phillip got her to the garden and situated in her seat on the small platform built for the ceremony. Fortunately for her, the Advisor of Planting and Harvest was the main person of todays event. Her role was simply ceremonial and allowed her to simply sit until her appointed role in the ceremony came to be.

She could hear as the ceremony began, but she couldn't focus on the words being stated, for it made her head pound all the more. Instead, she looked at the tossed soil that sat barren of any life in the raised flower bed before her. It was an uncultivated blank slate that she and the others had the honor to try and bring life to, much like her relationships with the suitors.

Now was the time when she needed to be learning about each one and trying to imagine a life with any one of them. She made a note to try and talk to some of them at tomorrow's tea party. The faster she could create an idyllic connection with someone and they wed, the sooner her people could thrive as well as the seeds they planted today.

She noticed that in her lost state, she had missed the prayer entirely and now it was time for her do her task. A line of royals stood before, including a number of her suitors. It appeared as if some of those who she had not danced with last night, had already cut their losses and did not care to come out to this event. What did it matter, she wondered to herself. As she gingerly passed out the seeds to each royal.

The passing out of the seeds was simple, and she did so with decent proficiency. the process was a relatively quite one, at least until Duke Phillip Vern came before her. His hand lingered over her own and he waited for her glassy eyes to met his own before asking, "Are you still okay?"

She simply nodded before ushering him away do that the next person could be handed their portion of the planting. Once all of the the seeds were passed out she took her place at the head of the flower bed. Looking around at the those beside her, she found her sister to her right, and an unexpected person to her left.

Prince Taren stood caviler as always, and cradled the seeds she had previously handed him as gently as if they were already budding forth with life. He looked her way and smiled, but made no notion to talk to the queen until she had already began planting her seed in the cool dirt.

He had inched a little closer when he began simply by stating, "Good Afternoon, your Majesty."

Butterflies and headaches did not mix well and it took a deep breath to keep the nausea at bay before she was able to speak. "Good Afternoon Prince Taren."

"I cannot wait to see what will spring forth from the seeds we plant today," It was said in a way that implied he was interested in much more than just the seeds they planted.

"I agree," She stated simply before standing to go greet some of the others who had come out to the event.

However, before she could get far the sun broke through the clouds and suddenly she couldn't think straight anymore. She felt as he legs began to cave away, but she didn't hit the ground. How, she didn't know. All she knew was the pounding darkness that took over.