chapter 7

With slow delicate steps, king Ephraim entered into the palace leaving the yellow, orange and red sky behind. He was heading to the princess chambers to think things through. His worries was weighing him down. Thinking the thought that left him tensed and upset. He needed to ease it off somewhere. This where, was no other than his daughters chambers.

At the door into her bedchambers. Ms. Edith, the head maid came to remind him of breakfast. He didn't respond to her. She bowed and left.

He was eager to go into the room. Not entertaining distractions from any maid because of breakfast.

Inside the room, the lavender scent welcomed him. He removed his steps one at a time. Minding the marble floor or maybe his feet. He moved about the well arranged room stopping by the drapes. He opened the blinds to see the room clearly.

But what was a portrait doing on the bed?. He went nearer releasing his hands from his back. He sat on the bed and turned the portrait over.

It was an old portrait of his which the princess borrowed from his chambers months ago. He took it and kept by the side of the wall.

His gaze traveled about and then behind him. He looked up. He saw the portrait of queen Lucy over the princess large bed.

It was the first time he was noticing it. He had been to her chambers many times but he never saw the portrait hung there.

A smile escaped his lips. For some weird reasons his worries were gone.

The portrait depicted her standing. Holding out a sunflower with a gorgeous smile.

He breathed in deeply. Allowing his mind to wander in the love they once share. This gave him unspeakable joy. For the time being he forgot all about the cares and worries of his life. He let his mind flow with the rhythmed of the moment.

Then he remembered the day the portrait was painted. It was the same day that the portrait he just kept by the wall was painted.

Queen Lucy was right there. She insisted he be painted alone. He wore a broad smile. She kept teasing him. She kept throwing those blues eyes of her into his grey's.

Another time she would squints her eyes. He get amused by it and laughed out loud. They were behaving like silly little children.

Happy and naughty. Waiting for who would break their fixed gazed away.

"How dare you say I'm nought?" queen Lucy asked her pride.

The painter buried his face in the white canvas before him. when he saw his king and queen displayed love signals irrationally. Frequently smiles curled up on his lips. He would bulged his cheeks to suppressed it. Biting his inner cheeks.

"How sweet to be in love he thought"

He didn't want to caused nuisance by telling the king that he had starter painting he should sit calm. He was a king.

Beside he was getting amused too seeing the queen teased her husband lovingly.

The queen began to wriggled her hot spot behind playfully.

The painter gave a loud carefree laughter. Spreading his hands apart. He bend forward but the canvas stopped him from going any further.

When he remembered he was still before the king. He buried his face on the canvas again apologetically. Then he looked up, peeking timidly. The king and queen where staring at him. He was alarmed. He bowed.

"My king". He stepped in front of the canvas and knelt. "I met no offense. Please pardon my bad behaviour".

King Ephraim and queen Lucy were staring daggers at him. He wished for the floor to swallowed him up.

Suddenly they bursted into a heartily laughter. He had the paint smeared on his entire face.

He looked confused at first but then he slowly recollect why they were laughing at him. He took his hand to his face and discovered the paint on it. His nerves calmed.

"Get to work" the king said.

Queen Lucy excused them so they could concentrates. But the king still had that humorous smile on him till the painter paint the painting wonderfully well.

***

When king Ephraim opened his eyes. His gaze shifted to the dressing table. He went to it. The was a letter resting on it.

He took it and found his way to the long couch by the side opposite the bed.

He kissed the letter when he saw the sealed. He knew queen Lucy wrote.

"But how come I didn't see this" he whispered to himself. The letter has not been opened yet.

"Eleanor... Eleanor I'm sure you found these letter yesterday night in your mother's chambers and you didn't care to showed it to me".

Just then it crossed his mind that she might want to be the first person to read it.

"But I am now the first". His lips was arrested with a smile at the thought of reading the letter before his little princess. He read it out loud to himself.

'My child I won't begin this letter with sad details but I shall begin by telling you how beautiful you look. I am convinced in my spirit that you are a girl. A pretty young lady. My sunflower. I love your smiles. I didn't want your father, the king to see this letter until after your birth and until you learn how to read and write.'

"Aye" the king said, " so it was both their plans. Look who is reading now. Me". He beat his chest. "Eleanor hasn't opened the letter but she knows it content and she is hiding it from me. Well she missed". He chuckled and continues.

' I know you would looked like me. So when you want to see how your mother looks like you should looked into the mirror. Those paintings around would never revealed what the mirror shall showed to you. I can't write you enough words my child. But know that if forces beyond human abilities were not at work. Your mother would have fed you with the milk coming from her. She would watched you crawled. She would have been fondling with your hair. Get you under the blanket, give you a kiss on the forehead and watched you sleep peacefully. She would be there when you say your first words. When you cry or laugh. She would watched you grow into a strong woman.

Your father the king already loved you. Even before you were born. He will raised you to be a warrior, a leader and a queen.

Hmmm... I doubt if he would raised you to be humble and a submissive wife. Be at peace with queen Margaret, she is a good soul with the heart of gold. She shall teach you what your father wouldn't.

Still we meet again my sweet little princess Eleanor.

Your mother.

Lucy loves you'.

He let out a low cry. Biting his inner lips.

"The love of my soul. I will forever missed you. I can't teach her to be submissive. I don't want her to be weak. Ok" He withdrew his words

"I ... I shall let queen Margaret in on her timetable.

Aye! she is gone on a long journey. Both of them together. My queen you trusted Margaret. So do I. I just hope that our daughter is safe with her".

They discussed the name of the child when she first got pregnant. 'Eleanor', she gave that name. The king insisted it was going to be a boy. But she countered. He gave Christopher if it was going to be a boy. And agreed on Eleanor if it was a girl.

There she won. She was too sure and it went exactly as she had earlier predicted. A girl, her sunflower.

This was the only letter he had of her. He was not going to keep it carelessly. He took it.

The was a knocked on the door. He wiped his tears. He was done crying. If he would cry. He would cry the whole day.

"Come in, the door is not locked" he ordered the person in. Steve, one of his personal knights entered.

"My king". He bowed.

"The Minister's are in the courtroom awaiting your presence my king".

" I shall be with them". He abandoned his worries in the room and left.

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