The maze of roses

Sienna was finally dressed up and sat in front of the vanity mirror. She went thru the drawers of the vanity table to see what is inside for her. The drawers on the left side were full of cosmetics, hairpins and jewellery. In right-side drawers, she found a stash of writing papers, colourful inks, white writing feathers from a swan, and some ferret hair brushes. Sienna's eyes lit up. Thurssa must place it there for her, in case she wanted to write down her poems." Well, I should not disappoint him," Sienna smiled. That was actually the main reason, he gave her a separate room. She decided to write some poetry on decorated pages to give to Thurssa, in case he would come to her room again. She will get to keep a separate room and if it makes him busy, it will help her to stall the time as well. She smiled cheekily." Stall the time till Sarcos will send his presents." Sienna sighed and looked out of the window. She saw a garden in full bloom. Thurssa's gardens were neatly organised. He was relishing in mazes, flowers and geometrical designs. Sienna looked at the rosebush maze. It looked beautiful and alluring, "I would not like to be lost in there!" she thought. She stared at it and a longing song entered her mind.

She came back to sit at the table and started to write:

"Roses in bloom covering maze, the danger lurking around, will you be able my love to find me, if I'm lost deep inside.

Roses in bloom, their scent is blinding, mesmerising my mind, colourful bushes, right way are hiding, I'm hopelessly far behind.

Blushed colours dancing, in twirling wind, the roses are moving,I hear them sing, "You lonely are queen, join us in a beautiful dream."

Silken dress rustling, the leaves are to whisper, on soft ground fallen white veil. The crown lay heavy in my mind picture, golden hair floating in the air.

My head is falling, my eyes in dream, the dark wind arose, roses are calling, "Welcome our sister," the blush maze is closed.

"Perfect!" Sienna smiled and draw blushing roses around it for decoration. She added a romantic drawing of the fallen queen as well. It looked really artistic. Sienna let it dry. From another piece of paper, she made a decorated envelope and wrote; "For my King Thurssa" on it, then she smiled satisfied.

She took a new piece of paper to think of another poem when suddenly the knock on the door disturbed her. Sienna opened the door carefully. One of the spidery concubines was standing there. She looked at Sienna and peeked into her spacious pink room."Dear Sienna, the madam is asking you to come to the harem, to join us for the meal."Sienna shook her head, her stomach turned and she felt sick at that thought." Please, tell madam, I'm not hungry and I'm still resting." she smiled and closed the door. Sienna was worried, she did not see Samuel guarding and she felt insecure. She sat at the table again.

In a few minutes, somebody barged into Sienna's room. Sienna stood up abruptly. Madame came by herself and stood by the wide-opened door." Just because the king granted you a room, doesn't mean you can do what you want. "she told her.

Sienna looked at her coldly," Yes, it means, I can do what I want," she said," The king granted me this room, to write my poems and to be away from harem. You just disturbed me in my writing. If you don't believe me, go ask the king."

Madame got upset, "I will ask after we have a proper meal together," madame smiled."Your well-being is still my responsibility." she said sweetly. "I need to teach you how to eat our food, not just snack on fruits and buns. I had a special monkey dish prepared for you. After you finish it, you can go back to your room."

Sienna's stomach turned upside down. "She wants me to slurp the dead monkey like the rest of the concubines? She must be crazy. Can't she see, that I'm not a spider? No, she is an overzealous mad control freak!"Sienna closed it up in her mind."But I can't go," Sienna said and picked the letter from her table."I'm just about to go meet the king!"

Madame looked around, there were no guards in sight."Come now and stop making a fuss Sienna!" she said with a hard voice.

Sienna got out of the room thinking, "Corridors are safer, I do not want to be found dead in my bed!" Sienna went with a sweet smile behind madame, till the door to the gardens appeared. Then Sienna run for it. Shocked madame called for the guards."The queen, get me the queen, she is running away again!"

Sienna was so scared. She heard huge guards running after her, so she run to the rose maze. She ran thru the pink and green walls, till she was deep inside. She stopped when she realised the quietness. Nobody was chasing her anymore. Sienna breathed deeply and held her heart."I'm safe for now." Then she realized she lost her letter. "Oh no, it was really pretty, what a pity," she sighed, I will have to make a new one, I hope I will remember the poem the same way again." She looked at the blue sky and shining sun and breath in deeply."Finally some peace. It should take them a few hours to find me!" she smiled sweetly and strolled slowly around, appreciating the roses.

King Thurssa was in his office, when he heard Sienna's screaming and commotion in the garden. "What she did again?", Mehrat sighed.

The king smiled. Life was never boring with Sienna around. He did not even plan any balls for the past few days, because she kept him so busy."Let's check it out."Thurssa went out of the door curiously. Mehrat followed him with a disturbed expression. He liked to live in peace.

The king came down to the gardens. The madame was screaming at the guards."Go after her! Go after her!" The guards just stood there."We don't know the way out."

"What happened?"Mehrat asked. Madame bowed." I came to summon the queen for a meal and she run to the gardens instead. She even said to have a meeting with his majesty."Madame tightened her lips.

The king nodded with a surprised smile."Well, in that case, I can't be late. Where is she?"

"In the rose maze!" the guard sighed. Nobody dared to enter the maze, because everyone got lost in it.

The guard fell to his knees in front of the king." The queen dropped this as she run to the maze," he gave a decorated envelope to Thurssa. Thurssa was intrigued. He sent everyone away and opened the letter. He read the beautiful poem and his heart rejoiced."How interesting. She is lost in the maze for real now. Did she plan it?"He will ask her when he will find her. Thurssa smiled and entered the maze. Only he knew the way into the heart of it and out.

Thurssa folded the letter back into its envelope and started looking for Sienna. He was walking around the bushes in bloom and his heart fell excited like on the hunt for something precious. " It could take hours to find her, if she is moving around as well."He thought she might be deep inside, so he called in an unusually strong voice. "Sienna, stay where you are now and wait for me!"

Sienna heard the king's voice calling loud and panicked a bit. "I'm here, my king."She called faintly. She did not want him to think she tried to run away from him. She decided to do as he said. She knew she was lost and had no chance to get away anyway. Sienna found a nice sunny spot and sat down, with her back to the roses. She stretched her legs and turned her face to the sun. She closed her eyes under its warm rays and sighed in relief with a soft smile on her lips." I need to look beautiful and poetic when the king sees me." she thought.

Sienna's mind wandered and her face enjoyed the sun when suddenly a dark cloud appeared. She opened her eyes and stared at the lace-decorated golden silk jacket. She looked up and the king's dark eyes were staring at her. Sienna put her hand against the sun." My king, you block out the sun!"She smiled. Thurssa looked at her puzzled. He held her letter in his hand. He was not sure what to do.

"I heard you have a meeting with me, "he said to her with curiosity. Sienna nodded her head." Please, sit next to me, my king," she smiled. King looked at her, he was not used to sitting on the grass." Come, I have a special place in the heart of the maze. We can have our meeting there, " he offered her his hand to stand up. Sienna took it and felt her heart in her neck. She looked at him a bit worriedly but went with him smiling, trying to look innocent." I should be safe, till the Sarcos's presents will come. "she thought. Thurssa led her thru a maze to the right middle. It was a spacious circle-shaped clearing, hidden in rose bushes with a little fountain depicting a King leaning on his stick, with seashells under him. Around the fountain were decorated rosy marble benches to sit on.

Thurssa sat Sienna at the wide rim of the fountain. He sat on the bench opposite to her and gave her her letter. Sienna took it and looked at him." It was meant for you my king." she said sweetly. Thurssa nodded. "I will accept it, after you read it to me." he looked at her with his abyss dark eyes. Sienna nodded. She opened the letter and started to sing the longing song gently. Thurssa seemed to drink her every word. Her melody was rocking him like the silver boat on the peaceful ocean. It refreshed him like a warm wind blowing into his face in the cruellest of winters. It made him feel alive.

When Sienna finished she blew at the letter and fold it neatly. "Now the song is yours, my king. "She gave it to him with a soft smile. Thurssa took the letter and caught her hand in his.