Be My Princess

Kat gave a last stroke of pencil then held up her sketchbook to take an overall look at her work. From that spot in the garden, the palace really stood magnificent in an enchanting decor.

After she had met with the queen, Kat had envisioned spending the rest of the day resting in her room. But once in her bedroom, she had stood at the balcony to let herself impregnated with the peaceful atmosphere of the place. There, the beauty of the garden deploying before her eye had quickly stirred her artistic spirit. Giving into the urge to capture that beauty, she had grabbed her drawing case and managed to get out of the West Wing unnoticed because she did not want the maids to accompany her. She had never liked to work in the presence spectators who could constantly want to take a peek.

The rainy season was heading towards its end; the weather was less and less hot but was not yet cool. Hence, Kat still needed to put on a straw hat with large brim and find a shady spot from which she would have the best view of the garden. However, after roaming and scanning through the garden for a while, the view of the palace from a certain spot had caught her eye so strong that she had decided to draw it first.

Satisfied with her work, Kat closed her sketchbook, packed up her drawing materials and headed back to the West Wing. On her way through the garden, Kat spotted an elderly white woman tending to the roses a few meters ahead. Despite her advanced age, the woman was still harbouring so beautiful traits that Kat concluded that the woman must have been a real beauty in her youth.

The whole scene was both intriguing and endearing; though the woman was dressed modestly, her mannerism exuded a surprising level of dignity. And the love she had for flowers could be read both in her eyes and in the gentle way she was treating them. Her face seemed a bit familiar to Kat but she couldn't make out where she could have met her.

"Is she the gardener? She can't be the one taking care of this entire garden, still! Maybe she is the one supervising the maintenance of the garden…"

"Wajinganyi, Changadim."

Caught up in her thoughts, Kat hadn't realised that she had already gotten next to the woman.

"Oh! Mwanyi mwa vude, Ma'am. I'm sorry, my mind was elsewhere."

Isabella's thin almond eyes looked at the young woman with amusement. Apparently the young maiden did not recognise her. "I've never seen you here before; are you a new maid?" Isabella asked.

"I am indeed new here; but no, I am not a new maid." Kat answered. "Actually, I am here to meet with the two princes." She explained more as the old woman kept looking at her.

"Meet the two princes? Why?"

"Marriage. I am the granddaughter of the late Commander of the Royal Guard."

"Ah! Kalaal Isaac Tshikut?" Isabella said, feigning to be just learning about the matter.

"Yes. The late king and my grandfather had taken an oath to marry their descendants; hence, here I am! But since I didn't want to give an answer right away, I now have to interact with the princes first, over a period of three months." Kat explained.

"I see…"

At that moment, Kat remembered that the matter was requested to be kept secret at a certain level. Was the old woman's ignorance of the matter due to the fact that she was among the people to be kept in the dark?

"I don't know if I was supposed to tell you this, so please keep it a secret. I don't want you to lose your position because of me." Kat pleaded.

"My position?" Isabella asked, intrigued.

"You are the supervisor of the team that works at the maintenance of the garden, right?" Kat risked.

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well, you really seem to like flowers a lot, so I thought you might be a gardener. But you also seem too dignified to be a mere gardener; plus, I can't image the royal family making a woman of your age work the garden. Hence, I supposed you must be the woman that supervises the work of the gardeners; but you still tend to the flowers from time to time because you like it."

Isabella's thin lips stretched in a brighter smile. She could understand why the young maiden had left such a good impression on the queen; she was a true delight.

"Well, I promise to keep this a secret." She finally said. "But, if I am permitted to ask, how do you feel about this whole experience?"

Kat inhaled and exhaled heavily before answering.

"Sincerely, I am a bit afraid; and also sad…"

Isabella removed the basket full of the roses she had collected that was resting on a stool and invited Kat to sit next to her. Kat smiled in gratitude as she sat down.

"I am afraid because I don't know whether the princes will really be true to themselves before me or just try to be what they think I will like them to be because they only see this marriage in the light of duty fulfilment. And I'm sad because it is my first time away from my family for a long period, and I already miss them… as well as our quiet, simple life."

Isabella looked at the young woman with empathy and said: "There is this saying that I really like: 'Yesterday is history, tomorrow is mystery, but today is a gift'; that's why it is called Present… How about you try to treat this turn your life has taken as a gift from God through a new experience rather than a dire period filled with uncertainties, and away from your loved ones?"

Kat mulled over the old woman's words then smiled. It was truly amazing how God could set up for a simple encounter to become an opportunity for her to receive help in the most unexpected way. Indeed, instead of fixating of what she was to face or was being deprived of for the next three months, she should take time to also appreciate everything she could gain from the experience. Living with the royal family of Ruund could certainly be counted as a blessing.

"Thank you for your wise advice, Ma'am; I'll keep it at heart." Kat replied with a bright smile before she stood up. "I will be leaving you, now. I hope we will meet again."

Isabella removed her gardening gloves, put them in the basket with her pruning shears, and stretched her hand towards Kat.

"Help me up, I'll go back with you."

As Kat help her stand up, Isabella caught sight of the drawing case and pointed at it.

"I see you like to draw."

"Oh, more than like!" Kat exclaimed with enthusiasm. "I actually did art school and specialise in Sketch Art. And I have to admit that this place always gets artistic spirit peaking."

"Oh, can I see?" Isabella asked with excitement.

"Of course!"

Kat took out her sketchbook and presented it to the elderly woman. Arm on arm, the two women walked back to the palace together, while Kat flipped through the pages. Isabella praised one drawing after the other and marvelled even more at Kat's capture of the palace.

"I am so used to the sight of the palace that if feels like I'm seeing it for the first time again through your eyes." She commented. "It throws me back to the day I first arrived at the palace…" She added in a nostalgic tone.

Kat looked at the elderly woman with intrigue. There was definitely something to the dignified old lady that made the young woman feel that she might be more than what she had been thinking of her so far.

As they approached the entrance of the palace, Kat saw the queen coming out, closely followed by a beautiful woman she recognised immediately and a young man who resembled the crown prince a bit. When the trio spotted them, the obvious concern on their face left place for relief.

Kat, slightly taken aback by their expressions, hesitated before answering: "I didn't feel like resting, so I came out to do some sketching…"

Three pairs of eyes fell on her sketchbook that was still opened on the last page.

"I did not tell the maids because I like to be alone when I work. I am sorry for making everyone worry because of me. I didn't know…"

"Oh, will the three of you please quit your serious expressions!" Isabella intervened. "You are scaring this poor child."

Kat gave a stunned look to the old woman still arm on arm with her. How could she dare to talk to the queen in that tone?

"What are you doing? You're going to get yourself in trouble!" Kat whispered in Isabella's ear.

"I am sorry, Maaku." Queen Sophie replied. "We were just worried because the maids had no idea where Changadim Kat had disappeared to."

"MAAKU!!!"

Kat's jaw dropped and her eyes widened as she took a closer look at the elderly woman smiling at her. Now she realised why the old woman seemed familiar. She had actually seen her face in history books – only with less wrinkles; and she had occasionally seen recent pictures of the royal family while leafing through magazines. How did she not recognise her?

She quickly removed her arm and curtseyed. "N'a Rwej[1]! I am sorry I confused you for a… I…"

Isabella was now laughing heartily. "Don't worry about that, Kat; I really enjoyed our 'secret' conversation." She said in a complicity tone. "It sure feels refreshing to be treated like a simple commoner."

Kat smiled awkwardly when Isabella looked back at the trio.

"Why are you looking for her?"

"Oh, nothing much." Lady Josephine answered. "We just wanted to meet the young maiden."

Kat looked at the royal consort and curtseyed. "Lady Josephine, it is a pleasure to meet you."

Every eyes turned towards the young woman with curiosity.

"You know who I am?" Josephine asked.

"Yes. You are very popular back in Congo." Kat explained.

But she regretted her words immediately after speaking. Lady Josephine might not actually be flattered after knowing the type of fame she had in Congo.

"Really?" Josephine replied with interest. "How so?"

"Well…" Kat scratched her nape. "The truth is that you have been voted most beautiful woman in Central Africa many years in a row now. So you are most Congolese young men's fantasy woman…" She explained with embarrassment.

Lady Josephine smiled. "I see…"

"I must say, you look even more beautiful in reality than in your pictures." Kat added.

Josephine looked at her son. "I like her." Then she looked back at Kat. "Changadim Kat, this is my son, Prince Francis."

As Kat curtseyed, Francis came closer, grabbed Kat's hand to kiss it then looked intensely in her eyes.

"Such a pleasure to finally meet you, Changadim Kat." He said while flashing his most charming smile.

Kat couldn't stop her lips from curling up. At close range, she realised that the two princes looked a lot alike; the difference was that Prince Francis had a slightly darker skin tone, more of an oval face with hooded eyes, a less sonorous voice, and a way more charming attitude.

"I look forward to spending time with you tomorrow." Francis added.

"As do I." Kat replied.

Proud of her son's performance, Lady Josephine smiled and shot a flaunting gaze at Queen Sophie. The queen met the royal consort's gaze and lifted her chin in a way of saying that her own son and she were up for the challenge; even though she did not feel that much confident deep down.

⁂

Kat had just emerged from the bathtub. The relaxing bath the maids had prepared for her had worked wonders on her nerves. She donned the nightwear that had been set on the bed for her and appreciated the silk touch on her smooth skin. While she was busy tying the robe, a sudden energetic knock that startled her resounded at the door.

As soon as she opened the door, Angel took determined steps forwards, making her step backwards until the bedpost cut off her retreat.

"Prince Angel?!" Kat exclaimed.

The crown prince stood centimetres away from her, silently outfacing her with a sombre expression. At first taken aback by the crown prince's brusque entrance, Kat quickly regained her composure, irritated by his lack of manners.

"Please, come in."

Angel's expression darkened all the more at Kat's sarcastic comment; but he still did not speak.

"Are you ever going to talk to me?" Kat asked, in an attempt to make him react.

Angel took a step back and sneered. "You should feel honoured that the royal family of Ruund has graced you by asking for your hand in marriage. But instead of humbly accepting, you chose to drag us into this useless masquerade!" He finally said.

"Wow! It was better when you didn't speak…" Kat muttered in Swahili.

"I beg you pardon?"

"This 'masquerade', as you so nonchalantly call it, is something I requested out of consideration for you, Crown Prince Angel." Kat replied calmly.

Angel raised an eyebrow. "Consideration for me?" He then chuckled. "Woman, I will have you know that fulfilling my grandfather's promise is a duty of utmost importance to me. I don't have the slightest difficulty accomplishing it; ergo, I'm in no need of your consideration."

"Woman?!"

Kat heavily breathed in and out to calm herself down.

"Don't misunderstand me, Your Highness. My consideration was by no means with regards to your ability to fulfil your duty." She started with a cold tone. "When I first met you in front of my home, I did not believe it was really you. I only realised it when Nswann-Mulap Chang visited us four days later. And when he told us the motive of his visit, my to-go answer was 'no' because you did not leave me with the best impression of you.

However, my mother suggested that, before I give my answer, I should try and not look at this as me being forced to marry a total stranger, but an opportunity to get to know someone. That, and thinking that I might have judged you too fast, is the reason why I made this request."

Angel's lips arched in a disdainful rictus. "I've seen it all now! A commoner who think the crown prince is not good enough for her… Aren't you thinking too high of yourself?"

Kat's hands balled into fists. She lifted her chin and fenced with the prince's gaze.

"And why should I think low of myself?" She retorted. "Because I don't hold a title, I'm worth nothing?"

Her voice was starting to pitch higher because of anger, so she paused to try and calm herself down again.

"I think you should be the one not to think too high of yourself, Crown Prince." She continued in a calmer tone. "Holding a royal title doesn't automatically make you the best man in the whole world; and certainly not marriage material.

You must have been taught that marriage is a duty; that being betrothed by your 25th birthday then getting married is a duty; knowing your wife and producing an heir to the throne, a duty; and respecting and being faithful to your wife, also a duty. But I have learnt that marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman; about giving yourself to the other; about becoming one in love. And that cannot be achieved with a person I don't kn…"

Kat stopped, intrigued by the weird way Angel was now staring at her; more precisely… at her mouth.

"Why are you looking at me like this?" She asked.

Angel seemed to snap out of a daze and looked back at her eyes. He then cleared his throat, visibly embarrassed, and turned around to leave the room. Looking at his back, Kat couldn't repress her need to bruise his pride just a bit.

"It's only twelve dates anyway; you don't even have to really interact with me. I don't mind if you just see it as a duty you have to accomplish; I'll just make do with Prince Francis."

Angel stopped at the door and looked back at her angrily.

"I know that at least he is very much looking forward to getting to interact with me." She added with a triumphant smile.

Angel's upper lip twitched. Now his anger towards being forced to interact with that young commoner over twelve weeks was being surpassed by his anger towards the veracity of her last comment.

But with nothing to say, Angel could only storm out of the bedroom and slam the door behind him in frustration.

[1] Queen Mother. Originally the title given to the uRuund emperor's mother.