A Tale of Two Princesses

Chapter 9 - Amethyst

I was very unsure about this leaving the castle; I had never been outside the castle. I had been picked up from the side of the road as a child where I had been left for dead. I was then brought here and lived under the roof of Derwin, the head gardener of the castle. He had raised me to learn about almost every plant you could think of and how to grow it so that one day, I may take over his place as head gardener. 

I slowly approached the small wooden hut we share, preparing to tell him I would be leaving. I entered the hut nervously and saw him in the kitchen. 

"You are in so soon? Is something wrong, Amethyst?", he asked me, turning to look at me. 

"Um, just something I need to let you know..... I-", I started, but then paused, looking shameful. 

"Amethyst, you can tell me anything, go on.", he said in a calm and soothing voice. He kept looking at me with a questioning look on his face, looking like he was trying to read my mind. 

"I- I will be leaving for a while. With the princesses. But you mustn't tell anybody! You see, we have to save the prince that had come to visit. He- he was supposed to be leaving tomorrow but his- his kingdom was under attack so he snuck off by himself to save it!", I exclaimed, beginning to cry. "I-I'm sorry... I know you are old and need the help in the gardens but I must go on this journey I must!". He came up to me and held me in his arms. I just stood there, sobbing with my head nestled into his chest.  "I- I love him...."

"Oh dear, the things we do for love.", he said. "I had been in love with someone once; a very beautiful woman. She was the prettiest person I had ever seen.", he said, tears forming in his eyes. "She had been in a town not far from here and worked in a kitchen where she'd feed the travelers. Oh my, how her food tasted.", he now let go of me to look at me as he kept talking. "I had been in the royal guard and we had stopped there on our way to where the war was happening when I met her in that kitchen. After the war, I went back to find her except it seemed as if nobody knew where she was. I never had fallen in love again.", he said, choking back tears.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!", I said, not prepared for that ending. 

"I want you to go. Live your life and have the chance to fall in love.", he said, smiling at me.

"You'd really let me?".

"Of course, darling. And don't worry, I won't tell.", he replied, wiping the tears from my cheeks. 

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!", I exclaimed, hugging him tightly.

"I'll ready you three some horses, best ones in the stable.", he said, turning towards the door.  

"You don't have to, Derwin."

"But I will", he was now walking out the door. I ran into my room and changed quickly into a purple tunic I had and some khaki traveler's pants. I took my stick and satchel and walked out of the hut toward the castle. 

The first time leaving the castle grounds. The first time living life outside of rules. The first time to be free.

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