If There Was Love For Me

5 - Outside The Palace

The heat hat gone down and gifted the girls with mild summer days, that allowed all sort of play inside and outside. They played every game, sang every song and shared every secret, and near the end of summer there seemed to be nothing to do. To combat that problem the princess decided to take her Maids in Waiting out to the marked to look for fabrics and ribbons. 

Maria had been to the marked before, but never had the streets been cleared for her. Gwenewith and Francesca took the lead, with Lillian being dragged along by them, which left Charlotte and Maria to follow them.

"It is to bad," said Maria, as they were looking at an especially beautiful fabric. "I didn't have the time to ask my mother for money, I would love to have a dress made of this." At this Charlotte looked at her funny.

"You know that we are not paying, right?"

"What do you mean?"

"We are here with the princess. If you like something, you hand it to one of the guards, and they will handle the finances. And you really should get that fabric, it would bring out your eyes so wonderfully." And with that, Charlotte gestured to one of the guards to get the fabric, before pulling Maria further along.

"Oh, I feel bad to spent money that is not my own." Maria was talking more to herself than to anybody else, but that of course didn't stop Charlotte from hearing.

"Do you really mean it, Maria? Are you really just here to entertain the princess and get nothing in return?" 

"If I am honest, I feel I already have more reward than I could ever deserve. I am woken by servants, I eat the most expensive food and I spent my days idling away with kind friends. I didn't know there could be anything more to want in life."

"Oh don't act more naive than you are. You know you can always rise higher."

"But why would I want to? I have everything I want."

"I must say, I have misjudged you, dear Maria. When I heard your story I, we all assumed you were a social climber, set on getting as close to the top as possible. Not that there would be anything wrong with it, there is rarely a person in court that doesn't have their heart set on a higher reward. But hearing you talk now I do believe, that you are really satisfied with your situation here."

"I am," said Maria. "And I was never a person wanting for power. My mother has spoiled me with everything I wanted, so I never felt the need to."

"It must be a nice little world you live in. My mother has been planing my future since before I was born. I couldn't even decide what I wanted to eat, everything was managed for me. So being here, with the princess, far away from home, is kind of important to me."

"It must be horrible, not to be close with your mother. She and I had to spent a lot of time getting to know each other once I came to the palace, but she has never been anything of supportive of me, no matter what I wanted."

"She seems like a really nice person. It makes me think-"

They stopped, because the princess had stopped. 

"What are you two talking about behind our backs? I hope you are not gossiping about us, or we will be very hurt."

"You know that even behind your back we can only talk about how beautiful your behind looks," explained Charlotte, before being hit by a playful slap from the princess.

"Oh shush, don't be obscene, at least not in public. Or at least not now, because I have a great Idea to propose."

"Well don't let us wait! Tell us!" Charlotte jumped with glee, making her golden hair shimmer in the sun.

"So now I have your attention. Well Francesca and I thought about how Maria has barely any connections and that is hardly fair on her. What would be a better way to combat that problem then throwing her a ball, so she can be properly introduced to the royal world?"

"That really is an amazing idea Gwinewith! Why didn't we think of it sooner?" Before Maria could react she was hugged by Charlotte and Gwinewith.

"What do you say, Maria? Are you just overwhelmed by excitement like we are?" asked Francesca.

"If I am honest, I don't care much for connections. I have spent many years avoiding balls by pretending to be sick or to have a headache."

"Well that's all right. You can show up once to be presented and to wear a pretty dress, and then you can go and hide in our rooms. Just pleas let me keep this excuse to throw a ball, I can't stand spending all my days doing nothing and nothing again. A ball is at least half important." Now the princess was the only one standing directly in front Maria, taking her by the hands and looking her in the eyes.

"How could I ever say no to you?"