The Unlikely Queens

7

Dear Dahlia,

We are in love. I cannot believe it. I have never loved anyone before. I think the gods were guarding my heart for this one true love. Even as I write to you, I am overwhelmed with it. With the next letter I will send a gift, a token of my love. I will try to find one that is worthy of your good heart and incredible beauty. I hope I have not scared you with my displays of affection, but I can not hold them in. I want to see you again. I am very busy for the next few days, but on Friday we should forgo the letters and meet in person. Tell me in tomorrow's letter if that is alright. I have missed you beyond words. I'm sorry to keep the letter so short today, but I have meetings to attend and I am ennobling my nephew, Prince Hanisi. I hope you are well and happy. I certainly am, thanks to you.

Yours until my last breath,

Mohtali

~

I recite the letter in my head as Charles and I stroll leisurely along the dirt road beside the woods. I quickly scanned it in my room before Charles and I left, throwing out an excuse that I needed to change my dress. I put on a cream colored gown and my navy blue cloak before quickly stashing the letter under my mattress.

"My Lord," I say, breaking our peaceful silence. "How is life at court? It must be exciting being so close to the king. I heard your father is one of his closest advisors."

"It has its moments," He smiles. "It is not exciting all the time. Keeping the king happy is no small task. Please, Dahlia, call me Charles."

"I should not be too familiar." I shake my head.

"If you wish," He is amused at my modesty. "Have you ever been to court?"

"Never. My father goes every year to give thanks to His Majesty and pay his taxes. King Vincent's father gave us this land after my father designed an addition to Perlsea Palace years before I was born. He prefers to go alone and he's only there for a few days, anyway. He is afraid the young men there would steal my virtue."

Charles laughs. He throws his head back as if I said the most hilarious thing in the world.

"My Lord?" I question.

"I'm sorry, Dahlia, but that is simply not possible. I can't imagine you letting any young man talk you into sacrificing your virtue for a few minutes of pleasure."

I laugh too, "Thank you. You make it sound so worthless."

"With the men at court, it would be. They see a beautiful woman such as yourself and make promises, only to put her aside for the next beautiful woman. They are shameful. I do not look forward to returning next week."

"I am glad you are not like those men." I hear myself say, a soft smile tugging on my lips. 

Charles returns my expression, his eyes twinkling. I quickly look away. I am flirting with this man when not just ten minutes ago, I had Mohtali's love letter in my pocket. Who I have grown to love like no other. I have to stop this. I cannot let him leave here today believing there is any chance of a betrothal. 

"Has anyone at court caught your eye, My Lord? If you don't mind me asking." 

"No. They are perfectly nice, but I have not met anyone special yet."

I nod and force myself to relax my tense muscles. Maybe we can be friends after all. 

We chat and walk for thirty more minutes before Charles has to return home. 

"May we walk tomorrow?" He asks me as he unties his horse from the hitching post behind my house. 

"If you would like, My Lord." 

I know I would, but I am asking you." He grins, mounting his horse. 

"Yes, that would be nice." 

"Wonderful. I am busy in the afternoon, so may I come in the morning?"

I agree, but as Charles rides away, I feel that I am betraying Mohtali. I do not want to get ahead of myself, so I can only hope that we will be friends. But it still feels like a secret and that I am entertaining the chance of falling in love with another man. I have to face the fact that it could happen. Powerful and noble men like Charles Keckley do not have the time to take walks in the country with an architect's daughter. We are well off, but I am not of his class. He does not seem obsessed with titles, but he is going out of his way to spend time with me when he has no reason to. 

I sigh deeply and tilt my head up toward the sky to feel the warmth of the September sun. I turn to go inside to write a letter for Mohtali.