𝐌𝐲 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐞𝐧 | 𝐙𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚

the city of flowers and love

Clarines, was the most beautiful city I've ever seen. It's beauty was too indescribable in words. The streets flooded with people, flowery scent occupied the homes, men and women shopping at the market around the inn, there were many shops which sold, ornaments, food, bread, jewelry, weapons and flowers and perfumes. Far deep within the city was the Wistal Castle.

It's huge walls guarding the inside view from the localities, large wooden bridges made to cross the river which separated the land of local area and the castle for the safety purposes. Not only wad it insanely beautiful but also ingeniously designed by builders. Every wall was carefully designed from any threat from outside each one guarded by gatekeepers so that no enemy could enter inside the palace.

On my way to the inn, I'd noticed the liveliness of the city people, they were all happy and a look of satisfaction as they roam around the market. Rose was sitting on the horse with me, as we finally arrived to the destination. I picked her up and brought her to her feets as I unloaded my luggage, not that I had any other than one bag.

The inn's manager greeted me, one of them already taking grace to the shed house behind the building, I pulled out two silver coins from the brown pouch, the old man sitting at the reception seat showed gave me the bill and I turned back to see rose playfully touch the violet flowers rested in the vase near the lavish sofa. She pulled her head back to look at me when I called her name, following me like a lost puppy. I opened the door for the room, untying my hairband and sighed to see rose just waddling around the room.

She was curious about everything, even the lamp and tried to touch the glass which was hot and could’ve gotten burned if I hadn’t stopped her. I was happy to see her childish behaviour return but more concerned how I’ll be able to take care of a child until I find her parents. It was a totally new experience for me.

“Now then, you shall bath first before we get dinner. Tomorrow, we’ll go see a medic.” Her eyes brightened, her feets rushing and jumping in excitement. I was surprised to see her eagerness to take a bath, normally children hate bathing but maybe she must be excited for dinner, after all we’re both very hungry.

The public bath was prepared with jasmine scented soaps and water warm enough to lighten the tension in my muscles, I held rose against me, as I stepped into it one step at a time to check the water depth. If it was too deep, she won’t be able to stand on her feets.

However, it was just 3 feets deep, so I released my grip around her shoulders and let her body slowly float in the water. She leapt out of grasp and happily flapped her hands around her, trying to hold the water but it always leaves from her palm, she pouted at that.

I leaned my body to rest against the stones which surrounded the bath, and watch her continuously try to grab the bubbles of soap in her hands but they popped in her hands and she looked disappointed. I peered over to see a bunch of flowers were sitting near white towels. An idea striking into my mind, I half-smiled and scooted closer to reach my fingers to grab some of the them.

I whistled to grab the little girl’s attention, her blue eyes widening at the flowers which I had dropped into the water. Like a bird, her hands picked at the flowers and she was overjoyed that they didn’t leave her hand and started collecting all the floating petals. I didn’t know what the flower was called but it clearly matched the colour of her eyes, bright blue.

I closed my eyes shut for a second, enjoying the feeling  of the water sooth the ache of my lower muscles, cleaning the dirt off of my body and calming my nerves after such a rough journey from Lanborungh. It was the border city of the Auravedun kingdom. There lived a friend of mine but her house was all cleaned, meaning she had fled the city just before the palace guards could throw her behind the bars.

She was an editor for a newspaper, her newest article was of criticism of the lord of her village who conquered the lands of poor farmers, tortured those who wouldn’t cooperate with their selfish demands, dragged children away from their parents to work in the castle as servants for life. It was not only the situation of Lanborungh but the whole Auravedun kingdom.

The life of the folks was miserable and filled with terror, the only way to survive there was to obediently follow the orders of royals or their lives would become even more worse. The nobles and aristocrats had stones for hearts, I knew it better than anyone after all I was the knight there for a whole year.

I felt a small hand touch my belly and I looked down to see rose peering up to me with a bright smile, her hands full of the flowers. However, she sneezed and the flowers rested in her hands fell into the water again. I laughed at her reaction as she desperately weaved her hands through the clear water to search for them but couldn’t find themShe puckered her lips and squinted her eyes at me, I was still laughing at her when several droplets of water hit my face. I immediately stopped laughing and narrowed my eyes at her, smiling with mischief glittering in her eyes.

“You wanna play a game, huh?” Her eyes widened, pushing her feets to get away from me but the water splashed across her face before she could move. She shook her head, the drenched hair of her now turned a shade of deeper pink, almost like a wild rose. Her sneeze made me immediately take her out of the bathand cover her up the white towel.

“Sit still, okay? I’ll dress you after I get changed.” I quickly dried my body and put on the violet shirt with dark pants paired with belts and a dagger resting around my waist. I quickly dried her hair first after getting changed. She just looked at me with big round eyes as I pulled white shirt of mine and folded it so that her hands could be out.

I pulled a red skirt which I’d bought at one of the shops for her and secured it around her tiny waist wit straps over her shoulders. She stood up and swirled as the fabric floated in the air and her smile returned, hereyes examining her new outfit and by her reaction, she liked it very much.

This city of flowers and love was just as described in the books.