The forsaken Princess

7. The Gardener

Viola had been wandering around the gardens the entire day, even taking a nap in one of the fields. A maid had brought her her meals but Viola was too entranced by the flowers to eat. The sky had turned shades of orange and red when Viola noticed a young Gardner tending to one of the flower beds.

Viola got up from the cold stone of the fountain and made her way over to him. He must've only just gotten there, which seemed odd to Viola since she'd not seen anyone besides the maids in the gardens.

The dark-haired man which must've been around Viola's age was very concentrated on ripping out certain flowers in one of the flowerbeds.

Viola looked over his shoulder before quietly asking, "What are you doing?"

Picking another flower and adding it to the pile in his hand the man began explaining, "I'm just getting rid of some of these annoying weeds," he looked over his shoulder only now seeing the crown on her head, making him hurry into a stance. "I, I apologize I didn't you it was you, your highness," he said bowing clumsily.

Viola smiled at him politely, "Don't worry about it. Please continue, I didn't mean to interrupt your work."

The man nodded and went back to searching for weeds. "How come you're only working now? I haven't seen you here all day?"

The Gardner had to use both of his hands to dig out the roots of a bigger weed, while answering, "I had to help out some of the other servants which is why I can only work on the garden a little bit today."

He sighed looking around the large fields and flowerbeds, "Although there is a lot of work to be done."

Before Viola could continue her questions she heard footsteps coming her way. One of the royal knights informed her that the King wanted her to come back to the chamber.

Viola looked around seeing the king standing in an elevated open hallway looking straight at her while talking to a guard. Viola complied and followed the knight waving goodbye at the gardener.

As King Archer watched Viola follow his knight from far away he said to the guard, "I want you to find out if that gardener was already working here before I overtook the throne. I want everyone checked that the Queen talks to."

"Yes, your highness," the knight nodded making his armor clank as he walked off.

Moments later Viola had just shut the door to the chamber and made her way over to the fireplace when the door was slammed open so roughly it sounded like the door would fall out of its hinges.

Viola looked at the king who seemed to be in a particularly horrible mood without saying anything.

Just as harshly as he'd opened it he slammed the door back shut.

The Queen ignored his odd behavior and decided to speak to him anyway, "What happened to Amelie?" Instead of answering he shot Viola a harsh glare so she mumbled on. "The maid that was here yesterday... You said that she wasn't punished but I haven't seen her-"

"She's fine."

The King began untying his robe.

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"Christ, Viola why do you even care? It's not like you cared about her back when you were a princess."

Viola shuffled from one foot to the other, making her dress sway. She could not tell the King that Amelie was one of the only maids that helped her out back when she was a slave.

Watching Viola think the King went on to interrupt her thoughts, "You even decided to finally give in and marry me in return for her treatment."

The Kings already dark orbed grew three shades darker saying, "Although I'm pretty sure that you just had enough of working as a slave since you practically came to beg at my door." He practically scanned her in disgust.