Start With: The ship’s sail…
The ship’s sail was a bright pink in honor of the new baby girl the queen had just birthed. Of course, no one expected the king’s brothers to come over seas from their own kingdoms with a vivid magenta sail. If they ran into any pirates on their journey, the people of the kingdom were sure they were not only laughed at, but probably assumed to be an easy target. Yet, the king’s seven brothers seemed to be all on board and all in one piece.
When the ship came to shore, all the citizens crowded the docks. The king’s guards trotted down on their horses ordering a clear path to be made so the kings of their allying kingdoms could make it off their ship and up to the castle without being bombarded by the entire population of the kingdom.
Well, not the entire population.
“The king’s brothers are here! We must hurry!” an older woman shouted at her daughter, who stood in the doorway of their small wooden house.
“I can see just fine from here, thank you.” The daughter responded with a dry tone.
“Don’t be absurd, Wendy!” her mother growled. “This is an important day for the king, for the entire kingdom. A new princess has been born!”
“You mean the fifth princess has been born,” Wendy corrected, “and there are also three princes in the mix, as well.”
“There’s going to be a great feast tonight with music and dancing and…” the old woman’s voice trailed off as she frowned.
“Boys?” Wendy finished the sentence with a smirk.
“Oh, never mind.” Wendy’s mother shook her head waving her hand. She turned around and ran down the cobblestone pathway to the docks as fast as her short, stubby legs were able to carry her.
Wendy chuckled to herself as she watched her mother shrink in the distance. She stood on her tip-toes trying to get a better look at who was coming off of the ship, but even though she said she could see fine, she really couldn’t. Her house was too far away from the shore, but she was able to hear just fine.
A guard from the king’s castle was announcing each king off the ship, a round of applause following each name. Wendy stood still to hear every name being called.
King Jonathan of Bermington, where Wendy lived, was the eldest of eight brothers; each one of his brothers having their own kingdom across the vast sea. Each and every one of them married a princess to become king; King Jonathan was the only one who inherited his own kingdom as he was the first male in line.
“And lastly, King Harold of Merryport with his queen, Queen Anita!”
Wendy stood taller when she heard the guard announcing King Harold. She held her breath as she gazed upon the tall, blonde king in his red and purple robes, the colors of Merryport. His arm was linked with his wife’s, Queen Anita. She was beautiful; long, flowing brown hair with sparkling emerald eyes. Her curves showed through her purple dress as she smiled and waved to all the citizens of Bermington. King Harold dipped his head in greeting to people he passed showing off his pearly white teeth.
Wendy looked down at herself and straightened out her dull, gray skirt, hay from the horses and dust clinging on tight. She was no one but a peasant of Bermington while King Harold belonged to another kingdom and had a queen of his own. They hadn’t seen each other since King Jonathan’s last child.
Both King Harold and Wendy knew it was wrong, but when their eyes met at such a great distance, they both froze for a moment and the crowd seemed to disappear. King Harold smiled with his lips pressed tightly together and dipped his head before winking to Wendy. Wendy pulled out her skirt and bowed her head in return with a smile.
Neither Wendy nor King Harold knew how long he was staying for this time, but maybe there was a way they could pick up where they left off.
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