Adele's Stories

My dress swished around my ankles as I walked barefoot through the garden. Grandmother didn’t like it when I did this, but she was away on a visit to my uncle, Count Drigger, and would never know. It was a lovely walk, with the sun shining on my face and a breeze playing with my hair. The flowers were even lovelier this year, a credit to our gardener.  

It didn’t take long before I grew hungry. I let out a sigh and headed back towards the castle. I poked my head in through the kitchen door and looked around. No one seemed to pay me any attention so I slipped inside and snuck a meat filled roll from the bowl on the island. I giggled as I snuck my way and out the kitchen and took off down the hall, stuffing the roll into my mouth. 

I finished off the roll by the time I made it to the stairs and as I began to head up I froze halfway towards the top. My lady’s maid, Dahlia, stood at the top with her hands on her hips and was giving me that look. That ‘your grandmother would not approve’ look. I almost took a step back. 

“Where are your shoes?” She asked. 

“In my room.” I answered innocently. She raised her brow and said nothing. “You won’t tell grandmother will you?” I threw away all pretense and rushed up the rest of the stairs, my face pleading. Dahlia stared hard at me a moment before sighing and relaxing her stance. 

“You know I never would, Maira. No come. You must get ready.” She turned and headed down the hall and I was forced to follow. 

“Get ready for what?” 

“You are expecting company.” she told me over her shoulder. 

“I am? Why did no one tell me.” I quickened my pace to catch up with her. She hesitated a second before answering. 

“It… was a last minute arrangement.” I pondered her words silently for a moment. What wasn’t she telling me? 

“Well, who is it?” 

She hesitated again. “I was instructed not to tell you.” 

“Instructed by whom?” She did not answer. I sighed in frustration. 

Dahlia helped me to put on my nicest dress. She always said the emerald green was a flattering color on me. And the gems sewed into the skirt and the hem of the sleeves always glittered beautifully in the sun. 

The fact that Dahlia was dressing me in the gown I only reserved for very special occasions made me very suspicious. But I knew questioning her would get me nowhere. After the dress was on, Dahlia did my hair up in a very elegant bun, with loose curls framing my face. Why was she dressing me up like I was going to a ball? 

Or welcoming a suitor. The thought turned my stomach. Ever since I turned sixteen two years ago Grandmother had been arranging for suitor after suitor and I had been rejecting suitor after suitor. She always made me dress my best when welcoming them to the castle. I thought her being away would have given me a break, at least for a little while. But Grandmother was nothing if not pushy. And crafty. 

I held back a sigh as Dahlia led me to the solar where I would be meeting this mysterious guest. She stopped in front of the door and turned around to face me. Her lips were pursed and she gave me a strange look that I didn’t understand. 

“Is everything alright? Aren’t we going to go in?” Dahlia let out a long sigh. 

“It’s best if you go in alone. Now, no one else knows he’s here. And I think it’s probably for the best if it stays that way. And I’m sure you’ll think so too.” 

I furrowed my brow in utter confusion. “I don’t understand.” Dahlia’s face softened into a look of sympathy. Why was she giving me sympathy? 

“You will once you go in there. Wait till I’ve gone around the corner before going in.” I could only nod as she walked away. Once she had disappeared from sight I threw open the solar doors and strolled in. 

And there he stood. The only man I had ever given my heart too and the only man who had broken it. He stood with his back to me, looking out the window, but I would recognize him anywhere. I thought I’d never see him again. I knew I should be angry with him, but I couldn’t help being excited that he was finally here again. 

He turned around and his bright blue eyes gazed into mine. We stood silent for what felt like forever, just staring at each other. He took two steps toward me, a lock of his black curly hair falling over his face. 

“Maira.” His voice was so soft and so full of something I was too afraid to name that all the animosity I might have had towards him flew out the window and I had to bite back tears. 

“Jameson.” his name came out breathier than I intended. “What are you doing here? I thought you left.” I managed to regain my composure.

 Jameson had been one of my father’s best guards. After he passed away when I was just sixteen, Jameson was assigned once to escort me when I went to visit Uncle Driggor for the funeral. I had thought it was love at first sight. We got to know each other well on that short trip and then courted in secret for the next year. It wasn’t long before I knew he was the man I wanted to marry. I guess he never felt the same way because it wasn’t long after I finally told my grandmother about us that he disappeared without saying goodbye. My heart was shattered. 

Jameson’s face fell and he finally looked away. “I never wanted to leave you.” It was almost a whisper. I hated how much I wanted to believe him. I stood silent waiting for him to go on. Wishing for him to go on, wishing that he would explain so I could forgive him. The bible calls us to forgive those who wronged us. And I prayed every day that God would bring him back to me. Because no matter how much he hurt me my heart still longed for him. But I couldn’t let him know that. Not until I knew the truth. 

“I loved you so much Maira. I love you so much.” he turned to me again and the look in eyes nearly made my legs buckle. “I was planning on asking you to marry me. But then your grandmother… your grandmother convinced me that I wasn’t good enough for you. That I was just a lowly knight and could never be anything more. And I believed her. So I left. But I couldn’t even go one day without realizing that I could never live without you. So I bided my time and waited for the best opportunity to come back to you. I’m sorry it took so long. I never meant for it to take so long. But I knew I had to wait till your grandmother was gone and you were alone. And I prayed everyday for you. For your safety and health. And I prayed that you still loved me even after everything I did to you.” 

Jameson’s gaze had me trapped and my heart melted with every word. I knew there might be a chance he was lying. But I didn’t care. I didn’t care because he still held my heart and I knew there would never be anyone else I could ever give it to. Jameson took my hand and knelt on one knee. 

“So here I am. I came back for you and I swear I will never leave you again. I know I am just a lowly knight who is unworthy of your love. But if you will give me your hand in marriage, I promise I will work harder than I’ve ever worked for anything to become worthy of you. Can you ever forgive me?” 

I couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. “Jameson. You were never just a lowly knight. When you left you took my heart with you. It is yours and it always will be. I love you Jameson. And I will love you until the day I die. Yes, I forgive you and yes I will marry you.”  Jameson’s face lit up so bright he could outshine the sun. I laughed as he swept me off my feet and spun me around. The tears poured freely now but they were happy tears. Jameson wiped them away with his thumb and kissed my forehead. 

“Don’t cry my love. I’m here now. And I’m not going anywhere.” I buried my face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. 

“What is this?!” The exclamation came from behind me. I pulled away from Jameson and spun around but he pulled me close to his side, his arm around my waist. To my complete and utter horror, grandmother was standing there behind us, her mouth agape. 

Jameson stood up straight and looked grandmother dead in the eye with so much confidence my heart nearly stopped. “Maira and I are betrothed. And there’s nothing you can say to get me to leave her.” 

Grandmother’s face transformed. I had never seen so much anger in anyone. “We’ll see.” her voice was so menacing a shiver of fear ran down my back. “Guards!” 

A host of guards filed into the room. Jameson tightened his grip and my side and I clutched his shirt. Grandmother pointed her finger at Jameson. “Take him to the dungeon. He is to be executed for treason against Princess Maira.” 

I barely hear myself scream as the guards rip up apart. I reach for Jameson as he is taken away. I watch him struggle and fight against the guards trying to get to me. But there were just too many of them. I couldn’t help but break into sobs as he disappeared. 

“Take the princess to her room and lock her in. For her own protection of course.” There was a look of menace in grandmother’s eyes that I didn’t recognize. She had never acted this way before. What was she doing? 

I screamed and fought against the guards dragging me away, their hands digging into my arms. “You can’t kill him! You can’t kill him!” I kept yelling at grandmother who pretended not to hear me as she followed closely behind. The guards threw me into my room and I collapsed onto the floor. I turned to grandmother and clasped my hands pleadingly. 

“Please. Please you can’t kill him. I love him. I will never recover if he dies.” I begged. Grandmother gave me a condescending look. 

“Yes you will. He was not good enough for you and soon enough you will realize that. Once he and that traitorous servant of yours are gone I can finally start introducing you to more suitable suitors.” Dahlia. She was going to kill Dahlia for helping Jameson come to see me. 

“If you kill them I will never forgive you. You will lose me forever.” Grandmother gave no response as she closed the doors behind her. Sobs wracked my body as I sent my pleas heavenwards. “Oh God. I know that you are a merciful God. I know that you would never let two innocent people die. Save them oh Lord of Hosts. Send down your angels to rescue us.” I continued to pray as I cried until my tears dried up. 

I knew I couldn’t just sit here doing nothing. I rushed to the window, hoping for another way out. But unfortunately the window was too small for me to fit through. Suddenly a shout came from the hall. Yelling and the clanging of swords followed. I pressed myself up against the wall fearing the worst. 

Suddenly the noises stopped. The doors to my room burst open and Jameson came running in. My heart stopped. His clothes were torn and he was bruised and bleeding in too many places to count, but he was alive. And he was standing right before me. 

I rushed into his arms and he pulled me tight against him. “I promised you I would never leave you again.” he whispered into my hair. Fresh tears poured anew. Thank you lord. Thank you for keeping him safe and bringing him back to me. 

“Dahlia.” I finally managed to stop my crying and pull slightly away from him, but he still held on tight. 

“She’s safe. I made sure of that.” I sighed in relief and leaned my head against his chest. He held me tight and we stood there soaking in each other’s presence and enjoying finally being together. “Now we will marry.” He kissed my head and I looked up at him giving him my best smile. He returned my smile. 

“But what about my grandmother?” The thought made my face fall. Jameson continued to smile and brushed my hair off my face. 

“Don’t worry. After she saw the way I fought for you I don’t think she’ll try stopping us again. And besides. You’re the heir to the throne. Who is she to stop you from doing anything?” I beamed and hugged him again. 

“Thank you Jesus.”