Chapter Text
I still remembered the day when I was still a little kid. My brother was still a baby back then. I was all alone in the garden of my house and suddenly I saw a little boy in about my age standing in the garden. He is not supposed to be there, after all that garden is a private garden owns by my family inside the castle. I believe he is not supposed to be there unless somebody lets him to get inside. Because of it I decided to walk away from him and hiding somewhere in the garden. But he found me at last.
“Who are you? You’re not supposed to be here!” I ask and says as I see the boy is smiling at me.
“I’m sorry… I think I am lost.” He says with a sheepish smile. I frown at him, he really should never go to this place.
“You haven’t answered your name.” I say as I look at him closely. He seems like he is not an ordinary person anyway.
“My name is Christian,” He says with a smile. “And you are?” He asks. He seems friendly anyway, I decide to tell him my name.
“Astrid…” I say softly. The boy is smiling widely at me.
“Oh, so you’re the princess! Pardon me, I am just visiting, and I’m lost… Can you tell me where is the way out?” He asks politely. I nod at him.
“Sure…” I nod. I don’t want him in this place anyway, so I bring him out to my father where we found out our fathers are having a meeting anyway. I don’t really know who he is, but I never saw him since then.
Astrid wakes up from her sleep. She gets that dream again, the dream of her childhood when she met a stranger in her private garden. She doesn’t know who he is, but she doesn’t really care of who that man is. The only thing that bothers her that she gets that dream for a few days already. But she tries to not think about that anyway. She quickly gets up to start her day. She has things to do today after all.
She is just about to finish getting dressed for today until suddenly her brother is peeking from the door of her room. Astrid blinks and let him to come inside.
“What is it, Eric?” Astrid asks. She still stays in her place as her maid had not finished to dress her up.
“Mom is calling for you, I have to go bye.” Eric says but he doesn’t come inside. Instead he is going away from his sister’s room after that.
“Oh, okay.” Astrid nods. She let her maids doing her hair before she walks outside to meet her mother.
***
Astrid finally arrives in front of the room she had been using with her mother to talk about things. She knocks the door though she is a little hesitant to do it. But her mother quickly answered her knocks.
“Come in, Astrid.” Her mother says. Astrid come inside the room and walk to take a seat on the sofa near her mother.
“What is it, mother?” Astrid asks as she is looking at her mother. She has a feeling her mother is going to talk about something that she doesn’t want to hear. She knows her mom had planned something for her.
“So, Astrid… as you know that you’re going to turns 18 soon… have you think about what I said few days ago?” Her mother asks as she is looking at her daughter with a gentle look.
“About the betrothal? Well… mom… I don’t want to get married that soon.” Astrid sighs. She thinks that getting married now is a bad idea.
“Astrid… your father is sick, and your mother is not young anymore, also your brother is still too young… at least let me give you a promising future for you.” Her mother sighs. She just wants the best for Astrid.
“That’s the point of not getting married isn’t it? I can be a good leader, mother… I promise. I will be a regent for my brother.” Astrid bites her own lips. She really doesn’t want to get married that young, especially to a stranger.
“Your father doesn’t want that… It’s a hard responsibility for you. Also, I promise you it’s not a stranger at all… you know him, and he is a crown prince.” Her mother is moving closer to her now. She grabs Astrid’s hand gently.
“Then why would he wanted me to get married to a neighborhood crown prince or something if ruling my own people is too much for me?” Astrid frowns.
“To strengthen our tie with them, of course. Please think about that, Astrid.” Her mother sighs. She still not gives up.
“Well fine. If that means no more war… please give me a time to think about it. My birthday is still in a month anyway.” Astrid sighs. She doesn’t want to make her mother upset.
“Alright, that’s better.” Her mother smiles at her.
“Also, I want to know about him… mother said earlier that he is not a stranger for me…” Astrid frowns.
“Oh well, maybe you don’t really remember it, but you’ve met him when you’re younger.” Her mother smiles.
“Oh well, must be when I was very young. Well then, mother… I guess I’ll think about it, if you let me know more about him or talk to him…” Astrid nods softly.
“I can arrange that.” Her mother nods at her too now.
“So, is that all?” Astrid asks.
“Yes, you may leave.” Her mother nods again. Astrid gets up from her seat after that.
“One more think… you can talk about this to your cousin Gustav and his fiancée anyway, they will come to visit.” Her mother smiles at her now.
“Okay, mother. I take my leave then now.” Astrid nods. She is happy that at least her cousin can help her to figure things out. After all they are pretty close and unfortunately her cousin had gone though what she is going through now, getting betrothed to someone they didn’t know yet. Astrid leaves the room after that, she has things to be taken care beside her forced betrothal anyway.