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A long time ago in a land far away, there lived a king and queen who took on the responsibility of raising their son’s daughter as a princess. Their son had left shortly after his wife had given birth to their daughter, leaving both his wife and his parents responsible for her. His daughter was raised as a princess, which the young woman didn’t seem to care much for. She was constantly sent up to her quarters for sneaking out and engaging in behavior that wasn’t fitting for a princess. Eventually, they hired a knight to watch her and make sure she stayed put and out of trouble.
The knight they had hired had snuck into knighthood at a young age as she was a woman. Her village had been torn apart and killed by an opposing village. While she and her mother had escaped, her mother was unfortunately killed by an elk while they hunted for food. Anna had survived on her own for a spell before killing a knight and stealing his armor. She had then blended in with the other knights and learned combat and the knight’s code of honor, slowly becoming a very formidable, strong and courageous knight. As her skills became sharper, the king and queen decided to have her be their granddaughter’s designated protector.
As the princess grew older, her mother fell ill and while the princess was being raised by the king and queen, she still knew who her birth mother was and spent most of her days in her mother’s chamber. She did not care for the fancy balls her grandparents set up in an attempt to find her a suitor. Her mother was her only priority. The knight could tell the princess was different. Between having zero interest in suitors, the princess’s devotion to her mother, and enjoying hearing how Anna’s training was going to even sneaking out of her chambers to watch her knight train and joust. She was very much different than from what Anna was told and trained to protect. The burly knight wouldn’t dare say it aloud, but the princess’s uniqueness captivated her. She wondered if a commoner who had been lucky enough to make it as a knight would ever be able to do more than protect the fiery haired princess.
The princess found herself growing fond of her knight over the years. She was formidable in combat, and Meg often snuck down to watch the burly woman joust or train. Regardless of if Anna was training with swords (although most times she preferred a battle axe) or jousting, she never lost. When she followed the princess around the castle and spoke with her, she was very gentle and attentive and the princess soon felt the feelings she knew she was supposed to have for her suitors for her knight. She was strong and gruff, but the princess also saw a side of her that no one else seemed to see or have access to, and her devotion to the princess made Meg melt on the inside. The princess kept this to herself, along with finding her knight wildly attractive. She wondered if her knight ever took note of her interest.
One summer evening, the king and queen held yet another ball, hoping their granddaughter would find a suitor rather than dwell in her ailing mother’s chambers. The princess danced with a few suitors, not feeling anything nor wanting any of their advances. She longed to dance with her knight instead of these other people. The princess soon grew bored and excused herself to the refreshment table, trying to keep up a cordial attitude for the nobles who approached her. Her eyes lit up as she spotted Anna outside the ballroom leaning against one of the stone pillars. Her knight wasn’t wearing much armor, she noticed. Instead, she had on a linen shirt with a midnight blue surcoat over it. She wore leather gauntlets on her large forearms, and a leather belt that held a small axe. Meg felt her face warm up. Her watchful knight who was always on guard and intensely devoted to her. Anna glanced her way and offered a subtle nod before her gaze returned to the outside.
Again, the princess wondered if her knight longed for her as much as she longed for her knight. She never fancied any of the suitors and felt the safest only when her knight was around. She wondered if her knight knew how desperately she wanted to be whisked off into the night, to share smiles and secret kisses in the courtyard gardens and gaze at the moon together. To get away from the king and queen who just wanted to marry her off.
The knight sighed as she leaned back against the stone pillar. Her princess looked stunning, her voluminous fiery hair fell in wavy tresses down her back and she had a single braid that wrapped around to the back of her head. She also wore a delicate floral tiara made of gold laden with pearls and small white flowers carved from opals and her gown was forest green with gold trim and gold patterns under her breasts and along her abdomen. Just a quick glance at her and the knight felt the world stop. Anna was soon filled with angst and jealousy. She was not fortunate enough to be born a noble and yet she ached for a moonlit waltz with the princess.
Meg returns to her throne where she awkwardly sits, letting out a somber sigh and then a yawn, receiving a swift swat on her arm from the queen and a sharp whisper to act more ladylike.
“I’m bored and don’t care for any of the suitors,” the princess groans. The queen sighs. What trouble her son caused her and her husband, leaving his ailing wife and their stubborn daughter while he went off galavanting somewhere else.
Almost as if on cue, the knight approaches.
“My dearest princess, it is getting quite late, shall I escort you back to your chambers?,” she extends a large hand to the princess who is all too eager to grab it and hoist herself up to leave the grand ballroom.
The summer night is warm and quiet, the moon’s light illuminating their walk back to the castle.
“Thank you, for rescuing me from that awful ball,” the princess exclaims as they leave the ballroom. “May we walk through the courtyard gardens before we return to my quarters?” Meg inquires. “It’s such a nice evening out, it would be nice to look at the moon and stars for a bit before heading back to that dreary tower.”
Anna complies as she can’t do much else and there isn’t any imminent danger on the castle grounds. The courtyard gardens are full of roses, honeysuckle, night blooming jasmine, camelias and hydrangeas amongst silversheen bushes that reflect the moonlight beautifully. The red haired princess leads them both over to a small gazebo surrounded by camelia bushes. There’s night blooming jasmine and wisteria vines that drape down it, giving it a more private and intimate feeling and the scent surrounding it is divine. Anna looks at the younger woman and attempts to maintain her composure. The moon illuminates her skin and reflects the gold on her gown. Anna exhales as she sees the small, delicate sprays of freckles on the princess’s exposed shoulders. Like small constellations. She finds her face growing warm as the words she’s been wanting to say all night begin to tumble out of her mouth.
“My princess, I am but a lowly guard but …,” she pauses as the princess stares up at her with big, pleading, soft sky blue eyes. “May I be your last dance of the night?” She is taken aback as the princess throws herself into her large arms. Anna takes Meg’s hand in hers and securely holds her waist as the two begin a slow waltz. The burly woman looks down at her princess as a soft smile begins to play upon her lips over the princess’s reaction.
“My dearest knight, I have wanted nothing more than this all night,” the princess sighs as she rests her head against her knight’s shoulder. She then looks up into Anna’s soft brown eyes before leaning her head up to plant a kiss on her lips. Surprised, her knight returns the kiss, her secure grip on the princess’s waist becoming even more secure and firm. The two continue their waltz, enjoying the sweetness of the night and the silence before the princess makes another request.
“My dearest knight, my mother is on her deathbed and I do not want to be passed off to any of these nobles. Run away with me?” the princess’s sparkling blue eyes look up into her knight’s brown eyes, pleading. Her knight exhales and presses a soft kiss to her forehead.
“Of course. Anything for you, my sweet princess,” the knight complies as she holds her beloved princess even closer.