"Princess Rose" by Mary Aris

There was a time, long ago, when England was quite young, in the Kingdom of Carlisle,
lived an old king and his queen. They were a very happy couple indeed and their
subjects loved them. The queen was a lovely woman, but was getting on in years and
the king worried if there was ever going to be an heir to the royal throne. The couple did
their best to conceal their sadness. The palace was filled with music and there were weekly
tournaments with prizes and monthly banquets with minstrels, musicians, and pantomimes.
The castle was filled with music, laughter and merry-making.


On the Eve of the queen’s fortieth birthday a Royal Gala Ball was organized by the king.
The Great Hall with its majestic dance floor and elegant fireplace was scrubbed clean and
decorated with gold curtains and festive tapestry. The tables were set with fine gold and
silver china and silver cutlery. Bouquets of roses and daisies served as centrepieces and the
crystal chandelier in the midst of the hall was bedecked with garlands of greenery and golden
bows. Servants hurried to and fro with platters of roast beef, roasted suckling pigs with red
shiny apples in their mouths; Platters of pheasants accompanied by dishes of gravy and
relishes, and all sorts of seafood platters imaginable. The Great Hall was set to honour the
queen on this her fortieth birthday. On the morning of her birthday the queen’s ladies- in -
waiting drew her bath with rose petals, champagne and white orchid- scented bubble bath.


The musicians arrived at half-past five O’clock and assembled their instruments on the far
right side of the Great Hall. The guests arrived by half Six and the king and queen made their
entrance as the danced their first dance of the Evening as the Trumpeters announced their
arrival. The servants ,with their trays of oysters and caviar and champagne, went around the
Great Hall serving the hungry guests who were congregating in groups around the reception
hall, while the dance floor shimmered with the soft shadows of the chandelier as the king and
queen danced and twirled accompanied by other couples of the gentry. The Palace was alive
with music and dancing. After dinner the queen was presented with a large birthday cake
adorned with roses and carnations. On top of the great cake was a fountain with champagne
cascading down in rivulets collected by the base of the fountain. ‘Happy Birthday, Your
Highness!’ all her subjects wished her. The queen looked down upon her cake, but a tear
formed in her eye in spite of this happy moment, and she could not contain herself.


On this special Evening the queen couldn't contain her sadness any longer, so in the midst of
her Majesty's birthday banquet, she ran from her throne and went to the moonlit garden. There she
kneeled by the Gilded Pond and wept bitterly. Her tears made small ripples on the pond's golden
surface.


You can get "Princess Rose" available for Kindle here, as well as Mary's other books.