“You name… chickens?” the King questions.
“You know, darling, that’s quite a good idea,” Queen Eleonora says to her husband.
The King blinks at his wife. “You want us to name our fowl?”
“No,” she says with a light laugh. “Planting only indigenous species in one of the gardens.”
“It’s a little unorthodox, but you might be on to something there, Astrid,” the King says.
Frederic has been as mute as a decorative throw pillowthis entire meeting until now. “I like the idea, too,” he says. His eyes flick to mine, and I offer him a smile.
Frederic likes one of my ideas? Well. That has to be progress in the right direction.
“Astrid, I’ll be direct with you. You understand what we’re proposing here between you and Frederic?” the King asks.
“A marriage for mutually beneficial political and economic reasons,” I reply, quoting the Prime Minister’s exact words.
“That’s right. What do you think you can offer Ledonia?” King Leonardo asks.
It’s a question I wasn’t expecting. For a moment, I stare at both of them, then decide honesty is the best option. “I suppose I can offermyself.”
The King and Queen exchange a look, but to my surprise, they seem satisfied with my answer.
“I know I’m not dignified in the way Ledonian royalty seems to be, and it’s clear I can spill tea without even trying.” I throw them a sardonic smile. “But I’m a good person, and I care about people. At the risk of making it sound like I’m trying to sell myself to you, I think I might be good for this family.”
The Queen pauses a beat before she replies, “I suspect you’re right.”
“Frederic we are pretty much opposites, I would say,” I add.
Frederic swallows.
“You’re absolutely right, Astrid,” the King says. “You’re very different from our son, and we see that as a positive thing. We’re excited to welcome you to our family.”
He doesn’t look the least bit excited, but I’m beginning to understand this family expresses emotion in a reservedway. They’re quiet, self-contained, controlled, most certainly not demonstrative.
I lift my lips into a smile. “Thank you.”
“In that case,” the Queen leads, shooting her son a meaningful look.
Frederic produces a small black velvet box from his pocket.
Instantly, my pulse quickens. Is that what I think it is? Is this….the moment?
Under the watchful eye of his parents, Frederic clears his throat, drops to one knee in front of me so that he’s wedged against the coffee table, and snaps the ring box open.
Inside is an oval shaped diamond that glows like it’s light itself, framed by a halo of sparkling stones. My eyes are so wide, they’re in fear of falling from my face as I take in the ring. There’s only one word for it: huge. Huge and stunning and sparkly and expensive.
So more than one word, really.
As Frederic shifts, the ring catches the light, virtually blinding me.
He clears his throat, and this time, he speaks. “Princess Astrid of Elkevik, would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”
I don't know quite how I saw this moment going, but in front of his parents immediately after I’ve spilled tea everywhere probably wasn’t it.
But whatever I’d expected or hoped for, this is it: Frederic is proposing to me.
He looks deeply uncomfortable on one knee, with his thigh pressed up against the coffee table, holding the ring box up for me.
