In the Year of Our Lord, 1684

Ruudania appeared to be of the same economic stature as her own country, so her style of living would not be affected, although money and riches mattered little to her. It was always her family who insisted she wear a new gown to every ball when another dress she had worn before would have done just as well. It was her mother who insisted she wear heavy, gaudy necklaces when a simple strand of pearls would have sufficed. Although it was a convenience for her, Ingrid still resisted help being dressed in the morning and undressed in the evening by one of the servants.

Seated on a cushion and looking out the window of her room, it was her only time of the day where she was completely alone and able to sort out all of the thoughts going through her head before she was to be dressed and sent down for breakfast. She enjoyed this time the most and tried to take advantage of it. She had gone to bed and wakened every day with thoughts of Gregor in her head. She wondered what he was like and wished to know him better, if it was agreeable to him. She wondered what impression her portrait made upon him and wished to know his thoughts. Sometimes, she would go down to the great room and look at his portrait where it had been carefully stored. She liked his features more and more.

A soft knock upon the door broke her from her thoughts as the young servant girl came in to help her bathe and get dressed. Once that was completed, Ingrid went down to breakfast with her family. She was greeted warmly by her parents, but virtually ignored by her younger sister.

"How are you this morning, my dear?" her mother asked as she offered her cheek to her, which Ingrid kissed lightly.

"I am wonderful. It is a lovely day, is it not?" Ingrid replied, her eyes shining.

"Grand," her father agreed.

They busied themselves with their breakfast of fruit, cream and bread, talking amongst themselves as Maria merely picked at her plate. The meal was pleasant as they discussed their plans for the day. Her father planned to go hunting in the forest region while her mother had sewing to do. Maria had no particular plans and Ingrid only wanted to walk in the gardens and take in the beauty of the day.

Presently, there was a knock at the large, oak door. Wilhelm turned and saw Gerhardt, his courier at the door.

"Dispatches for you, Your Highness."

"Come," the king beckoned.

Gerhardt moved forward and handed several envelopes to his king.

"Thank you. You may go."

The courier bowed and removed himself from the room.

Wilhelm placed the letters on the table next to his plate and left them there until he was finished with his meal. Once he was ready, he opened the first two and read them. Whatever was in the second letter pleased him as he laughed aloud. When he picked up the third letter, he studied it with care, his great brown eyes narrowing for a few moments before he looked at his eldest daughter thoughtfully.

"It is addressed to you, my dear. It has the seal of Ruudania stamped upon it." Although he had the right and duty to open the letter himself and read the contents, Wilhelm was not a cruel father, especially in matters of the heart concerning his daughters. Instead, he handed the envelope to Ingrid.

Ingrid's heart leapt with joy and her hands shook as she received the parchment. Carefully, she unsealed the envelope and pulled the note from it. Unfolding it slowly, she began to read its contents. Her parents watched with interest as Ingrid's eyes poured over the neat, simple script of the writer. Maria showed no interest one way or the other.

Ingrid smiled and her eyes shown once she completed reading it. Folding it again, she placed it in the envelope and sighed.

"Well?" her mother asked impatiently.

"He wants for me to write him. He liked my portrait and he wants me to write him," she gushed. "He wrote perfectly in our language, too. He sounds so very nice. I should write him at once!"

She got up quickly from her chair and turned before stopping in her tracks. Looking back at her parents, she asked demurely, "May I be excused?"

"Of course, you may," her father answered.

Ingrid hurried swiftly to her room, shutting her door behind her. Sitting at her writing table, excitement swelled her heart as she pulled the note from the envelope and re-read its contents. She smiled when she came to the conclusion. Pulling out a piece of parchment, Ingrid set about writing back to Gregor.

27 March 1684

My Dearest Prince Gregor,

I pray this letter finds you healthy and happy. I was more than pleased to receive your note dated 20 March. Your skill in our language far exceeds my knowledge of Ruudanian, but I feel with skilled tutoring, perhaps I may become proficient in your language as well.

You are very kind and not too forward at all to find my likeness pleasing. You flatter me, sir, for you are considerate with your words and that is endearing to me.

You asked my likes and dislikes and I will do my best to describe myself. I am a lover of music, art, and nature. I am glad to find you do not imbibe to excess, for I loathe a drunken man with no concern for anyone or anything besides the spirits. A wise man keeps his wits about him at all times for one never knows when he may need them at the worst possible moment. I, too, am simple in my taste in the luxuries of life and prefer to live as simply as possible. My father loses no sleep over my expenses! In fact, I am chided for my lack of spending.

Your sense of humor is refreshing and I enjoy a good story as well as anyone. My education is extensive and I am learned in many subjects. My tongue is not sharp, yet I am not weak in my views of the world. I do not hesitate to share my opinion when it is wanted and I understand when it is not.

I pray this small definition of myself is useful to you, my dear sir. I should like to continue to correspond with you if this pleases you. A visit to Ruudania in the future would be most pleasing and I would look forward to such an endeavor. With a heavy heart, I will end this note, but know I look forward to your reply.

Yours, Ingrid

III.

And so, Gregor and Ingrid exchanged correspondence over the next few months and with each letter received, they discovered a little more about the other. The only person more pleased than Aleksander with the developing relationship was Gregor, who wished nothing more than to meet Ingrid and said so in his letter to her dated 27 May, 1684. Now, a week and a half later, he waited anxiously for her reply as he paced the floor of his room that early June morning.

Other pressing issues preyed upon Gregor's mind as his thoughts were also with his father, who complained about a stomach ailment which had not been relieved with medication from his doctor.

"Oh, the pain is not there that much," he said to try and assure his son, but Gregor was still skeptical.

He saw his father's step was not as lively as just a few months before and the sparkle in his eye had diminished. Yet, he looked no worse for wear that morning at breakfast and he had eaten his normal amount without complaint.

Gregor's thoughts, however, often turned to their conversation just a few months prior when his father scared him with his rhetoric concerning his life and the time he felt he had left. The thought of his father's eventual death sent shivers through Gregor, not only because they had become so much closer over the last year, but the fact Gregor was the heir and all the country would be dependent upon him should his father pass. That responsibility sometimes overwhelmed him and he wondered if perhaps his father felt the same way before he ascended the throne.

His father and all of the advisors had taught him well and many a time, his father would have him sit with him during his meetings with his cabinet. Sometimes, they would ask him his opinion about different governmental matters and Gregor would answer to the best of his ability. Most of the time, his thoughts were met with approval, while sometimes, his father would explain how he would handle the circumstance and point out why Gregor's reasoning could possibly be wrong. Gregor understood the reproach and continued to make mental notes. The advisors understood the delicate balance between teaching the future king, pointing out mistakes, and still basically being his servant. They, for the most part, left the reproaching to Aleksander.

Just as he was to go to the library for another session with his father, Tschaikov brought him the letter he had long awaited. Opening it with steady hands, he read:

1 June 1684

My Dearest Gregor,

Your gracious invitation is accepted and I scarcely can wait to meet you. My heart leapt with joy upon its arrival, as it does with all of your sweet letters. I, too, feel we have a unique bond already and I pray this meeting will become a new beginning for us. As per your request, mother and I will depart 7 June and should arrive on the 10th.

I am sorry to hear of your father's health problems. Perhaps a trip to the sea would be of use to him. I have heard the sea air is quite refreshing this time of year. I know you are worried about him, dear Gregor, but I feel in my heart all will be for the best.

My sister's wedding is the 27th of next month and she is becoming impossible. Her demands are frivolous and child-like and it is difficult to believe she is sixteen and almost married when she acts as if she is five. She is actually begrudging me the opportunity of meeting you because of the closeness of her wedding. I suspect, however, it is because I am finding happiness and she is not receiving all of mother and father's attention. Her fiancé, Phillippe, is a saint and I pity him the life he is about to live with her. I despise myself for being ill-tongued towards her, but she is trying me to my limits!

I am sorry to be babbling on so. It was not my intention. Know that you have already made me so very happy and I anxiously await our meeting. It will be an honour and a privilege to meet your father and sisters and I look forward to seeing the beautiful countryside of Ruudania. Your descriptions of it make it appear breathtakingly charming.

Until the 10th, my dear Gregor, be safe and may God be with you and your family.

Yours, Ingrid

Gregor folded the letter neatly and placed it in his journal, where he kept all of her letters. With a new found bounce in his step, Gregor hurried to the library.

IV.

On the morning of the 10th, Gregor woke much earlier than normal and wondered to himself how he was able to sleep at all. He contemplated asking his father's physician for a sleep medication, but he had drank one of his concoctions before and it had not agreed with him.

Now fully awake, he looked to the north and sighed. She would be there that day and he was happy. He did not know when she would arrive, but he suspected it would be around noon or somewhat soon thereafter. Scouts would be placed along the shoreline of the Mandes and he would be notified when her ship came into sight. A small feast would be prepared in her honor for he knew they would be famished upon their arrival.

He was nervous, as one would suspect upon perhaps meeting his future bride for the first time, and he had asked his father many times over about his parents' first meeting. Aleksander tried to put his mind at ease, telling him everything would be perfectly fine, but he understood his son's trepidation. It was notthatlong ago when he waited impatiently on the shore of the Mandes.

Future bride. That thought ran over and over again through Gregor's mind. It scared and exhilarated him at the same time. Fears of her finding him distasteful and unappealing crept into his brain, although he thought that possibility remote. Her letters had become increasingly affectionate and he felt they knew each other quite well already. As Ingrid had confessed in a recent note, Gregor, too, had gazed upon her portrait many times over the past few months and it pleased him. He had begun to feel the stirs of love within his heart, yet he could not express that to her. Not yet.

Once dressed, Gregor put off breakfast in order to give his great black steed, Storm, a workout around the grounds. Together, they rode to the Mandes where Gregor envisioned her ship slowly making its way through the crisp, clear, blue water. He imagined Ingrid stepping off and walking down the ramp towards him, her flaming red hair lightly dancing on her shoulder and her face lighting up upon seeing him....

Storm snorted and pawed at the ground in front of them, breaking Gregor's thoughts and sending the vision away. Perturbed with his four legged friend for perhaps the first time ever, Gregor nudged his side and they made their way home.

Meanwhile, a small ship navigated the calm, open waters of the Dark Sea. The name did not befit the tranquil sea, and never had, for this body of water was seemingly serene and beautiful all of the time. They were but two hours away from their destination and for that, Ingrid could not be more thankful. As one who did not take well to sailing, Ingrid's stomach was in constant turmoil from the rocking, as well as her nerves. Twice, she had deposited the contents of her stomach into a basin against her express wishes, but that had been hours before and her stomach was somewhat settled now. Afraid to eat anything for fear of vomiting once more, Ingrid refused breakfast and hoped Gregor would be kind enough to have a meal prepared for her upon her arrival.

She checked herself in a mirror more than once and appeared presentable with no telltale signs of her upheavals. When she learned they were but an hour away, her heart gave a start and thousands of butterflies began to dance in her empty stomach. They had navigated the mouth of the Mandes and Ingrid looked out to see rolling fields, blooming flowers, and majestic trees all along the shore. More than once, farmers and field hands stopped their work to watch the vessel pass. Personal vessels were rare on this river, mostly storing ships and the like, so they assumed and assumed correctly that an important person was coming for a visit.

Ingrid's visit was not common knowledge and only the household and a few of Aleksander's advisors knew of her arrival. The staff and servants were sworn to secrecy with the knowledge that swift and severe punishment would befall them should news of her visit be leaked. It mattered not that Ingrid was coming for a visit, but it would matter should she not become Gregor's wife. No one wanted her visit to be automatically construed into believing she was to be the future queen. A more formal visit would be celebrated upon their engagement, should that happen.

Ingrid fell in love with the land from the moment she set eyes upon it. It reminded her so much of her own homeland and she knew it would be an easy adjustment for her. The next hour dragged interminably as a large forest bordered the river, showing nothing but rows and rows of large pines. Soon, though, Ingrid felt the ship's movements slow and she heard shouts of orders from the captain to the crew. Looking out her window, she saw a long dock leading to a clearing where a dozen or so soldiers stood guard around a tall figure astride a coal black horse.

It was he! It was Gregor! She found it hard to breathe as she continued to stare at the handsome man peering at the ship. Her mother came to her side and looked also.

"He is very handsome," her mother said, holding the curtain to the side.

"Oh, yes he is!" Ingrid replied, clutching her handkerchief to her breast.

"Come," her mother said pulling her away from the window, "we must look presentable for him." With that, she began to fuss about Ingrid's hair and dress.

Gregor waited impatiently as the ship came to a stop, dropped anchor, and began to prepare to disembark the passengers. Storm noticed his master's nervousness and became a bit restless himself. Gregor patted his neck affectionately, all the while watching for Ingrid to appear.

When he first caught sight of her, Gregor certainly thought his heart would stop beating. Dressed in an emerald green gown and with her fire red hair swept upward in a delicate tangle of curls, Ingrid was everything he had imagined and more. He could see her light blue eyes from this distance and they were beautiful as well.

When they were within one hundred feet from the shore, Gregor dismounted and handed the reins to one of the soldiers. Another soldier handed him a large bouquet of wild flowers, which he entrusted into the crook of his left arm. Trying to shake off his nerves, Gregor strode quickly to the dock and waited for his future bride.

And in his mind, she was to be his bride. From the moment he laid eyes upon her face, he knew she was the one whom he would marry. He knew that in his heart.

Ingrid's heart was pounding and she was sure her dress could not conceal its beat outside her chest. She watched as Gregor dismounted and strode forward, his face smiling and eyes dancing. He was but a few yards away and she felt as if she might swoon.

She now stood before him smiling shyly, demurely, her eyes flashing across his face and taking in his chiseled features. Ingrid curtsied to Gregor and he bowed. He then stepped forward until they were but a few feet apart. Ingrid held out her hand and Gregor kissed it lightly, holding it but a brief second before letting it go.

"Your portrait did not do you justice, my dear. Your artist should be dismissed for he did not capture your true beauty," Gregor said in a low voice in her language. Ingrid smiled and blushed. "I am so glad you came." He then extended the large bouquet to her. "These are for you, my dear, flowers from my garden."

Ingrid received them and sniffed them lightly. They were very fragrant and she was pleased with his thoughtfulness. "You are too kind, my lord."

"Please, my dear, call me Gregor."

"And I am Ingrid."

Gregor laughed, "Yes, you are. You are indeed!"

Introductions were made to Ingrid's mother, Helga, and other members of their party. Soon, they were led to a nearby carriage where they road the thirteen miles to Gregor's home. Ingrid and her mother sat on one side of the coach while Gregor occupied the other.

"Was your trip pleasant, I do pray?" Gregor inquired.

Ingrid glanced at her mother. "Quite pleasant, thank you," she replied. "Your country is quite beautiful as you described. It reminds me of Kesse very much."

"I am glad it pleases you."

Ingrid looked into his gray eyes and saw nothing but happiness staring back at her. A lot could be told by looking into a man's eyes, she knew. The countryside may have been beautiful, but it was he who had her attention the most. He looked so handsome in his dark blue and gold jacket that she had difficulty taking her eyes away from him.

They arrived at the castle in a short period of time and within minutes, formal introductions were made to King Aleksander and Gregor's sisters. Ingrid and her mother curtsied deep and low to show their reverence to him and Aleksander, in turn, solemnly kissed their hands.

"You are most welcome in my country and in my home," he said pleasantly. Gregor translated for them.

With a simple nod from Gregor, the staff went into action taking the women's luggage to their rooms and bringing in the feast for their arrival. Although Ingrid and her mother would have preferred a warm bath and a nap before dining, they thanked their host for his hospitality before being seated.

Seated at the head of the long table in the formal dining room, Aleksander raised his goblet in the direction of Ingrid and her mother.

"To our honored guests. May you have a grand time this week. Enjoy your stay."

With that, everyone touched glasses and the dinner began. Gregor was seated across from Ingrid and they conversed throughout the meal, although it was difficult because of the width of the table. With her mother warily watching him, Gregor made eye contact with Ingrid many times without speaking. Through the flickering flames of the candlelight, he was already getting lost in those blue eyes and was not ashamed to admit such. Her delicate features fascinated him and he longed to hold her in his arms, to touch her skin. Of course, that was pure folly in his mind for he knew her mother would not let Ingrid out of her sight.