In Love With The Ebony Queen

Dress Code

A few hours later, dinner is almost ready and Dimitri arrives. "Your majesty." he bows to the king. "Dimitri. How are things looking at the school, son?" 

"Everything is on schedule. A little early even. I just want to say thank you again for trusting me with such a big project." The boy bows to the king again. "No need. You clearly have a gift with your hands and your ideas on the layout itself were quite brilliant.

I could use about 30 more like you." The king patted Dimitri on the back. "Oh and please thank your father for me. He did a wonderful job on the rose garden this week. It is looking for lush with each passing day." 

Dimitri bowed his head again. "Yes, sir. I will relay the message." Dimitri looked around but did not see Serena. "Your highness, where is Princess Serena?" he asked. King Alexander huffed. 

"That girl...she has been driving me crazy. I think she is purposely dragging her heels to make me have to wait for my supper." Dimitri smiled at him. "Well I worked straight through lunch. I hope she gets here soon." They both laughed. 

After 10 more minutes, Serena didn't show up. "I will have to get her out of her room myself, I guess. I will be right back." King Alex walks up the grand staircase and down the long corridor to his daughter's room, and knocks on her door. 

"Serena! Serena you are late for dinner. What are you doing in there?" Serena looks up from her book at the clock. "Damn it." she says to herself as she scrambles out of her bed and towards her door to open it. 

"I'm so sorry daddy. I lost track of time. I was reading." Her father looks passed her and sees a book on her bed. "Alright, well hurry up and get dressed for dinner. Dimitri is here already. We will wait for you." 

Serena nods. "No need, daddy. You two go on ahead without me. I will be down soon." She gives him a kiss on the cheek before closing the door. Her father hesitates for a moment, then heads back downstairs. 

"She said she got distracting with a book." King Alex said to young Dimitri. "Well, your highness. She does read a lot of books." The king smiled. "Yes, she is so like her mother. The queen could read for hours on end. Sometimes she had a hard time putting her book down until it was finished." 

A warm smile crept onto the king's face as he thought of his beloved wife. "Well, let's go take our seats. There is no telling how long she will be getting ready. The food may go bad by then." The king and Dimitri laugh as they step into the dining room.

The dining room, like every other room in the castle, was large and extravagant. It had a long, heavy cherry wooden table with a black and white marble top, tall backed chairs and a crystal chandelier. The maroon curtains that covered the very tall windows were drawn back with golden sashes, and there were golden candelabras everywhere. 

They take their seats and wait for their dinner to be served. "So how are your studies going, Dimitri?" Dimitri smiled. "You have been too kind to me your majesty. The extra tutor you have provided for me has helped me a great deal with school. I'm up to straight A's now."

The king beamed. "Well that is wonderful for you. Serena insisted I provide you with the best tutor, and there is none better than her own. You have brought my daughter much joy in befriending her. I'm sure you have noticed over the years that she isn't exactly your average princess."

The king chuckled a little. "May I speak freely, sir?" The king nodded. "You may."

 "She is not what one would expect, but her personality makes her very relatable. I think that is why she is so beloved by everyone in the kingdom. She makes us commoners feel important." 

"Hmm." The king nods. 

"Hi daddy. Sorry I'm late. I started a new book this afternoon and it's really intriguing." Serena entered the dining room and kissed her father on the forehead. "It's alright my dea-" 

The king turned to his daughter and was not happy with what he saw. "Serena, why are you not dressed for dinner?" King Alex stood up and addressed his daughter. Serena sighed. 

Princess Serena was wearing a dark blue jeans and a black t-shirt that, just as before, she had tied up in the back. This time she had her curly hair pulled up into a messy bun.

"Daddy, I thought it was no big deal. It's not like we have guest over." Serena sat down in a chair across from her father, next to Dimitri. King Alex's eyes shifted from Serena to Dimitri. 

"Oh Dimitri doesn't count." She smiled at him before taking the cover off her food and sniffing it. "Mmm smells so good!" Serena tried changing the subject. The king sat back down, glaring at Serena, but not saying a word.

They all ate their dinner in silence until the king finally spoke. "So, what is this whole Dimitri home visit thing about?" The king spoke to Dimitri. The poor boy looked around, completely confused. "The...Dimitri visit home...what are we talking about your majesty?"

The king darted his eyes at his daughter as she sipped her drink, trying not to make eye contact. "Well this afternoon, Serena said that she wanted to visit you at your house for a day. Were you aware of this?"

Dimitri's eyes grew wide. He turned to Serena, who in turned tried to avoid eye contact with him as well. "I guess not. Serena, why do you wish to spend a day in town with Dimitri?" Serena put down her cup and looked between the two. 

"Daddy, I just want to know what it feels like to be normal- just for a day. And who better to do that with than Dimitri? We know him, we trust him. He has been training to be one of your warriors since he was 13 and can protect me if need be so I won't need a guard to tag along. 

Please? Just give me this, just once?" The princess batted her long eyelashes and gave a little pout. The king squinted his eyes. "That only worked when your mother did it." Serena rolled her eyes. "Come on father! I have agreed to let you play matchmaker, now just give me this. Just one day is all I'm asking!"

The king stands and stares between the two kids before speaking. "We will discuss this further tomorrow. I will come see you when I have made a definitive decision on the matter."

The princess huffed. She knew that only meant that he would wait a day before telling her flat out no. She forced a fake smile. "Thank you for considering giving me my freedom for one whole day before I am tied down for the rest of my life." she replied sarcastically.

The king cringed, but said nothing. King Alex grunted, then stood from the dinner and excused himself to retreat to his bedroom. The two kids decided to step outside for a walk in the cool evening air. 

Dimitri looked at Serena, puzzled. "Why would you want to come see where I live anyway?" Dimitri questioned her. "I want a day away from all this. He wants me to meet some princes and noblemen so I can decide who I'm to marry on my 18th birthday."

Dimitri did not like the idea of that. "So you have to pick one to marry in a couple years? That is heavy." Serena nodded. "I just wanted to get one day to be like everyone else before I have to sign my kingdom and my life away to someone else. 

I am really sorry, Dimitri. I know I should have asked you first. I just kind of blurted it out to my father earlier and sort of ran with it. Do you think your father would mind? Do you mind? It would only be for one whole day. Please?"

Serena pleaded with her friend, as she was so ready to get a break from the royal life. Even if it would only be for one day. He smiled at her and she smiled back.

"It would be an honor to host you, my princess." Dimitri bowed to her. "Not funny." she laughed. Dimitri peered at the princess. "I will never understand you. Why would you want to come see where I live when you live when you live in this beautiful place."

The kids took a seat next to each other on a bench in the rose garden by a small pond. "No one but my mother was ever able to understand me." Serena looked down at her feet. 

"Well, whether I will ever understand you or not, you are a great person and a wonderful princess. I think it's great that you like to be out with your subjects." Dimitri said, trying to cheer his friend up. 

"My father doesn't think its great. He is a great king. He takes care of our kingdom. But he thinks everyone who isn't of royal blood is beneath us. He wasn't always like that though. My mother treated everyone as an equal. 

She died when I was young, but I remember doing charity events with her. That's why I like doing them so much. It reminds me of my mother. Everyone loved her so much." Dimitri nodded.

"I met her once. She was so nice to me and my father. Serena, you are doing well following in her footsteps." Serena smiled at him. "Thanks. I wish my father could see it."

The two kids walked a bit more and chatted before it got very dark. "Well, I suppose I should be heading home now. I will see you tomorrow, okay?" Dimitri gave her a hug. "Goodnight, princess." He gave her a smile, then bowed his head. 

"Goodnight, Dimitri."