The Garden Party

The next week passed quickly. What with having to read more sensationalist crap every day from the newspapers, and having daily meetings with Leo and Dean about everything going on in the police force, I’d almost forgotten about my date with Luca. I’d barely seen him since our kissing session had come to an abrupt halt. He’d spent most of the week organizing the garden party with Cynder and Jenny. I was glad they were all so busy because it meant I hadn’t had to see Cynder either. There was so much evidence that he was really married that appeared every day in the papers, that I’d given up and taken to not reading them at all. I had too many important things to deal with such as running a kingdom, to worry about my pathetic excuse for a love life.

The weather outside had warmed up considerably, and now spring was in full bloom. The showers that usually fell all April had kept at bay and on the morning of both the date and the garden party, the sun shone down, warming the palace gardens and bathing them in the unseasonable heat. It would make Xavi’s job a little easier. She always hated it when I had to wear boots instead of pretty shoes.

The garden party was a ruse to get the Freedom of Magic into the grounds to have a meeting with them, but to make it work, an actual garden party had been planned for the early afternoon. After that, we would all retire inside and make plans for the future. Once that was over, I was free to go on my date with Luca. It exhausted me just thinking about it.

Jenny knocked on my bedroom door early and presented me with a silver tray with a fully cooked breakfast, a bowl of fruit, and a jug of coffee. There was also a small vase with a beautiful pink flower in it. It was so out of character that I almost thought I’d dreamed it until the smell of the bacon and coffee swirled around me.

“Has someone died?” I quipped, pouring myself a cup of the coffee and swirling a spoon of sugar into it.

“Only the pigs for the bacon and sausages,” she replied back. “Luca asked me to bring you this. He wants you to have a day you’ll remember forever. He asked me what way would you like to be woken the most and I told him you can’t go wrong with bacon when it comes to you.”

I grinned up at her. “You are not wrong,” I replied, spearing a piece and taking a bite.

“I’ll leave you alone, but he told me to tell you to go to Xavi and dress up for the occasion.”

“I was planning to. Whatever I wear for the garden party will have to do for the date tonight. I’ll not have time to change in between.”

“I think Luca expects you to wear something extravagant. He’s got something wonderful planned.”

“He has?” My heart dropped. I’d told Luca to plan something special, but extravagant? I wasn’t sure I was up for too much, especially as I had a busy day to get through first.

“Yes, he has!” Jenny clapped her hands together in glee.

“What exactly has he got planned?” I asked, suddenly feeling worried. Jenny rarely got this excited.

“I can’t say!” She ran her hand across her mouth and pretend zipped it, before leaving my room with a big grin on her face.

Great! Just what I needed, something else to worry about.

Xavi was already waiting for me with her whole team when I arrived at the dressing room. Just as Jenny had been, she was filled with excitement about the coming day.

“I’ve got a garden party today,” I began. “I need something light, just above the ankle maybe, with no heels.” I didn’t want to spend the afternoon on my tip toes for fear of sinking into the lawn.

“No, no, no.”

“Excuse me?”

“You are going to be wearing something special today. I’ve already chosen it.”

She clapped her hands and immediately two of the helpers brought out the longest dress I’d ever seen. Yards and yards of pink material floated behind it like a train. Another helper held out a pair of matching pink shoes.

“I can’t wear that. It will get filthy out in the garden.”

“Luca tells me that a marquee has been erected and flooring has been put down to cover the grass. You’ll be fine, and what’s more, You’ll look stunning.”

I sat in the chair waiting for Alezis to do my hair and feeling blindsided. Why was it that no occasion ever called for me to wear long pants and comfortable shoes? My mind flashed back to the few days I’d been on the run with Cynder where I’d been able to dress as I liked. Our date had been the same. I’d been allowed to be me. I threw the thought away. Thinking of Cynder hurt and I didn’t want to feel anything but focused on the day ahead. What may look to the outside world as a day of fun and frivolity was actually a coordinated political event, and I, for one, couldn’t wait to get the party part over and bring everyone inside for the meeting. Although Leo and Daniel had been keeping me up–to-date with everything that was going on at the police headquarters, it was fair to say that they were getting nowhere finding The Regent, despite hiring the best men and women to join the task force. I tried not to be disappointed, after all, they’d spent the first few days of the week doing interviews and hiring, but I’d hoped that with all the technology they had, they’d be able to come up with something in the past three days. A lead—anything.

Alezis combed my hair up, spending way too long making it into the most complicated updo I’d ever seen. It was going to be a nightmare to take down later that night. He must have used about a hundred pins to keep it in place, not to mention a whole can of hairspray. My make up was surprisingly light, just a touch of pink that matched the airy dress.

At midday exactly, I wandered downstairs to the main doors, holding on to the back of my dress for fear of tripping over it. It was quite the most cumbersome outfit and totally wrong for a meeting with a secret group of fighters. How I wished that I’d scheduled the garden party and the date with Luca on different days. Luca met me by the door, his eyes sparkling although not as much as his suit on which the silver buttons had been polished, so that they shone like stars. He was wearing the uniform of his country, a suit usually only worn on special occasions.

“You look stunning, my dear,” he said, kissing my cheek.

“Don’t you think this is a little too much for a garden party?” I asked, dropping the train at his feet.

“Nonsense. You’ll be the belle of the ball!” He held his arm out, and I took it. I needed it to be able to walk steadily over the garden.

Xavi had been correct when she said that a marquee had been erected. I recognized it as the same one that had been put up on my wedding day to Xavier last year. A whole host of unpleasant memories flooded through me, but I swallowed them down. I was glad to see that the marquee was already full of guests.

“There’s probably more Magi in this tent than in the rest of Silverwood put together,” whispered Luca. I nudged him, not wanting anyone to overhear, but he was probably right. At the far end was a long table with food at one end and champagne glasses at the other. A number of the palace staff were busy putting them on trays and circulating through the crowd.

“Why are we serving alcohol? This is meant to be a serious meeting. I can’t do that if everyone is drunk!”

“I thought it might loosen everyone up. It is a garden party. People expect a drink.”

I sighed. I’d hoped for a quick sandwich and juice each before we could head indoors to deal with the reason these people were really here.

“Is that a band in the corner?” As I said it, the men and women picked up their instruments and began to play. People began to dance, others were drinking. Everyone was happy. It was a complete disaster. I should have paid more attention to what was being planned. Jenny flounced past in her best dress with a purple flower attached at the top.

“Isn’t this magical?” she said, clearly the worse for wear after drinking too much.

“I’m going to call the meeting now before everyone gets too drunk. This is not what this garden party is supposed to be about.”

“It’s fine,” repeated Luca. “Relax, here, have a glass of champagne.” He took a couple of glasses from a passing waiter and handed one to me. “There is plenty of time for the meeting later. Everyone is having such a good time.”

I looked around. Yes, they were having a good time, too much of one. Surprisingly, despite this being billed to the media as a Magi event, barely any of them were wearing purple. Unlike the magi I’d seen on the TV crossing back into the kingdom, who had almost exclusively worn purple, here, the men had elected to wear black, and the women wore ball gowns of every color. I could only assume that Luca and Jenny had added a dress code to the invitations.

I turned to ask Luca, but he was already gone—disappeared into the crowd to talk to someone. Being as I was the supposed host, I decided to follow suit and introduce myself to some people.

I found an elderly couple sitting at the edge of the marquee. As I approached, they both stood and bowed.

“Hello. It’s nice to meet you. I’m so glad you could come today,” I said with my widest smile. “I hope you don’t mind me saying, but I imagined the Freedom of Magic members to be a little younger.”

Ok, it was rude, but true none the less.

“What was that?” The old man cupped his ear. How he was a member of an active fighting group was beyond me.

“I was just saying it’s nice to see you here,” I repeated a little louder. Someone tugged at my arm, pulling me away before I had time to hear his reply.

I spun around, coming face to face with Cynder.

“What is this?” he asked angrily, before pulling me to a quiet end of the marquee.

“You know what this is. You helped organize it.”

Cynder shook his head. “No. Luca told me that you didn’t want me to help, so I left it up to him and Jenny. I’ve spent the week keeping out of your way. Leo and Daniel have been using me at the police headquarters.”

“I know its way over the top, but we can still have the meeting later.”

“How are we going to do that...”

“There you are. I thought I’d lost you.” I turned to find Luca behind me. “I just went to speak to the band. They are playing our song next. Come dance with me.”

Luca took my hand and led me away from a very angry-looking Cynder.

“Our song?” I asked as the band began to play.

“It’s one we danced to at the ball. Please tell me you remember?”

I listened to the unfamiliar music and murmured uncommittedly. Most of the music sounded the same to me.

“Why did you not let Cynder help with this? He’s annoyed that it’s become a ball rather than a meeting. I can’t say I blame him.”

“Look, the guy is married. He’s made the pair of us look fools. I think it’s time we sent him home.”

“We can’t send him home. Not yet. I’m supposed to pick someone next month.”

“So? You picked early last year. Just do the same again. Tomorrow when they do the interview about our date, you can tell them then. I doubt anyone would blame you after all the lies.”

“We don’t know for sure he’s married. He says he isn’t.”

“All evidence to the contrary!” replied Luca.

I sighed. The newspapers had been full of the story for the past week, and it was showing no sign of going away. And yet, I wanted to believe Cynder. After all, why would he keep lying about it?

The song came to a close. As we ended the dance, Luca fell to the floor.

“Are you alright?” I asked in alarm. Out of his pocket, he pulled a small box. When he opened it, a huge diamond ring sparkled back at me.

“Charmaine, I know we are already engaged, but I never had the chance to propose properly. Now, here I am on bended knee in the presence of all these people, with the world watching. I love you. Will you marry me?”