1. The Strange Proposal

The countryside was ablaze with color in autumn, and Mirabel Churchill, the nineteen years florist, and the illegitimate daughter of the Churchill family, was excited about the celebrations that were ahead. She recalled the festivities that the entire family enjoyed at that season of the year, especially with the woman she grew up to know as her grandmother, Grandma Phoebe. She was relishing the good memories in her exquisite, and beautiful office that afternoon while leaning on the window stool, and admiring her two hectares of flowers farm when she heard a familiar voice.

“Mira, I want to believe that all is set for tomorrow,” Alfred Walter remarked, and without a formal salutation. Now, his appealing voice broke Mirabel's beautiful reverie, and she jolted. She turned and saw the clingy Alfred, who she knew little or nothing about, walking towards the couch. Although, he noticed her astonishment, but he ignored it, and sat comfortably on the couch. To her perplexity, he appeared to be at home, and controlling the situation. Naturally, he was confident of himself at all time.

“How did you get in here, Alfred?” She inquired anxiously.

“That does not give an answer to my question, Mira,” the repulsive Alfred pointed out with less concern. Now, she was resting her back on the window stool when she clarified things for Alfred, “We were only acting, Alfred, and you knew it. I can't be ensnared by your strange proposal,” she pointed out. She was aware that his question meant that their wedding would come up the next day, and she was not prepared for it, neither was Alfred ready to take anything less than 'yes' for an answer.

 Nevertheless, the poor, but beautiful florist, had caved a niche for herself in the florist industry because she was dedicated to her profession. As usual, the overconfident Alfred uncrossed his legs, and stood up. He grinned, and walked up to her. Then, he towered over her with his domineering height, which made him irresistible. She would have stopped him from getting closer, but he did not look like one who could be stopped.

“Acting? Who wrote the script?” He asked nonchalantly and locked eyes with her. She had no doubt that she loved him, and he seemed to be so cocksure of that. Meanwhile, he eagerly waited for her response, and when non came, he resolved to scare her the more. 

“See you in the court at 8 O'clock, and don't keep the registrar or me waiting,” he declared, and took a step to leave, but she did not disappoint him when she stopped him. Howbeit, he was aware that she would not want him to walk away without resolving the issue at hand.

“What about tea or coffee, Alfred?” She offered just to keep him longer. Now, Alfred was backing her, and he smiled in contentment when he heard her sweet melodious voice, which could melt even the man with the heart of stone. Nevertheless, he stopped his movement in its track, and stood undecided. Then, Mirabel continued, “Tomorrow is just a few hours from now, and…”

“And we should keep acting?” He interrupted, and asked with a raised voice.

“You are getting me wrong, Alfred. I mean. I feel we should …. No, I mean we shouldn't … I'm not. Oh! Gosh.” She concluded, when she could not give a comprehensive response. 

“See you at the court at 8 AM tomorrow,” he commanded, and walked briskly out of the office. Although, she loved him, but she was not willing to risk giving her heart to a stranger. Now, she dejectedly sank into the couch, and thought of the numerous blind dates that her grandmother had arranged for her.  Thereafter, they ended up disappointing her by walking out on her when they presumed that she was not the First Princess of the Churchill's family.

Mirabel was a product of rape. Her paternal grandfather, King Raphael Churchill VI, had a Prince, who was a chronic alcoholic. Likewise, Phoebe's father, King David Miller VI, had married her off to the drunken Prince at eighteen for political interest. King Churchill VI was aware that his son and heir was unappealing to the Princesses in the nearby kingdoms. To rub it, the kings of the kingdoms had also rejected his proposals to them regarding his interest in being their in-laws.

“Your son is useless, and is not worthy of my Princess,” some Kings of the nearby kingdoms, who were as powerful as he was, often said to turn him down. Now, King Miller's kingdom was not as strong as his. When a kingdom taunted him to war, he ran to the powerful King Churchill VI and pledged his daughter to conceal their treaty.

“I will let my Princess marry your son, King Churchill, if you will support me in the battle against that arrogant King Pat Labhrann of Labhrann Kingdom. He merely wished to engage me in a fight to showcase his military might to the world,” King Miller VI pleaded. Now, King Churchill was pleased with his proposal, and instantly consented. 

King Labhrann was one of the kings who told him to his face that his Princess was superior to his Prince. 'This is the time to get even with the stupid King of Labhrann,' he thought.

“You are welcome once again to my Kingdom, King Miller. I respect those who respect me. For considering me worthy of being of help, I will not fail you,” King Churchill promised.

At last, King Churchill supported King Miller, and he defeated the haughty Labhrann Kingdom meritoriously, and that humbled him. Nevertheless, after the political marriage, Phoebe discovered that Raphael was a kind-hearted Prince, but had one weakness, which was alcoholism. Meanwhile, he misbehaved only when he was drunk, and Phoebe battled with that until he raped a female servant. Furthermore, Phoebe was unaware of the shameful act until the servant discovered that she was pregnant, and confided in her. To cover up her husband, and protect his kingdom from blackmail, he hid the servant in her chamber until her full term. As a midwife, she took the delivery by herself, and sent her on her way with many gold and silver. They were enough to make her rich for life, and encouraged her to keep the secret to herself until her death, and she obliged. However, she made the family to believe that she picked the child from a farm, and resolved to adopt her. Without the King's support, Phoebe raised Mirabel to her satisfaction. After her only child, and son, Prince Churchill, got married, his wife, Princess Irene, hated the five-year-old Mirabel. She saw her as a threat to her marriage and a blockade to her unborn princesses.

“I won't condone that, my Prince,” she rejected when the Prince drew her attention to Mirabel's status as an adopted child.

“Everyone thought that she was my little sister and not an adopted child. I will be glad if you keep it that way,” the Prince responded.

“Well, I am not everyone. I am aware that she is not your little sister, and I will not pretend about it,” she argued. Meanwhile, their argument about the existence of Mirabel was endless.

Furthermore, when Mirabel came of age at the age of sixteen, her Phoebe organized a party for her with the support of her husband, who had quit alcoholism, and was unaware of Mirabel's paternity. He truly believed that she was adopted by his wife to make up for her inability to have a daughter. Meanwhile, her son's wife was not at the coming of age ceremony with her daughters, who she had carefully banned from associating with Mirabel. Meanwhile, the ceremony was attended by notable Kings, and Irene was astonished. Thereafter, many suitors, who were mostly Princes, registered their interests in marrying her, but developed cold feet when they understood that she was not the First Princess of the Churchill's family. All thanks to Irene, who spread the news that she was merely an adopted child.