The Princess Of Amaryllis

This short story is a romantic tragedy set in 15th century Italy. The princess of Amaryllis would give up anything and everything for the love of her life, Gilda.

THE PRINCESS OF AMARYLLIS
An Amser Studios Short Story
(This short story falls just before the novella, “Lucifer’s Symphony: Movement One The Lost Kingdom, Amaryllis” in the Amser Studios Timeline)

Warmth. Heat. It’s everywhere in Amaryllis, beaming down on the Italian people from the sun above.
A handmaiden of the Amaryllis royal family peers up at the sun with a look of distaste. With a snarl, she turns from the princess’s window to look over the chambers.
On her bed lies the princess of Amaryllis.
She’s smiling at the sun illuminated skin of her favorite handmaiden, Gilda.
Kind, bold blue eyes trail over the ratty haired brunette in stained garments. “Why does the sun displease you so?” She asks with a bite of her lip.
Gilda looks over the nightgown wearing princess with dark green eyes lit pale by the sun. Enchanted, is the best word to describe the look she’s sending the other woman.
The princess buries a smile in one of her many large, over sized pillows.
She’s resting atop of the covers in a thin white gown meant for sleep. The soft material of her blankets tickle her exposed legs and bare feet.
With a bite of her lip, the princess pats the empty space beside her.
Gilda makes a dive for the empty space, then wraps her arms around the warm flesh of her lover. Gently, the princess brushes back fallen, dirty strands of hair behind the maiden’s ear.
“Won’t you come away with me?” She asks.
A dark brow lifts. “And leave all this behind?” Gilda asks. “What, have you lost your mind?” She bends down to kiss the top of the princess’s naturally curled strands of brunette.
The princess hits her lover’s shoulder. “I mean it.” She promises. “I want to be with you… And not just in my chambers.”
Gilda smiles a look around the brightly lit room of stone, silk, and velvet. “But we have-” Her grip tightens around the princess’s fragile frame. “So many good memories-” She shifts again and tries her best to force back a smile. “On this bed-”
The princess of Amaryllis smacks Gilda once more, then fights back a giggle by kissing the side of her lover’s neck.
Gilda humms and bends her neck at the touch. She tisks. “Alright, alright.” She starts. “I’ll give up my hay and bucket for you.”
A breathy, choked laugh brushes against Gilda’s neck and she smiles.
She’d give up much more, if she could.
-
Night has befallen the kingdom of Amaryllis. Torches light the city, while the surrounding farmland and wildlife are left shrouded in darkness.
A full moon sits upon a clear sky of stars.
It’s beautiful.
But there’s no time to gawk.
Awkward, uncoordinated steps fluster against the uneven terrain of the surrounding wildlife.
There’s breathing, gasping as the young women sprint from the sound of galloping hooves. The trackers are hot on their tail.
The princess trips over her gown and lands face first in the dirt turned mud from the past night’s rain. She cries and pushes herself up only to fall back down again on shaky knees.
Gilda reaches for her lover’s hand, but she does not stand.
“It’s my ankle…”
The hand maiden kneels beside the princess to take a look. Even in this poor lighting she can tell it’s swollen a dark red.
The knights of the kingdom are already upon them after having tracked their footsteps.
Damn.
Looking up, Gilda can see the fast approaching lights of the knight’s torches.
With a grit of her teeth, Gilda throws the pack off her shoulders and kneels down in front of the love of her life. She grabs frail, flustered cheeks and plants a gentle kiss on cherry red lips. Pulling ever so slightly back, she whispers, “I’m so sorry…”
Knights on steeds encircle the two women. There are five in total.
After they’ve slowed to a stop, Marrian climbs off of his horse and pulls the maiden back by her hair.
Gilda barks out a cry that the princess matches.
“No, please-! Let her go!” The princess screams with a reach out for her lover and an attempt to stand.
Two other knights dismount their horses to pull the princess up into an awkward stand. “It’s my fault! This was my fault!” The princess shouts at the man her father was determined to make her marry.
“Running away with another woman, your majesty?” Marrian asks for confirmation as he pulls out the sword from around his hip. The blade glistens in the white light of the full moon.
The princess screams and thrashes against the men holding her back while Gilda holds as still as she possibly can in the spine bending, hair yanking position Marrian is holding her in.
“Gilda, was your name, wasn’t it?” Marrian asks with a raise of his sword to Gilda’s neck.
Green eyes dart to the bright blue of her lover’s. Breathlessly, she gets out, “I love you, Agnese-”
Agnese stares motionlessly back as Marrian slices through the throat of her lover.
“I-” The princess chokes at the sight of Marrian tossing Gilda’s lifeless body upon the ground.
Red, wet blood soaks the clothing of the maiden and the ground around her body.
Agnese feels as though she should cry, but the tears stop at the prickle.
An emptiness has consumed her.
She drops to her knees, the knight’s arms still firmly around her as she just… stares… at what shouldn’t be.
Marrian sheaths his sword and makes a rounding gesture with his hand.
There’s ringing in Agnese’s ears as she’s pulled into some man’s arms.
-
Agnese stands upon the gallows, her hands bound behind her back while rope scratches at her neck.
Around her stands the majority of the kingdom. They boo and shout profanities, but she cannot hear them.
For the briefest moments, Agnese glances up at her parents, who stand upon their castle’s terrace. At the contact they avert their gaze.
She is no longer a princess of Amaryllis.
She is an example of what is to become of people like her in their kingdom.
Her eyes flutter a blink, then look out over the citizens to the moon above.
It’s gorgeous.
“Do you have any last words?” A priest of the city asks, his bible in one hand and cross in the other.
Blue eyes shift from the moon, to the stars, and back. There’s a stutter in her breath, followed by a single tear as she whispers, “I love you, too.”

Find more short stories and novels at www.amserstudios.com

Please Note:
Amser Studios is a collection of works that connect by following the “Amser Studios Time Line”
See the full time line:
www.amserstudios.com/collections

FROM THE AUTHOR

Hello,
I hope you liked the short story and ask that you please leave me a review on Amazon/Goodreads/Ect, so that I know what you thought of it!
This short story falls just before the novella, “Lucifer’s Symphony: Movement One- The Lost Kingdom, Amaryllis” 
It also has direct relation with MOST Amser Studios works including the already published:

The Fallen Angels Of Hell
Assembly Of Planets
UNBELIEVE Series

Although it’s not yet published, this short story is actually a gateway to the novel, SOL.

Thank you again, and enjoy the rest of your day!
-Legend W. Brook

Learn more about Amser Studios and the fantasy universe/timeline is belongs to at: