I Love You, My Cursed Prince

It was time for a shopping trip in the city. The first shop Muriel was led to was a jewelry store. She assumed this was where the betrothal ring was meant to be ordered. It was a delightful yet awkward scene. The princess loudly declared for everyone in the store to hear, "My poor son wants to be married, but his illness made it difficult to find a suitable bride. So he asked my dear companion to marry her. I'm quite pleased."

As her fourth finger was being measured by a short female clerk, Muriel blushed at all the curious looks people were giving her. She had just been informally introduced as the future lady of the province.

"As for the details," Princess Arya said as she took an envelope from a pocket, "my son has some requests, but he's also written that Muriel will have the last word on the matter."

A second clerk, a young man with a weak chin, took the envelope and read the message inside. "Gemstones, sapphires, rubies, or diamonds. Metal, gold. Inscription, 'With honest love, Vidar.'" He smiled at Muriel. "Do you disagree with any of that?"

Shaking her head, Muriel said, "No, Sir."

The woman who had measured her fourth finger told her, "We've just received an order of rare sapphires, and not only the blues. We have pinks, greens, yellows, and these lovely ones that have pink and yellow and salmon all in one!"

Princess Arya grinned and said, "Oh, such a beautiful multi-colored stone would be perfect! Bring them here!"

Muriel nodded and hoped the stones truly were beautiful.

And they were!

They were like pink flames glowing in the tray the clerk held. Muriel's favorite was a stone shaped like a rounded rectangle. In the center of the stone, there was an orange color. Then, in a gradient, there was a thin yellow color round the center. Then a hint of salmon. And finally, a vibrant pink in the edges. The female clerk took a pair of large tweezers to the stone and held it over Muriel's finger. It was nearly long enough to touch both her knuckle and joint.

Muriel forgot to be humble. She wanted the stupid thing.

After some helpful sketches were made, a design was chosen. Two round and pale diamonds would be placed on each side of the lengthwise sapphire. The gold band itself would be simple, but thick so the inscription could be more easily carved. That inscription would be inside the ring so that the outside would keep its smooth appearance.

For a moment, Muriel dreamily held her b.a.r.e hand up and imagined she already had the expensive thing. As she sighed, Princess Arya tapped her shoulder and said, "Now that the betrothal ring's been ordered, we can focus on more playful things."

Muriel had assumed they were going to do some early shopping in preparation of the Capital Season. She nodded towards the princess and asked, "Are you going to order any jewelry for yourself?"

"I might," Princess Arya said as she tugged on one of her gloves, "but now we should focus on you."

Muriel sighed as her whole figure lost some vibrancy. "Did His Highness request something else?"

With a smile, the princess said, "He gave me enough cash and promissory notes to have his princess consort dressed for any occasion." She let her hand slide across the air above a display case. "If we don't order jewelry, clothing, and other pretty things for you, then my dear son will be highly disappointed."

Muriel put her fingers to her covered bosom and argued, "I'm not a princess consort just yet."

"But you've promised to become that, haven't you?"

Muriel looked down at her fourth finger and rubbed it with the middle and index finger of her other hand. "I ... well, I suppose I'm not in a position to refuse."