It was one of those afternoons when Michael couldn't bear the castle walls any longer. His father was away on business, his sisters were preoccupied with their lessons, and the servants kept a watchful eye on him, but not watchful enough. He had long since mastered the art of slipping past them.
Disguised in a simple tunic and cloak, he navigated the crowded streets of the city. The scent of freshly baked bread mingled with the sharp tang of horses and the chatter of merchants. Michael grinned—he loved this. Here, no one called him Your Highness or worried about his manners. He was just another boy in the bustling market.
As he wandered past stalls of fabrics and trinkets, his eyes landed on a peculiar sight. A figure, cloaked in black, stood near a flower shop. While the market was filled with lively haggling, this girl was silent, almost too still, as if she were trying to disappear into the scenery. The hood concealed most of her face, but a strand of golden hair peeked out.
Michael, feeling mischievous, stepped closer. She was staring at the flowers with a strange intensity. He wondered why she didn't simply buy one.
"Are you planning to steal one?" he teased, coming up beside her.
The girl stiffened. "Excuse me?" she asked, her voice soft yet sharp.
Michael smirked. "You've been staring for so long, I thought maybe you were working up the courage to take one."
She turned to face him, her blue eyes flashing beneath the hood. "What do you want?"
He shrugged. "Nothing. Just curious why someone dressed like a shadow is interested in flowers."
The girl huffed and turned away, but something about her intrigued him. And so, with a playful grin, Michael did something reckless—he reached for the edge of her hood and flipped it back.
The moment their eyes met, he knew he had made a mistake.
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The hood fell back, revealing her face completely.
Michael barely had time to register her delicate features—porcelain skin, golden curls framing her face, and striking blue eyes—before she gasped and yanked the hood back up. Panic flickered in her gaze as she stepped back, her hands clutching the fabric tightly.
"What do you think you're doing?!" she hissed, her voice a mix of anger and alarm.
Michael raised his hands in surrender, realizing he had truly misstepped. "I—I didn’t mean anything by it!" he stammered. "I was just curious."
Her eyes darted around the market, as if checking to see if anyone had noticed them. Michael followed her gaze, suddenly realizing that she wasn’t just some ordinary girl. She was hiding—hiding from someone or something.
"You don’t understand," she whispered, her voice lower now. "You shouldn’t have done that."
Michael’s guilt deep
Michael, still feeling guilty, followed her as she hurried away from the market. He didn't know why, but he couldn't just leave her like that.
"Wait!" he called after her. "Let me make it up to you!"
She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him, her hood pulled tightly over her head once more. "And how do you plan to do that?" she asked, skeptical.
Michael thought for a moment, then gestured toward the path leading out of the busy streets. "I know a place. It's quiet, and no one will bother us there."
She hesitated, clearly wary of trusting a stranger, but something in Michael’s expression must have convinced her. With a sigh, she nodded. "Fine. But just for a little while."
They walked in silence until they reached the horrid garden, a forgotten patch of land overgrown with ivy and wildflowers. The air smelled of damp earth and roses left to wilt.
"This place is... strange," she murmured, looking around.
Michael grinned. "Yeah, that’s why I like it. No one else comes here. So, what’s your name?"
She hesitated again before answering, "Winnie."
Michael sat on a stone bench and motioned for her to join him. "Well, Winnie, you’ve got me curious. Why were you hiding in the market?"
She looked down at her hands, her fingers twisting the edge of her cloak. "It’s... complicated."
Michael didn’t push. Instead, he plucked a wildflower from the tangled vines and offered it to her. "Then let’s start simple. Friends?"
Winnie stared at the flower for a long moment before taking it. A small, almost shy smile formed on her lips.
"Friends," she agreed.
As the days passed, Michael and Winnie met more frequently in the horrid garden. At first, their meetings were short and filled with hesitant conversation, but soon, they became more comfortable with each other. Michael found himself looking forward to the moments they spent together, sneaking away from his duties just to see her.
One afternoon, as they sat beneath a tall oak tree, Michael finally asked, "Winnie, why do you always wear that hood? Are you hiding from someone?"
Winnie looked away, her fingers playing with the petals of the wildflower he had given her. "It's not that simple," she said softly. "My family… they don’t let me go out much. If they knew I was here, they’d be furious."
Michael frowned. "Are they strict?"
She nodded. "Very. They want me to behave a certain way, to be someone I’m not." She sighed, pulling the hood lower over her face. "I just wanted to feel free, even if it’s just for a little while."
Michael leaned back on his hands, gazing up at the sky. "That sounds awful. No one should have to live like that."
Winnie glanced at him, surprised by his sincerity. "What about you? You sneak out too. What are you running from?"
Michael smirked. "Boredom, mostly." Then, after a pause, he added, "And expectations. My father is the king, so I’m supposed to be this perfect prince. But I’d rather be out here, talking to you, than sitting in a stuffy room learning about politics."
Winnie chuckled. "A rebellious prince and a runaway lady. We make quite the pair."
Michael grinned. "We do, don’t we?"
For the first time in a long while, Winnie felt at ease. The weight of her family’s expectations, the fear of being caught—it all seemed to disappear when she was with Michael.
And for Michael, Winnie was the first person who saw him as just himself, not as a prince, not as a future ruler, but simply as Michael.
They spent the rest of the afternoon talking and laughing, unaware that their friendship was slowly turning into something deeper.
As Michael and Winnie spent more time together at the horrid garden, their bond deepened. At first, their meetings were lighthearted—Michael would bring small trinkets from the market, and Winnie would share stories about the different flowers that grew in the garden.
One day, as they sat near a bed of wild roses, Winnie hesitated before asking, "Why do you always sneak out to the city? You're a prince, aren't you?"
Michael grinned, leaning back against the tree. "I hate being cooped up in the castle. Everything is rules, lessons, and expectations. Out here, I can breathe."
Winnie looked down, her fingers brushing against the petals of a white flower. "I understand that feeling," she said softly.
Michael noticed the way her expression darkened, but he didn’t press her. Instead, he plucked a small blue flower and tucked it behind her ear. "Then, let's make a promise. No serious things here. Just the garden, just us."
Winnie looked surprised for a moment before she smiled, her cheeks turning pink. "Alright, just us."
From that day on, their meetings became something they both looked forward to. When it rained, they found shelter in an old gazebo, their laughter filling the air. When winter came, Michael would sneak out with a thick cloak just so they could still meet.
One evening, as the sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, Michael caught himself staring at Winnie. She had grown more comfortable around him, no longer keeping her hood up. Her golden curls caught the light, and her blue eyes sparkled as she talked about a new flower she had planted.
It was in that moment that Michael realized something—he didn't just enjoy their time together. He cared for her, more than he ever thought he could.
But before he could say anything, Winnie suddenly turned serious. "Michael… what if one day, we can't meet like this anymore?"
Michael frowned. "What do you mean?"
Winnie hesitated before shaking her head. "Never mind. Let's just enjoy today."
Michael wanted to press further, but something in her expression told him to let it go—for now.
Unbeknownst to them, their time in the garden would soon face its first challenge.
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A Shift in Their World
The peaceful days in the horrid garden were about to change. One evening, just as Michael was preparing to sneak out, he overheard his father, King Easton, speaking with one of his advisors.
"There have been reports of unusual movements in the city. Certain noble houses are hiding individuals who shouldn't be there."
Michael barely paid attention until Easton continued, "Especially the family of Lord Everette. They’ve been keeping someone in secrecy for years. We must investigate further."
Michael’s heart pounded. Everette? That name sounded familiar. Where had he heard it before? It nagged at him the whole way to the city.
When he arrived at the horrid garden, Winnie was already waiting for him, but she seemed troubled. She wasn’t smiling like usual, and her hands were gripping her cloak tightly.
"You’re late," she said, but there was no real annoyance in her voice.
Michael sat beside her, sensing something was wrong. "What’s going on, Winnie?"
She hesitated before looking at him. "Michael… I need to tell you something."
Before she could continue, they heard voices—several men approaching from the direction of the city. Winnie’s eyes widened with fear.
"They found me," she whispered.
Michael grabbed her hand. "Who?"
She shook her head quickly. "There’s no time. I have to go!"
But before she could run, three figures emerged from the trees, dressed in noble guards' attire.
"There you are, Lady Winifred," one of them said sternly. "Your father has been looking for you."
Michael instinctively stepped in front of her. "What’s going on? Who are you people?"
The guard barely glanced at him. "Stay out of this, boy. This is a matter of the Everette household."
Michael’s blood ran cold. Everette. Her family.
Winnie’s grip on his sleeve tightened. "Michael… I wanted to tell you, but—"
"Enough." One of the guards stepped forward. "You are to return home immediately. Your father won’t tolerate this nonsense any longer."
Michael clenched his fists, his mind racing. If her father was Lord Everette, then that meant she was a noble. But why was she sneaking around in the city like this? Why did she hide from her own family?
Winnie’s voice was barely a whisper. "Michael, please don’t forget me."
Before he could react, the guards pulled her away. Winnie didn't struggle—she only looked back at him one last time before disappearing into the trees.
Michael stood frozen, the silence of the horrid garden feeling heavier than ever.
She was gone.
And for the first time since meeting her, he had no idea if he would ever see her again.
_
Michael Returns—But He’s Not the Same
Michael stood in the horrid garden long after Winnie was taken. The air felt colder, the usual scent of damp earth and flowers now bitter on his tongue. His hands clenched into fists, frustration and helplessness burning inside him.
"Why didn’t she tell me?" he thought. "Why did she have to leave like that?"
He had so many questions, but no answers.
With a heavy heart, Michael finally made his way back to the castle, slipping through the hidden servant entrance as he always did. He was careful, but tonight, something was different. He wasn’t just sneaking back in for fun—he was carrying the weight of Winnie’s sudden disappearance.
As he stepped inside, he barely took two steps before a voice called out.
"Where were you?"
Michael froze. His father, King Easton, stood in the dimly lit corridor, arms crossed, his piercing gaze fixed on him.
Michael straightened. "Just… out for a walk."
Easton raised an eyebrow. "At this hour? You reek of the city, Michael. Don’t lie to me."
Michael swallowed hard but refused to look away. "I was just exploring, Father. It’s nothing."
His father studied him for a long moment, then sighed, rubbing his temples. "You’re not a child anymore, Michael. One day, you’ll have responsibilities. You can’t just run off wherever you please."
Michael bit back a bitter laugh. I wasn’t running off for fun this time.
But he knew better than to argue. He only nodded. "Yes, Father."
Easton’s eyes lingered on him for a moment longer before he turned away. "Go to bed."
Michael did as he was told, but sleep didn’t come easily. He lay awake, staring at the ceiling, remembering the way Winnie looked at him before she was taken. The fear in her eyes. The way she had held onto him, as if she knew she wouldn’t see him again.
Something was wrong. And he wasn’t going to forget her. Not now, not ever.
No matter what it took, he would find out the truth about Lady Winifred Everette.
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NOTICE!
- I know you all readers want to know more about Michael and Winnie , if you want to know , you can read at " King Michael The Great "