Dinner at the Royal Palace was beyond delicious. The huge table was spread with every manner of meat and vegetable and fruit and bread. And servants just continually kept appearing with more sumptuous foods to place on the table.

     Kayla's eyes were huge as she watched tray after tray of aromatic dishes being placed on the table. Her sisters, despite their great advantage in years over her, were just as awed by the array of rich, delicious food as she was. Did the royal family dine like this on a daily basis -- at this grand, beautifully set table, dressed in their magnificent finery, with the royal colors of red or violet, partaking of food and drink that seemed to be made for the gods? What a fine life they had indeed!

     Her sisters, too, seemed upset by how focused the Prince was on Brenda. He could not take his eyes off of her, and the two older sisters looked thoroughly annoyed while the twin, Geneva, was even starting to look a bit miffed. Little Kayla, however, was beaming and giggling and just having the grandest of times.

     Princess Georgina, like her mother, was also taking note of her brother's rather stunning, predatory gaze upon the sister in red, and the return scowl that the transformed, former dowd was giving him. How interesting, Georgina thought with a smile, that the three sisters, who clearly wanted Jax, were not wanted by him. And the one that he clearly *did* want, did not wish to encourage any kind of pursuit from him.

     Harlan Barrett watched as his daughter's ire seemed to rise, as the Prince did not -- or perhaps could not -- tear his gaze away from her. Fearful that Brenda, stubborn and impetuous, was about to leap to her feet, hurl a utensil at His Highness, and insist that the Prince stop looking at her in such an inappropriately intimate manner, Harlan sought to divert Prince Jasper's riveted attentions away from the object of their obvious desire.

     "Your Highness," Harlan said, and was gratified when the Prince, albeit slowly, slid his stunning, multi-hued blue eyes away from Brenda. "I was most impressed with the construction of the new Kingdom walls being erected. Is it nearly completed?"

     "It should be done within five days," Jax responded. "It is to be a deterrent to the covetous eyes across the Bayliss Ocean in the Kingdom of Kent."

     "The walls are magnificent," Victoria said, still carrying herself regally, hoping to impress if not the Prince himself, then his mother or father, who surely had some say in who their son's bride would be. "But I hardly think them necessary, Your Highness. Who would dare to try to make war with Fahrlane? The Queen's army is legendary, and all but invincible."

     "There is no such thing as invincible," Jax said, his eyes going back to Brenda. "Not in war; not in love. Everything can be conquered in some fashion."

     Miranda cleared her throat. "Well, I hear you are quite invincible with the sword, Your Highness," she complimented him, giving him her best coquettish smile.

     Brenda wanted to laugh out loud! His Highness gifted in swordsmanship? Ha! Michael had told her what a coward the Prince was. How he was a strategist with a marginally brilliant mind but was completely inept with the sword. A 'bungling royal idiot who would cut his own foot off with his appalling lack of skill,' Michael had said.

     Jax noted curiously how Brenda rolled her eyes at her sister's statement. "There has not been the man born yet, who could best me," he said.

     Brenda could not help but roll her eyes again. How could he brag about such falsehoods!

     "You question my skill, little deceiver?" Jax asked her, a slight, entirely too handsome smile on his face.

     Brenda wanted to laugh in his face, but reminded herself where she was and with whom. She was in the presence of royalty. She would behave if it killed her.

     "I would never question the word of my Prince," she said sweetly.

     "Brenda knows about swords," Kayla said to the Prince.

     Jax's gaze shifted over to the adorable, little child. "Is that so? Does your sister disguise herself as a Knight of the Realm on occasion?" he teased.

     Kayla laughed. "No. But her friend is one."

     Jax's eyes lit with interest. "Oh… what friend would this be, little one?"

     Brenda was shooting a wild-eyed look at her little sister, imploring her to be silent. But Kayla liked the Prince and she liked talking to him.

     "Michael is his name," Kayla revealed. And then scrunched up her tiny face in a frown and added: "I don't like him."

     Brenda stabbed at her savory beef, fuming inside.

     Jax scanned his memory for the 'Michaels' who were Knights of The Realm. There were four of them. Three were married; leaving only one who could be the 'Michael' Kayla was referring to. Oh, no, surely this bewitching goddess-angel-creation could not be enamored of that personality-lacking, marginally talented miscreant. Why, only a week ago he had been demoted out of the Realm and was simply a foot solider now.

     Jax rose an eyebrow, his gaze back on Brenda, who had her head bent and was still murdering her poor roast beef with that fork. "Michael Carruthers?" he asked, his distaste and disbelief evident in both his voice and his eyes.

     Harlan Barrett groaned internally at the mention of that man's name and the connection the Prince was obviously making to the vile, little man and Brenda. Quickly, Harlan tried to divert the conversation to a different subject. "Your Majesties and Your Highnesses," he said, as he addressed the entire royal family, "I was wondering what the theme of the Festival of Joy is to be this year?" Harlan said, as Veronica was pleading softly with Kayla not to share so much information with the Prince.

     "Magic!" Princess Georgina said in response to Harlan's question. "It is my turn to pick the theme this year, and that is what I have chosen," she said, smiling at her brother, who gave her a knowing glance.

     "Oh, how delightful," Geneva said with a smile, flashed mostly in the direction of the Prince. "That means we will get to be costumed like mystical wizards and sorceresses of folklore."

     The conversation turned to the upcoming festival and stayed there, much to Harlan's relief. And Prince Jasper participated fully in the conversation, sharing with them the plans for this year's booths and entertainment, but Harlan knew that the Prince's curiosity about Michael Carruthers' connection to Brenda was not abated one iota.

     When the meal was over, they retired to the enormous sitting room where the palace musicians played lovely ballads on the pianoforte and the harp, and the Queen suggested that Jax spend some time talking with each of the sisters. Her son's frustrated look told her he was so not enjoying any of this, but he graciously sat on the velvet settee as his mother sent the girls over to him, one by one, in order of age. She sent Miranda first, as the other sisters, feigning interest in the talented palace musicians, were really trying to eavesdrop on Miranda's chat with the Prince. Of course, Brenda was the exception to all of this, paying no attention to her sister and the Prince and instead gazing out at the vast, vast gardens leading to the gold gates of the Enchanted Forest, where a guard stood watch.

     Jax's eyes were on her, and Miranda thought she would have to kill her sister for taking off her disguise and thus becoming the object of his desire.

     "And so I am quite the dancer of the family," Miranda said loudly, to distract Jax's beautiful eyes from the window, where Brenda stood talking to the Princess.

     Jax politely returned his gaze to Miranda and nodded to let her know he had heard her. "I think I learned every waltz there was by the time I was seven," he said, recalling his grueling dance lessons with the strict Carmen de Russe. Although they had been no more grueling than his swordfighting lessons with Master Belgarre, his studies with Sir Atherton, his crown-prince training from his father.

     "I would be honored to dance with you at one of the balls," Miranda said to him, giving him a flashing smile. "It is my understanding that we are to attend them all while we are here."

     Jax got a migraine just thinking about having to attend every soiree of the season with the sisters tagging along. Then his eyes moved slowly back to Brenda, who was sitting on the velvet cushions of the window seat, chatting away with Georgina, as if they were dear friends. Jax watched as Brenda's face lit up in a smile at something his sister had said to her. That smile could end wars, he thought. Or start them. He watched her as she whispered something apparently mischievous to his sister, and the two of them started laughing. How he would much rather be a part of that conversation than struggling his way through this one. Miranda Barrett interested him about as much as watching a snail cross the grass.

     Just as he feared he was going to lapse into a coma from the boredom of his meaningless conversation with her, the Queen sent Victoria over to him. Miranda got up, curtseyed and flashed her sister a triumphant smile to make her think the chat had been marvelous, when in fact, Miranda was fuming at how many times Prince Jasper's eyes had strayed to Brenda during her time with him.

     Victoria sat across from the Prince, folding her hands in her lap and holding her posture erect. She smiled at him daintily, and he had the absurd urge to laugh, but refrained from such rudeness.

     "I cannot tell you, Your Highness, what an honor and a pleasure it is to sit in your presence."

     Oh dear god, Jax thought. "You are too kind," he murmured politely. "So your sister tells me she is the dancer of your family," he said, not believing he had to engage in this inane conversation. "What is your specialty?"

     Victoria smiled at him and tried to give him a come-hither look that made him want to ask her if she needed a doctor. "I have many talents, Your Highness. And I must be truthful with you and tell you that Miranda has two left feet. She cannot dance at all, but I am sure she merely wanted to impress you."

     As Victoria spoke, Jax's eyes once again sought out Brenda, who was now showing her little sister how to do the Windsor Waltz. The little girl was laughing gaily as Brenda went through the steps with her, and Georgina looked on in amusement. Jax also noticed the harpist, Leopold, gazing at Brenda, with eyes full of desire as she twirled in front of him. Jax thought the man would pass out when the red velvet skirts of Brenda's gown swished against him as she did a quick turn. Leopold suddenly felt the Prince's gaze upon him and hastily averted his eyes from the stunning young girl, concentrating on the harp strings and nothing else.

     "How do you dance with a man to this?" Kayla wanted to know as she laughed, winded as her sister spun her around and around.

     Brenda shrugged. "The same way we are doing it," she said.

     "Can I see?" Kayla asked. "Will you dance with a man so I can see?"

     Jax's lips curved into a smile as he heard the little girl's request and saw her adorable face turn to look directly at Jax. Brenda, however, turned her sister's face away.

     "I will dance with Father," Brenda said. "Then you will see, all right?"

     Kayla folded her arms and put a petulant look on her face. "No, not with Papa," she said, as if that were an entirely boring prospect.

     The Queen smiled in delight at Kayla's initiative, and in amusement at Brenda's look of exasperation with her sister. "I think, my dear, the little one would like to see you perhaps dancing with a younger man," the Queen said to Brenda.

     Brenda looked around the room, caught Jax's gaze, and felt the breath leave her body. It should be an offense for a man to have such eyes! And to be able to do such things to a person with those eyes!

     "All right," Brenda said, and shocked everyone and mortified her parents and sisters by going over to one of the attendants and taking his hand. "Do you know the Windsor Waltz?" she asked him.

     The poor boy, who was about 18 years old, shivered with pleasure at her touch and shivered with fear at the outlandishness of her addressing him. This simply was not done! He looked at the Prince in desperation, but Jax nodded at him, giving him permission to answer her.

     "Yes, m’lady," he said. "I do."

     Brenda smiled, and the boy looked as if he would drop to his knees. "Very well then, dance with me," she said.

     The boy eagerly looked to the Prince again, expecting to get permission for this, too.

     The prince shook his head.

     The boy swallowed his disappointment and said, "I regret, I cannot m’lady. It is not permitted," he said and went back to his position next to the King, awaiting any instruction.

     "It will be the same for all of the attendants," The King said quietly to Brenda, who was gazing about the room at the other attendants.

     Brenda's eyes fell back upon Jax, who once again wore that wicked, little smile that made her very nervous and also quickened her heartbeat. She let out an irritated sigh. "Well, I'm sorry, Kayla, but the only young man I can dance with is very occupied," she said.

     Jax rose to his feet, excusing himself from the astonished Victoria. "I would not wish to disappoint this charming, little girl," he said, walking over to Brenda and taking her hand. She looked as if she might seriously kick him, he thought with amusement.

     The Queen smiled grandly and clapped her hands for the musicians to play a new song.

     "Do try not to step on my feet," Jax said.

     He heard Brenda gasp in outrage, but she held her tongue, knowing she could not speak freely to a man such as this. He was the Prince.

     Jax could feel her tension at having to hold in her obvious ire at him. "You may speak freely with me," he said, giving her permission to go on a tirade if she wished.

     "Thank you," she said. "I will have you know that the only reason I would ever step on your feet was because I wished to do so. And I will have you know that I do not wish to be dancing with you."

     "Really? That is interesting," Jax said, deliberately moving her further away from everyone so that their conversation could not be overheard. He amazed himself at how calmly he was reacting to the fact that he was holding her in his arms. Truth be known there was a quake inside of him the moment he had touched her, but he was pleased at his ability to keep that to himself.

     "Do I still have permission to speak freely with you, Your Highness?" she asked him.

     "Yes," he said. "You may also call me Jax."

     No, I will not be calling you any such thing, she decided. "I wish to know why you were looking at me in the way you were at the dinner table," she said.

     Jax shrugged. "You looked different. I don't believe I was the only one staring at you."

     "But you were the only one staring at me in . . . *that* way," she said, blushing ever so slightly.

     "What way?" he asked innocently, his voice like a caress.

     She felt a shiver go through her, and then suddenly she felt foolish. She had just been reading too much into his gaze somehow, that was all. "Nothing has changed has it, Your Highness?" she asked. "You have not changed your mind about . . .what was discussed between us?"

     "No," he said. "I still want you to help me dissuade your sisters from any fanciful notions they might harbor about me," he said, deliberately excluding her from those he wished to put off. "Tell me, Brenda, what do you think I could do or say that would make Miranda wish never to be mine?"

     Brenda smiled at him, her worries about his having decided he wanted her after all, gone. "Well," she said, whispering into his ear. "She hates all things of an outdoor nature," she reveled to him, oblivious to the way he shivered at the feel of her soft, warm breath against his ear. "You should tell her that any wife of yours would have to love going to the ocean and walking in the woods and all manner of things pertaining to nature like that."

     Jax nodded. "Well, in truth, I do enjoy those things," he said. "I would want a wife who did as well."

     "Then you should tell Miranda that, and I'm sure it will make her think twice about wanting to be wed to you," Brenda said as they did one of the steps Kayla loved, with Brenda circling the Prince. The little girl clapped, and Brenda smiled over at her.

     "Do you?" Jax asked, gazing down at her.

     Brenda brought her eyes up to meet his, and he marveled at the lushness of those thick, dark lashes. Women would kill to have those lashes naturally. Brenda felt her doubt about what the Prince was up to return, as she caught the way he was looking at her.

     "Do I what?" she asked.

     "Enjoy all manner of things pertaining to nature," he said, wondering how it would feel to kiss those perfect lips of hers.

     Brenda swallowed, as the look in his eyes seemed to transfer some kind of… heat from him to her. She backed out of his embrace a bit as if for safety against this hint of fire. He saw her gold-flecked brown eyes grow accusatory.

     "Why would you wish to know that?" she asked him.

     "Out of nothing more than curiosity," he responded, and then he tried to cool down the intensity of the passionate stirrings the proximity to her was manifesting in him. He gave her a benign smile that put her at ease again.

     "I love the outdoors," she told him. "I've always wanted to ride a horse along the beach," she confessed.

     Jax nodded. "You can do that here," he told her.

     "No, I can't," she said simply, perplexing him.

     "You can," he assured her. "I will permit you to."

     "No," she repeated, and then realized how rude that sounded. "I mean, thank you, Your Highness, but…"

     "Jax," he said. "I have given you my permission to call me that."

     She acted as if she had not heard him. "The fact of the matter is that I do not know how to ride a horse," she explained to him.

     Jax grinned. "Oh, is that all? I can teach you how to do that."

     He saw her eyes light up with excitement, but then she seemed to hesitate, thinking about something. What Brenda was thinking about was how Michael had promised to teach her how to ride. He would be furious and hurt if she allowed the Prince to teach her first. But she was to be here for three entire months, and the horses here were magnificent, as was the beach here. What would it hurt for her to allow His Highness to teach her how to ride a horse? And then when Michael taught her, she would just pretend not to know what she was doing, so he would not realize she had already been taught.

     "If you are serious, Your Highness, I would like that very much," she said, unable to prevent her smile of anticipation.

     Jax felt his heart slam against his chest for seemingly no reason at all. Very strange, this sensation, he thought as he gazed at her tiny dimples, thinking he'd love to kiss each one of them.

     "I will take you out tomorrow," he promised her.

     Brenda frowned suddenly. "Can I ride in a dress? I don't have a riding habit," she informed him.

     You could ride naked with me sitting behind you, how about that? he thought, with that wickedly attractive smile appearing again. Her heart did an involuntary somersault, and she felt the need to blush, although she had no idea why. It was that smile of his, she decided with a suspicious glint in her eyes. That particular smile . . .

     "I am certain my sister has something you may use," Jax said. "And I do believe it is my mother's intention to provide you and your sisters with wardrobes for the season. You must make sure you get two riding habits when the seamstresses come to measure you," he suggested.

     Brenda's sisters watched her, again wondering why it was that the Prince always seemed to have so much to converse with her about, while he had to seemingly struggle through conversations with them?

     "Are you a good horseman?" Brenda asked the Prince.

     "As good as I am a swordsman, fair lady," he murmured against her ear, and enjoyed the sensation of her slight quiver.

     But then he saw the look in her eye. A look of disbelief. Why ever did she seem to doubt his capabilities with the sword? he wondered curiously. It was not as if she had ever had occasion to witness his skills to make any judgments on them. Did she not know he was not only the Prince of this magnificent kingdom, but also the leader of the Knights of the Realm? How did she think he had ascended to that position? Perhaps she thought he had just been given it as part of his royal title?

     Brenda could not believe he was going to keep going on with the outrageous lie of being an excellent swordsman. If he were as good a swordsman as he was a horseman, then she was likely to break her neck given any riding lessons from him.

     "May I ask you something?" Jax said to her.

     Brenda nodded, absently wondering why his hand that was around her waist seemed to be burning her skin right through the material of her rich, velvet dress, and why the burning was not at all of the unpleasant kind. And then she had to wonder about these odd tingles she was feeling from his other hand, which was gently clasped to hers.

     "Who is the man that you say you are to marry once you return to Devonshire?"

     Oh drat, he would have to ask *that* question. "A man I love," Brenda responded. "I would rather not say who it is, if you don't mind."

     "I do mind," he said.

     Now why did he have to go and be difficult about this? she thought.

     "Is he a member of my Knights of the Realm?" Jax asked her. "Is he Michael Carruthers?"

     Brenda found herself getting angry with him again. He certainly knew how to swing her moods in all sorts of directions!

     "Begging your pardon, Your Highness . . ."

     "Jax," he said.

     She sighed. "But is there any reason why I must tell you any of this?"

     "Is there any reason why you feel you must keep him a secret?" Jax countered. "Is he a perhaps a troll?"

     Her mouth fell open in insult. "A *what?*" she demanded, daring him to repeat the insult on the person of her ‘beloved.’

     Jax just grinned at her indignation, which he felt was completely misplaced. Well, he had news for her. If the man in question was Michael Carruthers, he was indeed a troll.

     "If he is a member of the Realm, I should like to personally congratulate him on his . . .stunning luck," he said, gazing at her. "And if you are so in love, should you not shout it to the heavens?"

     Brenda bit her lip. He had a point. "It should ease you mind to know that I do wish to shout it," she insisted, "But I cannot. You see," she lowered her voice, "my father is not overly fond of this man."

     Jax nodded. Ah, this was good to know. "And neither is your little sister," he reminded her.

     "But the feelings that matter are *mine,* isn't that true?" Brenda pointed out. "And I'm quite sure that I love him. "

     Jax rose an eyebrow. "Quite sure?"

     "I do intend to marry him," she said more surely.

     Ha. I will not allow it, Jax thought.

     "It may be difficult to accomplish that without your father's blessing," he mentioned.

     "I will endeavor to get his blessing," Brenda said. "And if it is a lost cause, I will simply have to elope," she said with a shrug.

     I will NEVER allow it, Jax thought.

     Brenda frowned as Jax was once again giving her that look. The look she could drown in if she were not careful. The look that seemed to whisper 'silly, girl – don’t you know that you are mine?' She looked away from him and chastised herself for thinking such nonsense. He had assured her that she needn’t worry about his selecting her – or any of her sisters. And he was a prince, and the royal family prided itself on its word of honor.

     "You will not change your mind about what we – you and I – privately discussed about this ‘marriage’ situation, correct?" she asked.

     Jax laughed. "Why do you keep asking me that?" he asked. "I told you that I wish to un-attract your sisters -- that has not changed." And before she could ask him why he kept mentioning her sisters and not her, Jax quickly said: "Now tell me how you think it best to dissuade Victoria from the pursuit of matrimony to me."

     The playful spark in his eyes put Brenda at ease once again. "Victoria thinks she was born to wed royalty," Brenda told him, as the song was ending and Jax gave a slight nod to the musicians not to stop. They began the song anew, much to the aggravation of Miranda and Victoria and the slight pique of Geneva, as well. Geneva had yet to have her chat with the Prince, and from the looks of things, he would be dancing and whispering with Brenda for all eternity. Geneva was shocked to feel jealousy of her twin. But yes, there it was--jealousy. Geneva sighed at the new emotion. She could not deny that she wanted Prince Jasper as much as her older sisters did. How odd life was that the one sister who did not want the Prince was the one who was getting all of his attention.

     "Victoria is afraid of heights," Brenda reveled to him. "So if you tell her that you will be erecting a new castle for your bride with high turrets and towers, and your bedroom will be in the highest of them all, I am sure she will at least reconsider a life with you."

     Jax grinned down at her. He thought she was most marvelous, his Brenda. Yes, his. Eventually she would realize that.

     His smile made her feel dizzy -- pleasantly so. She thought they really ought to stop this dancing. Surely Kayla had been entertained enough, and it was very strange to have everyone looking at them this way. Why was the music still playing? What a long song, she thought, having missed Jax's subtle little nod before, which had caused the musicians to keep playing.

     "You are feeling dizzy?" Jax asked her, as he felt her sway towards him as if losing her balance.

     "Yes," she said. "Can we sit please?"

     "In a moment," Jax said, knowing her disoriented feeling was not a result of anything but being near him this way. It was not arrogance that gave him this knowledge, but the fact that he was feeling the very same way due to her nearness. "You have one more sister yet to instruct me about," he reminded her.

     "Oh, Geneva," Brenda said, holding onto his arms to support her bizarre state of weakness. Oh my! Her hands felt the muscular physique beneath the shirt, and a delicious tremor snuck up on her. She moved her hands quickly. "Well, Geneva actually would make you a wonderful wife," she said, trying to relax. Why was her heart hammering so? What was this warm and pleasurably disturbing feeling that was pestering her? How peculiar this all was!

     I don't want her. I want you, he thought. Only you…

     Oh, no, Brenda thought. He's *looking* at me like that again. Was the man trying to hypnotize her? He certainly did have the most spectacular eyes in existence, she decided. And then her eyes dropped to his mouth. She was feeling *very* warm. No, hot, she decided. Hot, not warm. Was she perspiring, she wondered? What in the world was happening to her? Dizzy, breathless, hot . . .was she sick?

     "Your Highness, I really do need to sit down, please," she said. Jax allowed her to slip out of his arms, although it felt as if he were letting go of the sunlight itself. She curtseyed clumsily to him in her haste to retreat. He smiled at her hasty departure. The thing about sunlight was that even when it left you, you knew it would be back . . .

Song Credit: "Storybook" written by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton, available on the album entitled The Scarlet Pimpernel on Angel Records.