It was going on eleven p.m. when Jax walked Brenda back to the palace. Brenda was reluctant to leave the magical wonders of the Enchanted Forest. She felt so free there; uninhibited, alive, adventurous, mischievous -- and somehow more like her true self than she could ever remember feeling, as strange as that sounded. Yet she was also still miffed at the wizard, Malvodio, whose disturbing words would not leave her mind.
As Jax walked with her towards the silver bricks of the enormous back courtyard, he motioned for the attendants to bring his horse, shrugging off the royal coach that awaited him. And as soon as he made his motion, the four Knights of the Realm, who always accompanied the Prince in his comings and goings from the palace, readied themselves to depart with the Prince back to his castle.
"Your Highness," Brenda said, gazing at the silver bricks beneath her feet thoughtfully.
"Jax," he said.
Oh, he was so adorably persistent, she thought with an unintentional smile. "I want to thank you for trusting me enough to show me the Enchanted Forest. It is a memory that shall stay with me forever. I just truly want to thank you for gifting me with this most unforgettable experience."
Jax smiled over at her. "It was my pleasure to do so. As it happens, I go there quite often,” he paused, “You can come back again with me if you’d like."
Her eyes lifted to his, and he saw her delight before she could wish it away. "I would love to go back with you!" she said, thinking there was still so much she hadn’t explored in the magical woods. Then she made a concerted effort to temper her effervescence. "I think I should burst if I would have to keep such a wondrous experience to myself, " she confessed. "I know I cannot tell anyone about the things I have seen, but I can talk freely about them with you, can't I?"
Jax nodded. "Yes." Then he shot her an attractive smile that made her feel pleasantly lightheaded. "You really liked it then?"
She felt inexplicably touched at how important it seemed to him that he please her. "Are you joking with me, Your Highness? Why, it was the most spectacular, most wonderful thing I have ever seen -- ever done!" she exclaimed in, an awe-filled whisper.
Ever done? Well, Jax was certain he could change her mind about that after they were married. He would show her things even more wonderful than walking through an enchanted land.
"Your friend, Malvodio, does have rather strange notions, however," Brenda added as they stood at the foot of the steps of the back of the palace, a warm, jasmine-scented night breeze swirling seductively about them.
Jax gave her a curious gaze. "Strange notions?" he repeated. "Such as what?"
"Well, he seems to think . . . you and I . . ." she paused, tapping the chin of her lovely, pixie-shaped face.
"Yes?" Jax prodded her.
"He just has strange notions," she said with a shrug, folding her hands behind her back.
"What may seem strange to you, Brenda, is only truth to him. He is the descendant of Merlin, you know. King Arthur's Merlin."
"I am sure that fact is supposed to be of some great importance, " she said, "but I have never believed in any sorcerers, including Merlin, until this very day," Brenda pointed out.
"Well, Malvodio descends from that line -- Merlin's line -- so his magic is very powerful and true. He knows many things. I do not know *how* he knows these things, but he just does. He has a way of seeing things that are to be. His perceptions are baffling in their accuracy, and he has never been wrong," Jax told her.
Brenda backed away from him slightly, feeling a bit overwhelmed by all sorts of mischievous desires to touch him. "You would not find him so all-knowing and infallibly accurate if you knew what his perception of *us* was," Brenda informed him, sitting down on the steps.
"Us?" Jax said, sitting down next to her. "You and I?"
"Yes."
"He spoke to you about you and I? In what manner?"
"He has absurd notions, Your Highness," she said, resting her hands in her lap. "He thinks we are," she rolled her eyes, "*destined* for one another."
The slight raise of Jax's golden blonde eyebrows let her know that he found the wizard's words to her surprising. "He actually told you that?" Jax murmured.
"He implied it," Brenda told him. “Very strongly, I might add."
Jax nodded and slid his beautiful, dusk-blue gaze over to her. "And you do not believe him?"
Brenda laughed. "Of course not! Do you?"
Jax shrugged and got up, as the attendants brought around Excalibur for him. "As I told you," he said, climbing up on the magnificent stallion, "he has never been wrong."
Brenda was a bit unnerved by the Prince's steadfast belief in the accuracy of the wizard's words. She wasn't sure, however, if what unnerved her was the idea of Prince Jasper being her *destiny,* which seemed to rob her of all choice in the matter and certainly would complicate her own wedding plans, or perhaps what truly unnerved her was the wizard's warning that should she ignore this so called *destiny,* the Prince would end up in the arms of her twin and the *destiny* would now belong to them. For the life of her she could neither understand nor shake the adamant defiance the very thought of such a thing conjured up within her entire being. Instinctively she knew she would never let it happen. This both infuriated and puzzled her. Why should she care whom he married? Whom he kissed? Whom he lavished his wildly tantalizing passions upon? Whom he surrendered his much coveted heart to? she thought mutinously. But she did care, blast her -- she cared to a frightening degree that made absolutely no sense. And *that* was the most baffling, most annoying part of this unfolding insanity.
"Sweet dreams," Jax said, winking at her as he turned the horse towards the gates, the four Knights, all riding powerful, black steeds, positioning themselves around him.
Brenda shot up from her sitting position. "Your Highness," she said, causing him to halt the horse, and the Knights to follow suit.
Jax cocked his head slightly and gazed at her expectantly. "Yes?" he said, and she was flabbergasted at the power of those damned eyes of his. Even now she felt herself sinking into their beautiful depths. It was as if every possible shade of blue -- and some impossible shades, as well -- were all contained in those captivating eyes. She had never seen a prettier color in her life. Not ever.
She cleared her throat. "I have been thinking . . .ummmm… about what you said to me earlier this afternoon. You know, when you and I were going to the Secret Garden together," she reminded him.
"What exactly was it that I said that you are referring to?" he asked, mesmerized by the bewitching things the moonlight was doing to the dark, lustrous curls of her hair. She was really impossibly beautiful.
Brenda was momentarily silenced by the way he was looking at her. She wondered how many women in the Kingdom, her sisters included, would give anything under the sun to have him look at them in such a way. Her heart skipped a beat. More than one, to be honest.
Oh, fiddlesticks! This man's effect on her was most, most disturbing. And it vexed her as much as it thrilled her.
"I was referring to what you said about the best way to disinterest my sisters," she said. "You remember, don't you? You thought it would be better for you to spend all of your time with …er… me. You do recall saying that, don't you? It was *your* idea." The minute the words left Brenda's lips, she realized why she was saying them. For heaven's sake, she was truly worried about him finding his *destiny* in Geneva, wasn't she? She wanted to do anything in her power to keep them apart! Oh, this was preposterous! Blast that crafty, old wizard; he had her all confused now, to the point where here she was making an absolute fool out of herself with this ridiculous jealousy -- this absurd *fear* of losing a man that she did not even have and certainly did not want! Or did she? Have him? Want him? No, no, and no! Her internal conflict was not lost on Jax, who found it interesting, to say the least.
"I recall saying it," Jax said. "What I do *not* recall is your being very receptive to the idea," he reminded her with a gorgeous, sardonic smile, the likes of which would make the sun melt in the sky.
"I never said that. Well, not *exactly* that," she contended, chewing on her lip absently. She had no idea how badly the breathtaking, golden-haired Prince, gazing down at her beneath thick, gold lashes, wanted to take her in his arms and do all sorts of wonderful and sensually unspeakable things to her. "Well, even if I did, I have now come to the conclusion that it is a very *good* idea, actually" she said. "Yes. Now that I have had time to…to …*think* about it, you see, I think it will be the best course of action. It will be, as you said . . .more expedient."
"Among other things," Jax murmured, a wicked, and infuriatingly triumphant, smile dancing faintly across his tantalizing lips.
Brenda was not sure she wanted to know what he meant by that or what message lay beneath that heart-stoppingly devilish smile he was bestowing upon her. The wild craving for his kiss snuck up on her all of a sudden, and she was, all at once, desperate to get away from him before she acted upon said craving. She had been shameless enough in her desire for him this day. Curses, this simply had to stop!
"Goodnight, Your Highness," she said, scurrying up the stairs.
"Until tomorrow, my beautiful one," Jax said softly, watching her until she disappeared inside. And then he and his entourage headed towards his own home.
Avoiding an interrogation from her sisters as to her whereabouts for the past few hours -- thanks to the fact that Princess Georgina had them all in stitches in the salon, telling them wicked stories of some of the heirs and heiresses they would run into at the balls -- Brenda quickly made her way up to her bedchamber. She changed for bed, still not sure if this entire day had been real. The kisses, the wizard, the wizard's son, talking trees, *singing* trees, laughing flowers, the kisses . . . What she wouldn't give to be able to taste of those marvelous kisses again and again. Right this very minute would be nice.
A slow ache moved through her being. Love sickness?
"What on earth am I *thinking?*" she whispered angrily to the bedcovers as she removed them. "That is utter nonsense! Love sickness - what complete fabrication. Whoever heard of such foolishness? That blasted wizard was simply having his fun, toying with my mind!" Yes, that blasted, tricky sorcerer. Well, he was wasting his time; his tricks would not work on her, she decided with a loud sigh of frustration, as she shut out the light and climbed into the luxurious bed.
Tonight she was determined to dream of Michael. She would lay here in this heavenly bed and think of only him; concentrate all of her thoughts on only him. She wondered what it would feel like to kiss him the way she had kissed Prince Jasper today. She wondered how it would feel to be kissed *by* him the way Prince Jasper kissed her in response. She shivered with delight at the memory of the way the Prince held her, so close to his own body, and she not even pretending to resist him. Simply scandalous behavior on her part, she thought with a mischievous little smile.
She remembered the fantastic, sensual delights his hot, velvet lips and that sinfully skilled mouth of his had given to her. She closed her eyes -- oh, how she longed to feel such impossible pleasures again. She then disappointed herself by realizing she was in no great hurry at all to discover if Michael could make her feel like this. This wild desire to explore all avenues of sensuality with Prince Jasper just would not sustain itself when her thoughts shifted to Michael.
She pounded her hand against the bed in anger. She had only been here a mere two days! How could it be that Michael, the man she loved and was to marry, already felt so far removed from her life? While the Prince -- a man she barely knew -- seemed to fill every fiber of her being in a manner most impossible to dismiss? Had that infernal, charming sorcerer indulged in some sort of wizard-play and cast some temporary spell upon her? No, she did not recall him chanting any words or casting his hands above her, or any such thing. Then what the devil was the meaning of these preposterous, uninvited emotions and longings stirring so thrillingly within her?
"I will not dream of you this night, Your blasted Highness; I will not!" she vowed stubbornly, closing her eyes and forcing herself to see Michael's face. Dark hair, dark eyes. It was difficult to imagine him smiling, since he so seldom did so. Her eyes opened slowly, and she gazed at the moon pouring into her bedchamber. Silvery beauty, spilling onto the gleaming floors, and filling the room with it’s magical moonglow. And then her eyes rested on the blue rose lying on the table next to the bed. The rose Jax had placed in her hair when they were in the Secret Garden together this afternoon. She reached for the rose and stroked the soft petals. A blue rose. How remarkable. She smiled and inhaled its sweet, exotic fragrance. And then, she sighed in resignation, as she ran the soft, petals against her cheek, already knowing perfectly well whom it was she would dream about tonight. Drat.
The next morning was a typical Fahrlane day. A balmy, ocean breeze, bright sunshine and deep blue skies. From one of the many windows of the Queen's court, Queen Jane and King John both glanced out to see their daughter and son playfully racing one another to get to the gates of the Enchanted Forest. Despite Georgina doing everything in her power to slow him down, Jax got there first, his laughing sister racing in behind him as they closed the gates behind them.
"I suppose they will both be absent at breakfast this morn," King John sighed.
"Come now, darling, you can hardly fault their fascination with the Forest. You know what lies within."
"Malvodio has made that place far too enticing," King John complained, as he straightened the rich material of his royal garb. "Although the most enticing thing to our daughter is that blasted Simon," he muttered. "To think that my only daughter is completely besotted with the son of a wizard, for pity's sake. 'Tis madness!" John grumbled as he sat upon the throne, watching his wife, whose eyes were still trained outdoors.
"Oh, but Simon is such a scrumptious, young thing -- and so positively endearing. How could she not fall for the boy? It could not be helped," Jane said with a shrug, ignoring her husband's scowl of disapproval.
"She will birth him mischief-making little genies and…and… crafty, little warlocks," John sputtered. "Our grandchildren will be *flying* about this palace indulging in all manner of hocus bloody pocus, I tell you, Jane!" he said, flapping his arms about wildly as a means of demonstration.
Queen Jane laughed merrily out loud at how absurd her husband looked. "Oh, how you *do* delight me, my husband," she said, kissing his cheek. "Shall we turn the subject to our son? He shall be the first to marry, you know."
"Yes, and he is besotted with a gal stricken with some kind of madness, for surely that can be the only explanation for why the girl does not wish him to choose her," John said, thinking it simply absurd that any normal, young lady would not melt to the floor at so much as the mere prospect of being the wife of his most magnificent son. "Of all the sisters . . .you are still certain he has his eyes set only on this Brenda?" John asked.
"I shall wager he has his *heart* set on her, my love," the Queen said with certainty. "Have you not seen the way he spends all of his time with her? Have you not seen how he looks at no other woman since he has met her? I only wonder how long it will take him to tell us all of his decision."
"The other sisters will carry on something dreadful," the King predicted, rolling his blue eyes at the prospect of the dramatic, female theatrics that could be expected when Jax chose amongst the sisters.
The Queen shrugged. "Our son can only have one wife. The other girls are lovely and shall find suitable husbands, I am certain of it."
"Somehow I think this will be of little comfort to them," The King said. "Jasper is the one they all long so desperately for."
"And yet he longs for none of them but one," the Queen said, wondering what that pretty, little *one* was up to at this moment?
Upstairs in her bedroom, Brenda paced the floor, the brilliant sunlight warming the golden skin of her bare legs, as she went back and forth in front of the large windows. She had awoken from a blissful dream of laughter and magic and passionate kisses that melted her soul. Realizing her dreams had indeed been about the Prince, Brenda had immediately gotten a headache. Love sickness! Drat, what if it were true?
The best course of action might be to avoid encountering His Highness for a few days, she decided. Perhaps it would cure her of this strangely pleasant affliction? Of course, if she were to avoid him, then he and Geneva might . . . No! She had to stop believing that Malvodio's nonsense had any speck of truth to it! She would not go to this ball tonight, she decided. She would avoid all contact with Prince Jasper today. She would... She would pretend to be ill! Yes, that was it! she decided with a smile. She heard voices outside of her door and scampered back into the bed, tousling her hair about and trying to look under the weather.
There was a rap on her door. "Brenda, rise and shine, child. Breakfast shall be ready shortly," her father said, entering.
"Ohhhhhh," Brenda groaned, tossing her arm dramatically over her eyes. "Papa, I do not feel well. I cannot think of eating anything," she said, making a face.
Harlan Barrett got closer to her, inspecting her. "You look fine," he insisted, taking in her beautiful complexion and sparkling eyes. She had always been a stunningly beautiful child, but was it his imagination or had her beauty somehow intensified since their arrival here at the palace?
Brenda glowered a bit. "But I *feel* awful," she said. "Ohhhhhhhhh. I have the most terrible stomachache. I think I shall have to miss the ball."
Harlan instantly knew she was faking it, although he had to applaud her acting skills. But he also knew how to get her to have a miraculous recovery. He had taken shrewd notice of her very interesting reaction to Geneva's monopolizing Prince Jasper's attentions at yesterday's evening meal, and knew exactly how to get Brenda to stop this silly, sham sickness.
"Oh, my poor sweet," he sighed, stroking the glossy bangs of her hair. "Well, what a pity that you shall have to miss the very first ball of the season. Tsk, tsk. But I suppose it cannot be helped, what with your feeling so poorly, and all."
Brenda nodded and groaned some more for effect.
"Very well, Brenda, I shall inform everyone that you are unwell, and we shall leave you to your rest. Do feel better, dearest." He kissed her forehead, gave her a sympathetic look and left the room, shutting the door.
Brenda laughed and leapt out of the bed. Why, that was easy! And this was just what she needed. Time away from the irresistible lure of the Prince and the nagging accusations of her sisters -- time to try desperately to get her mind and her feelings back to the way they were before she came to this place and fell under this bewitchment of the man.
She heard voices outside of her door, but they were not entering. It was her father's voice and he was speaking to her mother. Brenda went over to the door and placed her ear against it to hear what they were saying.
"Should we call the physician for her?" Veronica was saying.
"Oh, I don't think it is anything quite that serious," Harlan dismissed. "A day of rest should cure what ails the child. And as unfortunate as it is that she shall have to miss the Danvers Ball, this should prove to be a splendid opportunity for Geneva. She can take Brenda's place on the Prince's dance card, so she shall get twice as many dances with him as any other woman in attendance. Can't you just see it, Veronica? Our Geneva and the Prince sailing across the ballroom, cheek to cheek, floating on air, the envy of every other couple there."
Brenda felt an all too familiar vehement reaction to this imagery.
"This is quite true!" Veronica said, seeing the benefits of Brenda's not feeling well. "You know what, Harlan, the dress Brenda was to wear tonight is utterly fabulous." Veronica lowered her voice a bit more, "If you ask me the Queen favors her for some reason -- do not tell the girls that, however. At any rate, now that Brenda is not up to going out this evening, Geneva can wear that stunning, silver gown that sparkles like a moonlit night!"
Brenda's mouth dropped.
"What an inspired idea, my dear!” Harlan exclaimed loudly. “Oh, surely Prince Jasper will not be able to take his eyes off of Geneva for one moment when he sees her in that dress, that is quite certain. Let us retrieve the dress from Brenda."
They knocked on the door and were facing a glaring Brenda.
"Brenda, whatever are you doing out of bed?" her father asked, taking her arm and leading her back to the bed. "You are ill, child. Lay down and rest."
"I am suddenly feeling much better!" Brenda practically shouted at them, her lovely eyes flashing. Her parents drew back: her mother aghast at her outburst; her father smiling that his plan to help her with a speedy recovery was so successful. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to get dressed for breakfast," Brenda said.
"We shall see you downstairs then," Harlan said and then leaned forward and kissed her cheek, while Brenda tried to figure out why her father was grinning so.
"You are missing breakfast with your family. Not to mention your lovely future bride . . . and your future in-laws as well," Malvodio said to Jax, who was leaning against a tree, his ankles crossed, his thoughts far, far away.
"Yes, I know," Jax said, as he heard the sound of his sister's laughter as Simon chased her amongst the trees. He wondered, with a faint smile, what manner of attack his parents would have to discover that the son of a sorcerer had snatched their daughter's heart. Or did they already know?
"I did not think it possible for you to intentionally miss a chance to lay your eyes upon the girl," Malvodio said, taking a bite of a sweet apple from a nearby, fruit-bearing tree. It bore apples, oranges, pears, bananas. It actually bore any manner of fruit one could desire.
Jax's spectacular, blue eyes rose to gaze at the wizard. "I do not wish to *overwhelm* her," he said, reminding Malvodio of his own words.
"Ahh," the wizard chuckled with a nod, taking another bite of the delicious fruit. "What you *truly* mean is that you wish for her to long for you the way you so long for her, and you think that making her miss you shall speed things up, is that not so?"
Jax shrugged. What use was it to deny the very things this sorcerer already knew?
"I commend this tactic," Malvodio said with a nod of approval. "Now tell me truthfully, how goes it with the future princess?" he asked conversationally.
"Very well, I think," Jax said thoughtfully. "For now, at least. You did not tell me you were going to speak with her about destiny."
"I merely wanted to plant the seeds, my boy. She will do the rest on her own, I assure you."
"She thinks you have 'strange notions,'" Jax said with a grin.
"Well, that is all right. I expect she has perhaps even cursed my name a time or two since we met."
"More than that, I am sure," the Prince murmured with a smile.
"Yes, I would expect by now it is quite possible that she wishes to wring my very neck. I will, however, expect a heartfelt apology from the stubborn beauty when she fully realizes just how right I was. About *everything,*" he said with his typical wizard’s confidence.
Jax smiled and nodded, although he knew Brenda and apologies. She would struggle through it, he thought with a grin, as a warm sensation filled his heart at the thought of her. Jax's eyes were diverted as his sister and Simon emerged from the section of the forest that contained the rainbow-colored waterfalls. They were wet and laughing as they walked hand in hand. And then Simon stopped and swung her around as the princess laughed with glee.
"Malvodio, would you let Simon go with us tonight?" Jax asked. "It would make my sister happy beyond anything else."
Malvodio hesitated. His distrust of most people made it difficult for him to think of allowing his son to mingle with strangers.
"You know me," Jax said. "I will protect him with my life. And he is well equipped to protect himself even without me."
Malvodio nodded. He knew that each time the royal children went to their balls and races and sailing outings and such, Simon would wistfully gaze after them, wishing he could be with them. He also knew his son loved the princess to distraction, and that she enthusiastically returned his affections. They were as destined as Jax and his Brenda. It was time, Malvodio decided. Time to let the boy out beyond the safety of the palace grounds. Jasper would indeed protect Simon with his life, Malvodio knew this. For the boys were like brothers. And Jasper, so utterly brilliant with the sword, had taught Simon the art of swordsmanship. There could be no better teacher, as the young wizard's ever-increasing skills could attest to. Yes, it was time to let this little bird fly.
"Very well," Malvodio said. "He shall go with you tonight, if he wishes."
"Of course, he wishes," Jax said with a grin. He could not wait to tell his sister. But then, he decided, he would not tell her after all. It would be a surprise. Tonight Gina would be able to dance all night in the arms of the one she loved above all others. As will I, Jax thought, thinking the Danvers Ball was going to be quite an event.
Gazing at the Prince, Malvodio thought the extraordinary, young man had no idea just what an event it would indeed be.
Michael cringed as his date, Beatrice Ostwell, laughed at an awful joke Lady Judith Cosgrove had just told them. It sickened Michael to have to attend the Danvers Ball on the arm of this prattling, old biddy, who was a full twenty years his senior. But one needed to know an aristocrat or member of the nobility to attend an affair such as this one, and Beatrice Ostwell was an aristocrat. One who had a voracious appetite for younger men. She was not the kind of woman Michael would ever have glanced twice upon, but she was useful to him this night. She was his entry into the ball -- his means of getting to Brenda. And that was all that mattered.
He gazed about the opulent ballroom for the object of his desire, and spotted her immediately. She wore an off-the-shoulder gown of sparkling silver, her hair was in a beautiful French Braid with silver ribbons and tiny diamond butterfly hair decorations interwoven brilliantly throughout the rich dark, braided curls. The sight of her jolted him full of rabid desire, although he also found himself disgusted when he realized that her stunning attire had to have been purchased by the royal family. His eyes gazed over her sisters, who stood with her, but the only one who gave his body a similar yearning reaction as seeing Brenda had done, was Geneva, who looked lovely in a deep red satin gown. Lovely, yes, but she could not quite reach the matchless exquisiteness of her twin. Brenda was easily the most beautiful thing in the entire room, with Princess Georgina and Geneva running a close second and third.
Michael knew he had to get to Brenda as soon as he could. At least before the loathsome Prince arrived. Michael was surprised that Prince Jasper had allowed Brenda out of his lecherous sight at all, and had not arrived with her. Michael even wondered if he actually could be incorrect in assuming the man desired Brenda with the desperate hunger that any hot-blooded male would? Perhaps whatever Brenda's trick was to deter the Prince had been successful? Or perhaps the spirited beauty had cut the royal son down, letting him know in no uncertain terms she would rather run naked through the filthy, rat-infested streets of West Kent than have anything to do with him? It was a pleasant thought, envisioning Brenda treating the Prince like dirt and spitting in the face of his amorous overtures. The thought so pleased him that Michael Carruthers actually smiled.
As Jax and Simon walked into the ballroom, Jax leaned over and whispered to him, "Now remember, you cannot *do* anything, Simon."
"*Do* anything?" Simon repeated, with the innocent face of an altar boy.
"You know bloody well what I mean. Magic. You can do none of it here, or I will knock you senseless,"Jax warned him.
"I hear and obey, Your Royal Highness," Simon said, bowing before Jax several times.
Jax playfully pushed away Simon's blonde head. "Cut that out," Jax said.
Simon just laughed his rascal's laugh and followed Jax into the soiree, four of the six Knights of the Realm who had accompanied them, following them inside.
The horn fanfare, the second of the evening, announced the arrival of another member of the Fahrlane royalty. Brenda, who had been gazing with great interest at the goings on of her first ball, spun around, as did every other female in the room, as the Prince made his way through the parting crowd. A ripple of excited murmurs could be heard and some soft gasps of delight. Brenda could not see him over the taller men and women who stood blocking her view and that frustrated her greatly, for some reason. She had not laid eyes on Prince Jasper all day. He had not come to breakfast, nor to lunch at the palace. And he had not come with them in the palace coaches to the ball. She had a nagging worry that he may be angry with her about something and was avoiding her, and then realized how arrogant that sounded. Why, he was the *Prince,* after all. He had tons of engagements, friends, and beautiful mistresses, and the like that were probably the reasons for his absence at the palace today. The mistresses part bothered Brenda to no end, and she did not even dare think about why it bothered her so.
She stood up on her tiptoes trying to see him and still not being able to, she scanned the faces of the women in the room. Single women, engaged women, married women, old dowagers - they were all looking at him in the same manner. Ravenously. Covetously. Oh, how they wanted him. Some of them swooned as he passed in front of them. Brenda, staring at the women in a horrified sort of fascination, feared for one moment that they might actually attack him in a burst of mad lust, so enthralled were their riveted gazes. So busy was Brenda trying to see Jax, that she was completely unaware that Michael was anxiously approaching her. In fact, she had no idea he was even in the same room as she, headed purposefully towards her, gritting his teeth in disgust at the way these idiotic subjects of Fahrlane, particular the women to an embarrassing degree, fawned over the entrance of the golden-haired, royal son.
Princess Georgina, who was right next to Brenda, and with whom Brenda had been having a grand, old time, gossiping about half the people in attendance at the ball, let out a squeal of delight when she saw who was with her brother.
"Simon!" she said.
Brenda once again tried to see. Simon? The wizard's son was here? Brenda spotted Simon and smiled at him, but then her eyes were completely captured by the man in front of him, whose stunning blue eyes were focused only on her. There must have been five hundred people in this room, and he was looking only at her. He gave her a smile -- *that* smile -- and she had to glance down at her feet to make sure she was still on the ground, for she felt as if she were floating. She had not seen him all day, and her eyes hungrily took in the sight of him. He was dressed in the royal black-and-violet with etchings of gold, and Brenda knew there could not possibly be a more breathtaking man who had ever lived than this one walking towards her.
Her sisters all at once gathered around her, knowing full well that wherever Brenda was, the Prince was sure to follow.
Jax reached her at the same time as Michael did, and Brenda was at once the recipient of hundreds of stares as she alone held their Prince’s rapt attention. It was obvious to all eyes that this young girl literally took the Prince’s breath away and held the 23 year old royal son completely captive. A feat of monumental proportions.
"Hello," Jax said, momentarily ignoring her smiling siblings, and kissing her hand in the normal fashion and not that unique, intimate way of his, which she actually missed. And he could tell she missed it, and he liked that. Once again he thrilled her with the wickedly attractive smile.
"Hello," she returned, instantly captivated by his arresting blue eyes. She did remember to curtsey before him and wished she did not sound quite so breathless and could somehow stop the silly smile from racing delightedly across her lips. How embarrassing that she appeared so utterly thrilled to see him. What an ego boost this must be for him, she thought, trying to sour her thoughts. But it was not working. She was *so* happy to see him, she could do nothing but smile up at him, a secret smile for him alone.
"Hello," came a curt, slightly raised, and very familiar voice from behind her.
Good lord!!! Still holding Jax's hand, Brenda spun around so fast she would have fallen were it not for Jax's protective hold on her. She found Michael there, looking at her through hooded eyes. His thick, dark brows lowered with displeasure.
Brenda wanted to pass out. She wanted the chandelier to fall upon her head. She wanted to beg Simon to make her disappear. She wanted to be anywhere but standing *here* in this room full of decked out debutantes, dowagers, and dandies, stuck between the man she desired, but did not love, and the man she loved, but did not desire. Michael's frown continued to deepen as he saw that she was not letting go of Prince Jasper's hand. He also detected something in her eyes he did not like. Guilt? What had she to feel guilty about? he wondered with an angry, suspicious mind, as a nerve began ticking in his jaw.
Brenda realized she still had a hold of Jax. She did not want to let go, for there was somehow great comfort in touching him, but she did let go, imagining how awful this must look to poor Michael, who looked as if he would soon burst a blood vessel if she did not let go of the Prince.
Brenda clasped her fidgety hands together and stood there, in between the two men, wondering if she stared hard enough at the floor, would it open up and swallow her? But no, she was not one to hide under rocks and run from sticky situations. What to do? What to do?! Introductions! she thought with a sigh of relief. She would start with a simple introduction to break this intense tension that suddenly seemed to permeate the air around the three of them.
She turned to Michael, whose eyes were dark and swirling dangerously, his jaw still ticking. Jax, in contrast, was very calm and cool and seemed even slightly amused by this little situation.
Brenda gave Michael a bright smile, determined to act as if everything were just fine and dandy. "Hello," she said, appalled to hear that her normally soft-spoken, very lovely voice came out sounding like a squeak. Michael stiffened as he saw her inadvertently lean closer towards the blonde prince, whose hands touched her waist lightly as if to reassure her that he was right there, right behind her. "This is His Highness, Prince Jasper," she said, realizing too late that this was quite idiotic, as, of course, Michael was already well acquainted with the Prince. Michael was a Knight of the Realm, after all, and Prince Jasper knew all of the knights personally. But, oh drat, fiddlesticks and phooey! she had already begun, and she was not about to stop now. Brenda quickly turned to Jax, rushing right along with the inane introductions. "And Your Highness, this is . . . this is . . ." Brenda was horrified as she gestured towards Michael lamely, her mind a complete blank. "This… er… is…" Oh good god, she could not even remember his name!
Song Credit: "Storybook" written by Frank Wildhorn and Nan Knighton, available on the album entitled The Scarlet Pimpernel on Angel Records.