CHAPTER 26
Katy
K aty eyed the carriage with a skeptical tilt of her eyebrow. “Are we going somewhere?”
“Yes, in fact,” Axel said lightly. There was a bit of smugness in his expression this morning. “Ordinarily, I would not travel by carriage. However, I have verified with your cousin that in addition to dancing lessons before my birthday, I have been remiss by failing to ensure that you know how to ride a horse. We will have to rectify that omission at a later date.” She accepted his offered hand and stepped up into the vehicle. “Besides,” he added as he followed her in, “traveling by carriage has an added benefit.” Reaching past her, he pulled the curtains over the windows.
“What are you doing?” she squawked as his side brushed against her. In the few weeks since their argument outside the theater, he had resumed his former habits. Mornings in the music room were once again full of teasing and laughter instead of the awkward thing they had become after the argument. But there was more space in the music room.
“Keeping you from peeking.” He grinned at her. “You’re not allowed to know where we’re going until we get there.”
“Why? Afraid I’ll throw open the door and bolt?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know.”
She settled against the seat as the carriage began moving. She had seen all five of Axel’s guards with their horses. Did that mean that they were going somewhere dangerous? Or on a longer journey than normal? Up till now, they had only taken walks to places near the castle.
Try as she might, Katy failed to convince Axel to divulge a single clue regarding their destination. He chatted pleasantly, played with her curls until she pushed him away with laughing protests that he would ruin her hair, and foiled her occasional attempts to pull back one of the curtains, but whenever she brought up the purpose of the trip, he would close his lips and smile mysteriously.
She grew more curious as time passed. She’d lost track of their direction, but the rattle of the carriage wheels had long since changed from the clatter of hard cobblestones to the softer sound of dirt or gravel. Likewise, the passing conversations of citizens, rumbling of other carriage wheels, and clip-clops of other horses had been replaced by the chatter of squirrels, the songs of birds, and the less-noticeable sounds of their lone carriage and accompanying guards.
“I know what this is.” Katy placed a hand over her chest and widened her eyes. “You’ve finally revealed your true colors! You’re dragging me out to the middle of nowhere to do away with me, as I suspected when you lured me out of the theater!”
Giving her an easy smile, he leaned back against the carriage door and replied, “You caught me. My plan is to stop the carriage in a heavily wooded area and give our guards the slip by pretending we’re sneaking off for a romantic rendezvous. I’ll then leave your body for the wild animals while I flee into the wilderness in a vain attempt to avoid your cousin’s vengeance.”
“A flawless plan,” she grinned. Then, hoping to catch him off-guard, she spun in her seat and reached for the curtain next to her. He lunged toward her, but his position and relaxed posture put him at a disadvantage. Even so, she managed only a brief glance before he wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her back. But it was enough to catch sight of a familiar vista, even if she’d rarely seen it from this direction.
She twisted in his arms, staring at him with her mouth open. “You weren’t supposed to see that yet,” he gently chided, playing with one of her curls.
“But Axel—you brought me home!” Katy exclaimed. As she flung her arms around his neck, she faintly registered that his smile was a little dimmer than she would have expected. “Thank you! Thank you, Axel!”
He tightened his arms around her in response. “I thought you might like it. Happy birthday, Katy.”
“But my birthday isn’t for another week,” she protested.
“Yes, but my mother will be throwing a celebration for you on your birthday,” he pointed out, “so I’m giving you my gift early.”
He settled his cheek against the top of her head. She allowed herself to enjoy the sensation for a few moments before drawing back, fighting the blush from his nearness. “Thank you. I love it!”
Axel finally allowed her to pull the curtains back, and she soaked in the view of the home she hadn’t seen in over two months; she hadn’t thought the king would let her return before the wedding. As they rolled past the first houses, people began to appear in doorways; the arrival of any visitor was cause for curiosity in Flussendorf.
First, their eyes would widen when they absorbed the dragon crest on the door of the carriage. Then their eyes would trace the guards, lighting up when they recognized Otto, after which they invariably noticed Katy at the window, waving and smiling. The reactions she received were split between shock and excitement. Cries of “Katy’s back!” mixed with “A royal carriage!” as they drove through the tiny market.
“Where shall we go first?” Axel asked as the driver brought the vehicle to a stop. They had brought only guards, so he opened the door himself and hopped to the ground before holding his hands out to her.
“The mill.” Setting her hands on his shoulders, she let him grab her waist and lift her down, neither of them bothering to lower the steps. As soon as he released her, she grabbed his hand and dragged him toward a smaller street. “This way!”
“Shall I find Liesl?” Otto called from behind them.
Without pausing, she turned to yell over her shoulder, “Yes, thank you, Otto!” She saw him shake his head with a smile and direct his horse toward the hilly slopes, but then she was focused ahead once more. She could barely contain her excitement. Her family was so close!
“Katy?”
She grinned at the sight of Adele standing in the open doorway of the mill, hands limp at her side and mouth slightly open. Dropping Axel’s hand, Katy ran forward and swept her unresisting sister into her arms. “Adele! I missed you so much!” Prickly as she could be, Adele was family, and Katy had spent many nights in her too-big room at the castle wishing for her sisters.
“You’re back.” There was a quiver in Adele’s voice as she returned Katy’s hug with interest. “You’re really back.”
“I am,” Katy agreed happily.
Loosening her grip, Adele leaned back and examined her. “That is not the dress you were wearing when you left.”
“No, it isn’t,” Katy acknowledged, blushing as she realized how out of place she was. “Did you expect me to walk around the castle in my old one?”
“But you’re back. Shouldn’t—” Adele looked over Katy’s shoulder and stiffened. “Who’s that?”
“The prince,” a flat voice answered. Turning, Katy saw Fritz standing a few feet away, glaring at Axel, who was hanging back to watch the happy reunion with a small smile. “I heard Katy was back. I didn’t realize you came with her.”
“We are a package deal,” the prince glibly replied. “I thought you knew that when you left the capital.”
“She’s back. I’d hoped it had changed.”
“That’s enough, you two!” Katy cut in crossly. “I haven’t even been up to see my mother yet; you can wait at least that long before you start bickering again.”
Axel turned to her with an innocent expression. “Bickering? I’m not bickering.”
“Of course, you aren’t,” she grumbled. Huffing, she said a little louder, “Adele, this is Axel. Axel, my sister Adele.”
Adele’s eyes had been wide since Fritz’s declaration, but they grew further at Katy’s informality. Axel’s eyes twinkled at her fumbling attempts to curtsy, which he politely waved off as unnecessary. Bertram loomed behind him.
From there, Katy shuffled her sister and tag-along prince inside and up to the living area, picking up her father on the way. Fritz trailed behind; Axel ordered Bertram to remain downstairs. Katy applauded his wisdom in that decision, especially once Otto and Liesl showed up. The room above the mill was rather tight with all five members of her family plus three visitors. Especially when two of the visitors kept sniping at each other: Fritz, direct and protective; Axel, subtle and laid-back.
When Katy grew tired of it, she threw the prince out, shocking her parents with her treatment of him. His eyes sparkled less than usual, but he simply gave her an easy smile, kissed her knuckles, and said, “Anything for you, Katy,” before removing himself from the situation.
She felt bad about ejecting him, but she was a little afraid that if she sent Fritz away, he would get himself in trouble with the prince’s guards.
After spending a good long while with her family, Katy meandered out to visit her friends. Axel was polite as always. His eyes danced through most of the conversations, but occasionally, Katy caught a bit of sorrow in them when he looked at her.
It took some persuading, but she managed to leave Fritz at the tanner’s shop when she and Axel finally returned to her home. Axel joined them for their simple supper. He looked completely out of place in his fine clothing at the rough wooden table, but he was as relaxed and comfortable as if he were dining in the breakfast room at the castle. At times, he almost seemed more comfortable than when he was with his parents.
Thankfully, Katy’s father was on his best behavior in front of his prospective royal son-in-law, and he stayed home instead of visiting the tavern. Katy was especially glad since the prince had secured rooms at the tavern for himself and his guards. The less Axel saw of her father in his drunken state, the better.
With only two nights at home, Katy determined not to waste any of it. Babette agreed to watch their sheep for Liesl, so Katy spent the next morning with her mother and sisters while they chatted and did chores. It surprised her when the prince didn’t show up. Since he hadn’t mentioned any work in Flussendorf, she had expected him to spend the time at her side as usual.
Just after lunch, she heard the sound of the front door creaking on its hinges. Shortly after, the squeaking of the old, wooden stairs preceded a light rapping on the handrail.
“May I come in?”
“Door’s open,” Liesl called back with a cheeky grin.
“Your...Highness,” Mother managed as Axel entered, the blanket held above his head with one hand. She struggled a little straighter in the rocking chair. “It is...a pleasure to...have you back.”
Waving her down, he replied, “It is my honor to be here, Miss Sabine. Please, as I said before, no formalities from Katy’s family.”
Katy looked up from where she was washing their bowls. “Good afternoon, Axel. Did you enjoy your morning off?”
“I did.” He gave her one of his glowing smiles, but as his eyes took in the old, worn dress that she had donned that morning, some of the sadness crept back into them. “I know your time with your family is limited, but I was hoping to steal you away for a little bit. Do you mind?”
“I don’t know if I—”
“Oh, go ahead, Katy,” Liesl cut in, giving her a wink. “He is a prince, after all! It’s not every day that a prince asks you to walk with him.”
“Not true,” Katy said wryly. “Whereas I don’t get to see you every day anymore.”
Axel stepped forward, lifting one of her wet hands. “Please, Katy? I promise not to keep you long.”
His grip on her hand was tighter than normal. Meeting his eyes, she found she could no more resist his request now than when he had first asked her to walk with him. “All right.” She turned toward her mother. “Mother, do you mind if I run off for a bit?”
“Of course not,” her mother replied with a small, weak smile. “Go…have fun…with your prince.”
Katy felt her cheeks heat at the possessive, but she did her best to keep her embarrassment off her face as she dried her hands and let Axel lead her from the mill.
“Where are we going?” she asked. Instead of escorting her on his arm, he was simply holding her hand. It felt spine-tinglingly intimate.
“Someplace I found this morning.” He gave her a small smile as he led her along the bank of the Felsig. It was all familiar to Katy, but she was curious to see what he had discovered. It made her happy to share her home with him and to have him share his excitement with her.
After about ten minutes, he led her up a small outcropping of rocks that overlooked a waterfall. It was a beautiful spot, one Katy liked to visit during the rare opportunities she had to wander.
“Did I find the right spot?” Axel pulled her closer to the water’s edge, reaching up and playing with her curls. “I went down the river first. It took me a little while to realize that I shouldn’t have had to go so far.”
“Wait. You weren’t just exploring and happened to find this place? You were actively looking for it?” She looked up at him in astonishment. “But why? I could have shown it to you.”
Drawing her closer, he stared into her eyes with a fond expression mixed with the sadness of the last day and a half. “Because I didn’t want to ask. I wanted to bring you to your favorite place.”
Her favorite—? A memory from a couple of months earlier wiggled its way along the edge of her mind.
“I have something I want to ask you,” he began. “But first, I have something to tell you.”
Her heart did a funny little jump, and she found it difficult to hold his intense gaze, but at the same time, she couldn’t look away.
“I can’t change my father’s mind. And I don’t have access to the funds that you would need to pay him back. But I do have an alternative for you, if you want it.” He swallowed and looked at the waterfall before continuing. “I’m afraid any direct involvement on my part would be thwarted by my father. In light of this, Tobias has agreed to provide you and your family with positions at his family’s home in Himmelsburg. It wouldn’t be glamorous; they would be service positions, but you would be able to work your way into better ones once you’ve proven yourselves to the housekeeper. You would have your own place to live, so your mother would be taken care of.” Katy felt her mouth fall open as he spoke. “His family also has an estate in the country. They would be willing to provide employment there, instead, if you did not wish to live in town.” He gave her a sad smile. “I’m afraid it isn’t near a river, but at least it would be closer to what you’re used to.”
Pressure building behind Katy’s eyes warned of impending tears. “But why would—”
Axel’s hand trailed down her cheek. “Because it isn’t right that my father is holding your family’s livelihood over your head. I haven’t liked it from the beginning. But after you yelled at me in front of the theater, and then when you begged Otto for a hug a few days later, I realized that I had to do something more than try to talk some sense into my father. I want you to be happy, Katy.” The tears were beyond impending now, building at the corners of her eyes until they spilled over and trailed slowly down her cheeks. “So I did what I should have done from the start and found another way.”
“Axel, I—I don’t know what to say,” Katy stammered. “I never expected...”
Picking up her other hand, he brought both up to his chest. “This is your real birthday present, Katy. If you want, when we go home tomorrow, it will be with your family and all of your things in a hired wagon. The wagon will take you to the capital or to Tobias’s country estate, whichever you prefer.”
She was free. After two months of fighting and worrying, after finally admitting that it would never be, she was free. It would mean leaving her home, but she would be with her family, and they wouldn’t be destitute.
Axel had given her the best birthday gift she could ever receive. Even though she could see in his eyes that it broke his heart to do so .
“Thank you, Axel,” she whispered, unable to speak louder through her tight throat. “You have no idea how much this means to me.”
He rubbed the backs of her fingers with his thumbs. “I’m sorry that it won’t keep you near your friends.”
“It’s still more than I deserve after the way I’ve treated you,” she sniffled. Then, remembering, “You said you had something to ask me, didn’t you?”
He nodded. “I did, yes. And I do.” Releasing her left hand, he reached into his pocket. When he drew it out, his fist was clenched around something. “I wanted you to have a true choice, Katy. Not one where you had to choose between the lesser of two evils. So now that I’ve given you a way out, I’m going to ask you to stay.” Opening his fist, he held it palm out, and she felt her breath catch at the sight of the leather bracelet with three small stones tied onto it. “Not because my father says you have to or because you feel pressured by what you think your family wants or needs. But because you want to. Because you love me. Like I love you.” His voice broke as he stepped closer. “Marry me, Katy?”