41
“ H urry!”
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” Bennett blew a strand of hair off his forehead, his crown tucked securely under his arm as I pulled him down the hallway. We dodged a group of maids dusting vases and paintings.
“I didn’t know Misty was going to give birth this morning,” I said. We turned a corner and exited the south wing of the palace. My carriage was waiting for us on the cobblestone.
Misty herself hadn’t even known. It came as a surprise to all of us after breakfast when I found her in the blanket-lined crate I had prepared for her, the first signs of a kitten emerging. Pippin was pacing nervously before her and yowled at me to get Bennett.
This was, after all, a family matter.
I tapped my foot impatiently as the coachman set out, the carriage moving much too slowly for my taste. It had taken half an hour to get to the palace. Greenwood Abbey was confoundingly far away, and the traffic in the streets was no help either.
Bennett grinned at me from across the seat. “I’ve never seen you like this.”
“Like what?”
“Excited. Your face is glowing.”
I pressed a hand to my hot cheek, pretending his comment didn’t make my stomach flutter.
It had been over two weeks since our reunion. I saw him daily, even as he was busy drafting laws with the king. King Maximus was in a considerably better mood now that he and Bennett were on speaking terms. Though His Majesty was still hesitant to include me in royal affairs, it was only a matter of time. His face still pinched whenever he saw me, though I suspected it was out of habit now instead of disapproval.
“This is taking awfully long,” I muttered, peering out the window. We were practically inching down the streets of Delibera, a hackney-coach before us and a horse-drawn cart behind.
“We’re in no rush, are we? Cat labor can last twelve or more hours,” Bennett said.
“How do you know that?”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I did some research. Drafting laws gets boring at times.”
I laughed.
Bennett leaned forward and took my hands. I was still getting used to the feeling. “By the way, I brought you a gift.”
He slipped something cold on my finger. I stared at the new ring when he drew away. The band was embellished with floral motifs, wrapping around the diamond in the center like minuscule vines.
“You do have a tendency to lose all the rings I give you,” he said when I started to protest.
“You could have returned the last one,” I said, recalling the emerald surrounded by seed pearls. “I liked that one.”
Bennett wet his lips. I noticed he only did that when he was nervous. “Cissa, I wanted to ask—”
The carriage jerked to a stop. A look out the window showed an enormously long train of carts blocking the road. I groaned.
Misty and Pippin were going to kill me.
Bennett reached for his crown. He had set it beside him when he entered the carriage. Now, he smoothed back his hair and put it on.
“What are you doing?”
He merely smiled and opened the carriage door. “Excuse me? May we pass?” His voice rang clearly out in the streets.
Gasps erupted from the passersby. Murmurs of “Your Highness” rose from the crowd. Bennett barely shut the door before the carriage began rolling again, this time faster.
I threw my arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. “Thank you!” I paused, studying him for a moment. “You’ve been practicing.”
The only time King Maximus encouraged my presence was when I was coaching Bennett on public speaking. Ulysses claimed I had a penchant for it and Bennett had asked to learn.
“I have.” His gaze lingered on my mouth. “Is that all the reward I get?”
I tapped my chin and sat back. “Perhaps another ring first? ”
Bennett’s expression was serious. “Certainly. Do you prefer sapphires or opals?”
He was a shameless flirt when he wanted to be.
Ten minutes later we arrived in the courtyard of Greenwood Abbey. I dragged Bennett to the parlor where I had set up the crate for Misty’s birth, nearly running into Lady Vanessa, Tizzy, and an unfamiliar witch at the threshold.
“Misty was having a hard time,” Tizzy said, wringing her apron, “so Lady Vanessa and I thought we’d hire some help.”
The witch introduced herself as a midwife for animals. “I never understood why birth must be so difficult,” she said, waving her hand toward the blanket-lined crate. “You will find your kitty in perfect condition.”
I gasped when I saw the litter of kittens curled against Misty, already feeding.
I thanked the three profusely and hugged Lady Vanessa. Somehow in the panic of the moment, I never thought to give Misty magical assistance.
Lady Vannessa laughed, patting my hair. “There now. Go on. She’s waiting for you.”
Bennett followed close behind as I knelt before the crate. “I’m sorry I missed it,” I said to Misty, reaching in to stroke her head.
Misty nuzzled my hand. Don’t be. It wasn’t the most pleasant thing.
Pippin hovered over the kittens, staring with wide eyes. Look! Those are mine , he meowed. He nudged Bennett’s arm, purring deeply.
There were seven kittens in all. Three were identical to Misty and three were gray tabbies. The last was ginger, like Pippin. I marveled at how tiny they were.
Bennett stroked Pippin’s ears. “They’re precious. ”
Would you like to name them? Misty meowed.
“Really? You want that?” I asked.
Of course.
I turned to Bennett, who was waiting patiently for my translation. I had gotten into the habit of telling him everything the cats were saying.
“We can name them!” I said, barely able to contain my excitement.
He broke into a smile. “An honor.”
I rested my chin on the edge of the crate. I had been stewing over names for the past two weeks, but I didn’t want to assume Misty and Pippin would let me name their children. It was, as Bennett said, an honor.
“Stormi, Dima, and Rani,” I said, pointing to the three gray kittens in the center. I turned to Bennett. “What about the others?”
“Iris, Lumi, Sol,” he said without hesitation to the three black cats. He laughed at my raised brows. “Like I said, drafting laws gets boring.”
Misty purred, pleased with the names. She nuzzled the ginger kitten. And this little darling?
“May I do the honors?” Bennett said.
Pippin preened. Only fitting. She is the best-looking one.
“Daffodil,” Bennett said with a soft smile in my direction. “The springtide flower.”
Perfect, Misty said. She rested her head against the blankets, blinking slowly. Now. I’m in dire need of rest.
We left her to sleep and the kittens to nurse. Pippin insisted on staying. I am a father now, after all, he meowed, puffing up his chest .
Bennett took my hand and led me into the gardens. We walked to my old spot before the stone fountain. “Do you have a moment, Cissa? ”
I took a seat on the bench. He didn’t let go of my hand.
“Don’t you need to go back?” I asked.
“Father can wait a little longer,” he said. He plucked a daffodil from the base of the fountain, twirling it between his fingers. The flowers were everywhere now, dotting the area with spots of sunny yellow. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“What is it?”
Bennett knelt before me.
“You’re going to ruin your breeches,” I said. The grass had already stained the beige fabric, but he didn’t seem concerned.
“Narcissa Greenwood, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
I laughed. “What are you doing? You already proposed.”
“As a prince out of duty. I’m asking now as a man in love.” His expression was earnest. At some point, he had removed his crown. It sat beside him, obscured by long blades of foliage. “I want to be yours, as Bennett. If you will have me.”
I stared, reminded of our moments alone during the tour. When he helped me move a bookshelf for Misty. The evening of his birthday. That night when we stood outside my room above the opera house and he had spoken as if only the two of us mattered.
“I don’t have much without my title...but I can give you companionship,” Bennett said shyly. “And love that will last a lifetime.”
Together forever. That’s what he wanted. No one else had ever offered that except Misty. My heart sang.
“A lifetime?” I whispered. But the wounded child in me was not convinced. “What if...what if you change your mind? ”
“I won’t,” Bennett said simply. “Because you’re you.”
“That’s hardly a convincing reason.”
“Because you’re fearless and capable and clever. Because you’re kind, Cissa, despite what you may think of yourself.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Because you’re gentle. Understanding. Divinely beautiful.” He traced the curve of my jaw and smiled mischievously at my startled expression. He was getting rather good at compliments. “You’re everything I could ever dream of, Cissa. I hope I can be the same for you.”
I felt like crying and laughing and dancing and curling into a ball at the same time. A horrendous sight, no doubt, so I contained myself to staring at him instead. Because at this moment, he wasn’t the crown prince. He was just Bennett. My Bennett.
“You are,” I whispered, touching his cheek. He was breathtaking. I never thought so more than at this moment. “And you must know I love you just as well without your crown. Perhaps even more.”
Bennett paused, his hazel eyes hesitant. “Really?”
After spouting such a speech, he sounded awfully unsure of himself.
“Silly goose.” I leaned forward, bumping his forehead with mine. “You ought to give your brother some poetry lessons. That was quite a declaration,” I teased.
His face melted into a smile.
“Well, then.” Bennett tucked the daffodil behind my ear. “Are you going to say yes?”
Indescribable warmth flooded my chest. I kissed him.
“Yes,” I said. “A million times yes.”