Chapter 20 Spark #2
“But I did have a choice,” Norah protested, standing and going to join him. “Freya told me I did.”
“Who could say no, though, seeing the position you were in? Destitute, without family or friends or fortune?” He shook his head. “I was angry because I felt like we’d wasted what could have been something beautiful by rushing things.”
“In your defense and your sister’s,” Norah shrugged, “you really didn’t have time to lose. The illness was progressing too fast.”
“Be that as it may,” Phillip said, gently lifting her chin, “I didn’t blame you.”
Norah’s breath caught in her throat as she met his gaze. His voice perfectly matched his eyes, she realized. Warm and rich in its depth.
“I realized why the healing didn’t work at first,” she blurted. “And it really was my fault.”
Phillip just stared at her with wide eyes, so she hurried on.
“It failed because I was still thinking of myself as an outsider looking in, as though I might have a chance to step back out if things went wrong. I had one foot in and one foot out.” She shrugged, the words suddenly pouring out of her in a way they hadn’t since her family had died.
“I guess I never really thought my love would be enough. If I’m honest…
I haven’t felt like a Bianne princess since the fire. So why even try?”
Phillip ran a large, calloused hand down her face and stepped, seemingly unconsciously, closer. “Your family was torn from you violently and before your eyes. You lost everything you loved and your way of life. It’s only understandable that a child would try to leave that pain behind.”
“I tried for a long time,” Norah admitted, putting her face against his palm and pressing her cheek into it.
She closed her eyes as the pain of those days after the fire washed over her again.
But for the first time in a long time, she didn’t try to push it away.
Instead, she let it make its way in and out of her heart and mind, focusing on the warmth of his hand on her cheek as she did.
“I remember when we first met,” Phillip said slowly.
This surprised Norah so much that she opened her eyes and looked up at him. “You do?”
“Well, probably not the first time we met. Our parents were allies and met often, as your island was close to the mainland. But it was the visit before our official betrothal. I think I was about eleven, and you were nine. I apparently told my mother that you were…” He paused and gave her a guilty smile. “Well, never mind.”
“No.” Norah shook her head. “You have to tell me now. You can’t say something like that and then hide it.”
He sighed and gave her a pained smile, but his eyes were twinkling. “Apparently, I told my parents that you were an impertinent little sass with fiery hair that matched your mouth. And then I immediately asked when I would see you again.”
Norah’s mouth fell open, but then she laughed. “I wasn’t that bad.” She paused. “Was I?”
“I don’t know.” He chuckled. “But I do remember being fascinated by you. And I think that was when our parents began discussing a possible alliance.” His smile faded. “Those talks grew much more serious after I contracted the illness.”
“How did you know the pirates were behind the plague?” Norah asked. “You seemed unsurprised when Jameston admitted it.”
“Here, let’s sit.” Phillip opened the double glass doors to reveal a balcony nearly as wide as Norah’s old cottage had been. Then he led her to a bench in the shade of one of the taller trees on the grounds behind them. Only when they were seated did he take her hands in his and continue.
“After King Everard told your parents that he believed there was a dark force behind the plague, they sent a messenger to my parents to let them know. Unfortunately, I had already contracted it. In fact, I was one of the first, but my parents managed to keep it hidden for a long time. Knowing that, I began to search for answers not long after my parents died.”
“My parents searched, too.” Norah sighed. “But they were too busy trying to heal the children to learn what they really needed to.”
“It took me years and lots of messengers,” Phillip said.
“And I didn’t put all of the pieces together until after I’d lost my ability to write.
Apparently, Willamina and her husband had decided to take the city for themselves.
They planned to weaken the throne, murder my parents, and then pounce when I was unable to do anything about it.
” He paused. “But what they didn’t count on was the resourcefulness of my sister, who kept everything quiet. ”
“They were also, apparently, having to deal with the subsequent deaths and illnesses of their own children,” Norah added bitterly.
“Once I did figure it out,” Phillip continued, “there was no way to tell my sister or anyone else what I had learned.”
“All those children.” Norah leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. “So much suffering.”
They were silent for a long moment. The birds chirped in the trees, and the wind rustled the leaves.
In the distance, Norah could hear the murmur of voices from the coronation party.
Still, despite the horrible events of the day and the memories they had just brought to the surface, there was what felt like a healing balm that was slowly spreading through her heart.
Phillip had been right. They both needed to start somewhere new.
“What about you?” She sat up suddenly and looked at him.
“What about me?” he asked.
“When did you fall in love?” She gave him a wry grin. “I was somewhat thrust upon you as well.”
“Well,” he said, pulling her into his lap.
Norah shivered as he wrapped his strong arms around her.
“I’ve already told you about our infamous beginning.
But I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw you standing out in the rain.
Your… wig thing had slid down just enough for me to recognize your hair beneath.
” He chuckled. “I won’t lie and say I wasn’t in shock. ”
Norah snorted. “I looked like a drowned squirrel.”
“Drowned or not, you can’t imagine the awe we were in after searching for you for years, only to have you show up at our door begging to be let in.
Then, after the initial shock, I began to feel both hope and guilt in waves.
Hope that you really might break my silence, and guilt that we were forcing you into something you weren’t prepared for. ”
“But none of that is love,” Norah pointed out.
“It’s not. But the longer I spent with you, the more I began to see the real you, and I was captivated again by the girl who had turned my head when I was a boy.”
Impulsively, Norah leaned toward him. Without pause, he seemed to understand, and his lips met hers. This kiss, unlike their wedding kiss, was long and slow, and Norah drank his love greedily, realizing just how parched her soul had been for connection.
“My question,” he said, finally leaning back and taking her by the shoulders, “is now that your old dreams are gone, what do you want?” He leaned closer again, his eyes on her lips once more. And when he spoke, his voice dropped to a whisper. “You need new dreams to take their place.”
It was a good question, and Norah paused before answering. Partly because he was distracting her as he kissed her on the temple, and partly because she hadn’t given it much thought.
She’d been too busy being kidnapped.
“I think,” she said, “I’d like to return to my family’s island.
I can’t live there anymore, of course. Nanny and I were told that very few stayed.
But… some did. And now that the pirates aren’t a threat anymore, perhaps we could turn it into a place of healing once more.
” She gave him a shy smile. “My family didn’t just heal.
They also trained nurses and healers who didn’t have power.
I’d like to see if we could do that once more. ”
He bowed his head. “Absolutely. In fact… I think Princess Jaelle–Prince Lucas’s new wife–might be just the one to talk to about that.” Then he quirked an eyebrow. “What else?”
Norah grinned, suddenly feeling quite cheeky. “I want a baby.”
He froze briefly. Then he laughed. “Already?” Then he laughed harder. “Not that I’m complaining!”
Norah shrugged and tossed her hair. “I told you, Phillip. I waited long enough to begin my adventure, and I’m jumping in with both feet. But if you’re not all in as well–”
Phillip swept her up into his arms once more. “I don’t think there’s any question of my readiness,” he said, his voice suddenly low and gravelly. “And if I have to prove it to you,” his brown eyes suddenly smoldered, “I’ll just ask the Maker for two at once to save us both some time.”
She laughed, suddenly feeling lighter than she had in years.
He carried her back inside and shut the door behind them.
But rather than putting her down, he looked down at her once more.
“You asked me when I started loving you. Well, it was the first time I saw the spark of a fight in your eyes. Because I was so very tired of fighting alone.”
Norah reached up and traced the outline of his face. “I’ll be here then, fighting at your side.” She kissed his nose. “For the rest of our lives.”
He smiled but shook his head. “That I will most heartily accept. But tonight, there is no fight.” He leaned down and kissed her once more, sending a wave of warmth from her mouth to her toes. “Tonight, love, we start to live.”
The White Slipper
A Fairy Tale Novella Retelling of The White Slipper
“Father,” River said slowly, “won’t you tell me what you’re doing?”
He turned and watched her for a long moment, his gaze haggard but sharp. “Do you really wish to know?”
“Of course.”
He studied her a moment longer before giving her a sad smile. “You’ll learn soon enough.”
Usually, River knew what her father was planning.
He’d taken special pains to include her in his rulings and deliberations over the past two years, making sure she understood why he was making this decision or that.
They’d discussed judicial hearings and court debates, and River had been required to share her opinion with him so they might discuss it as he made his own judgments.
He’d consulted her about taxes and aid rendered to the poor.
They’d spent many a late night talking about their plans for the kingdom’s future.
This tight-lipped silence was new to her, and River decided as they waited that she didn’t like it.
When Jefferies finally arrived, the king sat as tall as he could, though River could see just how much it pained him by the beads of sweat rolling down his temples.
A few of the other lawyers bustled in as well, all holding quills, ink, parchments, and wax, and several of the courtiers followed as well.
Avery loitered in the doorway, sending River an encouraging smile.
River expected her father to chase the extra people out, as he’d summoned only Jefferies, but instead, he merely nodded to the others.
“I only called for one, but very well. You’ll all hear what I say eventually. And word will get out faster this way.”
“About what?” Avery mouthed to River.
She shrugged as her father turned to her.
“Daughter,” he said with another sad smile.
“Before we begin, I’m afraid that you’re going to be very angry with me.
” He glanced at Avery, then back at her.
“I never thought I would need to take these steps. But we are where we are.” He paused, the soft light leaving his eyes and the grim determination returning.
“You are my daughter,” he said, his voice hardening slightly, “and I must also remind you that you’re a princess first and foremost, and your duty is to your people. ”
“Of course, Father,” she said, bowing her head. Really, such a reminder was almost insulting. Had he forgotten how she’d sat faithfully beside him every day for the last two years?
The king cleared his throat. “Let it be declared,” he said, his voice regaining something of its former strength, “that whatever man finds a method by which to replicate the lost balsam slipper or its effects shall have my kingdom as his own inheritance.” He paused and glanced at River. “And my daughter’s hand in marriage.”
River stood and gaped at her father. Had he really just promised to give the kingdom…to give her to a complete stranger?
“Furthermore,” the king continued, as though he hadn’t just shattered River’s world, “my successor, should someone complete the quest, will be the man who successfully performs the feat. Not his master or employer. Only the man himself.”
A strange sound came from her right, and River turned to see Avery pale. Part of River’s mind told her that this response in itself was troubling, but her head was still spinning too much to comprehend it.
For her entire life, River had been promised that she would marry only when she was ready, and only to the man they both deemed worthy.
Once she’d come of marriageable age, she’d been the envy of her friends and the point of desire for many of the men.
Heiress to the throne with the power to choose one’s king made River arguably the most privileged woman in the realm.
Until now. Now, River was destined to marry whoever met the king’s demands. Be he ancient, filthy, conniving, dumb, or cruel, he would be River’s destiny.
Only a lifetime of training kept River from publicly demanding that the king explain himself. Whatever kind of father he was, as he had just reminded River, he was still king. Power might have been promised her, but that power was not yet hers.
It might never be now.
“Daughter?”
River realized everyone was looking at her.
“I’m sorry, Father,” she said stiffly. “I didn’t hear you.”
“I asked if I have your agreement,” her father said, gazing steadily at her.
River straightened. “As you wish, Father.” And before her mouth could utter something truly disastrous or her stinging eyes betray her, River stormed out of the room.